ādāna-kāla: what the term means and how it is translated

Charaka SamhitaSutrasthana 6 (Tasyashitiya):4 (numbering as printed on carakasamhitaonline.com) · checked against the source

इह खलु संवत्सरं षडङ्गमृतुविभागेन विद्यात्| तत्रादित्यस्योदगयनमादानं च त्रीनृतूञ्छिशिरादीन् ग्रीष्मान्तान् व्यवस्येत्, वर्षादीन् पुनर्हेमन्तान्तान् दक्षिणायनं विसर्गं च||४||

Defines the year as six seasons; the sun's northward course (udagayana) = ādāna, comprising the three seasons śiśira to grīṣma; varṣā to hemanta = dakṣiṇāyana = visarga.

Charaka SamhitaSutrasthana 6:5 (carakasamhitaonline numbering) · checked against the source

विसर्गे पुनर्वायवो नातिरूक्षाः प्रवान्ति, इतरे पुनरादाने; सोमश्चाव्याहतबलः शिशिराभिर्भाभिरापूरयञ्जगदाप्याययति शश्वत्, अतो विसर्गः सौम्यः| आदानं पुनराग्नेयं; तावेतावर्कवायू सोमश्च कालस्वभावमार्गपरिगृहीताः कालर्तुरसदोषदेहबलनिर्वृत्तिप्रत्ययभूताःसमुपदिश्यन्ते||५||

Visarga is saumya (lunar/cooling), ādāna is āgneya (fiery); sun, wind and moon determine season, rasa, dosha and bodily strength.

Charaka SamhitaSutrasthana 6:8 (carakasamhitaonline numbering) · checked against the source

भवन्ति चात्र- आदावन्ते च दौर्बल्यं विसर्गादानयोर्नृणाम्| मध्ये मध्यबलं, त्वन्ते श्रेष्ठमग्रे च निर्दिशेत्||८||

Strength is lowest at the start of visarga and end of ādāna, medium in the middle, highest at the end of visarga and start of ādāna.

Charaka SamhitaSutrasthana Lesson VI (Kaviratna):Kaviratna's printed aphorisms 2, 3, 4 (printed after each passage); standard numbers 4 and 5 per carakasamhitaonline - recorded separately, not converted · checked against the source

For the purposes of this lesson, the year should be known as consisting of six portions, divided according to the seasons. Of these, the three seasons commencing with the season of dews and ending with summer constitute the period when the Sun travels in the region lying to the north of the equinoctial. That is again the period when the Sun takes (i. e., sucks up the liquid portion of every earthly object). The three other seasons commencing with the season of rains and ending with Hemanta constitutes the period of the Sun's southerly course. That is, besides, the time when the Sun gives (or yields moisture to all earthly objects). ... Hence the period of Giving is mild (and agreeable). The period of Taking is fiery.

Kaviratna's rendering of ādāna/visarga as 'Taking'/'Giving' periods; his footnote (not the text) supplies the month equivalences of the six seasons.

Sushruta SamhitaSutrasthana VI (Ritucharya; Bhishagratna's chapter number):Sushruta Sutrasthana 6.7 (standard numbering; siva.sh Devanagari closes the passage ॥७॥). Bhishagratna Ch. VI, paragraph beginning 'The two Ayanams are ushered in', wisdomlib doc122894; he prints no verse numbers. · checked against the source

Winter, spring and summer mark the passing of the sun over the Summer Solstice (Uttarayana). The sun grows stronger in heat and light, and saps (rasas) of bitter, pungent and sour tastes increase in intensity, and all animals gradually begin to lose strength and energy.

Sushruta's parallel division of the year into two ayanas: śiśira, vasanta and grīṣma belong to uttarāyaṇa, in which the sun strengthens, three rasas grow strong, and the strength of all beings progressively declines (Su.Su.6.7). Two translator's choices to note: 'Summer Solstice' for uttarāyaṇa is Bhishagratna's English, not a doctrine; and his 'sour' is a mistranslation. The Sanskrit reads 'तिक्तकषायकटुकाश्च रसा बलवन्तो भवन्ति', bitter, ASTRINGENT (kaṣāya) and pungent; sour (amla) is assigned in the same sutra to dakṣiṇāyana ('अम्ललवणमधुराश्च रसा बलवन्तो भवन्ति'), which agrees with Caraka Su.6.6 as cited above (Kaviratna: 'dry, bitter, astringent, and pungent').

Ashtanga HridayaSutrasthana 3 (Ritucharya):opening verses (page gives no verse numbers; conventionally 1-6)

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Vagbhata restates ādāna/visarga with the etymology 'tad ādatte nṛṇāṁ pratidinaṁ balam' (it takes away men's strength day by day). Verse numbers not shown on the retrieved page.