The Universal Physician: Ayurveda and the Sages

‘Caraka’ –The name is familiar for each and everyone who ever heard of the great Indian medical system- Ayurveda. Caraka, regarded as the ‘The father of Indian medicine’ was one among the great trio whom contributed the three fundamental works of Ayurveda- Caraka samhita, Susruta samhita and Ashtanga Hrudaya. Even though the works are much popular and their fame spreads over everywhere, a perfect history of the master brains behind them was quite unknown. Even today, only certain incomplete inferences are availed on those scholars. So we can start an enquiry right through the Indian history for our scholars who preserve this science for us. Caraka was an immense scholar of life science. According to the chronological position, Caraka is the senior among the ‘trio’. There are great divergences of opinions about the life time of his, but generally considered as in between third or earlier second B.C. we cannot obtain a full character sketch of the ‘aacaarya’ even from the legends, other ancient books or from historic records because the gestures available from all of those are independent of each other and thus make us more confused. A very interesting and curious subject is that Caraka samhita was really not the work of Caraka but of Agnivesa. Caraka was a redactor of the work. But after his redaction, the name of the book changed to Caraka samhita which is the best evidence for his genius because no other redactor can make any book on which they work in to their name. Even though the facts are like this; the questions are still there… Who was Caraka? What was he...? This is what we are searching now. The word meaning of Caraka is a ‘wandering scholar’ or ‘wandering physician’ (Sanskrit word). It’s clear that he was an eminent scholar of medical science. He was a follower of the Vaiseshika philosophy too. From his articles and style of writing, a Boudhic influence over his mind was also clear. He was thorough in medical science and ‘nonsurgical methods’ of Ayurvedic treatments. Moreover he was a philosopher with vast and deep knowledge. (And he was a disciple of Aatreya, the great monk who got the knowledge of medicine and health from the god). These reasons compelled us to reach at a decision that Caraka was an ‘ascetic’ or ‘monk’. But here comes a contradiction that the ascetics were generally considered to be those, who have divine knowledge whom sacrifices themselves for a noble cause. They were totally free from ‘mundane deeds’. They remain in this world for to attain the ultimate goal or salvation. They live as a perfect, ideal specimen for the common people and thus to get followers from them. But according to Caraka, most of these facts will not agree with, i.e. he always advised the people to conserve health; to enjoy the life, instructed them to use even non-vegetarian foodstuffs according to the seasons, explained about the benefits and harms of sexual relations and best and worst time for sexual intercourse etc. which are to be avoided by the noble men even from their thoughts. So it can be said that he was hardly a monk but a scholar who knew many branches of knowledge including medical science, philosophy, grammar etc... In the later centuries many doctors in the name Caraka emerged in the society because the eminent physicians were called by the name of Caraka, the great physician as a way of compliment. i.e., the former Caraka was honored in the society and that is why he was given importance even years and years after his death. Many historians comment that he was the doctor of the royal dynasty- Maurya, but the clarification need more evidences. (The Maurya dynasty doctors were traditionally called as Caraka.) Anyhow it is well presumed that the Caraka whom we are dealing with belonged to an upper class of society from the respect and acceptance he gained in his time. More details about the great man are still behind the curtain. The internal evidences from his book paved the way only to the academic as well as knowledge part of him. As we described earlier, many interpretations and inferences can be formulated on accessing the available data but none can be agreed fully because of the absence of pertinent reasons. But the remarkable fact is that Caraka is still described and inquired on the basis of the comprehensive medical text- ‘Caraka Samhita’ i.e. the greatness is on account of his antecedence in the medical field. So we can also salute the great; who recasted an entire material changing its shape and form altogether and thus deserve the position of naming one of the fundamental treaties of Ayurveda. Yes, the best prostration ever for the ‘aacharya’ who remained for two millennia and still is glowing as the source of knowledge of medicine for the followers… THE ETER