Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita
by Nayana Sharma | 2015 | 139,725 words
This page relates ‘Aetiology (b): Adhibhautika’ of the study on the Charaka Samhita and the Sushruta Samhita, both important and authentic Sanskrit texts belonging to Ayurveda: the ancient Indian science of medicine and nature. The text anaylsis its medical and social aspects, and various topics such as diseases and health-care, the physician, their training and specialisation, interaction with society, educational training, etc.
Aetiology (b): Ādhibhautika
The term is derived from ādhibhūta meaning “belonging or related to created beings; or derived or produced from the primitive elements”.[1] Ādhibhautika implies diseases created by causes existing in the physical and material environment of the body.[2]
Therefore, in this context, it connotes afflictions proceeding from other beings or from environment circumstances which can be of two types:
(a) Traumatic (saṃghāṭabalapravṛtta) afflictions are in the nature of external injuries caused to a weaker person by a stronger adversary. Injuries may arise from the use of sharp weapons (śastrakṛtāḥ) or from attack of wild animals (vyālakṛtāḥ). Both are tangible in nature.
(b) Seasonal (kālabalapravṛtta)-afflictions are caused by heat, cold, wind, rain and other seasonal factors. They may be due to abnormality of the seasons or seasonal variations.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Monier-Williams, p.138.