CONTRIBUTION OF THE CHARAK SAMHITA

Caraka revised the Agnivesa-Tantra wholly and expanded it with his own annotations. The main contributions of the Caraka Samhita may be enumerated as follows:-

1.Advancement of basic concepts :

   The basic concepts of Ayurveda evolved during the Vedic period were refined and advanced further in the Caraka Samhita. They were also placed on a sound scientific footing so that all physiological and pathological phenomena were interpreted logically. The philosophical concept of pancamahabhuta was studied in application to the human body. The theory of tridosa was also studied in details in respect of the properties, physiological functions, pathological manifestations management of Vata, pitta and kapha. The law of uniformity of nature was established which helped in applying the physical laws to the biological field.

2. Rational attitude :

Caraka added “Yukti-vyapasraya’(rational) to make treatment logical and scientific. In order to stablise the idea, ‘Yukti’ was added as one of the Pramanas (means of valid knowledge). Charaka has advised to move always with knowledge. There should be proper correlation of theoretical knowledge (jnana) and practical skill ( karma).

3. Organisation of symposia :

    For advancement of knowledge and research they adopted the method of discussion among experts. Symposia were organized in different parts of the country in which experts of the subject participated. These participants placed their views freely often contra-  dicting the other’s view. The workers and authors presented their work in the conference of expert scholars and it was only after their approval that the works were recognized by the academic circle.

4.Psyhosomatic approach :

    Caraka Samhita holds the synthetic view of man instead of analyzing him into hundreds of parts and reducing him as aggregate of tiny cells. Happiness and un happiness are the final consequence of health and disease respectively and these affect the person wholly.Tridosa as well as psyche pervade the wholly body, therefore in health and disease one will have to consider the person as a whole who is known as ‘Purusa’ in Ayurveda.

5.Individual constitution :

   Side by side with the formulation of general concepts, Caraka had laid proper emphasis on individual psychic and somatic constitution.

Man is not a machine and as such can’t be operated equally with a uniform law. Every person has got his own individuality and normal variations. This forms his constitution which distinguishes him from other individuals. This is termed as ‘Prakrti’. The modern concept of allergy , anaphylaxis or idiosyncrasy may he interpreted on the basis of this old idea of prakrti.

6. Expansion of the discipline :

     Ayurveda is divided into eight well demarcated specialities which are mentioned in the Caraka Samhita. Ayurveda was ‘Triskandha’ (three –pillared) or ‘Trisutra’ (three-threaded) having Hetu (etiology), Linga(signs and symptoms) and Ausadha (therapeutics) as constituents but later on Hetu and Linga were further analysed and developed to Panca-nidana(etiology), Purvarupa(prodroma),

Rupa(signs and symptoms), Upasaya (therapeutic suitability) and Samprapti (pathogensis) which became as five means of examination of disease.

7. Scientific method of diagnosis :

    The Caraka Samhita gives a scientific method of the diagnosis of diseases. First of all, the facts about the patient should be gathered by means of authoritative scriptures, perception and inference. The patient should also be examined in respect of dosa, dusya, agni, sattva, satmya, prakrti, bala, vayas etc. Caraka has described the tenfold entities to be examined which contains all relevant facts. The disease has to be examined in respect of etiology, prodromal symptoms, suitability and pathogensis. Caraka says that first of all one should examine the patient, then the drug and thereafter he should proceed for action.

8.Importance of nature :

    Ayurveda relies completely on nature and it is only to provide assistance to nature that drug or other therapeutic measure is applied. The Caraka Samhita lays emphasis on swabhavoparama (recession by nature) and all drugs and dietetic regimens are based on this principle.

9. Emphasis on promotion and prevention :

     Caraka Samhita starts with the chapter dealing with the promotion of life. For this there is a special branch, ‘Rasyana’. Caraka has also laid down the code of good conduct by which one can remain healthy and long-lived.He has also emphasized on prevention of diseases for which he has devoted a number of chapters dealing with daily routine, seasonal living etc. in the first section of the Samhita.

10. Scientific study of drugs :

      Plants were studied analytically during the Vedic period as evident from the ‘osadhi-sukta’ of Rigveda and relevant portions of Atharvaveda etc. The scientific study of morphology and pharmacological activity of the medicinal plants and other drugs was started during the post- Vedic period,the document of which is found in the Caraka Samhita. The classification of drugs is given from various angles. Division of drugs into fifty groups according to pharmacological action is the first attempt in this direction and as such is the most valuable contribution of the Caraka Samhita. The basic concepts of the pharmacology such as rasa, guna, virya, vipaka and prabhava were studied rationally for interpreting the drug action and are described systematically in the text.