Ashtanga Hridayam UttaraSthanam Chapter 12: Drishtirogavijnaniya (Knowledge of diseases of vision)

The 12th chapter of Uttara Sthanam of Ashtanga Hridayam is named as Dristi Roga Vijnaniya. This chapter deals with the explanation of ‘Knowledge of diseases of vision’.

The topics covered in this chapter include –

• Timira
• Kacha
• Linganasha
• Vataja Timira etc.
• Gambhira Dristi
• Pittaja Timira etc.
• Kaphaja Timira etc.
• Raktaja Timira etc.
• Samsarga Sannipata Timira
• Nakulandha
• Doshandha
• Ratryandha
• Amla Vidagdha Dristi
• Dhumara
• Aupasargika Linganasha

Pledge by the author(s)

अथातो दृष्टिरोगविज्ञानीयमध्यायं व्याख्यास्याम: ।
इति ह स्माहुरात्रेयादयो महर्षय: ।
athāto dṛṣṭirogavijñānīyaṃ adhyāyaṃ vyākhyāsyāma: – After having offered prayers to the God, henceforth we are going to explain the chapter pertaining to the explanation of ‘Knowledge of diseases of vision’.
iti ha smāhu: ātreyādayo maharṣaya: – Thus, say (pledge) Atreya and other sages.

Timira

सिरानुसारिणि मले प्रथमं पटलं श्रिते ।
अव्यक्तमीक्षते रूपं व्यक्तमप्यनिमित्ततः ॥ १ ॥
प्राप्ते द्वितीयं पटलं अभूतमपि पश्यति ।
भूतं तु यत्नादासन्नं दूरे सूक्ष्मं च नेक्षते ॥ २ ॥ दूरान्तिकस्थं रूपं च विपर्यासेन मन्यते ।
दोषे मण्डलसंस्थाने मण्डलानीव पश्यति ॥ ३ ॥ द्विधैकं दृष्टिमध्यस्थे बहुधा बहुधास्थिते ।
दृष्टेरभ्यन्तरगते ह्रस्ववृद्धविपर्ययम् ॥ ४ ॥
नान्तिकस्थमधःसंस्थे दूरगं नोपरि स्थिते ।
पार्श्वे पश्येन्न पार्श्वस्थे तिमिराख्योऽयमामयः ॥ ५ ॥
When the malas (doshas) moving in the veins get localized in the first patala (layer), the person sees the object hazy, though it is clearly visible for no other obvious reason. When they (doshas) spread to the second layer, the person sees objects which are not present, objects which are near seen with great effort and the distant objects, which are small are not seen at all; (she) understands distant objects as present nearby and vice versa. When the doshas are localized in the form of a circle, the patient sees circular shapes in all things; when localized in the centre of the dristi (area of vision), he sees one object as two; and when localized in many ways he sees one object as many; when the dosha gets into the (area of) vision, small objects are seen big and vice versa; when localized below, he does not see nearby objects; distant objects are not seen, when localized above; when doshas are present on the sides, objects in the sides are not seen. All these are known as the disease Timira.

Kacha

प्राप्नोति काचतां दोषे तृतीयपटलाश्रिते ।
तेनोर्ध्वमीक्षते नाधस्तनुचैलावृतोपमम् ॥ ६ ॥
यथावर्णं च रज्येत दृष्टिर्हीयेत च क्रमात् ।
When the doshas get localized in the third layer, the person gets the disease called Kacha, in which he sees objects present above but not those present below, objects are seen as covered by thin cloth. The area of vision assumes the color related to the dosha and gradually the vision diminishes.

Linganasha

तथाऽप्युपेक्षमाणस्य चतुर्थं पटलं गतः ॥ ७ ॥
लिङ्गनाशं मलः कुर्वंश्छादयेद्दृष्टिमण्डलम् ।
Even then, if the disease is neglected, the doshas getting localized in the fourth layer, produce the disease Linganasha, by covering the whole area of vision.

Vataja Timira etc.

तत्र वातेन तिमिरे व्याविद्धमिव पश्यति ॥ ८ ॥
चलाविलारुणाभासं प्रसन्नं चेक्षते मुहुः ।
जालानि केशान् मशकान् रश्मींश्चोपेक्षितेऽत्र च ॥ ९ ॥ काचीभूते दृगरुणा पश्यत्यास्यमनासिकम् ।
चन्द्रदीपाद्यनेकत्वं वक्रमृज्वपि मन्यते ॥ १० ॥
वृद्धः काचो दृशं कुर्याद्रजोधूमावृतामिव ।
स्पष्टारुणाभां विस्तीर्णां सूक्ष्मां वा हतदर्शनाम् ॥ ११ ॥ स लिङ्गनाशो
In Timira caused by Vata, the person sees the objects as though covered (with thin cloth), unsteady, dirty, slightly red sometimes and some other times as clear and clean; sees webs, hairs, mosquitoes and rays of light to be seen in front of his eyes. When Kacha has developed, the area of vision is slightly red, the person sees the face (of others) as nose-less, sees the moon, lamp etc. as many (even though one), understands curved things as straight. Kacha when grows older, makes the sight of objects as though covered with dust and smoke, of well-defined red color, wide spread (expanded) or small in size and loss of vision. This stage is Linganasha.

