Illustrated Caraka Samhita - English Translation along with Cakrapani Commentary (Part-I)

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About the Book The objective of taking up this project is that the core concepts of the compendium should reach to every Ayurvedic student. According to CCIM Syllabus Caraka Samhita has been divided into 2 parts viz. Parvardha and Uttarardha. Parvardha consist Siarasthana, Niddnasthana, Vimanasthana, Sarfrasthana and Indriyasthana; whereas Uttarardha consists the remaining sections such as Cikitsasthana, Kalpasthana and Siddhisthdna. We have planned to complete the entire project into 4 volumes. The first volume is Satrasthana and completed successfully within the stipulated time. The second volume contains Niddnasthana to Indriyasthana. The third volume consists Cikitsasthana and the 4th volume contains Kalpasthana and Siddhisthdna and will be published shortly.

Salient features of the 1st Volume:

In this book the original Sanskrit text of Cakrapani commentary has also being composed and then translated sentence wise into English in a systematic manner for better understanding by all the readers.

This book is having the unique feature of presentation of nearly 700 illustrations and tables wherever necessary for easy remembrance of subject.

The Nyayas (maxims) mentioned by the commentator have been explained in detail in the text box separately to highlight their importance in understanding various concepts for the benefit of P.G. Scholars.

This book is also supplemented with the following Annexure

Important essay questions and short notes.

Important Slokas to be learnt by heart.

Alphabetical index of herbs along with their botanical names.

Glimpses of Caraka Samhita Satrasthana

Rare pictures of CharekhDanda

About the Author DR. R. VIDYANATH has born on 4th Feb. 1961 at Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. Joined as Medical Officer in the Dept. of AYUSH during the year 1986 and served in different capacities as Lecturer, Assistant Professor, Professor and Principal-in- Charge. Currently working as Professor & H. O.D., P. G. Dept. of Ayurveda Samhita, Alva's Ayurvedic Medical College, Moodbidri, and Karnataka. He has obtained PG Degree from Gujarat Ayurveda University, Jamnagar and Ph.D. from Dr. N.T.R. University of Health Sciences, Vijayawada. He has authored so far 22 books viz. Practical Guide on Panchakarma, Siddhasara Samhita, A Hand Book of History of Ayurveda, Ashtanga Hridaya (Sutrasthana), Ayurvediya Rasa Sastra, Sahasrayogam, Rajamartanda, Simple Remedies for Common Maladies, Panchakarma, A Handbook of Ashtanga Sangraha, A Hand Book of Ayurvedic Terminology, Illustrated Padartha Vignan Evam Ayurveda Ithihas, Chakradatta (Illustrated), Rajamartanda, Sarangadhara Samhita, Salakya Tantra, Drugs Useful in Pancakarma Therapy, Herbal Medicine, Siddhayoga Sangraha (Based on Vangasena), Ayurveda Mulika Yogamala (Telugu). He is the recipient of the Andhra Pradesh State Best Teacher Award 2013, Global Role Model Teacher Award 2015 and Vaidya Shri Award 2018. He has published 49 Scientific Papers and attended nearly 87 National and International conferences in the capacity of Paper Presenter, Guest Speaker, Organizing Secretary, Adjudicator and Chairperson.

Foreword Ayurveda has been described in the classics an eternal science. The eternity is attributable to its innateness with nature and the fact that it utilizes the fundamental laws of nature for healing. The ancient preceptors of Ayurveda observed and documented these laws of nature in a thoroughly scientific manner into the well-known compendiums of Ayurveda. Among these, Caraka Samhita is the most considered to be authoritative, comprehensive and foremost book for the study of Ayurveda by experts. It is said, if one studies Caraka Samhita, then one gets to know about all major Sastra as what is written in Caraka Samhita can be found elsewhere but what is not found in it cannot be found anywhere else. The Caraka Samhita itself states that if one becomes expert in all 12000 verses of the book, one becomes a real expert of Ayurveda.

With changing times, the modes of learning and teaching Ayurveda are also changing. In the era of institutionalized education, the ancient methods of learning have taken a back foot. With students of Ayurveda coming from the background of Science, where illustrations and detailed descriptions are the norm, they find it difficult to cope with the sutra style of depiction found in the ancient classics. Due to this contrast in methodology of writing of books, the students often find it difficult to be in sync with the texts. The commentaries of the classics are also written in similar method and due to the high level of proficiency in Sanskrit required to understand the commentaries owing to the absence of translations, it is often out of the domain of an average student of Ayurveda.

Thus, it is the need of the hour to write books which can help such students of Ayurveda to go the depths of the Sastra and understand the commentaries. The illustrative approach used in the book also aids the beginner to comprehend the subject in a much easier way. This style of writing will certainly connect the new generation Ayurveda students to the Vedic knowledge in a proficient manner.

I wish to congratulate the attempt of the author, Dr. R. Vidyanath, Retired Professor and HOD Ayurveda Samhita, Dr. B.R.K.R. Govt. Ayurvedic College, Hyderabad to make the Sastra adept to the modem world through his scholarly work. I hope this work will be of great help to all the stake- holders of Ayurveda and will help them to understand the practice the Sastra in a better way.

