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AYANAACADEMYby Dr Vijaya Dwarampudi
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4. prabhāṣaṇīyādhyāyaḥ

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Adhikarana 1 (1-2) · Śloka 2

athātaḥ prabhāṣaṇīyamadhyāyaṁ vyākhyāsyāmaḥ ||1|| yathōvāca bhagavān dhanvantariḥ ||2||

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अथातः प्रभाषणीयमध्यायं व्याख्यास्यामः ||१|| यथोवाच भगवान् धन्वन्तरिः ||२||

Meaning of the śloka

Now we shall explain the chapter on exposition, as taught by the venerable Dhanvantari.

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adhītaśāstrasya punararthatō vyākhyānaṁ prabhāṣaṇaṁ, tadadhikr̥tya kr̥tō'dhyāyaḥ prabhāṣaṇīyaḥ||1-2||

Meaning of the commentary

Prabhashana means explaining the meaning of a text after it has been studied. This chapter takes its name from that subject.

Key terms

prabhAShaNaM (prabhāṣaṇam)
Exposition of the meaning of a text already studied.

Adhikarana 2 (3-4) · Śloka 4

adhigatamapyadhyayanamaprabhāṣitamarthataḥ kharasya candanabhāra iva kēvalaṁ pariśramakaraṁ bhavati ||3|| bhavati cātra- yathā kharaścandanabhāravāhī bhārasya vēttā na tu candanasya | ēvaṁ hi śāstrāṇi bahūnyadhītya cārthēṣu mūḍhāḥ kharavadvahanti ||4||

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अधिगतमप्यध्ययनमप्रभाषितमर्थतः खरस्य चन्दनभार इव केवलं परिश्रमकरं भवति ||३|| भवति चात्र- यथा खरश्चन्दनभारवाही भारस्य वेत्ता न तु चन्दनस्य | एवं हि शास्त्राणि बहून्यधीत्य चार्थेषु मूढाः खरवद्वहन्ति ||४||

Meaning of the śloka

Even completed textual study brings only toil if its meaning has not been explained. It is like a donkey carrying sandalwood: the animal knows the weight, but not the sandalwood's worth. Similarly, those who have studied many texts but remain ignorant of their meanings merely carry them like a donkey carrying a load.

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idānīṁ prabhāṣaṇasya prayōjanaṁ darśayitumāha- adhigatamityādi| ētēnaitaduktaṁ- saguṇamapi candanaṁ vōḍhurgardabhasya tadguṇānajānataḥ kēvalaṁ yathā bhārō bhavati, tadvadadhītamapi śāstramarthadvārēṇāprabhāṣitaṁ tadadhyētuḥ puruṣasya kēvalaṁ pariśramakaraṁ bhavatītyarthaḥ| anyē tu ‘aprabhāṣitaṁ’ ityatra ‘ananubhāṣitaṁ’ iti paṭhanti, vyākhyānayanti ca- anuśabdaḥ paścādarthaḥ; tēnādhyayanasyānu paścādarthataḥ prakarṣēṇa bhāṣaṇamanubhāṣaṇaṁ, na kathamapi prathamam| arthēṣu mūḍhā ajñānād gardabhavacchāstraṁ vahanti||3-4||

Meaning of the commentary

The comparison explains why exposition is necessary. Sandalwood has valuable qualities, but the donkey carrying it does not understand them and experiences only the burden. Likewise, a learned text becomes mere labour for a student if it has not been explained through its meaning. Some read ananubhashitam instead of aprabhashitam. They take anu to mean 'after': detailed explanation of meaning follows textual study and is not to precede it. Ignorance of meaning is what makes the burden comparable to the donkey's.

Key terms

candanabhAra (candanabhāra)
A load of sandalwood, illustrating knowledge carried without understanding its value.

Adhikarana 3 (5) · Śloka 5

tasmāt saviṁśamadhyāyaśatamanupadapādaślōkamanuvarṇayitavyamanuśrōtavyaṁ ca; kasmāt? sūkṣmā hi dravyarasaguṇavīryavipākadōṣadhātumalāśayamarmasirāsnāyusandhyasthigarbhasambhavadravyasamūhavibhāgāstathā pranaṣṭaśalyōddharaṇavraṇaviniścayabhagnavikalpāḥ sādhyayāpyapratyākhyēyatā ca vikārāṇāmēvamādayaścānyē viśēṣāḥ sahasraśō yē vicintyamānā vimalavipulabuddhērapi buddhimākulīkuryuḥ kiṁ punaralpabuddhēḥ, tasmādavaśyamanupadapādaślōkamanuvarṇayitavyamanuśrōtavyaṁ ca ||5||

