A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c21.53

v1.c21.53

Bharadvāja is a legendary figure, often mentioned in Vedic literature, the epics, and the Purāṇas.¹⁸⁰ He is sometimes associated with Ātreya.¹⁸¹ The Harivaṃśa (I.29) states that Bharadvāja taught āyurveda to Dhanvantari,¹⁸² although the sage’s name does not appear in the story about the descent of āyurveda in the Suśrutasaṃhitā. Bharadvāja is reputed as a very long-lived sage, not only in the Carakasaṃhitā (Sū.1.26), but already in Vedic literature.¹⁸⁴ The Taittirīyabrāhmaṇa and the Mahābhārata describe him as having lived through three lives as the purohita of three successive kings of Kāśī, namely Dhanvantari, Sudāsa and Pratardana.¹⁸⁵