सुप्रभातम् - चरकसंहिता - शारीरस्थानम् - १ - वर्गः - १

खादयश्चेतनाषष्ठा धातवःपुरुषःस्मृतः

चेतनाधातुरप्येकः स्मृतः पुरुष संज्ञकः

पुनश्च धातुभेदेन चतुर्विंशतिकः स्मृतः

मनो दशेन्द्रियाण्यर्थाः प्रकृतिश्चाष्टधातुकी|

                                                                    (चरकसंहिता-शारीरस्थानम् १/१६)

Purusha comprises of six dhatus (elements), viz. five mahabhutas (in their subtle form) and consciousness. The element of consciousness alone could also be considered purusha. According to another  classification purusha  comprises of twenty four dhatus, i.e. mind, ten indriyas (sensory and motor organs), five objects of sense organs and prakriti(consisting of eight dhatus, viz. five mahabhutas (in their subtle form) ahamkara (ego), mahan (intellect) and avyakta (primordial element) 

    (Carakasaṁhitā  sharirasthanam 1/16)

लक्षणं मनसो ज्ञानस्याभावो भाव एव च|

सति ह्यात्मेन्द्रियार्थानां सन्निकर्षे न वर्तते|

वैवृत्त्यान्मनसो ज्ञानं सान्निध्यात्तच्च वर्तते|

अणुत्वमथ चैकत्वं द्वौ गुणौ मनसः स्मृतौ||

                                                              (चरकसंहिता-शारीरस्थानम् १/१८)

MIND AND ITS ATTRIBUTES

Sometimes one understands a thing and sometimes one does not. This proves the existence of the mind as a separate sense organ. That is why, when there is no contact of the mind with sense organs and their objects, no understanding of things can occur. It is only when the required mental contact is there that one can understand things. Atomicity and oneness are considered to be the two characteristic features of the mind. 

    (Carakasaṁhitā  sharirasthanam 1/18)

चिन्त्यं विचार्यमूह्यं च ध्येयं सङ्कल्प्यमेव च|

यत्किञ्चिन्मनसो ज्ञेयं तत् सर्वं ह्यर्थसञ्ज्ञकम्||

इन्द्रियाभिग्रहः कर्म मनसः स्वस्य निग्रहः|

ऊहो विचारश्च, ततः परं बुद्धिः प्रवर्तते||

                                                              (चरकसंहिता-शारीरस्थानम् १/२०)

OBJECTS AND ACTIONS OF MIND

Things requiring thought, consideration, hypothesis, attention, determination or whatever can be perceived by the mind, are regarded as its objects. Control of sense organs, self restraint, hypothesis and consideration represent the action of the mind. Beyond that flourishes the domain and intellect 

    (Carakasaṁhitā  sharirasthanam 1/20)

इन्द्रियेणेन्द्रियार्थो हि समनस्केन गृह्यते

कल्प्यते मनसा तूर्ध्वं गुणतो दोषतोऽथवा|

जायते विषये तत्र या बुद्धिर्निश्चयात्मिका

व्यवस्यति तया वक्तुं कर्तुं वा बुद्धिपूर्वकम्||

                                                 (चरकसंहिता-शारीरस्थानम् १/२२)

PROCESS OF PERCEPTION

Objects are perceived with the help of sense organs and the mind. This perception is purely mental in the beginning, while the practical advantages or disadvantages are ascertained thereafter. The intellect which determines the specific properties of the object impels the (same) individual to speak or act intelligently.

    (Carakasaṁhitā  sharirasthanam 1/24)

हस्तौ पादौ गुदोपस्थं वागिन्द्रियमथापि च|

कर्मेन्द्रियाणि पञ्चैव पादौ गमनकर्मणि||

पायूपस्थं विसर्गार्थं हस्तौ ग्रहणधारणे|

जिह्वा वागिन्द्रियं वाक् च सत्या ज्योतिस्तमोऽनृता||                                                 

                                                                            (चरकसंहिता-शारीरस्थानम् १/२५)

MOTOR ORGANS

Motor organs are of five categories, viz. hands, feet, anus, phallus and the organ of speech (tongue). Feet are useful in locomotion, anus and phallus for passing body waste while the hands are for collecting and holding. The tongue represents the organ of speech which is of two kinds, viz. true and false. The former can be compared to light which illuminates the worldly life and life after death, and the later to darkness which creates confusion. 

