The Legacy of Vagbhata

Description

Vagbhata completes the "Great Three" (Brhatrayi) of Ayurveda, with his predecessors, Caraka and Susruta. His identity and period are controversial but a major section of the scholarly community believes that he was a native of Sindh, who lived in the sixth century and write Astangahrdayam and Astangasngraha. The two texts frankly acknowledge the authority of Samhitas of Caraka and Susruta and closely follow in the footsteps of the earlier masters. The Legacy of Vagbhata is based on a study of Astangahrdayam and employs a thematic approach with the plentiful use of tables. As in the earlier volumes on Caraka and Susruta, great care has been taken in this volume on Vagbhata to maintain fidelity to the original text while ensuring easy readability for the students of Ayurveda, medicine and the sciences. Dedication Transliteration Chart Contents Preface Quotes from Vāgbhaṭa List of Figures Introduction Āyurveda—an overview A code for healthy conduct Life in harmony with seasons Liquids as food Food Food safety Measure of food for health Pañcabhūtas as the stuff of existence Tastes Doṣas tissues Doṣas Procreation pregnancy and fetal development Disorders of pregnancy Body parts and functions Vital spots Management of perturbed doṣas Increasing Groups of drugs for evacuative and other measures Herbal drugs Lubricant therapy Fomentation Emesis and purgation Emetics and purgatives; medicinal formulations; complications Enemas More on enemas Nasal purging Other procedures: smoking Procedures for eye care Blunt instruments Sharp instruments Venesection Removal of foreign bodies Surgical operations Cauterisation Causation and clinical course of diseases Fevers Pitta-induced bleeding disease Cough Shortness of breath; hiccup Phthisis and allied conditions Alcoholic intoxication Diarrhea Bowel disorder Polyurias Abscess Disease of pallor Vāta disorders Vāta-induced blood disorders gout-like disorders Swelling Cellulitis Disease caused by suppression of physical urges Care of the newborn Diseases of children Diseases in children caused by evil spirits Superhuman power in humans Insanity Seizure disorder Poisons: fixed and mobile Snake bites Bites by insects spiders Poisoning by bites of rats dogs Piles Urinary obstruction Scrotal swelling Gaseous lumps of the abdomen Abdominal swelling Leprosy Leucoderma Worm infestation Ulcers Fractures and dislocations Rectal fistula Glandular swellings tumours filarial swelling cervical glandular swellings sinus ulcer Diseases of the genital organs Minor diseases Diseases of the ear Diseases of the nose Oral diseases Diseases of the head Diseases of eyelids Diseases of the fornix sclera and cornea Vision defects Blindness due to the disorders of lens Global diseases of the eye Signs of imminent death Messengers omens dreams Rejuvenant therapy Virilising therapy Epilogue Botanical Names