The Roots of Ayurveda: Selections from Sankskrit Medical Writings

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Penguin Books India, 1998 - Medical - 389 pages

Selections From The Ayurvedic Classics

A Distillation Of Ancient Indian Medical Wisdom

This Volume Brings Together Selections From The Sanskrit Classics Of The Ayurveda Physicians Caraka, Susruta, Kasyapa, Vagabhata And Sarngadhara Who Lived Between The Mid-First Millennium Bc And The Fourteenth Century Ad.

The Constituents And Systems Of The Physical Body; The Purifying Nature Of Garlic Therapy; The Varieties Of Soma Juice And How They Help Rejuvenation; The Danger To Kings From A Variety Of Poisons Including That Of The Snake Maiden; Rhinoplasty And Other Kinds Of Surgical Operations; The Circumstances Leading To The Loss Of An Embryo&Mdash;These Are Among The Aspects Of Esoteric And Common Interest Which Are Described In Detail Here.

The Translations Which Are From The Oldest Extant Writings Of The Physicians Rather Than Later Commentaries, Are In Standard Modern English. But Care Has Been Taken Not To Transpose English Medical Terms Onto The Ayurvedic Concepts. Dominik Wujastyk&Rsquo;S Authentic, Critical And Reader-Friendly Renderings Of Original Sanskrit Medical Texts Offer Us A Glimpse Into Ayurveda As A Complete, Scientific And Living Medical Tradition.
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Contents

Introduction
1
Carakas Compendium
39
Caraka on eight sets of three 1
60
The three diseases
70
On epidemics 3
79
Bharadvajas counterarguments
93
Bharadvaja still disagrees
100
The proper handling of knives
119
Curing the slowacting poison
193
The universal remedy
206
Vägbhatas Heart of Medicine
236
Body tissues and waste products
244
The savours
250
Daily regimen 1
257
Seasonal regimen 1
263
Appropriate savours
270

Shapes
125
Plastic surgery on the ear and nose 1
133
The diagnosis of embedded splinters 1
144
Blood and bloodletting 1
154
Suśruta on breath and wind 2
161
Rejuvenation through Soma 4
171
Safeguarding food and drink 5
178
81
186
Diminished body tissues
280
The pathological process
293
Preventative measures
301
year
313
Pulse omens and dreams 1
315
Other body parts
324
322
345
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