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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' and
Ganga Dhar's 'Jalpa-Kalpa-taru' in AD 1879.
Susrutha Samhita
This
is the main source of knowledge about surgery in ancient India. Susrutha's
original version 'Salya Tantra' was later revised and supplemented by
another Susrutha (the younger). It came to be known as 'Susrutha Samhita'.
Susrutha's Salya tantra consisted of only 5 divisions. Sutra, nidana, Sarira,
Chikitsa and Kalpa. Later additions of 'Uttara Tantra' consisting of 3 divisions
called Salyaka (diseases of eye, ear, nose and throat) Bhuta Vidya and
Kaumara Bhrtya (diseases peculiar to infants and women ) were done by the
younger Susrutha to make 8 divisions in the present 'Susrutha Samhita'.
Susrutha
of 'Salya-tantra' was a great surgeon, a teacher of repute and an admirable
author. He made great improvements in the general techniques of surgery and
performed many new and major operations. He also described a variety of surgical
instruments. His technique of dissection is unique, practical and revealing of
the structure of the body. His operations for making a new nose or ear lobe of
lithotomy, of taking out the dead foetus and abdominal operations are classical
marvels.
Of
the commentaries on 'Susrutha Samhita', the most renowned is that of Dalhana
called 'Nibandha Samgraha' written
in the twelfth cent AD. Susrutha Samhita was translated into English in part
only by U.C Datta (1883), A Chattopadhyay (1891), Hoernle (1897). K.L Bhisagaratna transalated it in full between the
years 1908 and 1917.
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.
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