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CLASSICS OF AYURVEDA
THE GREAT THREE AUTHORS [Brihathrayees]
- CHARAKA (Father of Ayurveda)
Book-Charaka Samhita
It is a massive treatise on ancient Indian medicine. It contains 8 divisions (Astanga Sthanas): Sutra, Nidana, Vimana, Sarira, Endriya, Chikitsa, Kalpa and Siddha-Sthanas. Each division is further divided into numerous chapters. It describes not only the existing knowledge about medicine in all aspects but also the logic and philosophy behind the medical system
.
The present manuscript of Charaka Samhita has a long history behind it. It was originally composed by Agnivesa, one of the six students of sage Atreya and embodied the latter's teachings
. Charaka is one of the best known and the most popular name, in Ayurvedic medicine. During the 7th, 8th and 9th centuries when Arabic scholarship was at its height, Charaka was a revered authority in the Saracen and Latin worlds of medicine. Between the eleventh and sixteenth centuries, Charaka was referred to as a great medical authority. Charaka may have lived between the second century BC to second century AD.
During the ninth Century AD, 'Charaka Samhita' was again edited and reconstructed by a Kashmiri Pandit named Dridhabala, a resident of Panjore, situated 7 miles north of Srinagar. He added 17 chapters in the section on Therapeutics (Chikitsa-sthana) and also the two complete sections on Pharmaceutics (Kalpa sthana) and success in treatment (siddhi sthana) by collecting his data from various treatises on the Ayurvedic science.
The present form which Charaka Samhita has, was given to it by Dridhabala.
It was first translated from Sanskrit into English by A.C Kaviratna in 1897.
Charaka Samhita deals elaborately with subjects such as foetal generation and development, anatomy of the human body, function and malfunction of the body depending upon the equilibrium or otherwise of the 3 humours of the body; Vata, pitta, and Kapha.
It describes etiology, classification, pathology, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment of various diseases and the science of rejuvenation of the body. It discusses elaborately the etiology of diseases on the basis of Tridosha theory.
It gives a detailed description of the various diseases including those of the eyes, the female genital organs, normal and abnormal deliveries and diseases of children
. Charaka's materia- Medica, consists chiefly of Vegetable products though animal and earthy products are also included in it. All these drugs are classified into 50 groups on the basis of their action on the body.
This Vast treatise also gives an idea of the various categories of doctors specializing in different medical subjects, the physicians and their fees, nursing care, centers of medical learning, schools of philosophy such as 'Nyaya' and 'Vaisesika' which formed the fundamental basis of medical theories, medical botany and classification of the animal kingdom, particularly in regard to properties of their flesh etc.
It also describes various customs, tradition, legends, routine of daily life, habits of smoking and drinking, dress and clothing of the people of that era.
Commentary on Charaka Samhita by Chakrapanidatta called 'Charaka-tatparya-tika' or 'Ayurveda Dipika' written in the 11th cent AD(1066AD) is very famous.
Other commentaries are by Patanjali (not available),
Hair Chandras in AD 111 ( not available),
Japjjatas 'Nirantar-Pad-Vyakha',
Shiva Das's 'Charaka-tattva-Pradipika'
Ganga Dhar's 'Jalpa-Kalpa-taru' in AD 1879.
2)SUSRUTHA (Father of surgery) Book-Sushruta Samhita
The Sushruta Samhita presents the field of Ayurvedic surgery (shalya).
This branch of medicine arose in part from the exigencies of dealing with the effects of war.
This work also is said to be a redaction of oral material passed down verbally from generation to generation. It is thought to have arisen about the same time period as the Charaka Samhita, slightly after or before it according to different authorities.
Its style is both prose and poetry with poetry being the greater portion.
The Sushruta Samhita, while dealing with the practice and theory of surgery, is an important source of Ayurvedic aphorisms.
For example, the most comprehensive and frequently quoted definition of health is from Sushruta. This work is unique in that it discusses blood in terms of the fourth doshic principle.
This work is the first to enumerate and discuss the pitta sub-doshas and the marmas. With its emphasis on pitta, surgery, and blood, this work best represents the transformational value of life.
This work, also originally written in Sanskrit, is now available in English with Devanagari. Bhishagratna's translation is English and Sanskrit. P.V. Sharma has recently written a translation with both the Sanskrit/Devanagari and English that includes Dallana's commentary.
Dallana has been regarded as the most influential commentator on Sushruta's work
3)VAGBHATAAshtanga Hridayam and Ashtanga Sangraha.