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तस्मात् सविंशमध्यायशतमनुपदपादश्लोकमनुवर्णयितव्यमनुश्रोतव्यं च; कस्मात्? सूक्ष्मा हि द्रव्यरसगुणवीर्यविपाकदोषधातुमलाशयमर्मसिरास्नायुसन्ध्यस्थिगर्भसम्भवद्रव्यसमूहविभागास्तथा प्रनष्टशल्योद्धरणव्रणविनिश्चयभग्नविकल्पाः साध्ययाप्यप्रत्याख्येयता च विकाराणामेवमादयश्चान्ये विशेषाः सहस्रशो ये विचिन्त्यमाना विमलविपुलबुद्धेरपि बुद्धिमाकुलीकुर्युः किं पुनरल्पबुद्धेः, तस्मादवश्यमनुपदपादश्लोकमनुवर्णयितव्यमनुश्रोतव्यं च ||५||

Meaning of the śloka

Therefore the one hundred and twenty chapters must be explained and heard word by word, quarter-verse by quarter-verse, and verse by verse. The distinctions concerning dravya, rasa, guna, virya, vipaka, dosha, dhatu, mala, bodily receptacles, marmas, siras, snayus, joints, bones, the constituents involved in embryonic formation, and their groupings are subtle. So too are the distinctions concerning removal of concealed foreign bodies, assessment of wounds, varieties of fractures, and whether disorders are curable, manageable, or to be declined for treatment. Thousands of other such details, when considered, could bewilder even a person of clear and extensive understanding, let alone someone of limited understanding. For this reason, explanation and attentive listening must proceed through every word, quarter-verse, and verse.

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tasmādityādi| saviṁśamadhyāyaśataṁ sahōttaratantrēṇa viṁśatyadhikamadhyāyaśatam| anupadapādaślōkam anuśabdō vīpsārthaḥ, tēnāyamarthaḥ- padaṁ padaṁ pādaṁ pādaṁ ślōkaṁ ślōkamanuvarṇayitavyamācāryēṇa vyākhyātavyamityarthaḥ| hiśabdō yasmādarthē, yasmāt sūkṣmā dravyādivibhāgāstasmādanuvarṇayitavyamiti piṇḍārthaḥ| tatra, dravyaṁ sthāvarādi; rasāḥ ṣaṇmadhurādayaḥ; guṇā gurvādayaḥ; vīryaṁ śītōṣṇaṁ dvividhamaṣṭavidhaṁ vā; dvau vipākau madhurakaṭū; dōṣā vātādayaḥ; dhātavō rasādayaḥ, dhātugrahaṇāt stanyārtavalasīkāvasādayaścōpadhātavō gr̥hyantē; dvau malau śakr̥nmūtrē, anyē tu sapta malānācakṣatē, tatra dvau pūrvōktau, pañcānāṁ cēndriyādhiṣṭhānānāṁ pañca, tathāhi- dūṣikāsiṁhāna(siṅghāṇa)kakarṇagūtharōmakūpaprajananamalāścēti, malāḥ purīṣādayō dhātumalāścētyēkē, āśayāḥ sapta śārīrōktā vātādīnāṁ, strīṇāmaṣṭamō garbhāśayaḥ; saptōttaraṁ marmaśataṁ; sapta sirāśatāni; nava snāyuśatāni; sandhayō daśōttarē dvē śatē; asthīni śatāni trīṇi; āśayādīnāṁ vyaktiṁ śārīrē vakṣyati; garbhasambhavadravyāṇi śukraśōṇitādīni, ātmapañcamahābhūtamanāṁsītyanyē; samūhaḥ saṅghātaḥ, ētēṣāṁ vibhāgā bhēdāḥ| yasmāt sūkṣmā iti hētupadaṁ sarvatra sambadhyatē| tathā pranaṣṭaśalyōddharaṇādivikalpā iti pranaṣṭaśalyaṁ tvagādiṣu nilīnaṁ; vraṇaviniścayō vātādibhēdēna śuddhyā ca ṣōḍaśavidhaḥ; bhagnaṁ saṅkṣēpēṇa dvividhaṁ- sandhimuktaṁ, kāṇḍabhagnaṁ ca; pranaṣṭaśalyōddharaṇādibhiḥ saha vikalpaśabdaḥ pratyēkaṁ sambadhyatē; vikalpāḥ bhēdāḥ| sādhyayāpyapratyākhyēyatā ca vikārāṇāmiti atra caśabdāt sukhasādhyatā kr̥cchrasādhyatā ca gr̥hyatē| kimēta ēva paraṁ sūkṣmā ityanuktaṁ gr̥hṇannāha- ēvamādayaścānyē viśēṣā iti| ādiśabdaḥ prakāravācī, tēna ēvamprakārāścānyē viśēṣāḥ sūkṣmā iti prakāravācinā ādiśabdēna dyōtyantē , tē ca śastrakarmaṇāmaṣṭavidhatādayō bhēdāḥ| sahasraśō yē vicintyamānā iti sahasraśaḥ sahasravārān, yē iti dravyādīnāṁ bhēdāḥ, vicintyamānā ‘guruṁ vinā’ iti śēṣaḥ| vimalavipulabuddhērapīti vimalā buddhirmithyāsaṁśayajñānavarjitā| itthambhūtasyāpi puruṣasya buddhiṁ vyākulīkuryuḥ, alpabuddhēstu kā kathā| ‘sahasraśō yē'nucintyamānā’ ityanyē paṭhanti, vyākhyānayanti ca- śrutasya paścādapi cintyamānāḥ, kiṁ punaraśrutā ityanuśabdārthaḥ| anupadapādētyādipunaruktiḥ śāstrasya viṣamatvakhyāpanāya||5||

