Atharvaveda and Charaka Samhita
by Laxmi Maji | 2021 | 143,541 words
This page relates 鈥業ntroduction to the Vedas鈥� found in the study on diseases and remedies found in the Atharvaveda and Charaka-samhita. These texts deal with Ayurveda鈥攖he ancient Indian Science of life鈥攚hich 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.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Introduction to the Vedas
Veda has been recognized as the oldest literature in the world. According to the beliefs of the Aryan nation, the Veda is eternal and infinite. Western scholars have differed on the date of the composition of the Vedas. According to Maxmuller, it was composed between 1200-2500 BC; Macdonald 1200BC; Winter Nitz 2500 BC; Jacobi 3000-4000 BC. According to 叠腻濒补 骋补苍驳腻诲丑补谤补 Tilaka, it was composed around 6000 BC[1]. Among the various philosophies, the Veda is eternal, venerable and massive. The famous Indologist Keith Commented鈥撯�淚n the great period of Sanskrit Literature, at any rate, experimental science was at a low ebb and little of importance was accomplished in those fields in which experiment is essential鈥�[2]. Amid the Vedas, there is an infinite store of knowledge and science[3]. Lord Manu says that 鈥渁ll kinds of knowledge and science are contained in the Vedas鈥�[4]. There are four types of Vedas like the 峁歡veda, S膩maveda, Yajurveda and Atharvaveda. Among the four Vedas, the different segments of the 膧测耻谤惫别诲补 are described in detail. We get more details of 膧测耻谤惫别诲补 in Atharvaveda.
The compilation of Vedic Mantras is called 厂补峁僪颈迟腻 and interpretation of Vedic Mantras is called Br膩hma峁嘺s. The Br膩hma峁嘺s are divided into three sub-specialities like Br膩hma峁嘺s, 膧谤补峁噛补办补蝉 and Upani峁ds.
Br膩hma峁嘺s are the theological treatises in the prose. These deal with the sacrificial ceremonies. The Vedas have their own Br膩hma峁嘺s separately.
膧谤补峁噛补办补蝉 are the progressive and concluding portions of Br膩hma峁嘺s. These are meant for pious men of V膩naprastha-膧艣谤补尘补. It occupies a middle place between Br膩hma峁嘺s and Upani峁ds. The four Vedas have their own 膧谤补峁噛补办补 independently[5].
Upani峁ds are the precise portions of Vedas. These deal with spiritual knowledge or philosophy. They are one hundred and eight in number of which fourteen are very important which are considered by 膧di 艢补峁卥补谤腻肠腻谤测补. The four Vedas have their own Upani峁ds[6].
厂奴迟谤补蝉 are of four types鈥�
- 艢谤补耻迟补 厂奴迟谤补鈥揟hese deals with sacrificial rituals.
- G峁沨ya 厂奴迟谤补鈥揟hese deals with the duties of the householder. Example, 艢o岣峚艣a 厂补峁僺办腻谤补.
- Dharma 厂奴迟谤补鈥揟hese deals with the low conduct for the regulation of society.
- 艢耻濒惫补 厂奴迟谤补鈥揟hese deals with the rules and measurements for preparation of place of sacrifice.
The six limbs of Vedas are known as Ved膩峁単as. They are鈥�
- 艢ik峁Ｄ� (orthography) which deals with the pronunciation of svara, 惫补谤峁嘺 of Vedas. The works on 艢ik峁Ｄ� are known as Pr膩ti艣膩khya. Ex.鈥擯膩峁噄n墨ya 艢ik峁Ｄ�, Y膩j帽avalkya 艢ik峁Ｄ�.
- Vy膩k膩ra峁嘺 which deals with the Vedic literature for getting correct meaning. Ex鈥攖he A峁ａ弓膩dhy膩y墨 of P膩峁噄ni.
- Chanda (prosody) which deals with the knowledge of Chanda which is required to recite the Veda mantra correctly and charmingly.
- Nirukta (etymological description of Vedic words) which deals with the 狈颈驳丑补峁囜弓耻 of Vedic words. Ex鈥擸膩峁a鈥檚 Nirukta.
- Kalpa (rules of Rituals) which is also known as Kalpa-厂奴迟谤补. They are four in number鈥斉毎钩艹俨� 厂奴迟谤补, Dharma 厂奴迟谤补, G峁沨ya 厂奴迟谤补, 艢耻濒惫补 厂奴迟谤补.
- 闯测辞迟颈峁 (astrology) which is useful to determine the Tithi, 痴腻谤补, 狈补办峁迟谤补, 惭腻蝉补 and 厂补峁僾补迟蝉补谤补 for conducting sacrifices.
All the six are important for the correct understanding of the Vedas[7].
The 峁歡veda contains important information about the 膧测耻谤惫别诲补, like the purpose of the 膧测耻谤惫别诲补, the qualities and actions of the Vedas, benefits of various medicine etc. Different parts of the body are also discussed. Also, different types of treatment, like Fire-treatment, Water-treatment, Air-treatment, Sun-treatment, surgical-treatment, hand touch-treatment, poison treatment, sacrificial, vigour, mums, subdue, bad dream destroyers etc., are described[8].
