A History of Indian Medical Literature v2.c29.353

v2.c29.353

722 It is remarkable that the eight aṅgas of āyurveda are described at the end of the Sūtrasthāna, while they are discussed in the first chapter of the Suśrutasaṃhitā. P.V. Sharma (1970a: 18) suggests that they were added by Caraka to the text of the Agniveśatantra, and were borrowed, with modifications, from the Suśrutasaṃhitā. The eightfold division of āyurveda is attributed to Dhanvantari in the Viṣṇupurāṇa. Some of the terms for the aṅgas are old and occur in various non-medical texts. Bhūtavidyā is mentioned in the Chāndogyopaniṣad (see A.A. Macdonell and A.B. Keith, 1967). 723 See on śālākya: R.C. Choudhury (1977), (1992). 724 A surgeon is called śalyahartar at Ca.Śā.8.31 and Ci.13.184; Su.Śā.5.47. A śalyavid is mentioned at Ca.Ci.6.58. The Mahābhārata refers to a surgeon as śalyahartar and śalyoddharaṇakovida (Bhīṣmaparvan 120.55; ed. Poona). 725 See on bhūtavidyā: E. Arbman (1922): 173–177; G.J. Meulenbeld (1997): 185–189. 726 See on paediatrics in āyurveda: A. Kumar (1994). 727 Cf. Su.Sū.1.5–8. See on the eight aṅgas: R.F.G. Müller (1942): 36–37; (1950–51). Compare on this subject in Jain texts: W. Schubring (1962): 151, in Pali literature: Jyotir Mitra (1985): 25–26. The āyurveda is said to be aṣṭāṅga in the Mahābhārata: Sabhāparvan 11.24; Harivaṃśa 29.20 (ed. Poona); the same applies to cikitsā: Sabhāparvan 5.90 (Nīlakaṇṭha mentions in his commentary the eight aṅgas of cikitsā: nidāna, pūrvaliṅga, rūpa, upaśaya, saṃprāpti, auṣadhī, rogin, and paricāraka).