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Journal of Ayurveda and Holistic Medicine | August, 2013 | Vol 1 | Issue 5

GENERAL ARTICLE
CHARAKA SAMHITA: A CRITICAL REVIEW
DASS RANJIP KUMAR
Assistant Professor, Department of Panchakarma, MSM Institute of Ayurveda, BPS Mahila Vishwavidya, Khanpur Kalan, Sonipat
(Haryana)
Corresponding author: email address : [email protected]
Access this article online : www.jahm.in
Published by Atreya Ayurveda Publications, Ilkal-587 125 (India) All rights reserved.
Received on: 16/07/2013; Revised on: 03/08/2013; Accepted on: 09/08/2013
Abstract:
Charaka Samhita is a collection of various basic principles, healthy advises and directions, teaching and
research methodology, anatomy and physiology of body, pharmacological actions of various drugs,
description of preventive, promotive and curative aspects of various diseases along with panchakarma
chikitsa etc. For these great contributions, he has been known as father of medicine forever. He was
the only one great sage who has told about the two objectives of ayurveda i.e. 1) to maintain and
promote the positive health of healthy individuals 2) to cure the disease of diseased ones. Acharya
punarvasu atreya was the advisor and acharya agnivesha was the main author of charaka Samhita,
whereas acharya charaka was the actual redactor and acharya dridhabala was the completer of this
samhita.
Keywords: Ayurveda, charaka samhita, charaka
Introduction:
Ayurveda has been one of the ancient
sciences of life of the world going back to over
4,000 years BC, which is a branch of Atharva
Veda. It is an eternal science of healthy living
treasures deals with physical, psychological and
spiritual well being of the human being and
covers all the aspect of human life. It is not a
materialistic science but a philosophical and
factful truth, which enhanced by our great
ancient sages like Acharya Charak, Sushrut,
Vagbhatt etc. through their experience, logic and
power of wisdom.
Among these great sages, Acharya
Charak has a great contribution towards
Ayurveda by giving a great Literature
i.e.Charak Samhita, which is a collection of
various basic principles, healthy advises &
directions, Teaching & Research methodology,
anatomy & physiology of body,
pharmacological actions of various drugs,
description of Preventive, Promotive & Curative
aspects of various diseases along with
Panchakarma chikitsa etc. For these great
contributions, he has been known as Father of
Medicine for ever. He was the only one great
sage who has told about the two objectives of
Ayurveda i.e. 1) To maintain & promote the
positive health of healthy individuals 2) To cure
the disease of diseased ones. Here the Acharya
Punarvasu Atreya was the advisor & Acharya
Agnivesha was the main author of this Charak
Samhita, whereas Acharya Charak was the
actual redactor & Acharya Dridabala was the
completer of this Samhita.
The Charak Samhita consists of 8
sections (Sthan) and contains total 120 chapters,
9035 Sutras (formula) & 12,000 Slokas. Each
section contains some of chapters, sutras &
slokas. These 8 sections are as follows, viz. 1)
Sutrasthan (30 chapters) 2) Nidanasthan (8
chapters) 3) Vimanasthan (8 chapters) 4)
Sharirasthan (8 chapters) 5) Indriyasthan (12
chapters) 6) Chikitsasthan (12 chapters) 7)
Kalpasthan (12 chapters) and 8) Siddhisthan (12
chapters). Acharya Dridabala has completed the
redaction process of Charak Samhita by
Dass Ranjip Kumar: Charaka samhita: A critical review
Journal of Ayurveda and Holistic Medicine | August, 2013 | Vol 1 | Issue 5 21
redacting the last 17 chapters of Chikitsasthan,
total Kalpasthan & Siddhisthan, which were not
redacted by Acharya Charak.
The original Charak Samhita (Sanskrit
Version) is of one volume. But the currently
available Charak Samhita (Commentary of
various authors) is in two parts like Purvaardha
& Uttaraardha. Purvaardha contains 5 sections
(Sthan), viz. 1) Sutrasthan 2) Nidanasthan 3)
Vimanasthan 4) Sharirasthan 5) Indriyasthan and
Uttaraardha contains 3 sections, viz. 1)
Chikitsasthan 2) Kalpasthan 3) Siddhisthan.
Actually these available 2 parts are the Hindi
commentary of Charak Samhita, as different
commentaries in different languages like
English, Gujarati, Arabic, Persian etc are also
available which are written by different
Acharyas & learned Vaidyas.
The Sutrasthana is that section where a
collection of various important Sutras
(Ayurvediya formula) or Slokas related to
various context are described, for which it is,
also known as Slokasthan. This Sthan contains
1952 Sutras and 30 chapters which are divided
into 7 Chatuskas & 1 Sangrahadhyaya. Chatuska
means a division comprising of 4 chapters
relating to same topic. The first Chatuska is
Ausadha Chatuska comprising chapter no.1 to 4,
where description about various drugs & basic
principles of Ayurveda is available. Likewise the
2
nd
Chatuska is Swasthavritta Chatuska
comprising chapter no.5 to 8, where many
healthy advises is mentioned which are required
for maintaining the good health of healthy
individuals. Similarly the 3
rd
Chatuska is
Nirdesh Chatuska comprising chapter no.9 to 12,
where many important information & directions
related to Ayurveda is described. The 4
th

Chatuska is Kalpana Chatuska comprising
chapter no.13 to 16, where a no. of preparations
or ways of preparations related to Ayurvediya
drugs or various treatments are advised. The 5
th

