An English Translation of the Sushruta Samhita, Vol. II — trans. Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna (1911)

It would not, perhaps, be out of place here to mention that Dr. A. F. R. Hoernle, M. A , F. R. S , C. I. E., Ph. D., in his recent publication on Hindu Osteology, has proved it to the hilt, how systematic, scientific, unerring and exact were the researches of the ancient Hindus and what a mine of resplendent truths lay imbedded in them ! We, in our Introduction of the first volume of this work, have tried to prove how very superb, salutary and supremely happy was the theory of Vayu, Pitta, and Kapha promulgated by Susruta. There we have incidentally mentioned that the Science of Embryology was not unknown to the Hindu sages. In the present volume we mean to prove to a point that the main principles promulgated in the Anatomy, the Physiology and the Pathology of Susruta yield in no way to the principles en those subjects included by the modern Western Scientists and investigators. On the other hand, we boldly afifirm that in the theories propounded by Susruta some two thousand years back there lies a fund of truths which might well throw a flood of light on the field of labour of the modern scientific men of the West. For is it not a fact that the theories of Vamatia (causing to eject the contents of the stomach by mouth), Virechatia (causing the evacuation of the intestines), JVasya (causing to inhale through the nose), Anuvdsana and Asthdpana which, in ancient India, had earned the appellation of Pancha-Karma, and had gained universal prevalence, and were extensively practised by oriental physicians from time immemcrial, have, of late, been hailed by the medical authorities of the day as the most approved and commended mode of treatment.

Sceptics who care nor to examine and weigh solid facts, bluntly allege that the Ayurvedic system is not based upon experiment and observation — the key-stone of all true Science, and such being the case its Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology and Therapeutics are all erroneous. The suggestion, cruel and baseless as it is, originally emanated from an eminent Indian pliysician who has earned an unXVI INTRODUCTION^ enviable reputation by writing a Treatise on Hindu Materia Medica. He says : — "It (the Ayurvedic system) is built not so much upon experiment and observation as upon an erroneous system of Pathology and Therapeutics.' But such an expression would not stand the light of day. Indeed none but the ancient Hindu sages did set a high value on experiment and observation, and where they did not claim some occult knowledge or intuition, it is upon these two that they mainly based all their knowledge.

The Materia Medica of the Hindus is really a marvel. Its description of the properties of drugs belonging to the animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms, and of the articles of food essential to the maintenance of health and strength, its selection of the specific dietaries and elimination of what are prohibited in particular ailments are every day being found correct. The European preparations of Indian drugs and diets are corroborative evidence thereof. The theory adopted by the ancient Hindus as the basis of their investigation is that every substance, whether regitable or animal, possesses five properties namely, — Rasa, Guna, Viryya, Vipaka and Prabhava which lenses alone cannot reveal, nor the body's eye after observation and experiment made upon rats and rabbits. And those who have opportunities of studying and practising both the Eastern and Western Medical Science assert that the ancient Medical Science of the Hindus once reached the highest standard of excellence and perfection in Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Hygiene and was simply unrivalled and unapproachable, as it blended Philosophy with Science— the mind's eye with the body's eye.

A dispassionate examination of these facts (and such as can be multiplied to any extent), will convince an impartial reader that Ayurveda, as we find it described in Charaka Samhita and Susruta Samhita, if approached in a spirit of fairness and enquiry, might reveal the germs of not a few of the marvellous achievement of the present age in the domain of Medical Science and afford to the assiduous

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