Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa, B.A.M.S
Context – Sushruta Samhita Sutra Sthana – Chapter 1, Vedotpatti Adhyaya (Origin of Science of Life)
Everyone knows that Sushruta Samhita is without doubt one of the oldest treatises of Ayurveda and has been included underneath the ‘Brihat Trayees’ i.e. the larger trio of Ayurveda. The creator of the Sushruta Samhita treatise is grasp Sushruta – who can be thought to be the daddy of surgical procedure.
Associated Studying – Sushruta Samhita
Associated Studying – Sushruta
Associated Studying – Brihattrayees
However are you aware the place and underneath whom did Grasp Sushruta accomplished his commencement in Ayurveda and masters in Shalya Tantra – Ayurveda Surgical Science?
Allow us to see.
Grasp Sushruta goes in the hunt for a Guru, to the hermitage of Divodasa Dhanwantari
“Ayurveda Surgical Faculty of Grasp Divodasa Dhanwantari”
As soon as upon a time, positioned amidst lush inexperienced greenery of pure forest area was a nicely constructed and guarded hermitage. This was an institute of studying the ‘science of Ayurveda’, the Gurukula of Divodasa Dhanwantari. Divodasa who was additionally referred to as as Dhanwantari is taken into account because the incarnation of Lord Dhanwantari – the God of drugs. He was the king of the town of Kasi however he lived within the hermitage, after having freed himself from all of the worldly attachments and powers and after having handed over the duties to his successor. He was main a saintly life imparting the data of Ayurveda, primarily the Shalya Tantra – the surgical science a part of Ashtanga Ayurveda. Many disciples not solely from throughout the nation of historical Bharata but in addition these from completely different international locations got here to his abode to be taught Ayurveda underneath him. He was thought of as one of the best instructor of surgical science and one of the best amongst the immortals.
“A gaggle of disciples together with Sushruta attain out to Divodasa Dhanwantari”
One blessed day, Sushruta accompanied by a bunch of disciples who had been drawn in the direction of studying Ayurveda, with particular pursuits invested in Shalya Tantra – surgical science reached the hermitage of Grasp Divodasa Dhanwantari. After they sought permission to satisfy the revered Guru and entered the hermitage, Lord Divodasa was seated on a raised platform which was specifically designed for the Guru of the best rank meant to be seated. After they entered, the grasp was surrounded by teams of sages. That they had simply concluded some discussions.
Sushruta was not solely excited to see the instructor but in addition his coronary heart received swollen with satisfaction to have been blessed to be standing in entrance of the divine incarnation of Lord Dhanwantari. Sushruta stood there in entrance of the revered instructor with folded fingers and bent head as a mark of respect. The opposite disciples who had accompanied Sushruta – Aupadhenava, Vaitarana, Aurabhra, Paushkalavata, Karavirya, and Gopurarakshita – additionally did the identical.
Grasp Divodasa smiled and nodded at them as if he was anticipating them and as a gesture of welcoming them to his hermitage.
“Please educate us Ayurveda” – requested the disciples with Grasp Divodasa Dhanwantari
After wishing the revered instructor, the disciples put forth the aim of them reaching the hermitage.
The aim – The disciples mentioned ‘Revered sir, many sorts of bodily and psychological issues are bothering all the mankind. The complete world is engulfed in grief, distress, struggling and ache resulting from these issues. Aside from this, they’re additionally affected by many sorts of issues brought on resulting from exterior causes. These persons are feeling lonely because of the ache given by these ailments, immaterial of getting household, mates, many well-wishers, wealth and comforts. We too are disturbed and are at nice ache seeing all this. Due to this fact, we’re all right here at your abode to be taught Ayurveda out of your kind-self pricey sir. The aim of studying Ayurveda could be to treatment these ailments and free the folks from its clutches and in addition to offer happiness and set up well being in them. We additionally want to defend and protect their life from the assault of those ailments and set up wellness by means of Ayurveda. We all know that each one the advantages and goodness of this life and the life past are embedded within the core of Ayurveda. Due to this fact, venerable instructor, all of us have come to you to develop into your disciples and be taught the science of life from you’.
“Welcome to my abode sons!” – mentioned Lord Dhanwantari
Having heard the enchantment of the disciples and understanding the aim of their arrival, Grasp Dhanwantari welcoming the disciples to his abode mentioned – ‘Pricey sons, I welcome you all to my hermitage and college of Ayurveda. I like your good intentions and acknowledge your function of studying Ayurveda from me. You all have undisputed credentials and are all worthy sufficient to be taught Ayurveda’.
The primary classes…!
Later, Grasp Dhanwantari defined concerning the Ayurveda Utaptti – the origin of the science of Ayurveda, to the group of disciples. He mentioned that it’s a department of Atharva Veda and contains eight sections and therefore referred to as Ashtanga Ayurveda. Ayurveda was first propounded and narrated by the Swayambhu – self-born (Lord Brahma, the creator of the world), even earlier than the creation of this world. It comprised 1 lakh verses embedded in 1 thousand chapters. Later Lord Brahma divided Ayurveda into eight branches.