Meaning of the commentary

The commentator glosses the stated chapter count as one hundred and twenty 'together with the Uttaratantra'; the numerical wording is retained here without reconciliation. Anu indicates taking each word, quarter-verse, and verse in turn, with the teacher explaining it. Detailed exposition is needed because the distinctions are subtle. Dravya includes substances of plant and other origins; rasa comprises the six tastes beginning with sweet; guna includes qualities such as heaviness. Virya is classified as cold and hot, or alternatively in eight kinds; vipaka here has two kinds, sweet and pungent. Doshas begin with vata, and dhatus with rasa. Mention of dhatus also includes subsidiary constituents such as breast milk, menstrual substance, lasika and vasa. Mala is explained as faeces and urine. Others enumerate seven, adding wastes associated with five sites, while another interpretation includes faeces and other wastes together with tissue wastes. Seven ashayas are mentioned, with the uterus as an eighth in women; the stated counts are 107 marmas, 700 siras, 900 snayus, 210 joints and 300 bones. Their individual descriptions are assigned to the Sharira section. Constituents of embryonic formation are interpreted as semen, shonita and related factors; others understand the self, five great elements and mind. Samuha means an aggregate and vibhaga its distinctions. A concealed shalya lies hidden in skin or other tissues. Wound assessment has sixteen divisions according to factors such as dosha and purification. Fracture is broadly divided into dislocation and fracture of a bone's shaft. The term 'varieties' applies separately to removal of concealed foreign bodies and the other procedures. The conjunction also includes easy and difficult curability. Other subtle distinctions include the eight kinds of surgical procedure. The commentator understands contemplation here as contemplation without a teacher: even repeated consideration may confuse an intellect free of erroneous or doubtful knowledge. An alternative reading emphasizes thinking over something after hearing it; if even that is difficult, the difficulty is greater before hearing it explained. Repetition of the instruction stresses the text's difficulty.

Key terms

anupadapAdashlokam (anupadapādaślokam)
Taking each word, quarter-verse and verse in sequence for explanation.
yApya (yāpya)
A disorder requiring ongoing management rather than cure in this classification.
pranaShTashalya (pranaṣṭaśalya)
A foreign body concealed in skin or other tissues.
vikalpAH (vikalpāḥ)
The different varieties or divisions under discussion.

Adhikarana 4 (6) · Śloka 6

anyaśāstrōpapannānāṁ cārthānāmihōpanītānāmarthavaśāttēṣāṁ tadvidyēbhya ēva vyākhyānamanuśrōtavyaṁ, kasmāt? na hyēkasmin śāstrē śakyaḥ sarvaśāstrāṇāmavarōdhaḥ kartum ||6||

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अन्यशास्त्रोपपन्नानां चार्थानामिहोपनीतानामर्थवशात्तेषां तद्विद्येभ्य एव व्याख्यानमनुश्रोतव्यं, कस्मात्? न ह्येकस्मिन् शास्त्रे शक्यः सर्वशास्त्राणामवरोधः कर्तुम् ||६||

Meaning of the śloka

When matters belonging to other disciplines are brought into this text because they serve its purpose, their explanations should be heard from those learned in those disciplines. All disciplines cannot be contained within a single text.