    (Carakasaṁhitā  sharirasthanam 1/25)

महाभूतानि खं वायुरग्निरापः क्षितिस्तथा|

शब्दः स्पर्शश्च रूपं च रसो गन्धश्च तद्गुणाः||

तेषामेकगुणः पूर्वो गुणवृद्धिः परे परे|

पूर्वः पूर्वगुणश्चैव क्रमशो गुणिषु स्मृतः||

                                                                                                       (चरकसंहिता-शारीरस्थानम् १/२७)

The five mahabhutas are  ākāśa vāyu agni jala and pṛthvī (in this order). Their attributes are sound, touch, vision, taste and smell respectively.

The order of mahabhutas mentioned is important because, starting with akasha, the number of attributes per mahabhuta increases in the above order. This increase in number of attributes is cumulative, i.e., the attribute of the preceding mahabhutas is added to the succeeding one. This process of guṇāntara vṛddhi  in mahabhutas is aiso known as  bhūtanipraveśa

. 

    (Carakasaṁhitā  sharirasthanam 1/27)

खरद्रवचलोष्णत्वं भूजलानिलतेजसाम्|

आकाशस्याप्रतीघातो दृष्टं लिङ्गं यथाक्रमम्||

लक्षणं सर्वमेवैतत् स्पर्शनेन्द्रियगोचरम्|

 स्पर्शनेन्द्रियविज्ञेयः स्पर्शो हि सविपर्ययः||

                                                                                                         (चरकसंहिता-शारीरस्थानम् १/२९)

Prithvi, jala, agni/tejas, vayu and akasha are characterized by kharatva (roughness), dravatva (liquidity), ushnatva (heat), chalatva 

(mobility) and apratighatatva(unobstructibility) respectively. All these attributes are perceptible by the tactile sense organ. Touch, together with its absence, is perceived by the tactile sense organ. 

    (Carakasaṁhitā  sharirasthanam 1/29)

रजस्तमोभ्यां युक्तस्य संयोगोऽयमनन्तवान्|

ताभ्यां निराकृताभ्यां तु सत्त्ववृद्ध्या निवर्तते||

                                                                                                     (चरकसंहिता-शारीरस्थानम् १/३६)

The association of purusha with the 24 tattvas continues so long as it is influenced by rajas and tamas. If freed from the influence of rajas and tamas, the purusha is free from its association with the tattvas and is said to be liberated. 

    (Carakasaṁhitā  sharirasthanam 1/36)

अत्र कर्म फलं चात्र ज्ञानं चात्र प्रतिष्ठितम्|

अत्र मोहः सुखं दुःखं जीवितं मरणं स्वता||

 एवं यो वेद तत्त्वेन स वेद प्रलयोदयौ|

पारम्पर्यं चिकित्सां च ज्ञातव्यं यच्च किञ्चन।।

                                                                                                            (चरकसंहिता-शारीरस्थानम् १/३७)

It is within this combination of 24 elements (known as the purusha), that action, fruit or consequence of the action, knowledge, ignorance, happiness, misery, life, death and ownership are established. One who duely knows this, knows life, death, continuity of the body, treatment (physical and spiritual) and all other knowable objects

    (Carakasaṁhitā  sharirasthanam 1/37)

करणान्यान्यता दृष्टा कर्तुः कर्ता स एव तु|

कर्ता हि करणैर्युक्तः कारणं सर्वकर्मणाम्||

                                                                                                  (चरकसंहिता-शारीरस्थानम् १/४९)

The bodily organs of a living being might be different but the soul i.e. the agent of action (deeds) is one and the same. The agent (doer) of action (deed) like a sculptor is an efficient cause of all actions (viz. sculpture etc.) by virtue of his possession of the various karana (equipment).

    (Carakasaṁhitā  sharirasthanam 1/49)

निमेषकालाद्भावानां कालः शीघ्रतरोऽत्यये|

भग्नानां न पुनर्भावः कृतं नान्यमुपैति च||

मतं तत्त्वविदामेतद्यस्मात्तस्मात् स कारणम्|

क्रियोपभोगे भूतानां नित्यः पुरुषसञ्ज्ञकः||

                                                                   (चरकसंहिता-शारीरस्थानम् १/५०)

Physical elements can get destroyed at a rate faster than the twinkling of an eye. Those destroyed do not come back to their original form again and the results of the deeds (like yagna) of one individual may not be enjoyable to another individual. The learned are, therefore, of the view that there is a permanent entity known as purusha(soul) who is the causative factor for the action as well as for the enjoyment of the result of deeds. 

