Kashyap Samhita
Encyclopedia
Kashyap Samhita also known as Braddha Jivakiya Tantra, is an important treatise on Ayurveda
medicine written in ancient India
by the sage Kashyap
, since it is suffixed as a Samhita
which means means "Compilation of Knowledge", he was probably one of the first compilers of the ancient knowledge . this caste comes under "General 'Shri Gaud (root) Brahman'" category.
Today, Kashyap Samhita is considered, a classical reference book on Ayurveda
especially in the fields of Ayuvedic pediatrics, gynecology and obstetrics. It is also part of the Ayurveda teaching syllabus especially in Kaumarbhrityal Balroga (Pediatrics
) .
is said to be Brahma
himself, who transmitted this knowledge to Daksha
Prajapati. Daksha then transmitted this knowledge to the Ashwins, who in turn illuminated Indra
, Kashyap
, Vashishtha, Atri
and Bhrigu. The son of Kashyap and the pupil of the Kashyap transferred the knowledge to subsequent generations of lower castes.
The Kashyap Samhita was later translated into Chinese
during the Middle Ages
.
In the Kashyapa Samhita, the Ayurveda
is taught using question-and-answer style: raised by the pupils and answered by the Sage Kashyapa himself. The questions raised relate to the commencement of diseases, diagnosis, treatment, and management.
Kashyapa Samhita is said to be one of the oldest classical books on Ayurveda and an excellent study on the Arterial System
, Haridwar
, in Uttarakhand
, India and presented the concise version of Samhita before the Ayurvedic practitioners of the time. The Ayurvedic practitioners rejected it outrightly, because they thought it had been written by a five-year-old boy.
The boy went to bathe in river Ganges. When he stepped out of the river, he had transformed into an old man (Braddha). Seeing this transformation, the Ayurveda practitioners called him "Braddha Jeevak," and recognized the collected work as "Braddha Jeevakeeya Tantra".
It is presumed that the time of Braddha Jeevak, is before that of Buddha
and Mahavir, and is different from Jeevak Vaidya, born in the era of Buddha, Bimbsaar's Bhujishya. Jeevak Vaidya was an expert in surgery, while Braddha Jeevak is understood to be the originator of Kaumar Bhratya (pediatrics, midwifery, and gynecology).
With the passage of time, the Braddha Jeevakeeya Tantra suddenly came in the hand of Anayas Yaksha
. At that time, Uttarakhand was domain by the Yakshas. Anayas Yaksha saved this script and spread the knowledge to his entire community.
After some time, Vatsaya, who was the successor of the Kashyap family, again got the script from Yaksha. He edited the whole book and divided it into eight chapters, or branches, which gave it eightfold division Ayurveda also known as Astanga Ayurveda (The Eight Armed Ayurveda):
Today the Kashyap samhita contains 200 chapters. The basic matter of the book is said to be from the Atharva Veda.
Ayurveda
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...
medicine written in ancient India
History of India
The history of India begins with evidence of human activity of Homo sapiens as long as 75,000 years ago, or with earlier hominids including Homo erectus from about 500,000 years ago. The Indus Valley Civilization, which spread and flourished in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent from...
by the sage Kashyap
Kashyap
Kashyapa was an ancient sage , who is one of the Saptarshis in the present Manvantara; with others being Atri, Vashishtha, Vishvamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni, Bharadwaja...
, since it is suffixed as a Samhita
Samhita
Samhita may refer to"*the basic metrical text of each of the Vedas**specifically, these texts with sandhi applied *post-Vedic texts known as Samhitas:** Ashtavakra Gita...
which means means "Compilation of Knowledge", he was probably one of the first compilers of the ancient knowledge . this caste comes under "General 'Shri Gaud (root) Brahman'" category.
Today, Kashyap Samhita is considered, a classical reference book on Ayurveda
Ayurveda
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...
especially in the fields of Ayuvedic pediatrics, gynecology and obstetrics. It is also part of the Ayurveda teaching syllabus especially in Kaumarbhrityal Balroga (Pediatrics
Pediatrics
Pediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
) .
Overview
The originator of this SamhitaSamhita
Samhita may refer to"*the basic metrical text of each of the Vedas**specifically, these texts with sandhi applied *post-Vedic texts known as Samhitas:** Ashtavakra Gita...
is said to be Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
himself, who transmitted this knowledge to Daksha
Daksha
In Hinduism, Daksha, "the skilled one", is an ancient creator god, one of the Prajapatis, the Rishis and the Adityas. Daksha is said to be the son of Aditi and Brahma...
Prajapati. Daksha then transmitted this knowledge to the Ashwins, who in turn illuminated Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
, Kashyap
Kashyap
Kashyapa was an ancient sage , who is one of the Saptarshis in the present Manvantara; with others being Atri, Vashishtha, Vishvamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni, Bharadwaja...
