In News:

The Vice-President of India recently inaugurated the statues of Acharya Charaka and Sage Sushruta at Raj Bhavan, Goa, to honour India's ancient medical heritage rooted in Ayurveda and surgery.

Acharya Charaka – Father of Indian Medicine

• Period: Circa 100 BCE – 200 CE
• Region: Associated with Taxila, under the Kushan emperor Kanishka.
• Key Contribution:
  • Originally based on the Agnivesha Samhita, later revised and compiled by Charaka.
  • Focused on internal medicine (Kayachikitsa).
  • Discussed physiology, disease pathology, diagnosis, and therapeutic techniques.
  • Introduced the concept of three doshas: Vata, Pitta, Kapha—the basis for diagnosis and treatment in Ayurveda.
  • Provided early insights into embryology (Garbha Vigyan) and preventive healthcare.
  • Stressed medical ethics, such as confidentiality, non-maleficence, and the moral duties of a physician.
  • Emphasized the importance of diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors in health.
  • The Charaka Samhita is part of the B?hatTrayi (Great Trilogy) of Ayurveda and was expanded by D??habala.
  • Translated into Arabic, Latin, and other languages, reflecting its global medical influence.

Sage Sushruta – Father of Surgery

• Period: Circa 600–700 BCE
• Region:Practised in Kashi (Varanasi), likely under King Divodasa.
• Key Contribution:
  • A pioneering treatise in surgery and medical science.
  • Detailed 300+ surgical procedures and over 100 surgical instruments.
  • Innovations include rhinoplasty (nasal reconstruction), skin grafts, cataract surgery, and caesarean sections.
  • Explained fractures, dislocations, use of anaesthesia, and surgical training.
  • Emphasized dissection-based anatomy, practical education, and simulation for surgical learning.
  • Covered areas like public health, toxicology, pediatrics (Kaumarbhritya), and neonatal care.
  • Integrated scientific observation, hygiene, and evidence-based methods long before modern systems.

Collective Significance:

• Both are part of the B?hatTrayi (Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, and Ashtanga Hridaya), forming the backbone of Ayurvedic literature.
• Their work laid the foundation for:
  • Holistic medicine and ethical healthcare practice.
  • Advanced understanding of human physiology and embryology.
  • Scientific surgery, centuries ahead of global developments.
  • Contributions to child health (Kaumarbhritya) and public hygiene.
• Their texts influenced Arab and European medicine through translations such as Kitab-i-Susrud.