Essay name: Surgery in ancient India (Study)
Author:
P. P. Prathapan
Affiliation: Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit / Department of Sanskrit Sahitya
This essay studies Surgery in ancient India based on Sanskrit sources such as the Sushruta Samhita. These references indicate evidence of theoretical and practical knowledge of hygiene rivaling contemporary routine practices. Further topics include Ayurveda, a historical study of surgery, surgical schools and instruments used in ancient India.
Chapter 1 - Ayurveda and Sanskrit literature
29 (of 54)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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29
In the Mah膩bh膩rata an 膧艣rama (Hermitage) is described as
consisting of several departments. They are Agnisth膩na (the place for fire-
worships and prayers) Bramasth膩na (place of Vedas) Vi峁ａ箛usth膩na (for
teaching Rajaniti and Artha艣膩stra),
Mahendrasth膩na (Military),
Vivasvatasth膩na (Astronomy), Somasth膩na (Botony), Garu岣峢asth膩na
(dealing with the transport and conveyances), K膩rtikeyasth膩na (teaching
35 military organization, how to form petrol battalions and army)." In the
itih膩sas and pur膩峁嘺s Naimisa was an important place of education. The
hermitage of kanva was another famous centre of learning. Near the
banks of Malini. Vy膩sa, Vasistha, Viswamitra, Drona, V膩lmiki, and
Parasurama are well known teachers. The epics also show that famous
teachers were invited to the royal courts and the members of the royal
family received instructions from them. For example Drona and Vasistha
were teachers of the princess of Hastinapura and Ayodhya respectively.
This type of education also flourished parallel to the gurukula type of
education.
Educational evidences of the epics point out that the military
interest predominates over the intellectual. Sudra had been rejected of the
rights of study of veda and military training. For eg: Ekalavya 艣奴dra boy,
had been rejected by Dro峁嚹乧arya, the military teacher. 艢ambuka was
