HISTORY OF AYURVEDA
Ayurveda is considered by many scholars to be the oldest healing science. In Sanskrit, Ayurveda means “The Science of Life.” Ayurvedic knowledge originated in India more than 5,000 years ago and is often called the “Mother of All Healing.” It stems from the ancient Vedic culture and was taught for many thousands of years in an oral tradition from accomplished masters to their disciples. Some of this knowledge was set to print a few thousand years ago, but much of it is inaccessible. The principles of many of the natural healing systems now familiar in the West have their roots in Ayurveda, including Homeopathy and Polarity Therapy.
Source : https://www.ayurveda.com/about-the-ayurvedic-institute/
Lord Dhanvantari
The source of Ayurveda is attributed to Lord Dhanvantari, the Hindu Deity of Medicine. It is mentioned in Vedas as well as Puranas that Lord Dhanvantari was the physician of the Gods in addition to being an excellent surgeon. Lord Dhanwantari is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu who, according to Shrimad Bhagwat Purana, emerged from the depths of the ocean holding a pot of Amrit (the elixir of immortality) whilst the ocean was being churned with the help of the great Mandara mountain and serpent Vasuki. He is one of the 14 ratnas which made their appearance during the event of Samudramanthana. The pot of Amrit was initially snatched by the Asuras, but with the help of Mohini (another incarnation of Lord Vishnu), it was recovered and consumed by the Devas. This episode is the crux of the Kumbh Mela which is celebrated every 12 years.
Human suffering moved Lord Dhanvantari so much that he took birth on earth as the son of King of Kashi (Varanasi), Dirghatma. The Prince of Kashi, he came to be known as Kashiraja or Devodasa Dhanvantari. When he went on to become the King of Kashi, he was approached by a group of sages (including Sushruta) with a request to teach them Ayurveda. Dhanvantari stated that Brahma had created Ayurveda far before he created mankind. He also said that Ayurveda forms one of the upangas of the Atharva Veda and it is not easy for men to learn it within their lifespans as it has 1,00,000 verses arranged in 1,000 chapters. However, Dhanvantari acceded to their request and recast Brahma’s Ayurveda into 8 divisions or ashtangas, each representing specialities (shalya, shalakya, kayachikitsa, bhutavidya, kaumarabhrtya, agadatantra, rasayanatantra, vajikaranatantra). This is how Lord Dhanvantari revealed Ayurveda to the world. He then began teaching within the framework of pratyaksa (perception), agama (authoritative scripture), anumana (inference) and upamana (analogy) which is where his teachings on Ayurveda stresses overall promotion of human health in a holistic manner and not just the curative aspect of medical science.
The word dhanvan indicatively means science of surgery. The one who has seen the end (anta) of it is known as Dhanvantari. The name Dhanvantari also indicates gift of God to remove human suffering.
Among the group of sages was Sushrutha, who went on to become Dhanvantari’s foremost disciple. He promulgated Dhanvantari’s teachings to future generations through a school of medicine and surgery that he founded at Varanasi. He also went on to author the Sushrutha Samhitha which contains descriptions of 1,120 illnesses, 700 medicinal plants, 64 preparations from mineral sources and 57 preparations based on animal sources in 184 chapters. It is an instruction manual for physicians for the holistic treatment of their patients. He stated that disease was caused by an imbalance in the body and it was the physician’s duty to help others maintain balance or to restore it if it had been lost. The text addresses general medicine as well as surgery. It became popular and soon moved to different parts of the world where it became quite popular. Sushrutha is known today as the Father of Surgery. It is regarded as one of the Great Trilogy of Ayurvedic Medicine, along with Charaka Samhitha and Ashtanga Hridaya.
Charaka Samhitha is one of the oldest and authoritative writings on Ayurveda. Although it is not known how the text came into being, there is a popular belief that it is a subset or redaction of an earlier text known as Agnivesh Tantra by Agnivesh, which was authored by a Kashmiri sage known as Charaka. There is also the argument that since charak in Sanskrit means ‘wandering scholars/physicians’, it is compendium of pooled knowledge of multiple scholars. The text defines life as the combination of the body, sense organs, mind and soul, the factor responsible for preventing decay and death. According to this perspective, Ayurveda is concerned with measures to protect Ayus (longevity) which include healthy living along with therapeutic measures that relate to physical, mental, social and spiritual harmony. This definition has great relevance for both prophylactic and therapeutic management of mind, body, and soul. No other document known to humanity defines the science of life in such visionary and yet realistic terms.
Ashtanga Hridaya is the work of Vagbhata, a Buddhist Scholar. Ashtanga Hridaya translates to ‘Heart or Essence of the Eight Sections’ of Ayurveda. Chronologically, this text succeeds the Charaka Samhitha and the Sushrutha Samhitha. This scripture primarily deals with kayachikitsa and mentions the dosha edifices of vata, pitta and kapha along with their sub-types. It emphasises on treating the physiology of the body and suggests therapeutic use of metals and minerals.
Some other notable texts in Ayurveda are Ashtanga Sangraha, Bhavaprakasha, Sarangadhar Samhitha and Madhava Nidan.