New Delhi, September 23 (Daily Kiran) : The 11th National Ayurveda Day is being celebrated on September 23, 2026. This occasion emphasizes the importance of Ayurveda’s foundational texts known as the Brihattrayi, which includes the Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, and Ashtanga Hridaya. These texts are considered the most authentic and valuable in Ayurveda.
The story behind the Charaka Samhita is particularly fascinating. It began with the teachings of Maharishi Punarnavasu Atreya, which were recorded by his disciple Agnivesha in the Agnivesha Tantra. Later, Acharya Charaka edited and refined this work, leading to the text we now know as the Charaka Samhita. Over time, parts of this text were lost, but a significant portion was restored by Acharya Dridhabala.
In Ayurveda, it is said, “Charakastu Chikitsite Shreshtha,” meaning Charaka is the best in the field of medicine. This text is divided into eight sections and 120 chapters, which include Sutrasthana (30 chapters), Nidanasthana (8), Vimanastana (8), Sharirasthana (8), Indriyasthana (12), Chikitsasthana (30), Kalpasthana (12), and Siddhisthana (12). The Sutrasthana outlines the fundamental principles for maintaining health and curing diseases.
The Vimanastana discusses various factors, such as dosha, bheshaja, desha, kala, and bala, while the Sharirasthana explains the connection between the soul, body, and consciousness. A notable principle from Charaka is that suppressing a disease through palliative care may allow it to return, but diseases eliminated through purification methods like Panchakarma do not recur.
On the other hand, the Sushruta Samhita is the foundational text for surgical practices. Compiled by Sushruta, a disciple of the sage Divodasa Dhanvantari, this text was later expanded in the fifth century by Nagarjuna, who added the Uttaratanta. Modern surgeons regard Maharishi Sushruta as the “Father of Surgery.”
Originally, the Sushruta Samhita consisted of five sections and 120 chapters, which included 46 chapters in Sutrasthana, 16 in Nidanasthana, 10 in Sharirasthana, 40 in Chikitsasthana, and 8 in Kalpasthana. With the addition of 66 chapters from the Uttaratanta, the total now stands at 186 chapters. This text provides remarkable insights into surgical techniques, instruments, and procedures.
The Ashtanga Hridaya is often referred to as the essence of Ayurveda. Authored by Acharya Vagbhata, the text comprises 120 chapters divided into six sections. Vagbhata states that just as the heart is vital to the body, this text encapsulates the essence of Ayurveda’s eight branches.
He likens the creation of the Ashtanga Hridaya to extracting nectar from the ocean of Ayurveda, gathering scattered knowledge into a cohesive whole, much like collecting grains from various fields into a single heap.
The eight branches of Ashtanga Ayurveda include Kaya Chikitsa (general medicine), Shalya Tantra (surgery), Shalakya Tantra (ENT), Kaumarabhritya (pediatrics), Agadatantra (toxicology), Bhutavidya (psychiatry), Rasayana (rejuvenation), and Vajikarana (aphrodisiacs).
In today’s world, as interest in Ayurveda resurges globally, studying the Brihattrayi serves as a vital means for both practitioners and every Indian to reconnect with their roots.
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