Page:Sushruta Samhita Vol 1.djvu/118

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14
THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA.
[Chap. I.

pleasurable sounds, touch, sights, taste or smell where the mind would be found to be the seat of the distemper.

Thus I have briefly dealt with the Purusha, Disease, Medicine, Appliances and the Specific Time. The term Purusha should be interpreted to include within its meaning the combination of its five material components, and all things resulting therefrom, such as the limbs and members of the body, as well as the skin, the flesh, the blood, the veins and the nerves, etc. The term Disease signifies all distempers incidental to the several or combined actions of the three deranged bodily humours and blood. The term Medicine signifies drugs and their virtues, tastes, potency, inherent efficacy (Prabhava) and reactionary properties (Vipaka). Appliances (kriya) denotes such processes as, surgical operations, injections, emulsive measures, lubrications, etc. The term Time signifies all opportune moments for medical appliances.

Authoritative verses on the subject:—The primary principle of the Science of medicine has thus been briefly stated and will be fully dealt with in the following one hundred and twenty chapters distributed among the five main sub-divisions or Sthanas of the present work. These hundred and twenty chapters will be found to be elaborately discussed according to the specific import or significance of their denominations under the sub-heads of Sutra-Sthanam