Scriptures of Ayurveda

Ayurveda has been in practice for over 5000 years and is recognized as the oldest form of healthcare in the world. The earliest references can be seen in Hindu spiritual classics like Rigveda. The numerous references about the ancient Indian medical system of Ayurveda show the deep understanding of medical science by the ancient Indian sages and scholars.

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The scriptures of Ayurveda are available proving the superiority of this holistic approach to healthcare. They clearly explain the knowledge of the complete balance of the Body, Mind, and Spirit along with human emotions and psychology. Ayurvedic scriptures have a wealth of information on longevity, rejuvenation, and self-realization therapies through herbal medicines, diet, exercise, yoga, meditation, massage, aromas, tantras, and mantra.

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Ayurveda is also a part of Atharva Veda. Brahmasanhit, the oldest Ayurvedic scripture contains one lakh shlokas under one thousand chapters. Ayurveda was divided into eight branches, namely

Kay Chikitsa
Bhootvidya
Shalakya
Kaumarbhrutya
Agadatantra
Shalya
Rssayantantra
Vajikarantantra

Early Ayurvedic Scriptures

The ancient sage Dhanwantari described Surgery, namely Shalya the branch of Ayurveda that deals with surgery. According to him, Ayurveda’s main purposes are:

Relief from disease
Maintaining good health

Dhanwantari explains Ayurveda as the science by which one can get long life along with knowledge of life. According to him, Ayurvedic Vaidya Shastra increases life and activities, is constant, persistent, and holy, and is full of happiness.

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The ancient Ayurvedic script Agnivesa Samhita has the details in a conversational method. The period of Agnivesa Samhita is assumed to be BC 1000. Another Ayurveda Physician Charaka, of BC 200 refined and re-arranged the contents of the Agnivesa Samhita in a clearer and defined way. Charaka also re-named the Agnivesa Samhita as Charaka Samhita. Another disciple of Ayurveda, Dridabala filled the unclear parts and made the “Charaka Samhita” in its current form, later in the 4th century AD. This book contains about 9295 sutras and 12000 shlokas that are arranged in 8 parts and under120 chapters.

Susruta Samhita

In between BC 1500 and BC1000, sage Vruda Susruta took upon himself to write down the experiments of Danwanthari. In 200AD, another sage named Susruta had re-worked the script and it is now available in form of Susruta Samhita. This scripture gives numerous references to surgeries performed at that time. The text has 6 parts and 186 chapters.

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Charak Samhita

Charak Samhita is the best-known Ayurvedic scripture known today. It discusses the details on the principles of Ayurvedic therapeutics under the name Chikitsa-Vigyan and it is the only work that covers the medicinal system of Ayurveda comprehensively. Charak Samhita explains the aggregation of Sankya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshik, Vedanta, and Mimansa in numerous verses.

Ayurvedic scriptures were translated into Arabic. Arabic Physicians Avicenna and Razi Sempion quoted Indian Ayurvedic texts and established Islamic medicine. This medical science became highly popular and went on to become a tradition in Europe. The significance of Ayurveda is becoming more and more evident by the adoption of the practices of Ayurveda in modern healing methods.