In the ancient discourse, a vivid description unfolds of the many afflictions that can arise within the body and mind. It begins with the loss of the senses: the fragrance of the world fades, the mouth loses its taste, hearing diminishes, and sleep and strength slip away. Coldness increases, saliva becomes sour and frothy from disturbed bile, fainting occurs, and bitterness spreads in the mouth. The eyes turn constantly red, dry, and burning, clouded with excessive smokiness; phlegm is disturbed by various tastes, and wind flows erratically through the channels that carry fluids. When these streams are blocked by phlegm, the very calf dries up in the mud, the throat is obstructed as if by husks, and sleep brings a sweet distortion to the mind. Swelling of the head, dullness, sluggishness, vomiting, loss of appetite, laziness, and poor digestion—all these symptoms together mark a person as suffering from every sign of disorder. From the arising of fragrance and the obstruction of blood, wind and bile are born. When, after heat, one suddenly drinks cold water, thirst is awakened. When heat rises in the abdomen, it produces bile; and that which arises from excessive drinking, sharp substances, and oily cooked foods is of the same nature. Thirst caused by oily, bitter, sour, and salty foods springs from phlegm; with the loss of taste and persistent thirst, the body wastes away. Intense thirst also comes from dryness, confusion, fever, and other complications of chronic disease, accompanied by these symptoms. Then Dhanvantari, the divine physician, speaks and explains the cause of intoxication as taught by the sages. He describes it as sharp, sour, rough, subtle, active, and light. Wine, he says, is expansive and clear, but contrary to fat; its sharp effects are described as divine, yet its qualities disturb the mind. In its highest degree, wine acts as poison, diminishing the strength and qualities of the body. With ten qualities, wine contracts and leads the mind to inactivity. In the first and second stages of intoxication, confusion takes hold. Struck by indecision, the bewildered person proclaims what is pleasant as happiness. When intoxication reaches the threshold between moderate and highest, it assumes the king’s seat—dominating the mind. Like a wild beast without a goad, the intoxicated person does nothing thereafter; the earth becomes the abode of those with unspeakable conduct and poor character. This, Dhanvantari declares, is the chief indicator of a difficult path with many ways. When motion ceases and speech is lost, intoxication has reached its third and final stage. Even worse than death, the sinful soul falls into a more sinful state; he no longer knows righteousness or unrighteousness, happiness or sorrow, honor or dishonor, benefit or harm. Afflicted by delusion and confusion, joined with dryness and other symptoms, he collapses in madness, delirium, fainting, and even epilepsy. Yet, the strong, those who have eaten, and the gluttonous do not become excessively intoxicated. The disease of intoxication arises from wind, bile, and phlegm—all together. Their common symptoms are confusion, pain in the heart, splitting headache, intense thirst, mild fatigue, fever, and loss of appetite. There may be obstruction in the chest, darkness, cough, breathlessness, sleeplessness, excessive sweating, bloating, swelling, and disturbance of the mind. The afflicted person is overcome as if in a dream, and does not speak even when addressed. From bile arise burning, fever, sweating, confusion, and constant dizziness. From phlegm come vomiting, nausea, drowsiness, and heaviness in the abdomen. Whoever drinks liquor, knowing it has all these signs and symptoms, will find—unexpectedly—either pleasantness or destruction and dryness; from wind, especially, severe suffering arises. With destruction, there is spitting of phlegm, dryness of the throat, excessive sleepiness, intolerance to sound, and distraction of the mind—these are the pains caused by wind in the body. Heart and throat diseases, confusion, breathlessness, thirst, and intermittent fever may also arise. But he who abstains from liquor, self-controlled and acting with discernment, is freed from these afflictions. Such a person is never troubled in body or mind by disorders. Yet, for one whose food is impure, tainted by passion and delusion, three diseases arise: obstruction of channels carrying fat, blood, and moisture; intoxication, fainting, and loss of consciousness—these occur in order of increasing strength. Here, intoxication arises from all the humors, as well as from blood, wine, and poisons; due to their boundless power, its manifestation is unstable and deceptive. When intoxication is caused by wind, the body becomes dry, dark, and reddish; from bile, one becomes irritable, reddish-yellow in hue, and fond of quarrels. In intoxication from phlegm, one utters incoherent words in dreams and is absorbed in meditation; when all humors are involved, there is stiffness of blood and corruption of the limbs. When the first symptom is of bile, there is confusion about one’s own voice, trembling, excessive sleep, and, above all, great fatigue from all the humors. From the prominence of symptoms, one should recognize wind and the others in blood and so forth; entering into red, blue, or black, one falls into darkness. He quickly regains consciousness, but with pain in the heart, trembling, dizziness, coughing, and a dusky or reddish complexion—these are signs of fainting due to wind. From bile, seeing blood or yellow in the sky, he falls into darkness; he regains consciousness sweating, afflicted by burning and thirst. With phlegm, he sees the sky as cloud-like, with a broken, yellowish-blue appearance and bloodshot, blue-tinged eyes. He regains consciousness after a long time, with much salivation from the heart and chest; his limbs are heavy and dull, and he is bound by the king’s law. When all forms and all three humors are involved, he falls like one possessed—suddenly and motionless, without any repulsive movements. In intoxication and fainting caused by the humors, when their force is spent in the body, they subside on their own, or by abstinence and medicines. The actions of speech, body, and mind are seized, whether by strong or weak forces; together with loss of consciousness, they collapse, resorting to the destruction of life. Because of this, people become like wood, resembling the dead; they die very quickly if treatment is not promptly administered. Thus, Dhanvantari reveals the grave consequences of intoxication and the importance of discernment and restraint.