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idānīmanyaśāstrōpapannānāmarthānāṁ śiṣyahitatvēna vijñānōpāyamāha- anyaśāstrōpapannānāmityādi|- anyaśāstrāṇi vyākaraṇasāṅkhyavaiśēṣikajyōtiḥśāstrādīni; anyaśāstrāṇi kāyacikitsādīnityanyē| upapannā nibaddhāḥ| ihōpanītānām atrānītānām| arthavaśāt prayōjanādhīnatvāt| tēṣāmiti arthānām| tadvidyēbhyaḥ vyākaraṇādividyēbhyaḥ | ‘anyaśāstrōpapannānāṁ’- ityatra ‘anyaśāstraviṣayōpapannānāṁ’- iti kēcit paṭhanti; ‘ihōpanītānāṁ’- ityatra ca ‘ihōpapatitānāṁ’- iti| na hīti hiśabdō yasmādarthē||6||

Meaning of the commentary

This instruction gives students a way to understand material drawn from other texts. 'Other disciplines' is explained as grammar, Samkhya, Vaisheshika, astral science and similar fields; others interpret it as branches such as kayachikitsa. Such subjects have been introduced here for a particular purpose, so their meaning should be learned from people knowledgeable in them. Some readings explicitly say 'subjects belonging to other disciplines' or use a different expression for material introduced here. The final statement supplies the reason: one text cannot encompass every discipline.

Key terms

tadvidyebhyaH (tadvidyebhyaḥ)
From people learned in the particular discipline concerned.

Adhikarana 5 (7) · Śloka 7

bhavanti cātra- ēkaṁ śāstramadhīyānō na vidyācchāstraniścayam | tasmādbahuśrutaḥ śāstraṁ vijānīyāccikitsakaḥ ||7||

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भवन्ति चात्र- एकं शास्त्रमधीयानो न विद्याच्छास्त्रनिश्चयम् | तस्माद्बहुश्रुतः शास्त्रं विजानीयाच्चिकित्सकः ||७||

Meaning of the śloka

Someone who studies only one text may not understand its teaching conclusively. A physician should therefore be widely learned in order to understand the text.

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amumēvārthaṁ ślōkēna spaṣṭīkartumāha- ēkamityādi| nahyabahuśrutō'tra saṅkṣiptānapyarthān bījabhūtānanyaśāstrāsaṁskārādanāyāsēnāvagacchati||7||

Meaning of the commentary

The verse clarifies the preceding point. Without learning from other disciplines, a person cannot readily understand even the brief statements that contain the seeds of larger explanations in this text.

Key terms

bahushrutaH (bahuśrutaḥ)
Widely learned through study and instruction.

Adhikarana 6 (8) · Śloka 8

śāstraṁ gurumukhōdgīrṇamādāyōpāsya cāsakr̥t | yaḥ karma kurutē vaidyaḥ sa vaidyō'nyē tu taskarāḥ ||8||

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शास्त्रं गुरुमुखोद्गीर्णमादायोपास्य चासकृत् | यः कर्म कुरुते वैद्यः स वैद्योऽन्ये तु तस्कराः ||८||

Meaning of the śloka

The physician who receives the teaching directly from a teacher, studies it repeatedly and then undertakes practice is a true physician. The verse calls the others thieves.

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na kathañcidanadhītaśāstrō bahuśrutamātrēṇaiva vaidyō bhavati; kathaṁ na bhavatīti darśayannāha- śāstraṁ gurumukhōdgīrṇamityādi| rōgān śāstīti upavēdō'pi śāstramucyatē, āyurārōgyadānēna dharmārthakāmādīnāṁ śāsanādvā śāstraṁ, maraṇāttrāyata iti vā śāstram| udgīrṇam upadiṣṭam| ādāya gr̥hītvā, nahyādānamātrēṇa gr̥hītaṁ, kintu upāsya ca pāṭhatō'rthataścābhyasya| asakr̥t anēkavāram| anyē tu taskarā iti anyē punarvaidyāstaskarāścaurāḥ; kasmāt? vyādhitēbhyō vaidyacchadmanā vittāpaharaṇāt, prāṇahantr̥tvācca||8||

Meaning of the commentary

Broad learning alone does not make someone a physician without study of the medical text. The commentator offers several explanations of shastra: it governs diseases; by granting life and health it guides the pursuits of dharma, artha and kama; or it protects from death. These are explanations offered within the commentary. Receiving the teaching means grasping what the teacher has taught, but reception alone is insufficient: one must repeatedly practise both recitation and understanding. Those merely posing as physicians are called thieves because they take wealth from the sick under that guise and endanger their lives.

