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Atharvaveda and Charaka Samhita

by Laxmi Maji | 2021 | 143,541 words

This page relates ‘Ashtanga Hridaya (Ayurveda book)� found in the study on diseases and remedies found in the Atharvaveda and Charaka-samhita. These texts deal with Ayurveda—the ancient Indian Science of life—which lays down the principles for keeping a sound health involving the use of herbs, roots and leaves. The Atharvaveda refers to one of the four Vedas (ancient Sanskrit texts encompassing all kinds of knowledge and science) containing many details on Ayurveda, which is here taken up for study.

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ṣṭṅg ṛdⲹ (Āܰ岹 book)

ṣṭṅg ṛdⲹ [ṛdⲹ�Āⲹ Vāgbhaṭṭa was the son of ṃhܱٲ and the grandson of Vāgbhaṭṭa belongs to the region of river Sindhu. His forefathers were also great scholars of Āܰ岹. He was a disciple of Avalokita, the chief monk of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Based on the internal and external evidence, the date of Vāgbhaṭṭa can be fixed between the 4th and 5th century AD. The name of a famous book written by Vāgbhaṭṭa is ṣṭṅg ṛdⲹ. ṣṭṅg ṛdⲹ is one of the most celebrated and most often studied treatises on Indian medicine, after 䲹첹-ṃh and śܳٲ-ṃh.

ṣṭṅg ṛdⲹ� [ṛdⲹ] contains six ٳԲ (sections) each ٳԲ consisting of varying numbers of Adhyāyas; the total number of chapters being One hundred twenty. The text is composed entirely in poetry. The total number of verses is Seven thousand one hundred twenty. The first section Sūtra ٳԲ has thirty chapters dealing with basic doctrines of Āܰ岹. Principles of health, prevention of diseases, properties of articles of diet and drugs, humoral physiology and pathology, different kinds of diseases and methods of treatment. The second section Śarīra ٳԲ has six chapters dealing with embryology, anatomy, physiology, physiognomy, physical and psychological constitutions, auspicious and inauspicious dreams and omens, signs of bad prognosis and oncoming death. The third section NidānaٳԲ with Sixteen chapters describes the causes, premonitory symptoms, characteristic features pathogenesis and prognosis of some important diseases coming within the realm of ⲹ쾱ٲ (inner medicine). The fourth section 쾱ٲ ٳԲ twenty-two chapters elaborating the methods of treatment of all major organic diseases, including efficacious medicinal recipes, diet and care of the patient. The fifth section Kalpa-siddhi ٳԲ has six chapters dealing with the preparation of recipes, administration of purificatory therapies and management of complications; and principles of pharmacy. The sixth and the last section Uttara ٳԲ is devoted to the remaining seven branches of Āܰ岹. It has forty chapters in total; divided as follows, viz. three for Bāla 쾱ٲ or demonology psychiatry, seventeen for Ūṅg 쾱ٲ or diseases of organs in the head, subdivided again nine for Netra쾱ٲ or ophthalmology, two for Karṇa쾱ٲ or otology, two for Nāsā쾱ٲ or rhinology, two for Mukha쾱ٲ or mouth, teeth and throat, and two for Śiraroga or diseases of the head. Śⲹ 쾱ٲ or surgery has ten chapters; ٲṃṣṭr or toxicology has four; 쾱ٲ or ⲹԲ or rejuvenation therapy, geriatrics and ṛṣ or ī첹ṇa or vilification therapy or aphrodisiacs have one chapter each. The greater portion of the text being devoted to ⲹ쾱ٲ or inner medicine is thus conspicuous[1].

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

ṣṭṅg ṛdⲹ� of Vāgbhaṭṭa Vol. I -III, trans. K. R. Srikantha Murthy, Varanasi, Chaukhambha Krishnadas Academy, 2018, pp. 1-520, 1-590, 1-431.

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