Tirukural.Chapter 95: Medicine

Chapter 95: Medicine

Kural 941

Disease is but deficiency or excess of three life forces,
defined by writers of scientific texts as air, fire and water.
Kural 942

The body requires no medicine if you eat
only after the food you have already eaten is digested.
Kural 943

Once digestion is complete, eat with moderation;
that is the way to prolong the life of the body.
Kural 944

Assured the last meal has digested and sensing a keen appetite,
savor only foods that are fully agreeable.
Kural 945

Life remains unharmed when one eats with restraint,
refraining from foods that have proven disagreeable.
Kural 946

The pleasures of health abide in the man who eats moderately.
The pains of disease dwell with him who eats excessively.
Kural 947

The thoughtless glutton who gorges himself beyond the limits
of his digestive fires will be consumed by limitless ills.
Kural 948

Diagnose the illness, trace its cause,
seek the appropriate remedy and apply it skillfully.
Kural 949

An accomplished doctor prescribes a remedy after considering
the patient’s nature, the disease’s nature and the time of year.
Kural 950

Medicine consists of a patient, a physician, a prescription
and a nurse–each of these having four parts.

Leave a Reply