Ayurveda the Ancient Science of Healing: An Insight

Abstract

The term Ayurveda, a Sanskrit word, translates into knowledge (Veda) of life (Ayur); Veda also means science. After being transmitted orally for thousands of years, the ancient Ayurvedic texts finally were written and preserved in Sanskrit (an ancient Indian language). Founded on the collective wisdom of ancient Hindu saints and healers, Ayurveda grew into a medicinal science. Ancient Ayurveda was meant essentially to promote health, however, rather than fight disease. The Ayurvedic text, an offspring of the Atharvaveda, appeared sometime in 1500 to 1000 BC and described two schools of learning physicians Atreya and surgeons Dhanvantari. Charak Samhita (1000 BC) and Sushrut Samhita (100 AD) are the main classics. Ayurveda materia medica gives detailed descriptions of over 1500 herbs and 10,000 formulations. Madhav Nidan (800 AD) a diagnostic classic provides over 5000 signs and symptoms. There are eight branches of study in Ayurveda: Kaya Chikitsa (General Medicine), Kaumara Bhruthya (Paediatrics), Bhutha Vidhya (Psychiatry), Salakya (ENT and Ophthalmology and dentistry), Shalya (Surgery), Agada Tantra (Toxicology), Rasayana (Rejuvenation Therapy) and Vajeekarana (sexual vitality) (Lad, 1995; Agnihotri, 2000; Chopra and Doiphode, 2002; Mukherjee and Wahile, 2006; WHO, 2010; Balasubramani et al., 2011).