The Classical Doctrine of Indian Medicine: Its Origins and its Greek Parallels c6.6

c6.6

*The Legends about the Origins of the Āyurveda* :—According to Suśruta, medicine was created by the Being who exists by Himself (Svayambhū), that is to say Brahman, in 100,000 ślokas. In view of the inability of human beings to learn it in this form, Svayambhū is said to have re-composed it in eight parts and taught it to Prajāpati, who is said to have passed it on to the Aśvins, the Aśvins to Indra, Indra to Dhanvantari appearing in the form of Divodāsa, the king of Kāśi. At last Dhanvantari, on the prayer of a group consisting of Aupadhenava, Vaitaraṇa, Aurabhra, Pauṣkalāvata, Karavīrya, Gopurarakṣita and Suśruta, taught it to men. Suśruta is, therefore, supposed to have recorded the very words of Dhanvantari himself.