, Vashishtha, Atri
Atri
This article is about the sage named Attri. See also the gotra named Atri. For the Italian city, see Atri, AbruzzoIn Hinduism, Attri or Atri is a legendary bard and scholar and was one of 9 Prajapatis, and a son of Brahma, said to be ancestor of some Brahmin, Prajapatis, kshatriya and Vaishya...
and Bhrigu. The son of Kashyap and the pupil of the Kashyap transferred the knowledge to subsequent generations of lower castes.
The Kashyap Samhita was later translated into Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
during the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
.
In the Kashyapa Samhita, the Ayurveda
Ayurveda
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...
is taught using question-and-answer style: raised by the pupils and answered by the Sage Kashyapa himself. The questions raised relate to the commencement of diseases, diagnosis, treatment, and management.
Kashyapa Samhita is said to be one of the oldest classical books on Ayurveda and an excellent study on the Arterial System
Origins
According to traditional myth, when Kashyap Rishi wrote the Samhita, it was not welcomed by the Ayurveda masters of that time. Jeevak, the five-year old son of sage Richeek, summarized the huge volume of Samhita and went to KankhalKankhal
Kankhal is a small colony in Haridwar in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand state in India.Mentioned in the Vayu Purana and the Mahabharata as Kanakhala , Kankhal is one of 'Panch Tirth' within Haridwar, with other spots being Gangadwara , Kushwart , Bilwa Teerth and Neel Parvat...
, Haridwar
Haridwar
Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
, in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
, India and presented the concise version of Samhita before the Ayurvedic practitioners of the time. The Ayurvedic practitioners rejected it outrightly, because they thought it had been written by a five-year-old boy.
The boy went to bathe in river Ganges. When he stepped out of the river, he had transformed into an old man (Braddha). Seeing this transformation, the Ayurveda practitioners called him "Braddha Jeevak," and recognized the collected work as "Braddha Jeevakeeya Tantra".
It is presumed that the time of Braddha Jeevak, is before that of Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
and Mahavir, and is different from Jeevak Vaidya, born in the era of Buddha, Bimbsaar's Bhujishya. Jeevak Vaidya was an expert in surgery, while Braddha Jeevak is understood to be the originator of Kaumar Bhratya (pediatrics, midwifery, and gynecology).
With the passage of time, the Braddha Jeevakeeya Tantra suddenly came in the hand of Anayas Yaksha
Yaksha
Yaksha is the name of a broad class of nature-spirits, usually benevolent, who are caretakers of the natural treasures hidden in the earth and tree roots. They appear in Hindu, Jain and Buddhist mythology. The feminine form of the word is ' or Yakshini .In Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist mythology,...
. At that time, Uttarakhand was domain by the Yakshas. Anayas Yaksha saved this script and spread the knowledge to his entire community.
After some time, Vatsaya, who was the successor of the Kashyap family, again got the script from Yaksha. He edited the whole book and divided it into eight chapters, or branches, which gave it eightfold division Ayurveda also known as Astanga Ayurveda (The Eight Armed Ayurveda):
- Kaya Chikitsa - Internal medicine
- Balaroga Chikitsa - Paediatrics
- Shalya Chikitsa - General surgery
- Shalakya Chikitsa - Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat surgery
- Agada Tantra - Toxicology
- Rasayan Chikitsa - Science of Rejuvenation
- Vajikarana Chikitsa - Study & development of sexual power & fertility
- Bhoot Vidya - Psychiatry
Chapters
The present Kashyap caste is divided into several sub scheduled castes.- Sutra sthan, of 30 chapters
- Nidan sthan, of 8 chapters
- Vimana sthan, of 8 chapters
- Shareer sthan, of 8 chapters
- Indriya sthan, of 12 chapters,
- Chikitsa sthan, of 30 chapters,
- Siddhi sthan, of 12 chapters
- Kalpa sthan, of 12 chapters
- Khil Bhag, of 80 chapters.
Today the Kashyap samhita contains 200 chapters. The basic matter of the book is said to be from the Atharva Veda.
Further reading
- Kashyap-Samhita or Vriddha-JivakiyaTantra 1970. Trans IGM Shastri, Bombay Sastu Sahitya, 757.
- Kashyap Samhita or Vridhajivakiya Tantra; text with English translation and commentary; edited by Prof. (km.) P. V. Tewari with Dr. Neeraj Kumar, Dr. R. D. Sharma and Dr. Abhimanyu Kumar
- Kashyap Samhita, Hindi translation with commentary edited by Nepal Raj Guru Pandita Hemaraja Sharma commentary by Shri Satyapal Bhishagacharya.