    (Carakasaṁhitā  sharirasthanam 1/50)

अहङ्कारः फलं कर्म देहान्तरगतिः स्मृतिः|

विद्यते सति भूतानां कारणे देहमन्तरा||

                                                                   (चरकसंहिता-शारीरस्थानम् १/५२)

In living beings, a factor other than the body (i.e. the soul) is responsible for ego, enjoyment of the result of deeds, engagement in deeds, transmigration from one body to another body, and keeping the memory of the individual alive.

    (Carakasaṁhitā  sharirasthanam 1/52)

प्रभवो न ह्यनादित्वाद्विद्यते परमात्मनः|

 पुरुषो राशिसंज्ञस्तु मोहेच्छाद्वेषकर्मजः||

                                                    (चरकसंहिता-शारीरस्थानम् १/५३)

As the supreme soul is without a beginning (i.e., is eternal), no birth can be ascribed to it. Of course, the purusha who represents the combination of 24 elements (rashipurusha) certainly has its origin born out of its deeds in the previous life due to its delusion, desire and aversion. 

    (Carakasaṁhitā  sharirasthanam 1/53)

आत्मा ज्ञः करणैर्योगाज् ज्ञानं त्वस्य प्रवर्तते|

करणानामवैमल्यादयोगाद्वा न वर्तते||

पश्यतोऽपि यथाऽऽदर्शे सङ्क्लिष्टे नास्ति दर्शनम्|

तत्त्वं जले वा कलुषे चेतस्युपहते तथा||

                                                    (चरकसंहिता-शारीरस्थानम् १/ ५४)

The purusha is endowed with the power of perception. It perceives things when it is associated with the mind, intellect and sense faculties. If these instruments of perception are either absent (i.e., detached from the purusha or not associated with it) or impeded, then there will be no perception. One cannot get the true reflection of an image from a mirror that is covered with dirt or from dirty water. Similar is the case when the mind gets afflicted.

    (Carakasaṁhitā  sharirasthanam 1/54)

करणानि मनो बुद्धिर्बुद्धिकर्मेन्द्रियाणि च|

कर्तुः संयोगजं कर्म वेदना बुद्धिरेव च||

नैकः प्रवर्तते कर्तुं भूतात्मा नाश्नुते फलम्|

संयोगाद्वर्तते सर्वं तमृते नास्ति किञ्चन||

                                                    (चरकसंहिता-शारीरस्थानम् १/ ५६)

The instruments of knowledge are mind, intellect and cognitive and conative organs. Their association with the doer (purusha) results in action, sensation and understanding. The purusha alone (soul in the absence of mana and indriyas) does neither initiate deeds nor enjoy the result of deeds. Combination of all these factors is responsible for the manifestation of every effect and without that nothing exists nor happens. 

    (Carakasaṁhitā  sharirasthanam 1/56)

नैकः प्रवर्तते कर्तुं भूतात्मा नाश्नुते फलम्|

संयोगाद्वर्तते सर्वं तमृते नास्ति किञ्चन||

(चरकसंहिता – शारीरस्थानम् – १.५७)

Naikaḥ pravartatē kartuṁ bhūtātmā nāśnutē phalam|

Saṁyōgādvartatē sarvaṁ tamr̥tē nāsti kiñcana||

          The instruments of knowledge are mind, intellect and cognitive and conative organs. Their association with the doer (purusha) results in action, sensation and understanding. The purusha alone (soul in the absence of manas and indriyas) neither initiates deeds nor enjoys the result of deeds. Combination of all these factors is responsible for the manifestation of every effect. Without it, neither anything exists nor happens.

(Carakasaṁhitā - Śārīrasthānam – 1.57)

न ह्येको वर्तते भावो वर्तते नाप्यहेतुकः|

शीघ्रगत्वात्स्वभावात्त्वभावो न व्यतिवर्तते||

(चरकसंहिता – शारीरस्थानम् – १.५८)

Na Hyēkō Vartatē Bhāvō Vartatē Nāpyahētukaḥ|

Śīghragatvātsvabhāvāttvabhāvō Na Vyativartatē||

          The purusha, not alone, but accompanied with manas and indriyas, is responsible for any manifestation. The process of decay, on the other hand, being too quick in succession, does not need any cause as such.

(Carakasaṁhitā - Śārīrasthānam – 1.58)