Chatuska is Roga Chatuska comprising of
chapter no.17 to 20, where various types & no.
of diseases are mentioned. Likewise the 6
th

Chatuska is Yojana Chatuska comprising
chapter no.21 to 24, where the various types of
ways of treatment procedures of various
ailments are described. Similarly the 7
th

Chatuska is Annapana Chatuska comprising
chapter no.25 to 28, where the various types of
foods, food materials & various ways of
preparing food are told by Acharya Charak. The
Sangrahadhyaya comprising of the last two
chapter no.29 & 30, where the collection of
different characteristics of life, body &
physician (Vaidya) are elaborately described.
The Nidanasthan is that section which
contains 247 Sutras and 8 chapters where the
various Nidana (Etiology), Samprapti
(Pathogenesis), Purvarupa (Prodromal signs &
symptoms) and Rupa (Clinical features (signs &
symptoms)) of 8 Mahavyadhis (Diseases) like
Jwara (Fever), Raktapitta (Haemoptysis or
Haematemesis), Gulma (Abnormal growth),
Prameha (Diabetes), Kustha (Leprosy), Shosa
(Tuberculosis), Unmada (Insanity) and Apasmar
(Epilepsy) are elaborately described.
The Vimanasthan is that section which
contains 354 Sutras and 8 chapters where the
specific knowledge (Quantitative & Qualitative)
about Dosha (Ailments), Roga, Bhesaja (Drugs),
Desha, Kala, Bala, Sharira, Ahara, Sattwa,
Satmya etc. as well as their characteristics is
elaborately described. The detail description
about Srotas, Amashaya, Krimi Roga, various
Pramanas, Dasavidha Rogi Pareeksha (Ten
investigations regarding patients), 44 types of
Vaada (Debate), methods of study & teaching,
methods of Research, details of seminars &
symposium and Janapadadhwansa
(Epidemiology) are available in this section.
The Sharirasthan is that section which
contains 382 Sutras and 8 chapters where the
detail description about anatomy & physiology
of Sharira (Body), Garbha (Pregnancy (Sign &
Symptoms according to months), Monthly
development & nutrition of fetus, causes of fetal
death & treatment)), Prasava (Labour, Prenatal,
Natal & Postnatal care, Sutika Roga & its line of
treatment) etc. are available.
The Indriyasthan is that section which
contains 378 Sutras and 12 chapters where the
Arista Lakshanas (Prognosis of death) on the
basis of various descriptions regarding Swara
(Voice), Gandha (Smell), Rasa (Taste), Sparsha
(Touch), Swapna (Dreams), Chhaya (Shadow),
Dass Ranjip Kumar: Charaka samhita: A critical review
Journal of Ayurveda and Holistic Medicine | August, 2013 | Vol 1 | Issue 5 22
Pratichhaya (Reflected Shadowa), Prabha
(Lustre) & Sadyomaran (Quick death) and
Astamahagada (8 dreadful diseases) are narrated
very nicely.
The Chikitsasthan is that section which
contains 4904 Sutras and 30 chapters where the
detail description of various diseases & their
principles of treatment along with descriptions
of Rasayan & Vajikaran are available. Here the
1
st
chapter is related to Rasayan & the 2
nd
is
related to Vajikaran. Both chapters are described
according to 4 Paada (Paada have been told,
which denotes 1/4
th
of a chapter, so that 4 Paada
comprises one chapter). The various diseases
like Jwar, Raktapitta, Gulma, Prameha, Kustha,
Shosa, Unmada, Apasmar, Kshatakshina,
Shotha, Udara, Arsha, Grahani, Pandu, Shwasa,
Kasa, Atisara, Chhardi, Visarpa, Trishna, Bisa,
Madatyaya, Vrana, Marma, Urusthamba,
Vatavyadhi, Vatarakta & Yonivyapad and their
clinical features with different principles of
treatment (Shodhan (Panchakarma), Shaman
(Medicines) & Nidan Parivarjan (Avoiding the
causative factors)) are narrated very nice
manner, thats why Acharya Charak was famous
for Chikitsasthan (Charakastu Chikitsite)
The Kalpasthan is that section which
contains 378 Sutras and 12 chapters where the
different Kalpana (Churna, Kalka, Kwath,
Swaras etc.) of Vamana drugs (Emetics) like
Madanphala, Jimutak, Ikshwaku, Dhamargav,
Vatska (Kutaja), Kritavedhan and Virechana
drugs (Purgatives) like Shyama Trivrit,
Chaturangul (Aragvadh), Tilwak (Lodhra),
Sudha (Snuhi), Saptala-Sankhini & Danti-
Dravanti according to the stage of Dosha/Roga
& Rogi along with their pharmacological action,
dose, indications & contraindications are
described.
The Siddhisthan is that section which
contains 700 Sutras and 12 chapters where the
detail description of Panchakarma Chikitsa is
available. The different Karmas like Snehan,
Swedan, Vaman, Virechan, Asthapan Basti,
Anuvasan Basti, Uttarabasti, Shirovirechan etc
and their detail procedures, indications &
contraindications, advantages & disadvantages,
importance of various therapies along with 36
types of Tantrayukti, the disaease Mutraghata &
Shiroroga and the importance of Charak Samhita
are nicely & elaborately explained in this
section.
Cite this article as : Dass Ranjip Kumar. Charaka Samhita :
A critical review. Journal of Ayurveda and Holistic
Medicine 2013;1(5): 20-22.

Source of support : Nil. Conflict of interest : None declared