In Yajurveda, we find little information about 膧测耻谤惫别诲补. We find some information on the following topics, like quality and work of Vaidya, different medicines, different parts of the body, treatment, longevity, silence, vigour, varcas, power, fire, water etc.[9] In S膩maveda we find some information on the following topics, like鈥搕he doctor, treatment, vigour, vitality, strength etc.[10] The Atharvaveda is the basis of the 膧测耻谤惫别诲补 because here we find a lot of information about it. In Atharvaveda, we come across details on the quality and work of 叠丑颈峁办 or Vaidya, different parts of the body, longevity, silence, vigour, varcas, black magic, b膩j墨kara峁嘺, rogan膩艣aka, different amulet, medicinal plants, their virtue and power, quality and work of medicines, treatment, the name of diseases and their solutions etc. We find in Atharvaveda information on the Sun treatment, Water treatment, Poison treatment, Animal treatment, Human being treatment etc.[11]
In Atharvaveda 膧测耻谤惫别诲补 is called Bhai峁ja or 叠丑颈峁办 Veda[12]. In Gopatha Br膩hma峁嘺 the 鈥楳antras鈥� of Atharvaveda are linked with that of 膧测耻谤惫别诲补 and said to be 鈥楢tharv膩鈥� is referred to as Bhai峁ja[13]. In 艢atapatha Br膩hma峁嘺 in the explanation of a mantra of Yajurveda 鈥�笔谤腻峁嘺鈥� is referred to as 鈥楢tharv膩鈥�. This means that 鈥槺拾遽箛a-痴颈诲测腻鈥� or life science is 膧迟丑补谤惫补峁嘺-痴颈诲测腻[14]. The other name of Atharvaveda is Brahmaveda[15].
According to Gopatha Br膩hma峁嘺 -Brahma is therapeutic and signifying of 叠丑颈峁办veda. That means that Atharva is that therapeutic which is nectar. Nectar is Brahma that means therapeutic and Brahma is the same[16]. According to Gopatha Br膩hma峁嘺 A峁単irasa has a relation between 膧测耻谤惫别诲补 and Physiology where we find the theory is called organ juice. The juice that comes out of the limb is called A峁単irasa. There is a detailed description of the A峁単irasa in Gopatha Br膩hma峁嘺[17]. The union of body, lifelong treatment should be done to increase longevity. Lifespan should be treated. This treatment saves lives and gives a proper life, happy life is healing and healing is the 笔耻谤耻峁Ｄ乺迟丑补-catu峁ａ弓aya. i.e. Dharma, Artha, 碍腻尘补, 惭辞办峁 are the main causes. This longevity is described in detail in 膧测耻谤惫别诲补. As long as there is consciousness, the body remains attached to the organs, body, soul, sense entity.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]:
A. B. Keith, History of Sanskrit Literature, Delhi, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited, 1993, p. 408.
[3]:
[4]:
sa岣� sarvo'bhihito vede sarvaj帽膩namayo hi sa岣� | (MS. -2/7), Manusa峁僪it膩 -II, trans. Gurucharana Das, Kolkata, Sanskrit Pustaka Bhandara, 2006, p.10.
[5]:
[6]:
The thirteen principal Upanishads, trans. F. Max-Muller, London, Wordsworth Editions Limited, 2000, pp. III-X.
[7]:
Dhirendra Nath Bandyopadhyay, History of Sanskrit Literature, Kolkata, Kolkata, West Bengal state Book Board, 1988, pp. 42-49.
[8]:
[9]:
K. D. Dvivedi, Vedamritam Vol-9鈥揧ajurveda-Subhasitavali, Uttar Pradesh, Vishva Bharati Research Institute, 2018, pp. 179-193.
[10]:
K. D. Dvivedi, Vedamritam Vol-10鈥揝amaveda-Subhasitavali, Uttar Pradesh, Vishva Bharati Research Institute, 2018, pp. 137-141.
[11]:
K. D. Dvivedi, Vedamritam Vol-XI鈥揂tharvaveda-Subhasitavali, Uttar Pradesh, Vishva Bharati Research Institute, 1996, pp. 229-303.
[12]:
yaj帽a峁� br奴mo yajam膩nam峁沜a岣� s膩m膩ni bhe峁j膩 |
yaj奴峁冡梗i hotra br奴maste no mu帽cantva峁僪asa岣� || (AV. -XI/6/14) Acharya Vedanta Tirtha (ed.), Atharvaveda-Vol. 2, Delhi, Manoj Publication, 2012, p. 67.
[13]:
测别'迟丑补谤惫腻峁嘺岣�, tad bhe峁jam | Atharvaveda Gopatha Brahmana -1/3/4.
[14]:
tamu tv膩 dadhya峁冡箙 峁呩箾 putra'墨诲丑别'补迟丑补谤惫补峁嘺岣� | v峁泃raha峁嘺峁� purandaram || (YV. -XI/33); Acharya Vedanta Tirtha (ed.), Yajurveda, Delhi, Manoj Publication, 2012, p. 146. pr膩峁噊 v膩 atharv膩 | 艢atapatha Br膩hma峁嘺 -6/4/2/2.
[15]:
tam峁沜a艣ca s膩m膩ni ca yaju峁 ca brahma c膩nuvyacalan || (AV. -XV/6/8) Acharya Vedanta Tirtha (ed.), Atharvaveda-Vol. 2, Delhi, Manoj Publication, 2012, p. 208.
[17]:
etam a峁単arasa峁� santam a峁単ir膩 ityacak峁te | Atharvaveda Gopatha Brahmana -1/1/7.