History: Ayurveda Oldest Medicine

Ayurveda oldest medicine system, practiced by the sages during the Vedic civilization.

The Ayurveda life Science is originated in India, earliest written records of Ayurveda are contained in the Vedas, which make up the oldest and largest body of sacred knowledge in human history. The Vedas were written somewhere between 2000 and 4000 B.C.E., and consist of 20,358 verses. It was originally an oral tradition, passed along by enlightened seer, or Rishis, who had closely observed nature and were able to ascertain certain fundamental laws and how they related to human beings.

Ayurveda’s first appearance is in the last and youngest of the Vedas, known as Atharva Veda ; consists of about 6,000 verses and 1,000 lines in prose, ” most of which deal with magic spells and charms designed to either promote peace, health, love, and material or spiritual prosperity, or to call down disaster on an enemy. Ayurveda treatment further developed and emerged a later medical text is called the Charak Samhita. This text is the most famous of all the ancient Ayurvedic text; it is full of theory and philosophy, but it also describes, among other things, the cellular structure of the body and includes lists of microscopic organisms that may cause diseases. Another well known medical text is Shushruta Samhita, believed to have been authored by the physician Sushruta, who may have lived in the 6th century B.C.E. The Sushruta Samhita contains information on surgical methods and equipment; along with detailed medical information, it also includes philosophical and spiritual advice on how to live a healthy life. Other texts came later, including the Ashtang Hridaya of Vagbhata, which is most widely used Ayurvedic text today by Ayurvedic practitioner.

Many years later, during the fifteenth century, European colonization of India began. India did not fare well under the thumb of the nations that variously ruled during the following centuries. Many atrocities were committed against Indians and much of Indian culture was suppressed. By the early nineteenth century, when Britisher reigned, Ayurveda had no official support, in fact in 1835 Britisher banned the practice of Ayurveda treatment in favor of the European medicine in those region where the East India Company ruled. Then, at the beginning of the twentieth century , those in favor of Indian independence began arguing for restoration and proper recognition of Ayurveda, and eventually after 1947, this movement bore fruit.

Today, Ayurveda is taught in a number of reputable schools and universities in India, and there seems to be a stronger resurgence of interest in this ancient science. Ayurveda healing is a deep science, and it is just as relevant today as it was four or five thousand years ago.