Three Important Ayurvedic Treatises

Now one may ask - Who was Charaka?

Charaka was a doctor from those ancient times. Along with Sushruta and Vagbhata, he is believed to be one of the leading authors of the treatises on ayurveda. There were other contributors like Sharangadhara, Bhavamishra and Madhava as well, but their contributions are believed to be significantly lesser than that of Charaka, Sushruta and Vagbhata.

Charaka was to ayurveda what Maharishi Patanjali was to yoga, the traditional system of breathing, and mental and physical exercises. He wrote the Charaka Samhita, a landmark treatise in ayurveda. Sushruta wrote the Sushruta Samhita, another very significant piece of literature in the field of ayurveda.

These two, along with Ashtanga Hrdayam, are among the best known treatises on Ayurveda.

The treatises seem haphazard in the way the different subjects are presented. This is because the authors did not follow a particular system of classifying diseases, disorders and their treatments. One important thing to note at this point - these treatises were not from the same year or the same time period. They were the products of different time periods, separated by centuries.

Charaka Samhita

Charaka Samhita is the oldest treatise on ayurveda, dating back to approximately 2 to 4 BC. A significant portion of it is devoted to the fundamentals of ayurvedic practice. Charaka Samhita talks about the different types of body constitutions, the origin and classification of diseases and disorders, their diagnosis and also the methods of treating them. It has a section on disease prevention, and also talks about the qualities of a good physician.

Basically, it deals with the different aspects of healing systems - diets, drugs and their compositions, and different healing therapies.

Among the therapies discussed are those meant for rejuvenation, the usage of aphrodisiacs, and also those used to treat diseases like tuberculosis, epilepsy, dementia, anemia, vomiting, herpes, poisoning, alcoholism, ulcers, emetics, etc. There are chapters also devoted to the medical formulations used in the various treatments.

Besides healing and therapy, one can find information on a diverse range of subjects in Charaka Samhita. These include a description of the internal organs of the human body, the different types of tastes, and indicators of imminent death. The treatise also has chapters containing debates and discourses by the ancient Indian ascetics.

Sushruta Samhita

The mainstay of Sushruta Samhita is the literature dealing with surgical practices and the instruments used to perform surgery.

It says that in the Vedic Era, the period of scriptures in ancient Indian history, there was a well developed medical science devoted exclusively to the treatment of soldiers. In this context, another treatise called the Rig Veda - one of the four Vedas - refers to the Aswini Kumars, commonly known in India as the Aswini twins, as the doctors of the gods, or divine doctors, who were experts in performing body implants.

The Aswini twins were known to have performed some of the most difficult surgeries for those times.

Besides surgery, the Sushruta Samhita describes the origin of Ayurveda through mythological writings, and also its classification. It also describes the impact of the different seasons on one's health, and describes the qualities and properties of the various drugs that are extracted from the herbs.

The Sushruta Samhita provides a classification of various body conditions, clinical observations about various diseases, their remedies, food and drinks, hygiene, pregnancy and natal problems. There is a section devoted to semen as well. The human anatomy, the diseases associated with the different body parts, and their treatments are also extensively discussed. Besides, there is a section on the different herbal formulations that are prescribed as tonics, and also some toxic potions that are used to treat specific body conditions, as well as poisoning.

The other subjects that the Sushruta Samhita discusses include gynecological problems, disorders of the digestive tract, ear nose, throat and brain; headaches, and treatments through medication and the occult. It also contains notes on the fundamental principles of health and well being, besides a glossary and appendices.

Ashtanga Hrdayam

The third work, Astanga Hrdayam, deals exclusively with the treatments and therapies for various diseases and disorders. Besides, this it is a very technical work that discusses the use of different metals and minerals in the treatment of various diseases.

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