Female and male attractiveness as depicted in the Vanaparvan of the Mahābhārata

This paper deals with the bodily attractiveness of heroines and heroes, as described in one of the two most important epics of India. The basis for this analysis is the love stories and episodes included in the main plot of the Vanaparvan, the third book of the Mahābhārata. The stories from this book have been taken into consideration due to their numerous occurrences, which are a sufficient ground for generalizations. Many characteristic features of their protagonists are repeated in different sub‑stories. Also, the images of female and male characters, princesses, queens and kings are presented and discussed in detail. The external beauty of such female heroines as Damayantī, Sāvitrī, Sukanyā, Suśobhanā and Sitā; as well as the attractiveness of two semi‑goddesses, called Apsarases, are described and analysed. The names of the Apsarases discussed in the context of female beauty are Urvaśī and Menakā. Besides this, the image of an unnamed courtesan is discussed, as it is the most detailed description of a female character and probably follows the ideal of female beauty as shown in the Mahābhārata. As far as the male protagonists are concerned, the images of heroes such as Nala, Bhīma, Aśvapati, Rāma and Daśaratha are taken into consideration. The examples of male attractiveness also include features of the five main heroes of the Mahābhārata: the Paṇḍava brothers

Dharma and religion in Tagore’s views

Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941), one of the greatest contemporary Indian thinkers, discussed the problem of religion and faith on the ground of global pluralism and religious diversity. He presented his views in numerous poetical works (including Gitanjali, a collection of Song offerings translated into English, for which he was awarded with the Noble Prize in literature in 1913), but he also delivered many speeches, mostly addressed to the Western audience (e.g. The religion of Man). In his writing, Tagore often uses the terms “religion” and dharma interchangeably. This article focuses on both key terms and on the question whether they may be seen as equivalent according to him. Does he really equalize both terms? or, How was his understanding of “religion” and dharma influenced by his cultural background? The article opens with the analyse of the dictionary definitions of both key terms. Next, at the basis of dictionary explanation the main question is raised: whether “religion” and dharma could be treated as equivalents in their whole range of meanings or should their understanding be limited to a chosen definition or definitions? In the following section, Tagore’s concept of the so called “Man the Eternal” and “Divinity in Man” is briefly described. Final comments include some remarks on both terms explained in the light of Tagore’s view on comparative methodology. He claims that “religion” and dharma are close in meaning, since they both stand for the rational description of the individual experience of divinity. Therefore, they may ultimately lead to the common end, regardless their different cultural roots and various circumstances in which both concepts developed. Tagore argues for freedom as the preliminary condition for understanding of the phenomenon of transcendence of human nature towards the experience of divinity. He understands freedom as perfect harmony realized in this world but not merely through our response to it in knowing but in being. Only when such an approach is accepted the experience of “Man the Eternal” can be achieved. In this respect all human beings may meet, regardless they come from Western or Eastern culture. Such an exposition of the core of religious experience allows us to use the terms of “religion” and dharma interchangeably, and thus contribute to the comparative methodology in religious studies

Draupadi’s image in the Mahabharata as the stereotype for physical beauty of its female heroines

The article is an analysis of the stereotyped image of physical beauty of the heroines of Indian epic Mahabharata. The features of the character of main plot, Draupadi, are compared with these of minor female characters of this epic. Draupadi’s image is shown in many fragments coming from different books of the Mahabharata but the descriptions of the heroines of sub-stories, even if not so numerous are strikingly similar. The characters of sub-stories chosen for this comparison are Śakuntala, Damayanti, Lopamudra, Sukanya, the unnamed woman of frivolous behaviour and Savitri. The comparison of images of the female characters allows to check the potential influence of the image of the main female character on the range of other images of female beauty as shown in the Mahabharata. The question of probability of this potential influence is posed and discussed in detail

The Mahabharata Epic in Polish Literature. Translations and Inspirations

The article covers the topic of the more than one hundred years old tradition of translations of fragments of the Indian epic Mahabharata to Polish. The works of professional indologists like Jan Leciejewski, Helena Willman-Grabowska, Andrzej Ługowski, Halina Marlewicz, Iwona Milewska, Marek Mejor and Joanna Jurewicz are discussed in detail. All these translations are unquestionably direct ones whereas this directness is not certain in regard to the ones which were prepared by Antoni Lange, a famous Polish poet and by Antoni Kałuski. This problem of direct and non-direct translations is indicated in the article. But for the presentation of the tradition of Polish translations of the fragments of the Mahabharata it provides some information on the potential influence given to Polish poets based on the stories coming from this Indian epic. One can definitely trace such influences in the works of Jan Kasprowicz and Bolesław Leśmian

Thermocoagulation of the Gasserian ganglion in patients with trigeminal neuropathy resistant to pharmacotherapy