The eight branches of Ayurveda embody –
1. Shalya Tantra – the surgical science
2. Shalakya Tantra – department coping with ailments of ear, nostril, throat and eye
3. Kaya Chikitsa Tantra – basic or inner medication
4. Bhuta Vidya – demonology
5. Kaumarabhritya Tantra – paediatrics
6. Agada Tantra – toxicology
7. Rasayana Tantra – rejuvenation or anti-ageing remedy
8. Vajikarana Tantra – aphrodisiac remedy
The query of curiosity and ‘specialization’…?
After briefly introducing the eight branches of Ayurveda, Lord Dhanwantari provides an possibility of selecting the speciality amongst these branches that they want to be taught probably the most, to all of the disciples.
All the scholars voiced that they want to be taught Ayurveda in a complete manner underneath Lord Dhanwantari and confirmed particular curiosity in the direction of studying Shalya Tantra.
Grasp Divodasa Dhanwantari obliged and agreed to show Shalya Tantra to the data hungry disciples.
‘SUSHRUTA’ turns into the chosen one…!
The disciples had been extremely happy and completely happy that the nice grasp had agreed to show them the Shalya Tantra which that they had come to be taught.
Now was the time to pick out a consultant from amongst them to immediately obtain the data of Ayurveda and Shalya Tantra from the revered grasp Lord Divodasa Dhanwantari. They unanimously chosen Sushruta for this.
Addressing the nice Guru, all of the disciples mentioned in a single voice – ‘Venerable Grasp, thanks a lot for accepting us as your disciples and agreeing to show us the science of surgical procedure – Shalya Tantra. All of us suppose alike and our opinions too are related and unanimous. We have now henceforth chosen Sushruta as our consultant. He would seek the advice of you to be taught Ayurveda and Shalya Tantra on behalf of all of us after having understood our ideas and queries and after having sought our opinions. He’ll attain out to you and converse and query on behalf of all of us pricey sir. He would be the bridge between your sort self and us for the passage of information of Ayurveda. All that you just educate Sushruta within the type of the data of Ayurveda and Shalya Tantra will attain us by means of him. The data shall be handed on to us from him in the identical pure and unadulterated type that he would obtain from you’.
Listening to this, Grasp Divodasa Dhanwantari obliged to show Sushruta, the consultant of disciples, and impart him with data of Ayurveda and Shalya Tantra.
Evolution of Shalya Tantra…!
Thus, Sushruta, who would in future script the well-known Sushruta Samhita and go on to be often called father of surgical procedure, received admission into the college of Lord Divodasa Dhanwantari to get graduated in Ayurveda and Grasp’s Diploma (post-graduation) and specialization within the discipline of ‘Shalya Tantra’ – the science of Ayurveda Surgical procedure. The opposite disciples too received admitted in the identical establishment and learnt Ayurveda and Shalya Tantra by means of Sushruta, who would voice the grasp, Divodasa Dhanwantari.
This was the inspiration and starting of evolution of Shalya Sampradaya or Shalya Tantra, the lineage of historical surgical science.
Abstract and key factors to notice
1. Sushruta and the opposite disciples learnt Shalya Tantra from Lord Dhanwantari Divodasa.
2. Have been the disciples who reached out to Divodasa Dhanwantari new to Ayurveda?
Speculation 1 – By the outline of the occasions within the first chapter of Sushruta Samhita Sutra Sthana, it seems like Sushruta and different disciples had been new to Ayurveda. Divodasa Dhanwantari begins his lessons by introducing Ashtanga Ayurveda and detailing every department with their definitions, he describes the origin and descent of Ayurveda, significance of Shalya Tantra, kinds of ailments, medicines and interventions and so forth that are the preliminary fundamentals of Ayurveda that are taught to the newbie college students of Ayurveda. The subsequent 5 chapters too take care of fundamentals of Ayurveda which explains that Sushruta and the opposite disciples additionally learnt fundamental Ayurveda from Dhanwantari, simply as the present day undergraduate college students do.
3. Did the disciples come for getting ‘specialization’ or masters (post-graduation) in Shalya Tantra?
Speculation 2 – It’s fairly attainable that Sushruta and different disciples who got here to the abode of Divodasa Dhanwantari had already certified within the fundamental data of Ayurveda from another instructor or establishment and had graduated out and that they’ve now reached out to Dhanwantari to be taught Shalya Tantra. All of them appear like disciples with frequent curiosity in Shalya Tantra.
This furthermore seems just like the modern-day image like, the scholars from completely different corners of the nation, after having handed out the eligibility take a look at, and have gotten admissions in the identical school, assemble within the Shalya Division (since they’ve opted out for it or have gotten the seat for finding out the surgical science) in entrance of the pinnacle of the division.
Within the historical model, as mentioned, the disciples attain out to Dhanwantari and specific their curiosity in Shalya Tantra. Within the modern-day model, the scholars attain out to the doorway exams to get eligibility to review the topic or department by which they’re concerned about.
