पञ्चविंशोऽध्यायः अथातः शिरोरोगविज्ञानीयमध्यायं व्याख्यास्यामः, भगवान् धन्वन्तरिः ॥ यथोवाच १ ॥
Now we shall discourse on the chapter which deals with the symptoms of diseases peculiar to the region of the head (Siro-roga Vijnaniya). 1
Classification of Diseases of Head
शिरो रुजति मर्त्यानां वातपित्तकफैस्त्रिभिः । सन्निपातेन रक्तेन क्षयेण कृमिभिस्तथा ॥२॥
सूर्यावर्तानन्तवातार्धावभेदकशङ्खकैः । एकादशप्रकारस्य लक्षणं संप्रवक्ष्यते ॥ ३ ॥ ॥
Classification- Diseases which are peculiar to the region of the head number eleven in all, Viz., the four kinds respectively due to the action of the deranged Vayu, Pitta, Kapha, and their combination, as well as those which are respectively incidental to any bodily waste (Ksayaja), or to the vitiated condition of the blood (Raktaja), or to the existence of parasites (Krmija), the remaining four being known as Suryavarta, Anantavata, Ardhavabhedaka and Samkhaka. The symptoms of these eleven kinds of head-diseases are given below.2-3.
यस्यानिमित्तं शिरसो रुजश्च भवन्ति तीव्रा निशि चातिमात्रम् | बन्धोपतापैश्च भवेद् विशेषः शिरोऽभितापः स समीरणेन ॥ ४ ॥ यस्योष्णमङ्गारचितं यथैव भवेच्छिरो धूमवती च नासा । शीतेन रात्रौ च भवेद्विशेषः शिरोऽभितापः स तु पित्तकोपात् ॥ ५ ॥
शूनाक्षिकूटं वदनञ्च यस्य शिरोऽभितापः स कफप्रकोपात् ॥ ६ ॥ शिरोऽभितापे त्रितयप्रवृत्ते सर्वाणि लिङ्गानि समुद्भवन्ति ॥ ७ ॥
Symptoms of Dosha-originated types — A fit of violent headache without any apparent cause and which becomes worse in the night and is relieved by pressure or by being bandaged or by an application of fomentation round the head, should be ascribed to the action of the deranged Vayu, and is known as the Vataja-Siroroga. A voilent burning and aching pain in the head, in which the scalp seems to have been strewn over with bits of live charcoal, accompanied by a sense of scorching vapour being emitted from the nostrils, and which ameliorates in the night or on the application of cold, should be ascribed to the action of the deranged Pitta, and is known as the Pittaja Siroroga. A fit of headache in which the head (palate) and the throat¹ seem to be covered with a coat of sticky mucus, and feel cold and heavy, and cannot be turned about, and the face and the eyes looks swollen or flabby, should be attributed to the action of the deranged bodily Kapha, and is called the Kaphaja-Siroroga. A case marked by the concerted action of all the three preceding Dosas exhibits all the symptoms peculiar to all of them, and is known as the Tri-dosaja-Siro-roga.4-7.
रक्तात्मकः पित्तसमानलिङ्गः स्पर्शासहत्वं शिरसो भवेच्च ॥ ८ ॥ वसाबलासक्षतसम्भवानां शिरोगतानामिह संक्षयेण । कष्टो भवेदुग्ररुजोऽतिमात्रम् ॥ ९ ॥ विवृद्धिमेति ॥ १० ॥ निस्तुद्यते यस्य शिरोऽतिमात्रं संम्भक्ष्यमाणं स्फुटतीव चान्तः । घ्राणाच्च गच्छेत् सलिलं सरक्तं शिरोऽभितापः कृमिभिः स घोरः ॥ ११ ॥ क्षयंप्रवृत्तः शिरसोऽभितापः शिरसोऽभितापः संस्वेदनच्छर्दनधूमनस्यैरसृग्विमोक्षैश्च
Symptoms of Raktaja, Ksayaja and Krmija types of Siroroga- A case of headache due to the vitiated condition of the local blood manifests as the symptoms of the Pittaja type, and the head becomes incapable of (bearing) the least touch. this is known as the Raktaja-Siroroga. A case of headache incidental to the waste of the local Vasa (fat) or Kapha’ is marked by an intolerable pain (Abhitapa) in the head which is aggravated by the application of fomentation, fumigation, errhine, emetic and blood-letting. This is known as the Ksayaja-Siro-roga. The disease of the head in which a pricking and tingling pain is felt inside the head as if being stung, (by some poisonous insect), and which is accompanied by a watery discharge mixed with blood (D.R. pus) from the nose, should be attributed to the existence of local parasites. This disease is a dangerous one and is known as the Krmija (Parasitic) Siro-roga. 8-11.
