Caraka Samhita (Volume 1: Sutrasthåna to Indriyasthåna)

Description

Caraka-samhitå starts with the chapter dealing with the promotion of life. For this, there is a special branch, Rasåyana, which has been dealt with in detail in the first chapter of the section on therapeutics. In the second chapter, there is a description of the formulations useful for the promotion of fertility and progeny. Dealing with the promotive measures at the very start of the section shows greater emphasis on the same. Caraka has also laid down the code of good conduct by which one can remain healthy and long-lived. He has also emphasized on prevention of diseases for which he has devoted a number of chapters dealing with daily routine, seasonal living, etc. in the first section of the Samhitå. The gradually increasing curiosity to know about Indian Medicine all over the world, it was felt necessary to bring forth an edition of the Caraka-samhitå with a faithful and literal English translation after carefully editing the original text. Utmost care has been taken to see that this objective is fulfilled and the entire subject is put in such a concise style that it carries the full purport of the text but at the same time does not transgress the limit so that it can be handled and grasped conveniently by the scholars interested in the study of Åyurveda. Certain terms have been kept as such in the translation with the idea that the connotation of the term may not be distorted. A glossary of such and other technical terms including disease-names would be appended in the end. The plant-names also, have been given as such; a complete list of the plant with botanical names will be given in the appendix.