Atharvaveda and Charaka Samhita
by Laxmi Maji | 2021 | 143,541 words
This page relates ‘Sharangadhara (Ayurveda scholar)’ 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.
Śāraṅgadhara (Āyurveda scholar)
Śāraṅgadhara [Śārṅgadhara]—There were many Ācāryas named Śārṅgadhara. Some are philosophers, some are astrologers, some are dramatists and some are Āyurvedajña. Among them, Dāmodara's son Śārṅgadhara was a physician. He composed the Śārṅgadhara Saṃhitā in the twelfth century in the style of Sauḍhala. Containing thirty-two chapters and two thousand six hundred verses, this Saṃhitā is divided into three parts -Pūrva, Madhyama and Uttara khaṇḍa. The first mention of pulse examination is found in this text. Some scholars believe that the author of the Śārṅgadhara Saṃhitā and the Śārṅgadhara Paddhati is the same person. Rāghavadeva was the guru of Hamīra Naraśa of Cauhāna dynasty of Śākambharī country. His son was Dāmodara and grandson was Śārṅgadhara. Its period is acknowledged to be between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.[1]