Ashtanga Sangraha and Ashtanga Hridayam are the work of a person named Vagbhata. There are two works by a person or persons with this name. The Ashtanga Sangraha is nearly 40% greater in size (by verse count) and is primarily poetry with prose. The Hridayam (about 7800 verses) is written in prose and seems to have a slightly different organization of material than the former. Both works have been dated about the same time and are thought to date after the Charaka and Sushruta Samhitas (400 CE).
The exposition is relatively straightforward and also deals primarily with kayachikitsa. In this work, we see the kapha sub-doshas are listed and described for the first time, completing our modern edifice of vata, pitta, and kapha with their five sub-types.
Its emphasis on treating the physiology of the body and suggestions for therapeutic use of metals and minerals means the perspective of the treatise represents the gross, material value of life more than its counterparts Charaka and Sushruta. While Charaka has entire chapters dealing with the Self, these works merely mention that the body is the home for the Self without any elaboration
.
Srikantha Murthy's translation includes the Sanskrit/Devanagari for those who want to delve into the original text. S. Murthy has translated many of the ancient Ayurvedic writings into English, for which we are indebted. He has weighty credentials and brings them to bear in this work.
THE MINOR THREE AUTHORS [Laghuthrayees]
1)SHARNGADHARABook-Sharngadhara Samhita
The Sharngadhara Samhita is a concise exposition of Ayurvedic principles. Its author, Sharngadhara, has offered his work as a digested version of Ayurvedic knowledge, deliberately omitting much detail because the works of The Great Three were already widely known.
This treatise is thought to have originated in the 15th century AD. The Sharngadhara Samhita is prized for its enumeration and description of numerous pharmacological formulations used in panchakarma and contains the first textual elaboration of diagnosis by means of the pulse. Its subject matter is again the field of kayachikitsa. This work is available in Sanskrit/Devanagari and English translation by Srikantha Murthy.
2)BHAVAMISRABOOK-Bhava Prakasha
Bhava Prakasha is just now available in English translation.
It is the most recent of the classical texts, written in the 16th century. It is a well-organized and compact re-presentation of the earlier classics. There are about 10,268 verses of varying meters.
It deals with kayachikitsa generally and has a large section entitled Nighantu, which gives the characteristics of many foods, plants, and minerals. Many of it sutras are direct quotes from earlier writers. Sri Kantha Murthy again does this Sanskrit/Devanagari and English translation
3)MADHAVA
Book-Madhava Nidanam
Madhava Nidanam, available here in Sanskrit/Devanagari and English translation by Srikantha Murthy, deals with the classification of diseases in Ayurveda. Its taxonomy is slightly different at times from those given by Charaka, Sushruta, and Vagbhata, while for the greater part its verses are seemingly direct quotes from them.
This work is dated around 700 AD and is prized for covering a wide range of diseases in the fields of bala (children and women's disorders), shalya, damstra (toxicology), shalakya (ear, nose and throat), and kayachikitsa. While this treatise gives detailed description of disease etiology (disease doctrines), prodroma and cardinal signs and symptoms, it does not give explanation or suggestions for chikitsa (treatment).
Other Medical Texts
The other Samhitas (medical texts) in Ayurveda are 'Bhela Samhita', Kasyapa Samhita which deals in childrens diseases, 'Astanga Samgraha' and 'Astanga Hridya Samhita' by Vagbhata, 'Chikitsa- Kalika' by Tishtacharya, 'Madhavanidana' or 'Nidana' by Madhavakara, 'Kalyana Karaka' by Ugradilyacharya, a Jain scholar, 'Siddha Yoga' by Vrinda. Vangasena and Chakrapanidatta composed their own treatises on the lines of Vrinda's 'Siddha Yoga', Nadipriksha( Pulse examination) was first mentioned in 'Sarangadhara Samhita' by Sarangadhara
The other Samhitas (medical texts) in Ayurveda are 'Bhela Samhita', Kasyapa Samhita which deals in childrens diseases, 'Astanga Samgraha' and 'Astanga Hridya Samhita' by Vagbhata, 'Chikitsa- Kalika' by Tishtacharya, 'Madhavanidana' or 'Nidana' by Madhavakara, 'Kalyana Karaka' by Ugradilyacharya, a Jain scholar, 'Siddha Yoga' by Vrinda. Vangasena and Chakrapanidatta composed their own treatises on the lines of Vrinda's 'Siddha Yoga', Nadipriksha( Pulse examination) was first mentioned in 'Sarangadhara Samhita' by Sarangadhara