Key terms

gurumukhodgIrNam (gurumukhodgīrṇam)
Taught directly by the teacher.
asakRut (asakṛt)
Repeatedly, on many occasions.

Adhikarana 7 (9) · Śloka 9

aupadhēnavamaurabhraṁ sauśrutaṁ pauṣkalāvatam | śēṣāṇāṁ śalyatantrāṇāṁ mūlānyētāni nirdiśēt ||9||

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औपधेनवमौरभ्रं सौश्रुतं पौष्कलावतम् | शेषाणां शल्यतन्त्राणां मूलान्येतानि निर्दिशेत् ||९||

Meaning of the śloka

The surgical teachings associated with Aupadhenava, Aurabhra, Sushruta and Paushkalavata should be recognized as foundational texts for the other works on shalya.

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anyaśāstrōpapannārthavijñānōpāyamabhidhāya svaśāstrōpapannānāmarthānāṁ mithyājñānē samyagjñānārthaṁ samānatantrāṇi darśayitumāha- aupadhēnavamityādi| ētaiścaturbhiraupadhēnavādibhiḥ samānatantraiḥ svakīyaśāstrārthānāṁ mithyājñānasaṁśayajñānāni sphōṭanīyāni| anyē tu gurōrēva prabhāṣaṇasya mithyājñānādaya aupadhēnavādiśāstrairnivartanta iti vyākhyānayanti| ētēnaitaduktaṁ- aupadhēnavādiśāstrairnivr̥ttamithyājñānādinā guruṇā prabhāṣaṇaṁ kartavyamiti| yadyapi gurumukhādēva śiṣyasya mithyājñānādayō nivr̥ttāḥ tathā'pyāgamāntarapratyayārthamaupadhēnavādiśāstrāṇi nirdiṣṭāni| ētānyēva paratantrāṇyāgamāntarapratyayārthaṁ kuta ityāha- śēṣāṇāṁ śalyatantrāṇāmityādi| śēṣāṇāṁ karavīrya(ra)gōpurarakṣitaprabhr̥tipraṇītaśalyatantrāṇāṁ, pratyayē tu pratyayō na bhavati, kasmāt? tēṣāṁ tantrāṇāmētanmūlatvāt| anyē tu śēṣāṇāṁ karavīryādipraṇītānāṁ śalyatantrāṇāṁ madhyē aupadhēnavāditantrāṇi suvyākhyātatvēna mūlāni pradhānānīti vyākhyānayanti||9||

Meaning of the commentary

After discussing subjects drawn from other disciplines, the commentator identifies related surgical texts that can correct mistaken or doubtful understanding of one's own text. These four comparable works provide such clarification. An alternative interpretation applies this to the teacher: the teacher should first resolve errors and doubts through these works before explaining the subject. Although the student's doubts are already addressed through the teacher, these texts provide confirmation from other authoritative teachings. On one interpretation, later surgical texts cannot provide independent confirmation in the same way because they derive from these four foundations. Another interpretation calls the four works 'foundational' in the sense of being foremost among surgical texts because their explanations are especially clear.

Key terms

samAnatantrANi (samānatantrāṇi)
Related treatises on the same field used to clarify understanding.
AgamAntarapratyaya (āgamāntarapratyaya)
Confirmation through another authoritative teaching.

Adhikarana puṣpikā · Śloka 4

iti suśrutasaṁhitāyāṁ sūtrasthānē prabhāṣaṇīyō nāma caturthō'dhyāyaḥ ||4||

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इति सुश्रुतसंहितायां सूत्रस्थाने प्रभाषणीयो नाम चतुर्थोऽध्यायः ||४||

Meaning of the śloka

Thus ends the fourth chapter, called Prabhashaniya, in the Sutrasthana of the Sushruta Samhita.

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iti śrīḍalha(hla)ṇaviracitāyāṁ nibandhasaṅgrahākhyāyāṁ suśrutavyākhyāyāṁ sūtrasthānē prabhāṣaṇīyō nāma caturthō'dhyāyaḥ||4||

Meaning of the commentary

Thus ends the fourth chapter, Prabhashaniya, in the Sutrasthana portion of the Nibandhasangraha commentary on Sushruta, composed by Dalhana.

← 3. adhyayanasaṁpradānīyādhyāyaḥ5. agrōpaharaṇīyādhyāyaḥ →