As Draupadi wept in her grief, Arjuna, having subdued Ashvatthama with his powerful missile made of reeds, took from him the precious jewel he wore. Amidst the sorrow that enveloped the women, Yudhishthira sought to comfort those overwhelmed by loss. He performed the sacred rites: bathing and offering oblations to the gods, ancestors, and forefathers, honoring their memory and seeking their blessings. In the days that followed, reassured by the wise counsel of Bhishma, Yudhishthira established a great and righteous kingdom. To express his devotion, he worshipped Vishnu through the grand Ashvamedha sacrifice, conducted with meticulous adherence to tradition and generous gifts. Yudhishthira then installed Parikshit, the sole surviving heir, upon the throne. When news reached him of the destruction of the Yadavas during the Mausala episode, the king devoted himself to reciting the thousand names of Vishnu, seeking solace in the divine. At the close of their earthly duties, Yudhishthira, accompanied by Bhima and his brothers, journeyed to the celestial realm of Vishnu. Vasudeva, too, took birth again—this time as Buddha, destined to bewilder the enemies of the gods. In the ages to come, Vishnu will incarnate once more as Kalki in the village of Shambhala, mounted upon a horse, destined to reduce the worlds to ashes and restore order. Again and again, for the protection of gods and all beings, for the removal of unrighteousness, and the destruction of the wicked, Vishnu descends to earth in various forms. Just as Dhanvantari was born from the churning of the milk ocean and taught the science of Ayurveda for the well-being of the gods and others, so too do these divine incarnations serve the world. By hearing the stories of Viśvāmitra’s son, the noble Suśruta, and of the many descents of the Bhārata lineage, a person attains heaven. At this point, Dhanvantari addressed Suśruta: “I shall explain in detail the causes of all diseases, as declared by the sages beginning with Ātreya. Disease, evil, fever, affliction, disorder, corrupted ailment, consumption, suffering, and pain—these are all names for the same fundamental experience. The understanding of disease is fivefold: its cause, the prodromal signs, its symptoms, the means of alleviation, and its progression. The cause is known by many terms—sign, reason, locus, condition, and origin—while the prodrome is that by which a disease is recognized before it fully manifests. When a disease is about to arise, but not yet established due to a disturbance of the humors, its signs are slight and indistinct, varying according to the nature of the disease. When these signs become clear and manifest, they are called symptoms—also known as form, indication, sign, mark, or appearance. Relief and comfort come from the proper use of medicines, food, and regimen, which counteract or reverse the cause of the disease. Alleviation is called suitability; the opposite, which aggravates the condition, is unsuitability. The course of a disease is the process by which, through the corruption or spread of a humor, the disease comes to fruition. This progression is distinguished by number, variation, predominance, strength, time, and other specifics, as will be explained, such as in the case of the eight types of fever. The variation and combination of the humors, the estimation of their parts, and their independence or interdependence, all indicate the predominance of a disease. The time of a disease is determined by the fullness or partial presence of causes and other factors—by distinctions of strength and weakness, and by the time of day, night, or after eating. Thus, the meaning of cause has been explained, and Vyāsa will further instruct on this: the root of all diseases is the aggravation of the humors. The various improper usages that provoke this aggravation have been described, including the threefold improper conjunctions of the three humors. Wind (vāta) is aggravated by excessive use of bitter, pungent, astringent, or sour foods, by dryness, insufficient nourishment, running, excitement, staying awake at night, or speaking too loudly. Overexertion, fear, grief, anxiety, excessive exercise or sexual activity, and eating late in the summer also disturb vāta. Bile (pitta) is aggravated by pungent, salty, sharp, hot, and spicy foods, by anger, burning sensations, and during autumn, midday, and midnight. Phlegm (kapha) is increased by sweet, sour, salty, unctuous, heavy, cooling foods that bring pleasure to the mouth, induce sleep, are hard to digest, and are nourishing, especially when eaten during the day or before sleep. Improper practices such as forced vomiting after eating, especially when food is undigested, and particularly in the morning and early night, also give rise to disorders of phlegm. When these humors are disturbed together, combined disorders arise, especially from eating incompatible, poorly digested, irregular, or mutually antagonistic foods. Spoiled wine, water, dried vegetables, roots, oil-cakes, rotten or dried meat, and emaciated fish all disturb the humors. Other causes include corrupted bodily tissues, wind due to conflict or agitation, planetary afflictions at birth, improper practices, indulgence in various sins, irregularities during childbirth for women, and improper treatments. When the humors, angered by these causes, follow the course of illness, one should quickly undertake rejuvenation therapy, for the humors soon become disturbed in the body. Dhanvantari continued, “Now, I shall explain the origin of fever, so that all fevers may be understood. Fever is the lord of diseases, the embodiment of sin, king of death, the devourer, the ender. It arose from the wrath of Rudra, who destroyed Daksha’s sacrifice. That fever, filled with burning and delusion, born of transgression, is fierce and known by many names, manifesting in various forms among all beings. In elephants it is called Pākala, in horses Abhitāpa, in donkeys Alarka, in dogs Kukrura; in clouds Indramada, in water Nīlikā, in luminous herbs Jyoti, and in the earth Ūṣara. Symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, cough, stiffness, coldness, and eruptions on the skin and limbs arise from phlegm. In each season, the onset and increase of these symptoms occur as appropriate; their alleviation comes as stated in the causes, and the opposite brings relief. Loss of appetite, indigestion, stiffness, lethargy, burning in the heart, improper digestion, drowsiness, fatigue, distension, pain, and inactivity of the humors—these are the signs of disease. Excessive salivation, nausea, loss of hunger, tastelessness in the mouth, clarity, heat, heaviness of the limbs, and frequent urination—these are not signs of digested food nor of malaise, but are symptoms of undigested fever.” Thus did Dhanvantari impart the knowledge of disease and fever, for the welfare of all beings.