Charak Samhita – Sutrasthana – Chapter 16 (Chikitsaprabhritiya Adhyaya)
Abstract
The management of diseases that develop during therapy is discussed in this chapter. Treatment interventions are explained together with the judgement of how therapeutic treatments should be administered correctly and incorrectly. Additionally, it covers therapeutic intervention indications, their advantages, and information on post-therapy dietary care. The notion of natural annihilation of disease-causing elements (svabhavoparamvada), which emphasises the necessity for therapeutic treatments for rapid return to health, is explored in relation to its applicability. So today we will discuss the Charaka Samhita Sutra Sthana chapter sixteen Chikitsaprabhritiya adhyaya in detail.
Introduction
This chapter discusses on the left other parts of purifying procedures and their conditions that were not completely addressed in the previous Upakalpaniya Adhyaya. The linguistic root bhr, which denotes assistance, nourishment, and offering, is the origin of the word “prabhrita”. The word “chikitsaprabhrita” is used to describe a doctor who is qualified, has the necessary tools, and can effectively support in managing the treatment of illnesses. The chapter places emphasis on the requirement for a skilled and fully-equipped doctor to guarantee faultless therapy. The person receiving treatment is also anticipated to be knowledgeable enough to recognize a qualified medical professional. Samshodhana and Vamana are also frequently referred to as “virechana” as well. Clinical characteristics of atiyoga (Overapplication), ayoga (Underapplication), and samyak yoga (Proper application of a method), as well as their treatment, have been addressed as well. This chapter also covers the care of post-therapy cachexia and illnesses, and their response to treatment (So that these conditions do not recur). A natural process that destroys health and sickness is known as svabhavaparamavada. Body tissues continually go through a process of degradation and regeneration. Although the reason for degeneration and mortality is unknown, the mechanism of regeneration is well understood.
Utility Of A Qualified Physician
A knowledgeable physician is a person who is familiar with therapeutic concepts, knowledgeable about and proficient in the use of Ayurveda, and renowned for taking quick action. A patient who receives therapy via such an expert in the way of purgation or emesis gets well and achieves bliss.
Unqualified Physician
On the contrary, if a patient obtains care from an ignorant and pretentious doctor, he exposes himself to the risk of consequences due to excessive or insufficient care.
Symptoms Of Effective Purification
Lightness, debility, relish, diminution of disorders, malaise, cleansing of complexion and heart, thirst and hunger, refinement of intellect, timely natural urges, normalcy of body fire-these are the symptoms of proper purgation.
Signs Of Improper Purification
Uncleansed of heart, spiting, regurgitation of pitta and kapha, vomiting, abdominal distension, anorexia, debility, laxity in thighs and shanks, absence of lightness, feeling of cold, drowsiness, obstruction in wind and coryza-these are the symptoms of inadequate purgation.
Signs Of Excessive Purification Therapy
Discharge of blood like flesh or fat, or fluid without pitta and kapha or black stool after the elimination of bile, wind, faeces and mucus in succession, along with thirst, affliction due to vata and fainting-these indicate the excessive administration of purgation. The symptoms seen in cases of excessive emesis administration are the same as those seen in cases of purgation. Additionally, excessive vomiting can lead to vata diseases that affect the upper region of your body and impede speaking. Therefore, one should seek out such a skilled and knowledgeable doctor to administer any purifying therapy.
Dosha Aggravation Warning Signs And Indications For Purification Therapy
Obesity, exhaustion, indigestion, paleness, anorexia, heaviness, lassitude, uneasiness, appearance of boils, fatigue, urticarial patches and itching, debility, depression, foul smell, sleeplessness or over sleep, regurgitation of kapha and pitta, impotency, drowsiness, inauspicious dreams, intellectual impairment, loss of complexion and strength even after saturation with body promoting nutrients-these are the symptoms of the one having plenty of doshas. For him purgation or emesis administered according to doshas and strength is beneficial.
Advantages Of Purification Therapy
Treatments that eliminate vitiated dosha have the following effects: improved digestion and metabolism, relief from disease, return to normal health, enhancement of the clarity of the senses, intellect, mind, and complexion, plumpness, encouragement of strength, procreation, and virility, postponement of ageing, and longevity. As a result, one should use a properly delivered purificatory treatment at the right time.
Preventing The Disease From Recurring
Doshas might sometimes aggravate even after treatment with digestion and fasting but they never recur if they are subdued with evacuative therapy. In case of doshas as well as plants, if the root is not striked at, reappearance of the gone disorders and sprouts is certain.
Post-Purification Recommendations
In person reduced by evacuative therapy the body should be promoted with intake of nourishing diet together with milk, ghee, meat soups, and relishing vegetable soups, non unctuous and unctuous enema, massage, bath, and anointing. In this way, he obtains well being and is endowed with long life.
Therapy For Excessive And Insufficient Purification
For the patient suffering from excessive administration of evacuative therapy, the intake of ghee, oil processed with sweet drugs or unctuous enema is recommended. In case of inadequate administration, he should be uncted and then again treated with evacuative therapy keeping in view the dosha, strength and fire and also the previous regimen. Management of the disorders which arise during improper administration of unction, evacuation, fomentation, dietetic regimen has been described in Siddhi section.
Theory Of Natural Destruction (Swabhavoparama Vada)
The dhatus of the body get into disequilibrium due to imbalance of the cause and they enjoy equilibrium when the cause is in balance. Their termination is always natural. There is always a cause in production of beings but none in their annihilation though some regard non-initiation of cause as the cause in the latter case.
Doubt By Agnivesha
After the preceptor finished his above talk, Agnivesha put a query-if there is termination of disorder by nature then what is the function of a well equipped physician? What imbalance dhatus he brings to equilibrium by means of therapy? What is the nature of therapeutics and its objective?
Punarvasu’s Explanation
After having heard the question of his disciple, Punarvasu said-O gentle one! Hear the argument which is put forth in this respect by the great sages. Due to absence of the terminating cause, the cause of annihilation of beings is not observed as in case of eternally moving time due to its fast movement. The being is terminated as it came into existence. There is no causative factor in its annihilation nor is its transformation.
Chikitsa Definition And Physician’s Duties
The therapies are the methods used to restore the body’s dhatus to homeostasis. A physician must perform this. The administration of the therapy has as its goal the prevention of dhatus imbalance and to encourage the development of dhatus that are in balance. The imbalance variables are created by avoiding the ones that lead to disequilibrium and seeking the ones that do. A well-equipped doctor is seen as a provider of health, life, and pleasure because he uses balanced components to produce balanced dhatus. The doctor becomes a provider of virtue, prosperity, delight, and related to both the eternal realm and this earthly world by providing health, happiness and longevity.
Conclusion
In this chapter we read about the merits of the well equipped physician and the demerits of the otherwise, symptoms of adequate, inadequate and excessive evacuation, symptoms of the one having plenty of dosha, merits of evacuative therapy, principle of treatment in relation to its success and failure, rationale in therapeutics, duties of physician-all this has been said by the sage in the chapter of the physician equipped for treatment etc.
