Jivanandana of Anandaraya Makhin (Study)

by G. D. Jayalakshmi | 2019 | 58,344 words

This page relates ‘Seasons and Diseases’ of the study on the Jivanandana (in English) which is a dramatic play written by Anadaraya Makhin in the 18th century. The Jivanandana praises the excellence of Advaita Vedanta, Ayurveda (medical science) and Dramatic literature as the triple agency for obtaining everlasting bliss.

As the play progresses, the author makes use of the situation in Act four when king Jīva after strenuous penance, is relaxing in the garden. Through the mouth of the minister Vijñāna Sarma, the seasons and the connected diseases are explained.

1. Varṣa Ṛtu (Rainy Season–Bhādrapada-Āśvayuja months)

Herbal plants start growing but their power will be less; the water would be impure, muddy and contaminated; in living beings, heat would be produced in the stomach, which creates the collection of more Pitta (biles) in the body (IV.35):

śaṃsanti bhādrapadamāśvayujaṃ ca varṣāstāsvoṣadhipracuratā taruṇālpavīryāḥ |
vāryaprasannamasumatsu ca śītavātāviṣṭeṣu tatra śikhinodayate vidāhaḥ ||

2. Śarat Ṛtu (Autumn–Kārtika-Mārgaśīrṣa)

The impact of Pitta already collected will get liquefied by the sun-light which will generate the set of diseases, collectively known as Paittikam (IV.36):

māsau śarat kārtikamārgaśīrṣau tatrābhrakārśye sati paṅkaśoṣaḥ |
vilāyitaḥ pittacayo'rkabhāsā sa paittikaṃ vyādhikulaṃ prasūte ||

3. Hemanta Ṛtu (Early Winter (Cold)–Pauṣa-Māgha)

The potency of the herbal plants will increase. Water, is free from mud, becomes pure and chill. The human beings consuming this water will get Kapha group of diseases due to its excess chillness and this excess chillness will be in the air also (IV.37):

hemantaḥ pauṣamāghāviha bhavati balaṃ vīryamapyoṣadhīnāṃ snigdhāścāpaḥ prasannā bhṛśagarimabhṛto yāḥ pibantyaṅgabhājaḥ |
mandāṃśutvācca bhānoḥ sahimamarudupastambhitāṅgeṣu dehiṣveṣu snehādvidagdhādbhavati himabhārācchleṣmaṇaḥ saṃcayaśca ||

4. Vasanta Ṛtu (Spring–Phālguna-Caitramāsa)

Stimulated by the hot rays of the Sun during this season, Kapha based diseases will get accumulated (IV.37/38):

phālguna-caitramāsarūpe vasante; yato'rkaraśmipravilāyitaḥ śleṣmasaṣcayo āsmin ṛtau bhavati |

5. Grīṣma Ṛtu (Summer–Vaiśakha-Jyeṣṭha)

Medicinal plants get dried. Due to excess heat, human beings consume plenty of water. Other living beings contaminate the water bodies due to which Vāta based diseases are produced (IV.38):

nissārā raukṣyabhājo dadhati ca laghutāmoṣadhīnāṃ samūhāḥ sarve te grīṣmasaṃjṣāṃ bhajati kila ṛtau jyeṣṭhavaiśākharūpe |
tasmin sūryapratāpaglapitatanubhṛtāṃ lāghavāccāpi raukṣyājjantūnāṃ pīyamānaṃ janayati salilaṃ saṃcayaṃ mārutasya ||

6. Prāvṛt Ṛtu (Second Rainy season–Āṣāḍha-Śrāvaṇa)

The faults of Vāta group will increase. Weak people will easily be affected by these diseases (IV.39):

sa saṃcayaḥ prāvṛṣi śītavātavarṣerito vātikarogakārī |
klinnāṅgabhājāṃ payasaiva nityaṃ prakopahetustrikasaṃcayasya ||

The three faults namely Kapha, Vāta and Pitta thus affecting the human beings during these seasons would also subside in the following manner:

Pitta group of diseases would be pacified in Hemanta; in Grīṣma -Kapha group of diseases would come down. And in the end of Varṣa and on the onset of Śarat, Vāta group of diseases would get cured (IV.40):

hemante kila paittikāmayaśamo grīṣme kaphodyadrujaḥ
  śāntirvātikarogaśāntirudayedvarṣātyaye kevalam |
evaṃ ṣaḍṛtuṣu svabhāvajatayā vyākhyāyi tubhyaṃ mayā
  pittaśleṣmanabhasvatāṃ saha cayenāpi prakopaḥ śamaḥ ||

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