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 5 - Surgical instruments in Sushruta Samhita
11 (of 62)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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consists of medicine and methods unknown to Sanskrit Ayurveda.
Medicines like Kasturyadi, Gorocanadi, Dh膩ra,
Navarakkizhi,
llanirkuzhambu, etc are some of the special contribution of Kerala.
The famous Eye specialist Dr. L.A. Ravivarma observes: It may be
noted that the advances in this form of application (Dh膩ra etc) is the
contribution of Kerala. This method is still widely in use. The medicament
is applied to the body as a whole or to the part affected as required and
massaged in a well planned and scientific manner.
15 The second peculiarity of Kerala Ayurveda was that the treatment
was not the privilege of the upper classes. As noted earlier communities
like Ezhavas followed their own ethnic medicine. The others like Velan,
Mannan, Ganakan or Kaniyan also had some families that followed the
Vaidyavritti. Their service were available to the society as a whole in the
times of need.
Later when the Sanskrit texts were introduced in Kerala, the
existing system was influenced by new texts and Ayurveda flourished in
Kerala. Like the Br膩hma峁嘺, A峁t膩nga Vaidyas, the Ezhavas and others.
also learned the basic Ayurvedic texts by heart and were highly involved in
specialist treatments.
