1. Ayurveda and Its Periods
· Vedic 1500-800- B.C. Rg and Atharva Veda (mantras, herbs) healing and preserving life
· 100 hymns mention cures for diseases mentioned in the Atharva
· The eight branches of Ayurveda are mentioned in the Atharva Veda
· Classical Ayurveda (aka Arsha Period or period of sages / rishis)—6th C. BC to 1000 AD. In the earlier Vedic period doctors had to go thru the streets hawking there services, as it were. It has been said that healing spells and mantras preceded medicines. Priests were the medicine men. This may be supported by the writings in Rg with many mantras for healing.
· Atreya Samhita accorded distinction of oldest extant with 46,500 verses and predating Caraka 800 years
· B¶hat Trayi: Caraka Samhita, Sushruta Samhit±, AÃt±¥ga Samgraha/H¶dayam. 500 BC to 700 AD.
· Use of plants as medicine predominant with some mention of vegetables. Vagbhata mentions mercury in form of kajjali = Rasa Shastra developed
· About 12 different pharmacopoeia emerged—called nighantu
· Jivaka (physician to Buddha) had important herbal treatise—500-250 BC (Ashoka & Buddha)
· Two great Universities in India known—taught astronomy, mathematics, philosophy, medicine—Benares (Sushruta) & Takshashila (Atreya/Caraka)
· The Medieval Period 800-1500 AD –India During the 14th century AD. Many scholars from Arabia, Persia, Iran were brought into the country. Translations of ancient Sanskrit texts was undertaken in large way. (The Latin translations became the basis of European medicine until the 17th century--Bhishagratna.) Hence some drugs and ideas of the Unani system mixed with Ayurvedic literature.
· Madhava Nidanam 800 AD,
· Chakrapani Datta commentary on Caraka 1060 AD
· Àar¥gadhara Samhit± in 14th C. AD appeared, including new facts and perspectives—
· Use of metals-Au, Ag, Fe, Hg, Cu for preparation of medicines
· Bh±va Prak±Âa 1600 AD
· Influence of Arabian medicine Avicenna (980-1037 AD) including quotes of Indian medical writings
· The Unani and Siddha Systems (under the influence of mogul rulers)—16th C. AD use of metals with Hg most important; lack of royal support of Unani led to its decline in popularity
· The British Period—1800-1947
· In onset of rule effort to revive Ayurveda to facilitate the medical efforts but new medical schools were of Allopathic orientation. Seeming incompatibility of their co-existence led to discontinuance of the Ayurvedic training.
Every healing system has a basic foundation of philosophy.
Ayurvedic philosophy is based on the Shad Darshan, the Six Philosophies of life,
which developed from the ancient sages and scriptures of India. Many of these
scriptures are known as Vedas, or bodies of knowledge. The Vedas are timeless;
some say more than 10,000 years old. The four main Vedas -- Rigveda, Yajurveda,
Atharvaveda, and Samaveda -- are among the oldest bodies of recorded/written
knowledge in human culture.
(Source:
Lad Textbook, 2001: p. 2, Introduction, Chapter One, Shad Darshan)
There are also four secondary Vedas, called Upa-Vedas or subordinate Vedas,
which developed from each of the main bodies of knowledge. "Ayur-Veda,"
translated as "The Science of Life," is an Upa-Veda. Although there is some
debate, many scholars feel that Ayurveda is an Upa-Veda of the Atharvaveda.
Others feel the origin was within the Rigveda.
(Source:
Lad Textbook, 2001: p. 3, Introduction, Chapter One)