In the ancient tradition, the boundaries for both liberation and destruction have been carefully observed, as taught by the sage Agnivesha and upheld by the lineage of Harita. These boundaries are particularly marked by certain days—the seventh day, which is doubled, along with the ninth and eleventh days—these are considered the critical points for the three doshas, whether the outcome is liberation or destruction. When purity or impurity is present, fever may linger for a long time, especially in those who are emaciated, suffering from disease, or who indulge in improper diet and habits. Even the smallest defect, strengthened by impurity or other causes, can become antagonistic and irregular, fluctuating with increases and decreases. This disturbance gives rise to fever, which waxes and wanes irregularly, the dosha acting within the body and fevering strongly at its appointed time. The fever subsides again, depending on the strength or weakness of its opposing force. When the dosha diminishes, the subtle fever merges into the bodily fluids and similar elements. This merging leads to emaciation, discoloration, dullness, and other such conditions, due to the altered mouths of the channels that carry these fluids. The defect does not quickly spread throughout the whole body; those who are virtuous remain protected in this way, while the opposite occurs in those who are not. Irregular fevers, with unpredictable onset, often coincide with the night. The dosha, residing in the blood, generally produces continuous fever. At the junction of day and night, fever may appear once, and on another day, it may establish itself anew. In such cases, the channels carrying flesh and fat become involved, especially on the third occurrence. Grasping fever arises from a combination of bile and wind in the head, from phlegm and bile in the trika region, and from wind and phlegm in the back; it is understood to occur after one day. The fourth type of fever is situated in impurities, fat, marrow, or bone; another variant is found only in the marrow and bone, showing its effects there. Phlegm manifests in two ways: first in the calves, originating from wind in the head; when it reaches bone and marrow, it presents as the reverse of the fourth type. Fever can be threefold, causing affliction for three days and releasing for one day, influenced by the strength of the doshas and the origin of other actions. When reversal does not occur in fevers, fasting for seven nights is recommended. Fever affects the mind in similar ways, impacting actions both at that time and otherwise. Due to deep-seated behavior in the tissues and arising from combination and equal increase of the doshas, the fourth type is especially difficult to treat. Subtle fevers, and those that are distant, progress slowly and slightly over a long period, as the dosha moves along the path of blood and other channels. It penetrates the body, leaving nothing untouched, causing burning and related symptoms. When the sequence is interrupted by effort, fever with burning is observed. Such fevers are uneven, with difficult onset, often following the course of the night. Each successive stage becomes slower and weaker, as is fitting. Over time, the disorder acquires corresponding tastes and qualities; when provoked, it burns fiercely, sometimes after a long delay. Just as a seed placed in the earth and moistened with water does not wait for the right time to sprout, so too, the seed of disorder acts without delay. Similarly, poison, once it gains momentum, brings its force into the body; disorder and poison, empowered by time, become agitated. Thus, fevers arise—irregular and persistent—causing agitation, heaviness, dejection, collapse of limbs, and stretching. Loss of appetite, vomiting, and breathlessness occur in every type of fever, along with spitting blood, thirst, dryness, heat, and painful effort. When blood is involved, burning, redness, confusion, delirium, and babbling are seen. There is thirst, fatigue, altered complexion, internal burning, dizziness, and darkness. When the disorder is in the flesh or fat, there is foul smell, twitching of limbs, sweating, excessive thirst, vomiting, foul odor, or sometimes endurance. Delirium, fatigue, loss of appetite, pain in the bones and their splitting, activation of disorder, awakening, breathlessness, spasms, and groaning are symptoms that arise. When the disorder reaches the marrow, internal burning, external coldness, breathlessness, hiccups, darkness of vision, cutting pain in vital spots, and stiffness of the genitals are observed. When the disorder reaches the semen, death may occur in those affected. The five types that follow are increasingly difficult to cure, in reverse order. Heaviness from phlegm feels as if smeared over the limbs; in mild fever, delirium occurs with coldness and a covering sensation. Mild fever is always dry and passes with difficulty in cold; the limbs become stiff, dominated by phlegm, and weakness is present. In diabetes, the fever takes on a turmeric-like color and coating, known as 'haridraka,' a fatal type. When phlegm and wind are both present and bile is deficient in the body, the fever is sharp by day or mild, but arises at night. When the body's strength is given to the sun and exhausted by exertion, fever from wind surely arises in the early part of the night. When the self is in the stomach and phlegm and bile are situated below, half the body becomes cold and the other half hot. When bile is placed in the body and phlegm is settled at the extremities, the body becomes hot, while the hands and feet are cold. When fever afflicts the fluids, blood, flesh, and fat, or when it reaches the bone and marrow, the body loses its luster. The person becomes unconscious, distressed by the urge to evacuate, and looks around as if angry; he constantly passes foul, hot stool with force. Signs of absence of fever are a light body, free from fatigue, delusion, and heat; digestion is centered in the mouth, the senses function well, there is no pain; sweating, sneezing, the mind united with its nature, desire for food, and itching on the head. At this point, Dhanvantari spoke: “Now, therefore, I will explain the causes of blood-bile disorder—by consuming excessively hot, bitter, pungent, sour, salty, and burning substances.