Gambhira Dristi

वाते तु सङ्कोचयति दृक्सिराः ।
दृङ्मण्डलं विशत्यन्तर्गम्भीरा दृगसौ स्मृता ॥ १२ ॥
Increased Vata causes constriction of the veins of the organs of vision in-drawing of the Dristi Mandala (organ of vision). This condition is called Gambhira Dristi.

Pittaja Timira etc.

पित्तजे तिमिरे विद्युत्खद्योतद्योतदीपितम् ।
शिखितित्तिरिपत्राभं प्रायो नीलं च पश्यति ॥ १३ ॥ काचे दृग्काचनीलाभा तादृगेव च पश्यति ।
अर्केन्दुपरिवेषाग्निमरीचीन्द्रधनूंषि च ॥ १४ ॥
भृङ्गनीला निरालोका दृक् स्निग्धा लिङ्गनाशतः।
दृष्टिः पित्तेन ह्रस्वाख्या सा ह्रस्वा ह्रस्वदर्शिनी ॥ १५ ॥
भवेत्पित्तविदग्धाख्या पीता पीताभदर्शना ।
In Timira, born from Pitta, the person sees lightning (flashes of light), glow worms and burning lamps etc. (before his eyes), objects appear as deep blue in color like the feather of the peacock and Tittiri (partridge). In Kacha, the organ of vision appears as Kachanila (light blue). So, the person sees objects in the same color; the sun, the moon, fire, mirage, a rainbow as surrounded by haloes (colored rings). In Linganasha of Pitta origin, the dristi (organ of vision) is blue like that of a bee, incapable of seeing and is unctuous. It is known as Hrisva Dristi, and the person sees only very little. When the organ of vision becomes yellow and the person sees the objects as yellow colored, then the condition is called as Pitta Vidagdha Dristi.

Kaphaja Timira etc.

कफेन तिमिरे प्रायः स्निग्धं श्वेतं च पश्यति ॥ १६ ॥
शङ्खेन्दुकुन्दकुसुमैः कुमुदैरिव चाचितम् ।
काचे तु निष्प्रभेन्द्वर्कप्रदीपाद्यैरिवाचितम् ॥ १७ ॥
सिताभा सा च दृष्टिः स्याल्लिङ्गनाशे तु लक्ष्यते ।
मूर्तः कफो दृष्टिगतः स्निग्धो दर्शननाशनः ॥ १८ ॥
बिन्दुर्जलस्येव चलः पद्मिनीपुटसंस्थितः ।
उष्णे सङ्कोचमायाति च्छायायां परिसर्पति ॥ १९ ॥
शङ्खकुन्देन्दुकुमुदस्फटिकोपमशुक्लिमा ।
Generally, in Timira born from Kapha, the person sees the objects as unctuous (greasy), white, as that of a conch shell, moon, flowers of Kunda (petals of lily) and surrounded by lotus. In Kacha, the moon, the sun, the flame etc. appear lusterless (without their shining) and as though covered (with cloth). In Linganasha, the organ of vision is white in color, so also the objects seen. Solid Kapha which is unctuous getting localized in the organ of vision causes loss of vision, like a drop of water standing on a lotus leaf. It (vision) is unsteady, shrinks (becomes reduced, constricts) when there is heat (during day) and expands when there is shade (during night). The objects seen are white like the conch, kunda – Jasminum multiflorum, the moon, kumuda – Nymphaea alba and rock crystal.

Raktaja Timira etc.

रक्तेन तिमिरे रक्तं तमोभूतं च पश्यति ॥ २० ॥
काचेन रक्ता कृष्णा वा दृष्टिस्तादृक् च पश्यति।
लिङ्गनाशेऽपि तादृग्दृङ्निष्प्रभा हतदर्शना ॥ २१ ॥
In Timira caused by blood, the organ of vision is red and the person sees objects as though in darkness. In Kacha, the organ of vision is either red or black and the objects are seen similarly. In Linganasha also the objects seen are similar (in color), niṣprabhā – lusterless and there is loss of vision also.

Samsarga Sannipata Timira

संसर्गसन्निपातेषु विद्यात्सङ्कीर्णलक्षणान् ।
तिमिरादीनकस्माच्च तैः स्याद्व्यक्ताकुलेक्षणः ॥ २२ ॥
तिमिरे शेषयोर्दृष्टौ चित्रो रागः प्रजायते ।
In those Timira etc. caused by combination of two doshas and three doshas, the symptoms of the doshas involved are present. In Timira all of a sudden, the objects are seen sometimes clear and sometimes as covered. In the remaining (Kacha and Linganasha), objects are seen as having either many colors or red.

