Acharya Charaka -Samhita, Legacy, Chapters, Description

Atreya Punarvasu has many intelligent students. Punarvasu was the most respected, learned Guru (teacher) and preacher of Ayurveda. Among the clan of his elite students Agnivesha was the best.

According to the directions and teachings of his teacher Punarvasu Atreya, Agnivesha recorded, documented and composed his work on Ayurveda.

Charaka Samhita, a part of Brihat Trayi or greater trio of Ayurveda occupies a significant place in the history of world’s medical science.

Atreya Punarvasu has many intelligent students. Punarvasu was the most respected, learned Guru (teacher) and preacher of Ayurveda. Among the clan of his elite students Agnivesha was the best.

According to the directions and teachings of his teacher Punarvasu Atreya, Agnivesha recorded, documented and composed his work on Ayurveda.

It was called as Agnivesha Tantra. It was subsequently redacted by Charaka which in due course of time got popular in the name ‘Charaka Samhita’. This Charaka Samhita was further redacted by Dridhabala.

It was called as Agnivesha Tantra. It was subsequently redacted by Charaka which in due course of time got popular in the name ‘Charaka Samhita’. This Charaka Samhita was further redacted by Dridhabala.

In Charaka Samhita, we can find that the justice has been done in covering all the aspects and 8 branches of Ayurveda. But the emphasis has been given in covering the concepts of Kaya Chikitsa (General medicine) in detail. That is why, Charaka Samhita is considered to be the best reference and authentic text of Kaya Chikitsa.

of Charaka Samhita –

Charaka Samhita has been dealt with in 8 sections and 120 chapters.

•Sutrasthana – Basic Principles – 30 chapters, 1952 Verses.

•Nidana Sthana – Pathology – 8 chapters, 247 verses

•Vimana Sthana–Specific determination–8 chapters,354 verses

•Shareera Sthana–Anatomy-8 chapters,382 verses

•Indriya Sthana–Sensory organ based prognosis – 12 chapters, 378 verses

•Chikitsa Sthana–Therapeutics–30 chapters,4904 verses

•Kalpasthana–Pharmaceutics and toxicology 12 chapters – 378 verses

•Siddhi Sthana–Success in treatment–12 chapters–700 verses

•Total–9295(Sutras)

They are as briefed below–

Deals with fundamental principles of Ayurveda covered in 30 chapters

Sutra Sthana is sub-divided into Sapta Chatushkas (7 quadrates),having 4 chapters each.

They are:

Bheshaja Chatushka–quadrate on drugs

Swasta Chatushka–on regimen for the maintenance of health

Nirdesha Chatushka–on various instructions

Kalpana Chatushka–on description of therapeutic procedures

Roga Chatushka–on description of diseases

Yojana Chatushka–on administration of various therapies

Annapana Chatushka–on description of diet and drinks

Sangraha adhyaya – 2 chapters at the end of Sutra Sthana are known by the name Sangraha Adhyaya

Deals with the principles governing the bodily factors that cause diseases–drugs and medicaments covered in 8 chapters

a. In Rasa Vimana chapter,sweet,sour etc tastes, qualities,functions,effect on Dosha,oils,ghee, honey etc,their effect on health and asta vidha vishesha Ayatana are explained.

b. In Trividha Kuksheeya Vimana,GI tract, quantity of food to be taken,what if the food is taken excessively or in low quantities,Visuchika,etc digestive tract disorders are mentioned.

c. In Janapadodhvamsaneeya chapter communicable disorders,endemic diseases, reasons,preventive measures are mentioned.

d. In Trividha Roga VIshesha Vijnaneeya chapter,Pratyaksha–direct observation, Anumana, Aptaopadesha means of knowledge, etc are explained.

e. In Sroto Vimana chapter,all the body channels,causes,symptoms and treatment of vitiation of body channels are mentioned.

f. In Roganeeka Vimana–types of diseases– mental,physical,types of Agni, Prakriti–body types etc are mentioned.

g. In Vyadhita Rupeeya Vimana –Guru,Laghu etc patient features,Krumi causes and treatment are mentioned.

h.In Roga Bhishag Jiteeya chapter,causes for diseases,sambhasha–discussion,10 types of patient examination etc r explained.

Deals with aetiology, pathogenesis and diagnosis of diseases covered in 8 chapters.
For each disease, causative factors, prodromal symptoms, signs and symptoms, pathogenesis, prognosis are explained in detail.

Jwara, Rakthapitha, Gulma, Prameha, Kushta etc diseases are explained in detail.

Deals with embryology, anatomy and physiology covered in 8 chapters. This section gives detail discription about Human Anatomy and its application in treatment, panchamahabhutha (Basic 5 elements of earth), conception, embryology, signs of pregnancy, monthwise fetal development, manas prakruti (constitution of mind),  determination of prakruti in the fetus, procedure of labour, diseases of children, bala samskara (Agewise  ceremony), child nutrition and treatment of child disease.

Deals with prognostic signs and symptoms covered in 12 chapters

In this section signs and symptoms of bad prognosis, inauspicious symptoms pertaining to skin complexion, voice, odour, taste, touch, sight, sound, mind, tongue, nose, hygiene, behavioural activities, memory, tolerance capacity of patient,etc

Importance of inauspicious symptoms in the origin of disease, pain, advice, shadow, dreams, to see inauspicious signs on the road, auspicious and inauspicious signs related to sense organs and its perceived senses, curable and incurable signs of disease and patients life span are mentioned.

Deals with treatment of various diseases covered in 30 chapters

This section explains in detail under Rasayana chapters – Rasayana medicines, intake procedure of rasayana, types of rasayana, rasayana properties of hareethaki and amalaki, procedure of its preparation, intake and its doses. It also deals with acharya rasayana.

Vachikarana chapters deals with – causes, types and treatment of infertility, use of vajikaran medicines, its method of preparation and intake.

Deals with formulations for vamana (emesis), virechana (purgation) etc covered in 12 chapters.

This section deals with various medicinal formulations of madanaphala, jeemuthaka, dhamargava, krethavedhana, trivruth, aaragvadha, bilva, sapthala, danthi, dravathi etc, its origin, collection, types and properties are also mentioned here.

Deals with principles governing the administration of elimination therapies covered in 12 chapters

This section explains in detail – procedure of administration of elimination therapies( panchakarma), its indication and contraindications, complications developed due to improper administration of elimination therapy and its treatment. It also explains signs and symptoms produced due to excess, improper and proper administration of elimination therapy.

Many Academic Firsts from Charaka Samhita

Charaka Sutra Sthana Chapter 1 First ever medical conference–The meeting of the sages in Himalayas could be the first ever conference held for a medical purpose,ever known to the mankind.

First representative for a medical cause Sage Bharadwaja could well be the first ever representative selected to gather knowledge related to a medical cause from a higher authority.

First ever celestial medical guide who taught an earthly being–Lord Indra would well be the first ever celestial medical guide after having taught Ayurveda to an earthly being,Bharadwaja.

First lessons of Ayurveda on Earth – Sage Bharadwaja teaching Ayurveda to his students and other sages were probably the first lessons of Ayurveda on earth.

First ever medical dictation – Sage Atreya’s teachings to his disciples including Agnivesha could be the first ever instance of dictation of notes related to a medical science, though not with that intention.

First documentation of Ayurveda in a written form – Agnivesha, student of master Atreya could have been the first ever student on Earth to record and document the medical knowledge (of Ayurveda) in a written form.

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