Symptoms of Suryavarta Siro roga
1. In place of “शिरीगतं” Some read “शिरी भवेत्”. This reading is adopted by Madhava. There seems to be no difference in the meanings the word f (head) may include both the palate and the throat.
सूर्योदयं वा प्रति मन्दमन्दमक्षिभ्रुवं रुक् समुपैति गाढम् । विवर्धते चांशुमता सहैव सूर्यापवृत्तौ विनिवर्तते च ॥ १२ ॥ शीतेन शान्तिं लभते कदाचिदुष्णेन जन्तुः सुखमाप्नुयाच्च । तं भास्करावर्तमुदाहरन्ति सर्वात्मकं कष्टतमं विकारम् ॥ १३ ॥
Symptoms of Suryavarta Siro-roga- The disease of the head in which a severe pain is felt in the eye and the eyebrow just at sunrise, and which goes on growing worse with the progress of the day and begins to abate only when the great luminary begins to set in the western sky, is called Suryavarta. It (generally) abates on the use of cold articles but sometimes on that of warm things as well. It is ascribed to the concerted action of the three Dosas. 12-13.
Symptoms of Ananta vata siro roga
दोषास्तु दुष्टास्त्रय एव मन्यां सम्पीड्य घाटासु रुजां सुतीब्राम् । कुर्वन्ति साक्षिभ्रुवि शङ्खदेशे स्थितिं करोत्याशु विशेषतस्तु ॥ १४ ॥ गण्डस्य पार्श्वे तु करोति कम्पं हनुग्रहं लोचनजांश्च रोगान् । अनन्तवातं तमुदाहरन्ति दोषत्रयोत्थं शिरसो विकारम् ॥ १५ ॥
Symptoms of Ananta-vata siro-roga – The disease of the head in which a violent pain is felt at the Manya and the Ghata (the two nerves on the backside of the neck) which ultimately affects the region of the eye, the eyebrow and the temples and specially produces a throbbing of the cheek, as well as paralysis of the jaw-bone and the eye. The disease is known as Ananta-vata and is due to the concerted action of the three Dosas. 14-15.
1. Dalhana here comments that the term “Vasa” means all the fatty substances in the body, e.g., the brain substance, Medas, semen, majja, etc. There is variation which is not recognised by Gayi That reading is अमृग्वसाश्वेष्म-समीरणानां (i.e. by the waste) of blood, Vasa Kapha and Vayu. This, however, seems to be the better reading.
Symptoms of Ardhavabhedaka and Samkhaka
जन्तोः यस्योत्तमाङ्गार्धमतीव पक्षाद् दशाहादथवाप्यकस्मात् सम्भेदतोदभ्रमशूलजुष्टम् । तस्यार्धभेदं त्रितयाद् व्यवस्येत् ॥ १६ ॥ शङ्खाश्रितो वायुरुदीर्णवेगः कृतानुयात्रः कफपित्तरक्तैः । रुजः सुतीव्राः प्रतनोति मूर्ध्नि विशेषतश्चापि हि शङ्खयोस्तु ॥ १७ ॥ सुकष्टमेनं खलु शङ्खकाख्यं महर्षयो वेदविदः पुराणाः । व्याधिं वदन्त्युद्गतमृत्युकल्पं भिषक्सहस्त्रैरपि दुर्निवारम् ॥ १८ ॥
Symptoms of Ardhavabhedaka and Samkhaka— The disease of the head in which a violent and excruciating pain of a piercing or aching nature is felt in one half of the cranium which makes the patient feel giddy, and which either follows no distinct periodicity or recurs at a regular interval of ten days or of a fortnight, is called the Ardhavabhedaka and is due to the concerted action of the three Dosas. A violent pain caused in the head and more especially in the temples by the local Vayu in combination with the deranged Kapha, Pitta and blood is designated by the holy sages of Ayurveda as the Samkhaka. It produces a very great pain, and is very hard to cure even by the joint advice of thousands of physicians and is as fierce as death itself. 16-18.
इति सश्रुत संहितायामुत्तरतन्त्रे शिरोरोगविज्ञानीयव्याख्यानाम पञ्चविंशोऽध्यायः ॥ २५ ॥
Thus ends the twenty-fifth chapter in the Uttara Tantra of the Susruta Samhita which deals with the symptoms of the diseases of the head.
