A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c43.10

v3.c43.10

*Date* As the Aṣṭāṅganighaṇṭu is based on Vāgbhaṭa’s works, it cannot be earlier than the seventh century, which is corroborated by the presence of verses taken from the Amarakoṣa.¹¹ The earliest author to quote from the Aṣṭāṅganighaṇṭu, without naming his source, is, according to P.V. Sharma, Indu in his commentary on the Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃhitā,¹² which would, if correct, establish that the work was in existence in the latter half of the twelfth century.¹³ Aruṇadatta once quotes an ardhaśloka from the Aṣṭāṅganighaṇṭu¹⁴ and often gives synonyms to be found in it,¹⁵ which indicates that it was composed before the middle or latter half of the twelfth century.¹⁶ In P.V. Sharma’s opinion, Vopadeva (second half thirteenth century) was certainly acquainted with several quotations from it which were current in āyurvedic circles in his time, as appears from his Hṛdayadīpakanighaṇṭu, while it was also used by Madanapāla for the composition of his nighaṇṭu, and by Hemacandra for his Nighaṇṭuśeṣa (twelfth century). Finally, P.V. Sharma brings forward that Jejjata appears to have been acquainted with the Aṣṭāṅganighaṇṭu;¹⁷ the corroboration of this assertion would considerably push back the date of the work.