Preface Ayurveda is one of the world's oldest medical systems and remains one of India's traditional health care systems. The science which teaches the knowledge about life is known as Ayurveda. It is a discipline of advancement in the Vedic tradition. Ayurveda has its origins from the Adharvana Veda. The science which describes about the beneficial (Hita) and harmful (Ahita) life, happy (Sukha) and unhappy (Asoka) life, the measurable (Pramanay and indeterminate (Apramana span of life is known as Ayurveda.

Sound health is very much essential to achieve the four objectives of life such as Dharma (virtue), Aretha (wealth), Kama (desires) and Moksa (salvation). Diseases are considered as the destroyers of health and also act as stumbling blocks for attaining above mentioned four objectives of life. Thus once upon a time the sages having full of compassion for all creatures were assembled in the auspicious valley of Himalayas and discussed about their miseries and then come to a conclusion that the diseases are considered as the destroyers of health, wellbeing and life; and found the solution by their intellectual vision.

Initially Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe revealed Ayurveda to Daksa Prajapati, and Daksa taught it to the Asvins, the Vedic Gods of medicine, who in turn taught it to Indra. Thus the science of Ayurveda in its entirety has been transmitted from Brahma to Indra successively.

Accordingly as deputed by the assembly, the sage Bharadvaja went to Indra and learned Ayurveda. From Bharadvaja, Atreya and other great sages learnt it and passed on to their disciples.

Being it is too elaborate and hence it is difficult to understand by the people of present era who are possessing short span of life and poor intellect. Keeping this in mind, sage Agnivesa composed a treatise on Ayurveda which is neither too detailed nor too brief to understand even by the average students.

In course of time Agnivesa Tantra became mutilated and thus Caraka redacted and made it suitable to study. Few centuries later, the extant Caraka Samhita has been again redacted by Drdhabala.

Thus this work has passed through the following 3 stages.

Agnivesa wrote a treatise named Agnivesa Tantra through the teachings of Bhagavan Atreya

Caraka redacted the extant conditioned Agnivesa Tantra.

Drdhabala again redacted the mutilated work of Caraka

Atreya

Atreya is the son of Atria Maharsi and he is a great teacher of Kayacikitsa. He learned the science of life from the sage Bharadvaja and taught it to his disciples Agnivesa, Bhela, Jatakama, Harita, Ksarapani etc. He is also known as Bhagavan Atreya, Punarvasu Atreya, Krisnatreya and Candrabhaga. The time period of Atreya may be 1000 Be according to historians' opinion.

'Bhagavan' means the possessor of knowledge of creation and dissolution of the world; birth and death of creatures and also both material and spiritual sciences. As Atreya possessed all the above characteristics he is known as 'Bhagavan Atreya'.

Atreya's method of teaching

Punarvasu Atreya was adjudged as the best teacher from the methods he adopted to instruct his students and for his arrangement and subject classification.

At the beginning of each lesson, Punarvasu Atreya announces the definite subject he proposes to expand. Followed by it Agnivesa, brilliant among his disciplines, puts questions in order to spotlight the salient features of the subject proposed. Afterwards the teacher while expanding these salient points covers the whole field of the proposed subject. Occasionally, there are intelligent interjections by Agnivesa asking for clarification on certain points.

Similarly after proposing the subject to be expounded, the disciples and other contemporary scholars are invited to offer their individual views. For example: Discussions on the subject of Vata (12th chapter of Siarasthana Ca. Samhita) and Rasa (26th chapter) are the best examples of this kind.

After listening to the views of each of the learned persons participated in the discussion, Atreya summarizes the entire deliberations and announces his final opinion.

Atreya's method of teaching is somewhat different from Socratic Method, known as teacher- disciple dialogues. It is in its form more ancient and related to the Brahmanical method of discussion.

In the discussions, there is a true spirit of enquiry and desire for discovering and accepting the truth on a subject without hostility.

The concepts of Trios and Pancamahavidya were fully explained by Atreya. The theory of 'Rasa' and its influences on metabolic and physiological functions and its application in therapeutics was propounded.

The concept of Rasa, Gunja, Varya, Vipaka and Prabhava was explained scientifically. With the above concepts medicine passed on from the empirical stage to the scientific stage. Hence Atreya can be called the father of scientific medicine and the first preceptor to teach medicine scientifically and methodically.

Agnivesa

Agnivesa was the most intelligent among the six disciples of Atreya, and was the first man who composed a treatise known as Agnivesa Tantra. It was declared as the best among all the treatises composed by the disciples of Atreya.

Agnivesa Tantra originally consists of 12000 verses. Unfortunately the original text is not available at present. It was redacted by Caraka and thereafter it became popular in the name of Caraka Samhita.

Agnivesa was also known by the names such as Hutasa, Hutasavesa and Vahnivesa. Hutasa and Vahni are the synonyms of Agni. Some formulations also can be seen in Gadanigraha in the name Agnivesa viz. Changeri Ghrtam, Vasadyam Ghrtam, Satpala Ghrtam, Tiktaka Ghrtam, Mahatiktaka Ghrtam, Tryasanddyam Ghrtam

The following works are written by him viz. Agnivesa Tantra, Aajana Nidana, and Nidana Sthana. Besides these three, Agnivesa also wrote two more historical books viz., Ramayana Rahasya and Ramayana Satasloka.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages