Charaka Indriya Sthana 9th Chapter Yasya shyava nimittiya Indriyam

9th chapter of Charaka Indriya sthana deals on imminent death as indicated by signs like blackish brown coloration of the eyes. The chapter name is Yasyashyaavanimiteeya Indriyam.

Now we shall explore the chapter on imminent death as indicated by signs like blackish brown coloration of the eyes. Thus said Lord Atreya [1-2]
Read – Arishta Lakshanas – Ominous Signs And Symptoms Indicating Bad Prognosis

Signs of imminent death

• If the eyes of the patient appear blackish brown or green in colour and are devoid of vision, he is sure to die.
• Non-sensitiveness and dryness of the mouth of the patient associated with the aggravation of the diseases indicates the end of the span of his life. A wise physician should not treat such cases.
• A person having green coloration of veins, obstruction of hairs follicles and desire for sour foods / substances will die of disorders caused by aggravated pitta.
• A person whose hands and legs (limbs) look attractive, the other parts of the body are getting emaciated and his strength is getting diminished would die of tuberculosis.
• Consumption associated with Amsabhitapa (burning sensation in the shoulder region), hiccup, hemoptysis (lit vomiting of blood), anaha (constipation along with distension of stomach) and parsvasula ( pain in the sides of the chest) leads to the death of the patient [4-7]
  Read – Bad Prognosis Based On Smell, Touch, Taste, Colour And Voice

The patients suffering from the below mentioned diseases should not be treated when they have diminution of strength and muscles / flesh (because they do not yield to any treatment) –Vatavyadhi (diseases caused by the vitiation of Vata)
Apasmara (epilepsy)
Kustha (obstinate skin diseases including leprosy)
Sopha (oedema)
Udara (obstinate type of abdominal diseases)
Gulma (phantom tumour)
Madhumeha (obstinate urinary disorders including diabetes mellitus) and
Rajayakshma (tuberculosis)

• Similarly other patients in such conditions (suffering from diseases associated with depletion of strength and muscles) should also be rejected (should not treat) by the physician.
• If a  person suffering from Anaha (constipation associated with distension in abdomen) is relieved by purgation but  subsequently develops thirst and suffers from  Anaha again in spite of the purgation having been given, he should be considered as good as dead.
• If a person is unable to drink liquid substances due to the dryness of throat, mouth and the chest, he does not survive.
• Weakness in the voice, diminution of the strength and complexion and aggravation of the disease without any reasons / causes indicate the imminent death of the patient.
• A patient having dyspnea, absence of heat in the body, affliction with pain in the groins and absence of any response to the treatment should not be treated by the physician. [9-13]
  Read – Bad Prognosis Of Diseases Based On Dreams and Shadows

Exploratory therapy

• A patient who makes a statement in a chocked voice about the advent of his own death and hears sounds / words which are indicative of inauspicious (reveal bad news) things / events, should be discarded from a distance (not be treated).
• According to Master Atreya, if a weak patient gets rid of a disease all of a sudden his life should be considered as in danger.
• If his relatives approach the physician in all humanity for help, he should prescribe food with meat-soup and must not administer any kinds of elimination therapies.
• If specific improvement in his health is not observed within one month in spite of the administration of various types of meat soup, the patient is sure to die. [14-17]
• If the sputum, stool and semen of a person sink when placed on water, he should be considered as moribund.
• If several colors appear in the sputum of a person and it sinks in water, he cannot survive.
• A morbid condition caused by the interaction of the vitiated pitta with agni (bodily heat) in the temporal region is known as Sankhaka which kills the patient in three nights.
• If a person suffering from pain in the lower abdomen frequently vomits blood along with foam like substance, then he should not be treated.
• If there is sudden diminution in strength and flesh of the patient and aggravation of the disease associated with arocaka, the patient cannot survive for more than three fortnights. [18-22]
  Read – Bad Prognosis Based On Premonitory Symptoms Of Disease – Purvarupiya Arishta

To sum up:-The above are the signs indicative of imminent death of a person. These and such others should be observed by the physician. All of them are manifested in moribund persons. All of them, however, do not appear in the same moribund person.  The physician should be conversant with these signs in their entity. [23-24]

Thus ends the ninth chapter on imminent death as indicated by signs like black-brown coloration of the eyes of the Indriya section of Agnivesha’s work as redacted by Charaka.