Indication for thermocoagulation of the Gasserian ganglion is trigeminal neuralgia resistant to pharmacologic treatment, which either is not effective or cannot be applied due to its side effects. In Pain Clinic of Clinic of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care in Warsaw in the period from July of 2008 to June of 2011 there were 31 thermocoagulation procedures performed in 19 patients. Age of the patients varied between 46 and 86 years. The time of symptoms was between 2 and 30 years and pain was of intermittent character and its intensity in NRS was between 8 and 10 points. Thermocogulation was performed on ambulatory basis but in conditions of an operating room. Image of the foramen ovale was received through proper positioning of the patients and adjustment of the X-ray C-arm. Location of the tip of the electrode was verified by the C-arm, sensory and motor stimulation and injection of a dye. Time of the procedure was 60 seconds. In 18 patients a decrease in pain lasted from 7 to 24 months was reached. For one patient data has been missing. In none of the patients no serious adverse effects were noted.Indication for thermocoagulation of the Gasserian ganglion is trigeminal neuralgia resistant to pharmacologic treatment, which either is not effective or cannot be applied due to its side effects. In Pain Clinic of Clinic of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care in Warsaw in the period from July of 2008 to June of 2011 there were 31 thermocoagulation procedures performed in 19 patients. Age of the patients varied between 46 and 86 years. The time of symptoms was between 2 and 30 years and pain was of intermittent character and its intensity in NRS was between 8 and 10 points. Thermocogulation was performed on ambulatory basis but in conditions of an operating room. Image of the foramen ovale was received through proper positioning of the patients and adjustment of the X-ray C-arm. Location of the tip of the electrode was verified by the C-arm, sensory and motor stimulation and injection of a dye. Time of the procedure was 60 seconds. In 18 patients a decrease in pain lasted from 7 to 24 months was reached. For one patient data has been missing. In none of the patients no serious adverse effects were noted

Spastic paralysis after sustaining cervical spinal cord injury: 13 years on a baclofen pump - case report

Spasticity is a very troublesome symptom, which causes further deterioration in physical disability and in many cases precludes effective treatment. The aim of this paper is to recall different methods for treating spasticity, with particular consideration of the modern method of employing a baclofen pump with a patient who had suffered trauma to the cervical spinal cord.Spasticity is a very troublesome symptom, which causes further deterioration in physical disability and in many cases precludes effective treatment. The aim of this paper is to recall different methods for treating spasticity, with particular consideration of the modern method of employing a baclofen pump with a patient who had suffered trauma to the cervical spinal cord

Termolezja zwoju Gassera u pacjentów z neuralgią trójdzielną oporną na farmakoterapię

Wskazaniem do termolezji zwoju Gassera jest neuralgia trójdzielna, oporna na leczenie farmakologiczne, występowanie działań niepożądanych lub powikłań uniemożliwiających prowadzenie skutecznej farmakoterapii. W Poradni Leczenia Bólu Kliniki Anestezjologii i Intensywnej Terapii w Warszawie w okresie od lipca 2008 roku do czerwca 2011 roku przeprowadzono 31 zabiegów termolezji zwoju Gassera u 19 pacjentów. Pacjenci poddani zabiegowi mieli od 46 do 86 lat. Czas trwania objawów bólowych w badanej grupie wynosił od 2 do 30 lat. Pacjenci zgłaszali ból o charakterze napadowym, którego natężenie wynosiło od 8 do 10 punktów w skali numerycznej Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). Zabiegi termolezji zwoju Gassera przeprowadzano w trybie ambulatoryjnym, w warunkach sali operacyjnej. Otwór owalny uwidoczniano po odpowiednim ułożeniu głowy pacjenta i ustawieniu ramienia C aparatu rentgenowskiego. Właściwe umiejscowienie końca elektrody czynnej weryfikowano przy pomocą aparatu RTG z ramieniem C, wykonując stymulację ruchową i czuciową, oraz podaniem kontrastu. Czas trwania lezji wynosił 60 sekund. U 18 pacjentów uzyskano całkowite ustąpienie dolegliwości bólowych, które utrzymywało się od 7 do 24 miesięcy. Danych dotyczących jednego pacjenta nie udało się uzyskać. U żadnego z pacjentów nie wystąpiły poważne działania niepożądane

5% lidocaine medicated plasters vs. sympathetic nerve blocks as a part of multimodal treatment strategy for the management of postherpetic neuralgia: A retrospective, consecutive, case-series study

Introduction 5% lidocaine medicated plasters (5% LMP) have been appointed as a first-line treatment for post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), while formerly used sympathetic nerve blocks (SNBs) were recently denied their clinical efficacy. The aim of this study was to compare the results of PHN management with the use of SNBs and 5% LMP as a first-line treatment. Material and methods This study was designed as a retrospective, consecutive, case-series study. Data of 60 consecutive PHN patients with allodynia treated with the use of SNBs and 60 subsequent patients managed with 5% LMP were analyzed. Pain severity after 8 weeks was assessed to recognize the results of the implemented therapy, with numeric rating scale (NRS) score <3 or =3 considered a success. Additionally, the number of pain-free patients (NRS=0) after 8 weeks were identified in both groups and compared. Results The rate of failures in SNBs and 5% LMP group was similar (18.9% vs. 27.1% of poor treatment results, respectively), with the average change in NRS of 5.88±2.41 in nerve blocks and 5.01±1.67 in lidocaine group (p=0.02). Significant difference was also noted in the rates of pain-free patients: 20 patients (34.4%) treated with SNBs and 8 (13.5%) using 5% LMP were pain-free after 8 weeks of treatment. Conclusion It may be concluded that SNBs may still be considered useful in PHN management, as it appears that in some cases this mode of treatment may offer some advantages over 5% LMP