Knowing the Sages: Ayurveda

VAAGBHATA
INTRODUCTION
Ayurvedic medicine originated in the early civilizations of India some 3000-5000yrs ago. It is mentioned in the Vedas , the ancient religious texts that are the oldest surviving literature in the world which makes Ayurveda the oldest treatise on longevity . There are four vedas namely Rigveda , Yajur veda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda. Ayurveda is considered as an upaveda or supplementary veda of Atharva veda.
Brahma , the creator of Ayurveda imparted the knowledge to Daksha Prajapati who in turn passed it to Ashwini kumaras (ashwini twins) who were the physicians to Gods. They then offered this knowledge to Lord Indra. Lord Indra then instructed Dhanwantari to spread this science of longevity to earth. Susruta, the student of Dhanvantari wrote the famous Susruta Samhita(text on surgery). Charaka wrote the famous treatise on general medicine - Charaka samhita. Vaagbhata authored the monumental work Astanga hrdaya. According to the ancient Indian medicine Vaagbhata, Charaka and Susruta are considered as Brhat trayee.
As a compendium giving importance to all the angas (branches), he gave much stress to the basic principles of Ayurveda hence the dictum, “sutrasthane tu vaagbhatah shresta”. With the simplicity of language and summation of other samhitas he tried to integrate the diverging angas to the core of Ayurveda. Ashtanga hrdaya was considered as one among the nine texts to be studied for visha chikitsa. Thus the symbiotic link with theoretical foundation was maintained intact.
Vaagbhata is believed to have travelled throughout India and in Kerala shortly before his death. There are eight families, known as the Ashtavaidyas, inheritors of this knowledge and tried to develop Ayurveda in Kerala. Ashtanga hrdaya is the book that tells in detail about the eight angas of Ayurveda. Ashtavaidyas of Kerala learned and practised all the eight branches of Ayurveda. There are different vaidya families that concentrated on specific angas only. Pampinmeykkatu family is still known for damsthra chikitsa, mainly treating snake venom related conditions.
SOME OTHER WORKS DONE BY VAAGBHATA
Vaagbhata has also written Neminirvanam which depicts the stories of a great Jain monk, Neminatha, and Vaagbhataalankara, which is on the extinct language of prakriti. There are two more works credited to him namely- Ashtanga Nighandu and Ashtangaavathaaram. Another Vagbhata who believed to have lived in the 12th century has authored Kaavyaanusaasanam ; a work on poetics and Rishabhadevacharitam ; a long narrative poem in the epic style are also credited to him.
PERIOD OF VAAGBHATA
Vaagbhata apparently lived in the 4th century AD. He was the son of Simhagupta and the disciple of Buddha Chakyamuni and wrote two treatise namely Ashtanga hrdaya and Ashtanga sangraha. But regarding the authors of these two books there occurs a problem whether they originate with one and the same author or with two different authors.

Points proving whether authors of both works as identical :
• Ashtanga sangaha consists of prose and verses which reminds one of Charaka and Susruta
• Four stanzas of Ashtanga sangraha that do not occur in the Ashtanga hrdaya have been included in no doubt about the fact that the authors of both works are identical.
Other evidences points in the same direction. To give one example, it is well said in Ashtanga hrdaya that
“Healthy conditions granted, a woman who has completed her 16th and a man who has completed his 20th year will produce a sturdy child, while younger parents will beget a sick, short lived child.”
-this statement is in perfect harmony with that quoted in Ashtanga sangraha to the effect that a 21 year old man shall marry an approximately 12 year old girl, but will father her a sturdy child only when he is 25 and she is 16.
DIFFERENT OPINIONS REGARDING VAAGBHATA
The confusion arises due to the similarities in the names of the authors of well known Ayurvedic works :
Ashtanga hrdaya, Ashtanga sangraha and Rasaratnasamuchchaya.
Both are claimed to be the sons of Simhagupta. Hence some scholars claim that both works have been written by same author, Vaagbhata. However, majority of the scholars disagree with this, claiming that there was more than 1000years of gap between the two Vagbhatas, the author of Ashtanga hrdaya and Ashtanga sangraha lived during 300-400 AD whereas the author of the latter lived between 1300-1400 AD
Some evidences to prove this :
1. Nowhere in these treatise the author has mentioned that he had written these three works
2. The command over the language, literary excellence and rendering of multiple meanings to the words are not seen in Rasaratnasamuchchaya which are the hallmarks of Ashtanga sangraha and Ashtanga hrdaya
3. The literary style is altogether different
4. The order and style of enumeration and description of diseases too are different.
5. There are references of authors like Charpati, Singana etc the age of who have been proved to be between 13th and 14th century AD
It is proved beyond doubt that Ashtanga hrdaya was written in the 4th century AD and Rasaratnasamuchchaya to be in the latter part part of the 13th century AD.The before said discussion undoubtedly affirms that the authors of Ashtanga sangraha and Ashtanga hrdaya were different from that of Rasaratnasamuchchaya, the RASAVAAGBHATA.
CONCLUSION
Thus the latest author of the brhat trayee, Vaagbhata has contributed the authentic work Astanga sangraha and Ashtanga hrdaya where the entire school of thoughts of the systems are amalgamated in the best possible way. They are considered to be the gem of a work. The editorial skills of Vaagbhata are praised all over unequivocally. The extolled legacy of Kerala in Ayurveda is deeply indebted to the works of Vaagbhata, especially Ashtanga hrdaya which is regarded to be the Bible of Ashtavaidya tradition.