Formation of
Ayurveda
Brahman, remembering
Ayurveda
(the science
of life)
taught it to
Prajãpati,
he
(Prajapati)
in turn
taught it to
Aswin twins,
they taught
it to Indra,
he taught it
to Atri’s
son (Atreya
Punarvasu or
Kria Atreya)
and other
sages, they
taught it to
Agnivea and
others and
they
(agnivea and
other
disciples)
composed
treatises,
each one
separately.
The above is a
brief
narration of
origin of
Ayurvcda
according to
Caraka
samhitã, a
sutra
account of
it is
furnished
here
“Lord
Brabman,
recalling to
his mind the
science of
life, taught
it to Daksa
(Prajãpati)
he taught it
to Asvin
twins, who
in their
turn taught
to India-the
king of th.
gods. When
diseases
began to
trouble the
human
beings, the
great sages
of the
world,
assembled in
the slopes
of the
Himalaya
mountains,
and resolved
to learn the
science of
Ayurveda
from Indra
and bring it
to the world
for the
benefit of
living
beings. But
who would
undertake
this
difficult
task of
going to
heaven and
learn the
science from
Indra? Sage
Bharadvaja,
one of the
participants
of the
assembled,
volume.
Bharadvãja
went to
Indral
abode,
learnt the
science from
him, came
back to
earth and
propounded
it to the
assenbly.
Ksia Atreya
also known
as Punarvasu
treya, son
of sage
Arti, taught
this science
to six of
his
disciples,
Agnivea,
Bhela,
Jatukara,
Parasara,
Hãrita and
Ksarapäni.
Each one of
them wrote a
treatise and
placed them
before their
teacher
atreya and
the assembly
of the
sages. The
treatise of
Agnivea was
adjudged as
the best and
was praised
even by the
gods. It
became
popular in
the world.”
(Caraka
samhitã,
Sütrasthana.
Chapter—1.)
The
teachings of
Atreya deals
mainly with
Kãyacikitsä
(inner
medicine)
which is one
among the
eight
branches of
Ayurveda,
this school
is popularly
known as
Atreya
sarnpraddya
or
Kãyacikitsa.
The treatise
written by
Agnivea is
available
today not in
its original
form but in
its revised
version.
known as
Caraka
Samhitã
because it
was redacted
(re-edited)
by Caraka
muni for the
first time.
It underwent
a second
redaction
from the pen
of
Dradabala.
Modern
scholars
assign
Krsiiätrcya
and Agnivea
to 6th-5th
cent. B. C.;
Caraka muni
to 2nd cent.
A. D. and
Dr4habala to
4th cent, A.
D.
