THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA pdf download

The Sushruta Samhita

THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA

From the Book

In the science of Life, a short reference to the structures of the body or its functions is quite sufficient to illustrate its principles, and if we fail to find therein any discourse on the descriptive Anatomy and Physiology, we still consider that there is nothing amiss.

But unfortunately, the fate of Ayurveda is otherwise. Though the very name indicates that it is Biology pure and simple, still it is denounced for its deficiencies in Anatomy and Physiology and doomed forever.

Sanskrit words are notorious for their confusion of meanings, but, as regards Ayurveda there exists no difference of opinion, at least, so far as the first word is concerned.

 Ayus is Ayus everywhere in Ayurveda and it is the only fault our venerable Rishis may be reasonably charged with, that they did not put themselves into any great trouble to explain Ayus, but, on the contrary, unlike scientific men, misspent their energy to ascertain the significance of the insignificant portion of Ayurveda, that is the meanings of the root in the light of Grammar.

The scientific ear, ever unsatisfied with this grammatical erudition, has ultimately thrust an Encyclopaedic value upon what is properly speaking, a book of Biology.

Of course, there is a marked difference between the two.

An ordinary treatise on Biology deals with the general truths of life and does not represent, by way of illustrations, all its special truths, nor their practical sides, but so far as Ayurveda is concerned, the general truths of Biology are thrown into the background and the special truths, gleaned exclusively from the science of medicine,

is given great prominence so much so, that it is now regarded as a system of Medicine and Surgery which has neither Biology, nor Anatomy, nor Physiology, nor Pathology — but is a systematized Empiricism or Quackery. This is certainly a great misfortune. Apart from the name, the arrangement of the subject, to which we have just referred, at least, in the section of Sarira-sthana (the falsely so-called Anatomy of