It is usually attainable that Sushruta and the opposite disciples have additionally graduated underneath Dhanwantari and have as soon as once more reached out to him for a Grasp’s diploma. However these chances are high much less.
From Chapter 7 onwards, the topic of debate in Sutra Sthana which is the primary part of Sushruta Samhita severely offers with surgical science. So, after a short introduction of Ayurveda within the first 6 chapters, severe discussions about Shalya Tantra begins from the seventh chapter onwards. So, the specialization is given significance. If Sushruta has documented his Samhita in the best way he was taught by Divodasa Dahanwantari, it was undoubtedly for the specialization that the disciples reached out to the Grasp’s hermitage.
They undoubtedly knew the fundamentals of Ayurveda earlier than reaching Dhanwantari’s hermitage. Sushruta has later documented the embryological and anatomical features of Ayurveda within the Sharira Sthana part however there’s a chance that he had learnt these fundamentals earlier than coming to Lord Dhanwantari.
4. Did Sushruta and different disciples endure commencement and post-graduation in Shalya Tantra in the identical establishment of Grasp Dhanwantari?
Speculation 3 – Even that is attainable. We see that Grasp Dhanwantari acknowledges the intelligence and intention of the disciples in a context of chapter 1 of Sushruta Samhita Sutra Sthana. Because of this they weren’t new for the grasp. He knew them as a result of that they had graduated from the identical establishment and had been good college students. Now they had been in search of to be taught ‘extra of Shalya Tantra’.
It’s attainable that Sushruta has devoted the primary 6 chapters to make us understand how he learnt underneath the nice grasp, as a dedication to Grasp Divodasa. Later he takes the chapters of the primary part of his treatise within the course of fundamentals and detailing of Shalya Tantra. Later, Sushruta has categorised all his data of Ayurveda into completely different sections and has contextually distributed them amongst completely different chapters of these sections. Instance, the fundamentals of embryology and anatomy had been edited out into the Sharira Sthana part, therapy rules into Chikitsa Sthana part and so forth. It’s attention-grabbing to see that every chapter has been devoted to Grasp Dhanwantari and his teachings as acknowledged within the first verse of every chapter of all the Sushruta Samhita. So, speculation 3 appears to make extra sense.
Sushruta and all his up to date disciples learnt each Ayurveda and Shalya Tantra underneath Grasp Divodasa Dhanwantari.
5. Why was Sushruta chosen by the opposite disciples as their consultant? Why might they not all be taught underneath the identical instructor as an alternative of sending a consultant as a bridge of information?
Speculation 4 – Herein we will discover a unusual and attention-grabbing idea in historical teachers associated to Ayurveda. The disciples choose one amongst them to acquire the data from the best instructor in authority. They might later be taught from him.
This exhibits that they had been all like-minded (as that they had claimed about it) and in addition that they trusted immensely within the consultant that that they had chosen. It is rather like a whole get together which has received the elections can not rule the nation, they want a consultant in whom they belief to hold out the duties successfully, within the type of a Prime Minister.
If the instructor teaches all the scholars at a time, he could be addressing scattered intelligence as a result of every scholar is completely different from the opposite. He must undertake many strategies to make the topic reachable to all and in addition would attempt to simplify the data which he needs to impart. This is able to dilute the comprehensiveness of the data. As a substitute of that, if the instructor teaches a consultant who’s superiorly good and carries the collective intelligence and thought technique of his group, he can give attention to imparting the data comprehensively and may completely give attention to doing so. This consultant disciple would switch the data in its true and unadulterated type to the opposite disciples, his colleagues, in a less complicated and efficient manner. This is able to make studying a science or its speciality
An analogous sample may be discovered defined ‘Atreya Sampradaya’ i.e. Atreya faculty of Ayurveda too. Herein, Punarvasu Atreya and the group of elite sages elect Grasp Bharadwaja as their consultant and ship him to Lord Indra – the king of Gods, to be taught Ayurveda from him. After having achieved the mission, Sage Bharadwaja would impart the data of Ayurveda learnt from Lord Intra to the disciples of Atreya and the opposite sages in a pure and unadulterated manner. On this context, Lord Dhanwantari represents Lord Indra and Grasp Sushruta represents Grasp Bharadwaja.
In a reference, we discover that Lord Dhanwantari had learnt Ayurveda from Lord Indra. This makes him equal to Sage Bharadwaja, who additionally learnt Ayurveda from Lord Indra.
Sage Bharadwaja imparted his data of Ayurveda learnt from Lord Indra to Atreya and his contemporaries, who later taught Ayurveda to Agnivesha and different sages. Sage Agnivesha went on to write down Agnivesha Tantra, which later was redacted by Grasp Charaka into the favored treatise we all know, ‘Charaka Samhita’.
Holding this in parallel, Grasp Divodasa Dhanwantari, imparted his data of Ayurveda to Grasp Sushruta and his contemporaries, primarily to Grasp Sushruta. So, compared to Atreya faculty of Ayurveda, Sushruta is equal to Atreya. Later the data of historical Ayurveda Surgical procedure was handed on to the additional generations.
