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Overview of Ayurvedic Medicine

Ayurveda treats man as a whole, comprising body, mind, and soul. Mind and body both affect each other and together form the seat of disease. The approach of Ayurveda from the very beginning is psychosomatic. Ayurveda groups all human beings into seven different types of constitutions (Prakriti) according to the predominance of biological humors (Doshas), and similarly groups them into seven psychological constitutions according to the predominance of mental humors. (Ranade, 1994)

Ayurveda is considered, of holistic healing systems, to be the most comprehensive. It is a very ancient system, derived from The Vedas, the oldest and by religious standards often considered the most sacred written record of religious thought and scientific wisdom. The principle concepts of Ayurvedic medicine are contained within the Rig Veda, the oldest of the The Vedas.

The medical material and concepts of the Vedas eventually were collected, rigidly tested and arranged for readability and ease of use. These volumes were named The Samhitas as a collective unit. Three of these works have been able to stand up to the passage of time and are available through libraries today:

The Chakara Samhita -- the oldest dating from about 1500 BCE. It is made up of eight principle sections (Sthanas). It is the first section that defines the fundamentals that underlie the practice of Ayurveda. This book also contains human physiology, anatomy, etiology, methodology, treatment regimens and dietetics. It also includes and extensive pharmacological encyclopedia with detailed descriptions of herbs and their medicinal properties and how to prepare them.

The Sushruta Samhita -- This Samhita details the finer points of surgical medicine within Ayurvedic practice. Surgical instruments are described in great detail, as are details for performing specific surgical procedures (including plastic surgery). It includes a very specific encyclopedic classificati...

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Overview of Ayurvedic Medicine. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 04:51, March 29, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1696100.html