The twentieth chapter of Uttaratantra of Sushruta Samhita is known as as Karṇaroga Vijñānīya Adhyaya. This chapter offers with the Information of Ailments of the Ears.
अथातः कर्णगतरोगविज्ञानीयमध्यायं व्याख्यास्यामः ||१||
यथोवाच भगवान् धन्वन्तरिः || २ ||
We are going to now expound the chapter by identify Karnaroga vijňaniya – data of ailments of the ear; as revealed by the venerable Dhanvantari.
Karnaroga nama – sankhya – names and variety of ailments
कर्णशूलं प्रणादश्च बाधिर्य क्ष्वेड एव च ।।
कर्णस्रावः कर्णकण्डूः कर्णवर्चस्तथैव च || ३ ||
कृमिकर्णप्रतिनाही विद्रधिर्द्विविधस्तथा ।।
कर्णपाकः पूतिकर्णस्तथैवार्शश्चतुर्विधम् ।।४।।
कर्णार्बुदं सप्तविधं शोफश्चापि चतुर्विधः ।।
एते कर्णगता रोगा अष्टाविंशतिरीरिताः ||५||
| Identify of Karna Roga – ear illness | Quantity |
| Karna Sula | 1 |
| Karna Pranada | 1 |
| Karna Badhirya | 1 |
| Karna Ksveda | 1 |
| Karna Srava | 1 |
| Karna Kandu | 1 |
| Karna Varca | 1 |
| Krimi Karna | 1 |
| Karna Pratinaha | 1 |
| Karna Vidradhi | 2 |
| Karna Paka | 1 |
| Puti Karna | 1 |
| Karna Arsha | 4 |
| Karna Arbuda | 7 |
| Karna Sopha | 4 |
| Whole | 28 |
Karnaśula
समीरणः श्रोत्रगतोऽन्यथाचरः समन्ततः शूलमतीव कर्णयोः ।।
करोति दोषैश्च यथास्वमावृतः स कर्णशूलः कथितो दुराचरः ||६||
Vitiated vata will get localized within the ear. Right here, it will get the affiliation of different doshas i.e. pitta and kapha. Together with these doshas, Vata strikes in fallacious instructions and provides rise to extreme ache within the ears. This situation is named Karnasula and is troublesome to treatment.
Karņanāda
यदा तु नाडीषु विमार्गमागतः स एव शब्दाभिवहासु तिष्ठति ।।
शृणोति शब्दान् विविधांस्तदा नरः प्रणादमेनं कथयन्ति चामयम् ।।७।।
The aggravated vata strikes abnormally in fallacious paths and passages. Whereas doing so, it occupies Sabdavaha Nadi i.e. channels carrying the sound and afflict them. On this situation, because of the impact of vata, the particular person hears many sorts of sounds. This illness is named Karna Pranada.
Bādhirya
स एव शब्दानुवहा यदा सिराः कफानुयातो व्यनुसृत्य तिष्ठति ।।
तदा नरस्याप्रतिकारसेविनो भवेत्तु बाधिर्यमसंशयं खलु ।।८।।
Badhirya means deafness. That is additionally brought on by the identical aggravated vata. On this situation, the aggravated vata related to kapha and the duo get localized within the Sabdavaha Sira – blood vessels carrying sound or supplying the channels answerable for carrying sound / sound waves. Being there, they produce deafness in an individual who doesn’t take early therapy. This situation is named Badhirya.
Karna kşveda
श्रमात् क्षयाद्रूक्षकषायभोजनात् समीरणः शब्दपथे प्रतिष्ठितः ।।
विरिक्तशीर्षस्य च शीतसेविनः करोति हि क्ष्वेडमतीव कर्णयोः ।।९।।
Causes –
– exertion,
– depletion of tissues,
– extreme consumption meals that are dry in nature and predominantly astringent in style
– excessively executed shirovirechana i.e. head purging and its after results
– extreme consumption of chilly meals and publicity to chilly
Pathogenesis – Because of the above mentioned causes, vata will get aggravated. This aggravated vata will get localized within the shabdapatha – passages of sound and afflicts them.
Signs – On account of this pathogenesis brought on by aggravated vata, the particular person begins listening to extra sounds within the ears. These sounds are fixed and are in excessive pitch. This situation is named Karnaksveda.
Karna srāva
शिरोभिघातादथवा निमज्जतो जले प्रपाकादथवाऽपि विद्रधेः ।।
स्त्रवेंत्तु पूयं श्रवणोऽनिलावृतः स कर्णसंत्राव इति प्रकीर्तितः ।।१०।।
Causes –
– head harm
– immersing in chilly water
– suppuration or ripening of vidradhi – abscess
Pathogenesis – Because of the above mentioned causes, vata will get aggravated, will get localized within the ear and vitiates the ear. This situation is named Karna Srava.
