AyuSoft Team
Introduction:
Charaka Samhitaa is considered to be the most ancient and authoritative work on Ayurveda available today.
This work is sometimes considered a redaction of an older and more voluminous work, Agnives`ha Samhitaa (46,000 verses), which is no longer extant.
In fact, Charaka had redacted the Agnives`ha Samhitaa (an edited version of Aatreya Samhitaa). The available form of Charaka Samhitaa was again worked upon by Drid`habala (living in about 400 AD) long after sage Charaka.
The present manuscript of Charaka Samhitaa has a long history behind it. It was originally composed by Agnives`ha, one of the six students of sage Aatreya and embodied the latter’s teachings.
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 during the second century BC to second century AD.
During the ninth century, Charaka Samhitaa was again edited and reconstructed by a Kashmiri Pan`dita named Drid`habala, son of Kapilabala, a resident of Panchanadapura, now known as Panjor situated seven miles north of Srinagar. The present form, which Charaka Samhitaa has, was given to it by Dridhabala. He not only added the missing chapters but also edited the whole Samhitaa.
About author
The life and times of Charaka are not known with certainty. Some Indian scholars have stated that Charaka of Charaka Samhitaa existed before Paan`ini, the grammarian, who is said to have lived before the sixth century B. C. Another school argues that Patanjali wrote a commentary on the medical work of Charaka, which is corroborated by his commentator, Chakrapaan`idatta. They say that if Patanjali lived around 175 B.C., Charaka must have lived some time before him. Another source about the identity of Charaka and his times is provided by the French orientalist Sylvan Levi. He discovered in the Chinese translation of the Buddhist Tripit`aka, a person named Charaka who was a court physician to the Indo-Scythian king Kanishka, who in all probability reigned in the second century A.D. From the above discussion, it would seem that Charaka may have lived between the second century B.C. to the second century A.D. Till such time as further and more conclusive evidence is available, to narrow down this period would not be justifiable.
The present manuscript of Charaka Samhitaa has a long history behind it. As stated earlier, it was originally composed by Agnives`ha one of the six students of Aatreya, and it embodied the teachings of the latter. Agnives`ha‘s treatise appears to have been available till the eleventh century, as Chakrapaan`idatta, its commentator, quotes from it.
With the passage of time, as new knowledge accumulated, it was felt necessary that Agnives`ha tantra should be revised. This was done by Charaka and the revised edition of Agnives`ha tantra came to be called Charaka Samhitaa.
About Text
The language of Charaka is Sanskrit and its style is in keeping with the Vedic oral tradition of conserving knowledge with meter and melody. Poetry was known to serve as a memory aid.
For example, Charaka contains over 8,400 metrical verses, which are often committed to memory, in toto, by modern medical students of Ayurveda.
Charaka Samhitaa is a huge treatise on ancient Indian medicine. It contains eight divisions (Asht`aanga Sthaana_s) viz., Sootra Sthaana, Nidaana Sthaana, Vimaana Sthaana, S`haaria Sthaana, Indriya Sthaana, Chikitsaa Sthaana, Kalpa Sthaana and Siddhi Sthaana. Each division is further divided into numerous chapters; it describes not only the existing knowledge about medicine aspects but also the logic and philosophy behind the medical systems.
It concentrates on the branch of Ayurveda called Kaayachikitsaa (internal medicine).
Charaka followed the Aatreya School of Physicians, which predominantly deals with treatments through internal and external application of medicine. Though the Samhitaa contains all the theoretical knowledge of Ayurveda its focus is on healing the body, mind and soul of a patient in the minimum invasive manner that’s Kaayachikitsaa. Hence, he placed great emphasis on the diagnostic part of the treatment.
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. It is the first scientific medical text. While it does list 1500 plants with description, the medicinal plants are categorized as of fifty groups, based on the medicinal value to be derived from them. Charaka also laid great emphasis on the timing and manner of the collection of medicinal plants at the same time, there is a clear warning that the improper collection and use of the plants can have unfortunate results. Certain plants can prove poisonous, and this aspect too has been classified.
Charaka as a physician was interested in the diagnostic and prescriptive aspects of healing. To this end, his classification of everything from the solar calendar to topography to the system of birth is an amazing feature of his treatise. E.g. seasons are very well described with relation to many dos and donts and also in relation to the disease and treatment.
He identified eight stages of a disease from its inception to the culmination… Ayurveda is remarkable for its special conceptions and theories. It must be emphasized that the curing of diseased conditions and the maintenance of health are not the only aims of Ayurveda but it is also concerned with harmonizing secular conduct and spiritual pursuit through a realization of the true relationship between the complex of body, mind and soul and the external universe.
In Ayurveda successful medical treatment crucially depends on four factors i.e. Charaka’s quadruple. Fully realizing the importance and contribution of the physician, the attendant (nurse), the patient and the drug if endowed with proper qualities, leads to timely alleviation of disorders.
- Physician:
Excellence in theoretical knowledge, experience, dexterity and cleanliness these are the qualities of a physician. - Attendant (nurse):
Knowledge of attendance, dexterity, loyalty and cleanliness –
these are the four qualities of an attendant. - Patient:
Memory, obedience. Fearlessness and providing all information about time disorder – these are the qualities of a patient - Drug:
Abundance, effectiveness, various pharmaceutical forms and normal composition – these are the four qualities of drugs.
Employment of all these excellent four – physician, attendant, patient and drug in case of disorders with the object of (re-establishing) their equilibrium, is said to be therapeutics.
It also explains the logic and philosophy on which this system of medicine is based.
