Sushruta Samhita Sutrasthana Chapter 4: Prabhashaniya Adhyaya (Necessity of Interpretations)

The 4th chapter of Sutrasthana of Sushruta Samhita is named as Prabhashaniya Adhyaya. This chapter deals with the Necessity of Interpretations.

अथातःप्रभाषणीयमध्यायंव्याख्यास्यामः॥१॥
यथोवाचभगवान्धन्वन्तरिः॥२॥
We will now expound the chapter called “Prabhasaniya Adhyaya -need of interpretations”; as revealed by the venerable Dhanvantari.

Table of Contents
Analogy to explain the importance of knowing the deeper meaning and implications of a science
Elaboration of the analogy
Adhyayana Krama: Mode of study
Limitations of subjects covered in a science
Analogy to explain the importance of knowing the deeper meaning and implications of a science
अधिगतमप्यध्ययनमप्रभाषितमर्थतःखरस्यचन्दनभारइवकेवलंपरिश्रमकरंभवति॥३॥
One may study science in its entirety. But what if he cannot interpret the deeper meanings of whatever he has studied? If the science is not properly understood or interpreted in its true and deep meaning, the learning would become waste. It just becomes a formality and a tiresome and useless burden, just like a heap of something carried on its back would become ‘just a heavy burden’ and nothing else – for a donkey. So, studying and understanding the deeper meaning of science should go hand in hand.

Elaboration of the analogy
भवतिचात्र:-
यथाखरश्चन्दनभारवाहीभारस्यवेत्तानतुचन्दनस्य।
एवंहिशास्त्राणिबहून्यधीत्यचार्थेषुमूढाःखरवद्वहन्ति॥४॥
A verse here in –
A donkey carrying a bundle of sandalwood on its back understands only the weight of the sandalwood. But it cannot appreciate its sweet smell nor understand the other good qualities of the sandalwood. So, the bundle of sandalwood on the back of the donkey is nothing more than a burden on the back for the animal.
Same is the case with a foolish person who has extensively read many sciences without knowing and understanding the deeper meanings of those sciences. Such a person definitely fails in interpreting the true meanings or implications of the science. Therefore, he is said to be similar to the donkey carrying a bundle of sandalwood on its back (mentioned above). He just bears the burden of weight of the content of the science but cannot appreciate the essence of its meaning, nor interpret them.

Adhyayana Krama: Mode of study
तस्मात्सविंशमध्यायशतमनुपदपासशलोकमनुवर्णयितव्यमनुश्रोतव्यंच,कस्मात् ?सूक्ष्माहिद्रव्यरसगुणवीर्यविपाकदोषधातुमलाशयमर्मसिरास्नासन्ध्यस्थिगर्भसंभव्वद्रव्यसमूहविभगास्तथाप्रनष्ट्शल्योद्धरनव्रणविनिश्चयभग्रविकल्पाःसाध्ययाप्यप्रत्याख्येयताचविकारणामेवमादयश्चान्येविशेषाःसहस्त्रशोयेविचिन्त्यमानाविमलविपुलबुद्धेरपिबुद्धिमाकुलीकुर्युःकिंपुनरल्पबुद्धेःतस्मादश्यमनुपदपादशलोकमनुवर्णयितव्यमनुश्रोतव्यंच॥५॥
Therefore, the teacher should explain in detail each and every word, part of verse and complete verses of all the one hundred and twenty chapters, along with in-depth meaning of each and everything that has been said in the treatise. And the same shall be understood as it is, in detail, with its in-depth meaning by the student who is pursuing the studies.

Why is it so?

The in depth explanation by the teacher and in-depth understanding by the student is very necessary in the process of learning because the understanding and analysis of many subjects dealt therein, including Dravya (substances), Guna (qualities), Veerya (potency), Vipaka (post-digestion effects), Doshas, Dhatus (tissues), Malas (wastes, excreta), Ashayas (visceras), Marmas (vital spots of the body), Sira (veins), Snayu (ligaments), Sandhi (joints), Asthi (bones), Garbha (embryo, fetus) – the products forming it and their combination, removal of shalya – foreign bodies lost or impacted inside the body, determining the nature of Vranas – wounds and ulcers, types of Bhagna – fractures, curable, manageable and incurable / fatal nature of diseases and many such other subjects are subtle.

Similarly, there are hundreds and thousands of such subjects which need to be analyzed and understood in subtle ways. These subjects create a lot of confusion even in the minds of those people who have possessed clear and broad-spectrum knowledge, in spite of having analyzed these subjects thousands of times in the most subtle and comprehensive way. Then what can we say about the people who are less intelligent? They will be extremely confused about these subjects.

This is the reason why the teacher should explain every word, verse or a part of verse in a detailed way along with their meaning and the students should also pay keen attention in not only hearing, but also in understanding whatever is being explained by their teacher.

Limitations of subjects covered in a science
अन्यशास्त्रोपपन्नानांचार्थानामिहोपनीतानामर्थवशात्तेषांतद्विद्येभ्यएवव्याख्यानमनुश्रोतव्यं,कस्मात् ?नह्योकस्मिनशास्त्रेशक्यःसर्वशास्त्राणामवरोधःकर्तुम्॥६॥
In this science i.e. Ayurveda, many such sciences and subjects belonging to those subjects are contextually explained in brief, as and when required.

Even the meanings of other sciences which are mentioned briefly herein during the course of teaching shall be learnt in detail as and when needed. This shall be achieved by keenly listening to the lectures and teachings of those teachers who are experts in their respective sciences.

This is because it is impossible to include the details of all the sciences in any one science itself.

भवन्तिचात्र:-

एकंशास्त्रमधीयानोनविद्याच्छस्त्रनिश्चयम्॥
तस्माद्वहुश्रुतःशास्त्रंविजानियाच्चिकित्सकः॥७॥
शास्त्रंगुरुमुखोद्रीर्णमादायोपास्यचासकृत॥
यःकर्मकुरुतेवैद्यःसवैद्योऽन्येतुतस्कराः॥८॥
औपथेनवमौरभ्रंसौश्रुतंपौष्कलावतम्॥
शोषाणांशल्यतन्त्राणांमूलान्येतानिनिर्दिशेत्॥९॥
Some Verses here:-
The person who has studied any one science only will be unable to arrive at a correct decision. This means to tell that he or she will be unable to understand even the basics of that science which he has studied.

Therefore, it becomes very important that the person (physician in this context) should know and also understand the other sciences also.

One should firstly learn science from a teacher. Later he should constantly get engaged in summarizing and reviewing it. Following that he should constantly practice medicine, both theoretically and practically. Only then he will be entitled to be called as a physician. All the others will be called imposters.

The treatises that have been written by Aupadhenava, Aurabhra, Sushruta and Puskalavata are considered as the remaining sources of the knowledge of Shalya Tantra (surgery).

इतिश्रीसुश्रुतसंहितायांसूत्रस्थानेप्रभाषणीयोनामचतुर्थोऽध्यायः॥४॥
Thus ends the Fourth chapter by name Prabhasaniya-interpretations-in Sutra Sthana of Sushruta Samhita.