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The people of Kerala had received Sanskrit and the Ayurveda, irrespective of consideration of caste or religion. They believed Ayurveda as their own common medicine. The practitioner of Ayurveda or

320 'Aryavaidya' was respected in the society. Not only Brahmanas but many other castes were involved in Ayurvedic knowledge. They were scholars in Sanskrit and were fully devoted to this profession. The Ayurveda Vaidyas of Kerala treated both physical and mental diseases. They often used extra-ordinary methods for treatment. From the ancient period onwards people of Kerala interacted with those who came from other localities and other parts of the world. This healthy practice gave them the ability to identify and assimilate new ideas and methods. Ayurveda in Kerala developed by relating its own knowledge with the knowledge of others in many areas. For example contribution of local or tribal medicine is very much present in the Kerala Ayurveda. but The vaidyas in Kerala studied the samhitas of Caraka and Susruta most of them followed the text of Astangahrdaya and Astangasamgraha of Vagbhata. Before the introduction of Sanskrit samhitas a regional or Dravidian medical system existed in Kerala. The aboriginal method of treatment included prayers, rituals and uncultured medicine. Then because of influence of Sanskrit culture and on the basis of the principles of trigunas, shaddhatukas, tridosas, marmas and with the back ground of Darsana like sankhya Ayurveda began to improve its own traditional knowledge and experience. Ayurveda in Kerala has its own unique history of development which is inclusive as well as creative.

321 Ayurveda was not a property of upper class in Kerala. Members of lower communities have also given their contribution to Kerala Ayurveda through their knowledge of the sastras and effectiveness of their treatment. For example Itti Achuthan was one famous scholar in Ayurveda. When the Dutch came to Kerala he was the chief resource person for the composition of the book on herbs of Malabar naming 'Horthus Malabaricus. 173 M.K.Vaidyan, when he mentions about Arogya Kalpadruma the 'Balacikilsa', (pediatric) text of Kaikulangara Ramavariyar says 'Kaikulangara always analyses and learns about the method of ethnic treatment by Ezhavas'. He opines that Vaidyaratnam P.S. Warrier who had connections with Ezhava vaidyas also acquired knowledge from their medical system. 14 In short the history of Ayurveda in Kerala is divided into three stages. Kearalites followed their own ethnic mode of treatment before the coming of Sanskrit Ayurveda texts in Kerala. In this period a system of herbal treatment was followed in Kerala, which may be called as pre Sanskrit. Moreover in the field of medicine Kerala had followed a nonAyurvedic basic text namely Sahasrayoga. The families of traditional Vaidyans respect and protect similar type of texts and prescriptions and use them for the 'family treatment' which

322 consists of medicine and methods unknown to Sanskrit Ayurveda. Medicines like Kasturyadi, Gorocanadi, Dhara, 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 (Dhara 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 Brahmana, Asatanga Vaidyas, the Ezhavas and others. also learned the basic Ayurvedic texts by heart and were highly involved in specialist treatments.

323 Pupils who learned Sanskrit were given the opportunity to study Ayurveda texts also. Some learned it along with Kavyas and Natakas. Teachers taught student directly without charging any fees. They believed that teaching or transmission of their knowledge to the deserving sisyas was their sacred duty. Students lived and practiced with their gurus. So they got enough chances to have direct experiences of different types of treatment and to identify the medicines and their use. This was especially true in the Astavaidya families. These Vaidyans were very good scholars who were always dedicated to their profession and cultured service mentality. They wrote commentaries in Sanskrit on Ayurvedic texts. Indu the disciple of Vagbhata and the author of Sasilekha commentary of 16 Astangahrdaya was born in Kerala. Even now some of the Astavaidya families, follow this through preservation and transmission of their family tradition. Scholars of these families are well versed in both Sanskrit and Ayurveda.