Aetiology (c): Ādhidaivika

This term relates to afflictions proceeding from the gods, spirits, or from the influence of atmosphere, planets or supernatural agencies.^[1]

The three types of diseases in this category are:

1. Supernatural (daivabalapravṛtta)-

Caused by divine wrath or displeasure (devadroha), or by the invocation of curses of sages (abhisaptaka), or by Atharvan’s magical spells or by contagion.

Suśruta describes two sets of sub-types:

(a) caused by lightning and thunder;

(b) caused by evil spirits (piśācādi);

They may be of further two kinds:

(c) saṃsargaja-contagious^[2] or epidemic diseases;

(d) ākasmika-causeless or sudden.^[3]

2. Natural (svabhāvabalapravṛtta) -

Are brought about by hunger, thirst, ageing, death, sleep. They may occur in two ways:

(a) timely (kālajā)-that is, in due course in persons strictly observing the rules of health;

(b) prematurely (akālaja)-owing to unhealthy living.

The ādhidaivika category, therefore, encompasses a diverse range of afflictions. Despite the diversity in causality and their providential nature, the authors emphasise the vitiation of balance of doṣas as the definitive cause for disease manifestation. For instance, the exogenous (āgantu) type of fever is brought on by assault, emotions, spells or imprecations; but, here too, there is vitiation of doṣas.^[4] The immediate causes of diseases are the vitiated doṣas and the distant causes are the unwholesome contacts with the sense organs.^[5] Afflictions of the mind, such as anger, grief, fear, pleasure, dejection, jealousy, envy, meanness, malice, lust, greed, etc. are produced by its own doṣas, which are rajas and tamas. Their perturbation arises from the same causative factors as are applicable to the somatic counterparts (vāyu, kapha and pitta). The etiology of apasmāra (epilepsy) and unmāda (psychic disorders) is also explained in humoral terms. Thus, unmāda is said to originate from the aggravation of the doṣas located in the upper parts of the body^[6] with the exception of the āgantu/external type. Therefore, eventually all diseases have one fundamental cause: the perturbation of the doṣas.^[7]

Therefore, the conceptualization of disease in our Saṃhitās rests on three premises:

1. the condition of pain or suffering;
2. evidence of imbalance of the doṣas; and
3. inability of the individual to perform normal functions.

In fact, the term “roga” and its synonyms (ātaṇka, yakṣma, vikāra, etc.) denote both the doṣas and the disease (vyādhi).^[8]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Monier-Williams, p.138.

[2]:

The term “saṃsarga” means contamination due to touching. http://vedabase.net/s/samsarga

[3]:

Monier-Williams, p.126.

[4]:

Caraka Saṃhitā Nidāna-sthāna 1.30.

[5]:

Cakrapāṇidatta on Caraka Saṃhitā Nidāna-sthāna 1.7.

[6]:

Suśruta Saṃhitā Uttaratantra 62.3.

[7]:

Suśruta Saṃhitā Sūtrasthāna 24.8.

[8]:

Caraka Saṃhitā Vimānasthāna 6.4.