A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c16.s5: Caraka's region
A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c16.s5
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Caraka's region
v1.c16.s5.1
The region where the *Carakasamhitā* may have been written is often supposed to be the northwestern part of India. 196 The evidence that can be drawn upon for the determination of this region is meagre and depends entirely on the identification of passages due to the author called Caraka and his identity.
v1.c16.s5.2
An Indian tradition claims that the *Carakasamhitā* is the work of those pupils of Vaiśampāyana who went to the northern parts of India. 197 Those convinced that the Kāśmīrapātha is due to Caraka assume Kaśmīr to have been the region where he lived. 198 Hoernle also regarded him as a native of Kaśmīr. 199 Others, accepting the identity of the author of the samhitā with the court-physician of Kaniṣka, are sure on that ground that he belonged to the North-west. Others again base themselves on the descriptions of the Himālayas, etc., which are thought to indicate that he roamed through northern or northwestern India, not far from the mountains. 200 One author is confident that Caraka lived in Benares. 201
v1.c16.s5.3
P.V. Sharma adduces in support of the thesis that Caraka was a resident of northwestern India the mention of articles of food that were much used there and exported to other regions. 202 Examples are: abhiṣuka, 203 akṣoṭa, 204 canaka, 205 grñjanaka, 206 kharjūra, 207 laśuna, 208 mṛdvīkā, 209 mukūlaka, 210 nikocaka, 211 palāṇḍu, 212 rājamāṣa, 213 urumāṇa, 214 vātāma, 215 and yavānī 216. Some more items of the same type are āruka, 217 bhavya, 218 cīnaka, 219 and ṭaṅka. 220 Condiments popular in the same region are hiṅgu 221 and kuṅkuma. 222
Cites (1)
- Carakasaṃhitā — Agniveśa (Āyurveda) & Caraka, Sanskrit