The commandments propounded by Charaka for the study and advancement of medicine are as follows:
- Rational attitude: treatment with knowledge and practical skills, not with blind belief. Yukti (rational) approach was recommended instead of Daiva (supernatural) therapy. The wise man, desiring health and long life, should not take any medicine prescribed by irrational physicians.
- Psychosomatic approach: Deha Maanasa (psycho-somatic) concepts of disease treatment of the Purusha (person as a whole) were stressed instead of organic systems.
- Advancement of basic concepts of life: physiological and pathological phenomena; Dhaatusaamya – equilibrium of Dhaatu_s or homeostasis.
- Individual constitutions Prakriti (individual psyche/nature) was considered important.
- Scientific method of diagnosis: first study the patient, then study the suitable drug, and watch for interactions, results and side effects.
- Expansion of discipline: (i) निदान – etiology, (ii) Sampraapti – pathogenesis, (iii) Poorvaroopa prodromal signs and symptoms, (iv) Roopa – signs and symptoms, and (v) Upas`haya – therapeutics.
- Emphasis on promotive and preventive aspects: Charaka Samhitaa starts its first chapter on the longevity of life in which the practice of रसायन (promotive health care), Aachaara (conduct) and lifestyle are given importance.
- Organization of symposium: presentation of works/papers on therapy. Lord Aatreya has been mentioned as presiding over such meetings.
- Importance of nature: drugs and dietetic measures used to aid the nature to fight/prevent disease: Svabhaavoparama – recession of disease by nature
- Scientific study of drugs: analytical study of medicinal plants in the Vedic period. The Rigveda and Atharvaveda mention Aushadhi Sookta drugs which are divided into 50 groups, according to their pharmacological action, based on: Rasa, Gun`a, Veerya, Vipaaka and Prabhaava (effects).
Sthaana_s:
Sootra Sthaana: This section comprises of 30 chapters. Deals with origin of Ayurveda. The composition of the human body. The various attributes of the drug and food ingredients with their effects on the body are also described. Fundamental principles for both healthy and the diseased.
This Sthaana is again sub-divided into seven Chatushka_s or quadrates each comprising of four chapters with identical focus. They are: –
Bheshaja Chatushka: From first to fourth chapter. This deals with drugs.
Svastha Chatushka: From fifth to eighth chapter. This deals with regimens related to the preservation of health.
Nirdes`ha Chatushka: From ninth to twelfth chapter. This deals with various instructions regarding various subjects.
Kalpanaa Chatushka: From thirteenth to sixteenth chapter. This deals with the requisite factors essential before starting the treatment.
Roga Chatushka: From seventeenth to twentieth chapter. This deals with description of diseases.
Yojanaa Chatushka: From twenty-first to twenty-fourth chapter. This deals with administration of various therapies.
Anupaana Chatushka: From twenty-fifth to thirtieth chapter. This deals with diet and drinks.
Scope of Sootrasthaana: All the main principles are compiled and fit in this section. Definition and objective of Ayurveda. Etiology of diseases to enumeration of the Rasa_s along with their corresponding objects. Qualities of the physician, five fold sources of decoctives and their pharmaceutical preparations, Food, daily and monthly regimes; and the set of laws associated with it, all about natural urges, all the four factors of therapeutics, considerations before treatment. Qualities, function, their sites of manifestation and treatment of the Dosha_s, Various therapies. In short the essence of the whole treatise is wrapped in this section.
Nidaana Sthaana: This section comprises of 8 chapters.Deals in detail with the etiology, pathology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and prognosis of the disease. Only certain diseases are described here, these diseases were considered as predominant.
Vimaana Sthaana: This section comprises of 8 chapters. Deals with the basic principles involving the drugs, medicines and the curative values. Also with the bodily factors such as constitution. Strategy for participating in the debates on the science of life is also described.
S`haareera Sthaana: This section comprises of 8 chapters. Thisincludes the description of the theory of birth and death. Development of the embryo and the organs, parts of the human body are made available.
Indriya Sthaana: This section comprises of 12 chapters. Deals with the prognostic signs and symptoms.
Chikitsaa Sthaana: This section comprises of 30 chapters. Description of diseases and their treatment.
Kalpa Sthaana: This section comprises of 12 chapters. Describes the various formulations adopted in Panchakarma.
Siddhi Sthaana: This section comprises of 12 chapters. Deals with the various measures to be adopted during the implementation of Panchakarma.
Commentators
- Commentary on Charaka Samhitaa by Chakrapaan`idatta, called Charaka Taatparya-T`ikaa or Ayurveda Dipikaa, done in the eleventh century (A.D. 1066), is very famous.
Charaka Samhitaa was translated from Sanskrit into Arabic in the beginning of the eighth century and its name Sharaka Indianus occurs in the Latin translation of Avicenna, Razes, and Serapion, a translation of the Karka from Sanskrit into Persian and from Persian into Arabic is mentioned in the First (finished in A.D. 987). It is likewise mentioned by Alberuni. Charaka Samhitaa was first translated into English by A.C. Kaviratnain 1897.
Other commentaries are by Patanjali (not available), Hair Chandras in AD 111 (not available), Jajjatas ‘Nirantar-Pada-Vyaakhyaa’, Shiva Das’s ‘Charaka–tatva-Pradipikaa’ and Gangaadhar’s ‘Jalpa-Kalpa-taru’ in AD 1879. This gives indication that the science of Ayurveda is a product of constant verification, fine-tuning and authentication by an active community of physicians.
Last updated on May 7th, 2021 at 07:03 am