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Young World
Charaka
V.K. SUBRAMANIAN
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Charaka’s (2nd Century B.C.) encyclopaedic treatise on Ayurveda has been studied and continues to be practised even today.
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Illustration: V.K. Subramanian
Charaka can be considered the father of Ayurveda, which is the ancient Indian science of causes and symptoms of diseases, medication and health, for his work Charaka Samhita is the encyclopaedic treatise on Ayurveda, studied and practised even today and has been translated into several foreign languages, including Latin and Arabic.
Charaka was the first physician to present the concept of digestion, metabolism and immunity.
Regular routine
According to Charaka (and Ayurveda), the body has three doshas or humours – pitta, kapha and vayu (bile, phlegm and wind). Diseases occur when the balance among the three doshas is disturbed. The balance can be restored by medicinal drugs.
Over 2000 years ago, Charaka proclaimed that genetic defect in a child, like blindnesss or lameness is due to defect in the ovum or sperm of parents. Charaka rightly considered the heart to be the controlling centre of the body.
Digestion of food is considered an important factor for health by Charaka. Charaka laid stress on proper living, a regular routine and right conduct for mainteinance of health and vigour.
The value of Ayurveda, with its holistic approach to health, is being realised the world over today. The credit of bequeathing this precious legacy goes to Charka, the son of a wandering sage, who travelled from place to place on foot to cure the suffering masses.
This is an extract from the book The Great Ones by V.K.Subramanian, Abhinav Publications, New Delhi
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