Atharvaveda and Charaka Samhita
by Laxmi Maji | 2021 | 143,541 words
This page relates ‘Yogaratnakara (Ayurveda book)’ found in the study on diseases and remedies found in the Atharvaveda and Charaka-samhita. These texts deal with Ayurveda—the ancient Indian Science of life—which lays down the principles for keeping a sound health involving the use of herbs, roots and leaves. The Atharvaveda refers to one of the four Vedas (ancient Sanskrit texts encompassing all kinds of knowledge and science) containing many details on Ayurveda, which is here taken up for study.
Yogaratnākara (Āyurveda book)
Yogaratnākara occupies an important place among the ancient texts of Āyurveda. The formal descriptions of the eight limbs of Aṣṭāṅga Āyurveda are found in this text and the combination of different trials of treatment is found. Here the symptoms and nature of the patient's Pāda catuṣṭaya (Physician, herbalists, attendants and patients) have been duly identified along with the diagnosis of Kāyacikitsā, Surgery, Śālākya, obstetrics, pediatrics, chemistry, Vājīkaraṇa and toxicology.
At the beginning of this book, there are descriptions of various medical tests, such as pulse tests. Rheumatism, bile, phlegm is the equivalence of these three faults which is the cure and heterogeneity is the cause of the disease. The identity of the author was not found in the Yogaratnākara text. Yogaratnākar's book is divided into three parts. First half and second half. As mentioned Pūrvārdha -Maṅgalācaraṇa, Basic concepts of Āyurveda-Padacatuṣṭaya, Rogī parīkṣyā, Roga parīkṣyā, Aṣṭasthānaparīkṣā, Sādhya/Asādhya Rogī lakṣaṇa, Tridoṣa Siddhānta, Āma, Ārogya lakṣaṇa, Ariṣṭa lakṣaṇa; Mana paribhāṣā, Kaliṅga māna; Dravyādravya Vijñāna, Anna-svarūpa Vijñāna, description of herbs and their actions, Pañcavidha Kaṣāya Kalpanā, Rasa Vargīkaraṇa and their Śodhana, Māraṇa, Satva-pātana techniques etc., Nidāna, types, cikitsā and pathyaapathy of common diseases-Jvara, Atisāra, Grahaṇī, Arśa, Agnimāndya, Ajīrṇa, Kṛmi, Pāṇḍu, Rakta pitta etc.
The Madhyama Khaṇḍa deals with Nidāna types Cikitsā and pathya apathy of Śūla, Gulma, Hṛdroga, Mūtrakṛccha, Aśmarī, Prameha, Udararoga, Muska-antramedovṛddhi- Vardhma, Kuranda, Galagaṇḍa, Ślipada, Masūrikā, Snāyuka etc.; Nidāna types Cikitsā and pathya apathya of diseases related to Śālākya tantra-Karṇaroga, Nāsāroga, Netraroga, Strīroga–Pradara, Somaroga, Yonivyāpad, Strīgarbha, Sūtikā roga, Stana-roga, Garbhanivārana, Mūḍhagarbha; Bālaroga-Kukunaka, Parigarbhika, Bālagraha etc. The Uttara Khaṇḍa Deals with Viṣa cikitsā, Vājīkaraṇa and Rasāyana.
The Yogaratnākara texts give a detailed description of various types of experiments, such as urine, eye, etc., daily routine, nocturnal and various types of grains, fruits, vegetables, etc., water, milk, ghee, etc., and various daily useful foods. There are also detailed descriptions of Pañcavidha Kaṣāya, Avaleha, Snehapāka, Ariṣṭa and Dhātu, Adhātu, Purification, Māraṇa and Pañcakarma, various diseases and diagnoses.
Studying the Sāṅgapāṅga of this book, it seems that the author collected the essence of different books and nourished them in such a way that no part of the book should be inferior. Therefore, there is no room for doubt that a person can become a famous doctor by studying this book[1].