Signs – Puya srava – discharge of pus from the ears is the primary symptom of Karna Srava.
Karnakandū
कफेन कण्डू: प्रचितेन कर्णयोर्भृशं भवेत् स्त्रोतसि कर्णसंज्ञिते ।।
Karna Kandu means itching within the ears. That is brought on by aggravated kapha. When the aggravated kapha accumulates in nice portions within the passages and orifices of the ear, it produces extreme itching within the ears. This situation is named Karna Kandu.
Karna gūthaka
विशोषिते श्लेष्मणि पित्ततेजसा नृणां भवेत् स्त्रोतसि कर्णगूथकः ।।११।।
Karna Guthaka can also be brought on by Kapha enhance. Firstly the kapha will get elevated and accumulates within the ear. This kapha later will get dried by the warmth of the pitta. This could result in a situation referred to as Karna Guthaka. (Guthaka means hardened ear wax).
Karna pratināha
स कर्णविट्को द्रवतां यदा गतो विलायितो घ्राणमुखं प्रपद्यते ।।
तदा स कर्णप्रतिनाहसंज्ञितो भवेद्विकारः शिरसोऽभितापनः ।।१२।।
The karna vitka or guthaka i.e. wax which has shaped within the ear begins getting liquified. This liquified wax begins flowing out from the nostrils. This could ultimately give rise to many sorts of ailments of the pinnacle. This is named Karna Pratinaha.
Krimikarnaka
यदा तु मूर्च्छन्त्यथवाऽपि जन्तवः सृजन्त्यपत्यान्यथवाऽपि यक्षिकाः ।।
तदञ्जनत्वाच्छ्रवणो निरुच्यते भिषग्धराद्यैः कृमिकर्णको गदः ।।१३।।
Jantu or krimi means microorganisms, like worms, micro organism and so forth. When these jantus develop contained in the ears or when the flies deposit larvae / maggots contained in the ears, the jantus will get adhered inside the passages of sound. This situation brought on by jantu or krimi is named Krimikarnaka by the physicians.
Karna vidradhi
क्षताभिघातप्रभवस्तु विद्रधिर्भवेत्तथा दोषकृतोऽपरः पुनः ।।
सरक्तपीतारुणमस्त्रमास्त्रवेत् प्रतोदधूमायनदाहचोषवान् ।। १४ । ।
Vidradhi means abscess. When vidradhi develops contained in the ear, it’s referred to as Karna Vidradhi.
Vidradhi is produced by
– abhighata i.e. harm or is
– dosha krta i.e. brought on by aggravation of doshas
Signs – Because of the above mentioned causes, the beneath talked about signs are manifested –
– discharge of reddish yellow or gentle pink coloured blood from the ears,
– extreme ache within the ear
– feeling as if sizzling air is popping out of the ear
– burning sensation within the ear
– sucking ache within the ear
Karna pāka
भवेत् प्रपाकः खलु पित्तकोपतो विकोथविक्लेदकरश्च कर्णयोः ।।
pitta. On this situation suppuration and discharges occur contained in the ears. This situation is named Karna Paka.
Pūtikarna
स्थिते कफे स्त्रोतसि पित्ततेजसा विलाय्यमाने भृशसंप्रतापवान् ।। १५ ।।
अवेदनो वाऽप्यथवा सवेदनो घनं स्त्रवेत् पूति च पूतिकर्णकः ।।
Puti means foul scent. The ear which emits a foul scent is named Puti Karna. This situation is brought on by kapha and pitta.
Kapha which has elevated abnormally accumulates within the passages of the ears. Later, this kapha will get liquified by the warmth of pitta. On account of this, there happens a circulation of thick and unhealthy smelling exudes / discharges from the ear. This situation is named Putikarna.
Karna sopha- arbuda
प्रदिष्टलिङ्गान्यरशांसि तत्त्वतस्तथैव शोफार्बुदलिङ्गमीरितम् ।।
मया पुरस्तात् प्रसमीक्ष्य योजयेदिहैव तावत् प्रयतो भिषग्वरः ।।१६।।
Grasp Sushruta says that signs of karna sopha (swelling or oedema of ear) and arbuda (malignant tumour of the ear) are much like sopha and arbuda which have been enumerated by him within the involved chapters and must be acknowledged and recognized on related traces.
इति श्रीसुश्रुतसंहितायामुत्तरतन्त्रान्तर्गते शालाक्यतन्त्रे कर्णगतरोगविज्ञानीयो नाम विंशतितमोऽध्यायः ।।२०।।
Thus ends the 20 th chapter by identify Karnaroga Vijñānīya in Uttara Sthana of Suśruta Samhita.