Nakulandha

द्योत्यते नकुलस्येव यस्य दृङ्निचिता मलैः ॥ २३ ॥
नकुलान्धः स तत्राह्नि चित्रं पश्यति नो निशि ।
By the aggravation of all the doshas, the organ of vision of the person appears as that of a mongoose. He is known as Nakulandha, sees objects in different colors during the day, not at night.

Doshandha

अर्केऽस्तमस्तकन्यस्तगभस्तौ स्तम्भमागताः ॥ २४ ॥ स्थगयन्ति दृशं दोषा दोषान्धः स गदोऽपरः ।
दिवाकरकरस्पृष्टा भ्रष्टा दृष्टिपथान् मलाः ॥ २५ ॥
विलीनलीना यच्छन्ति व्यक्तमत्राह्नि दर्शनम् ।
Just as the rays of the sun, present at the peak of the mountain of the setting sun are found disappearing; similarly, the doshas bring about the loss of the vision. This is another disease known as Doshandha. In this, the person sees things when the doshas get dissolved and move out of the path of vision, touched by (the effect of) the sun’s rays. Hence the person sees only during the day.

Ushnavidagdha Dristi

उष्णतप्तस्य सहसा शीतवारिनिमज्जनात् ॥ २६ ॥ त्रिदोषरक्तसम्पृक्तो यात्यूष्मोर्ध्वं ततोऽक्षिणि ।
दाहोषे मलिनं शुक्लमहन्याविलदर्शनम् ॥ २७ ॥
रात्रावान्ध्यं च जायेत विदग्धोष्णेन सा स्मृता ।
By plunging into cold water, immediately after long exposure to heat (or the sun fire etc.), all the three doshas associated with blood make the heat move upward to the eyes. By that there is burning sensation, feeling of heat, dirtiness of the sclera. Objects seen appear as though dirty during the day and there is blindness at night due to excess heat. This is known as Ushnavidagdha Dristi.

Amla Vidagdha Dristi

भृशमम्लाशनाद्दोषैः सास्रैर्या दृष्टिराचिता ॥ २८ ॥
सक्लेदकण्डूकलुषा विदग्धाम्लेन सा स्मृता ।
By overindulgence in foods which are sour, the doshas associated with blood get increased and accumulate in the eyes, producing increase of moistness, itching and dirtiness. This disease is known as Amlavidagdha Dristi

Dhumara

शोकज्वरशिरोरोगसन्तप्तस्यानिलादयः ॥ २९ ॥
धूमाविलां धूमदृशं दृशं कुर्युः स धूमरः ।
In person suffering from grief, fever and headache, the Vata etc. (doshas) make the eye as though covered with smoke and also the objects as if covered with smoke. This disease is Dhumara.

Aupasargika Linganasha

सहसैवाल्पसत्त्वस्य पश्यतो रूपमद्भुतम् ॥ ३० ॥
भास्वरं भास्करादिं वा वाताद्या नयनाश्रिताः ।
कुर्वन्ति तेजः संशोष्य दृष्टिं मुषितदर्शनाम् ॥ ३१ ॥ वैडूर्यवर्णां स्तिमितां प्रकृतिस्थामिवाव्यथाम् ।
औपसर्गिक इत्येष लिङ्गनाशो
The person of weak mind suddenly seeing sights which are grotesque, very bright objects such as the sun etc.; Vata and other (doshas) residing in the eye (getting aggravated) cause drying (of the moistness of the eye) and make the eye very bright (Abnormal brightness) and vision obscured, having the color of Vaidurya gem (cat’s eye), steady and appearing as though normal without any pain (or other troubles). This is known as Aupasargika Linganasha.

Sadhyaasadhyata

अत्रवर्जयेत् ॥ ३२ ॥
विना कफाल्लिङ्गनाशान् गम्भीरां ह्रस्वजामपि ।
षट् काचा नकुलान्धश्च याप्याः शेषांस्तु साधयेत् ॥ ३३ ॥
द्वादशेति गदा दृष्टौ निर्दिष्टाः सप्तविंशतिः ॥ ३३ऊअब् ॥
Out of these (above disease) all the Linganasa except the one from Kapha, gambhīrāṃ – Gambhira dristi and Hrisvadristi should be neglected. The six Kacha and Nakulandha are controllable and persistent. The remaining twelve diseases (are curable and) should be treated. Thus, were described the twenty-seven diseases of organs of vision.

इति श्री वैद्यपति सिंहगुप्तसूनु श्रीमद्वाग्भटविरचितायामष्टाङ्गहृदयसंहितायां षष्ठे उत्तरस्थाने दृष्टिरोगविज्ञानीयो नाम द्वादशोऽध्याय: ॥ १२ ॥
Thus, ends the chapter- Dristiroga Vijnaniya- the twelfth in Uttara Sthana of Astangahridaya Samhita composed by Srimad Vagbhata son of Sri Vaidyapati Simhagupta.