Charaka and Sushruta
· The Vice-President of India addressed a gathering during the unveiling of statues of Charaka and Sushruta at Raj Bhavan, Goa.
· Charaka, a court physician during the Kushan period, is considered the Father of Medicine in India.
· He revised the ancient Agnivesha Samhita into what became the Charaka Samhita, a foundational text of Ayurveda.
· Charaka Samhita covers topics such as physiology, diagnosis, prevention, and internal medicine.
· The text is part of the Bṛhat-Trayi (Great Trilogy) of Ayurveda, alongside the Sushruta Samhita and Ashtanga Hridaya.
· The Charaka Samhita was later expanded by Dṛḍhabala, making it an encyclopaedic treatise.
· Charaka emphasised ethics in medicine, highlighting the importance of physician conduct, diet, and preventive care.
· It remained authoritative for over two millennia, and was translated into Arabic, Latin, and other foreign languages, showing its global medical relevance.
· Sushruta, dating back to the 7th century BCE, is revered as the Father of Surgery and possibly the world’s first documented surgeon.
· He authored the Sushruta Samhita, which elaborates on over 300 surgical procedures, 120 surgical instruments, and various types of fractures and dislocations.
· Innovations include rhinoplasty (nasal reconstruction), skin grafting, cataract surgery, and caesarean sections.
· The Sushruta Samhita also integrates anatomical knowledge, surgical training, patient care, hygiene, and scientific observation.
· Sushruta’s teachings display principles of evidence-based medicine, centuries before modern systems emerged.
· The Vice-President of India addressed a gathering during the unveiling of statues of Charaka and Sushruta at Raj Bhavan, Goa.
· Charaka, a court physician during the Kushan period, is considered the Father of Medicine in India.
· He revised the ancient Agnivesha Samhita into what became the Charaka Samhita, a foundational text of Ayurveda.
· Charaka Samhita covers topics such as physiology, diagnosis, prevention, and internal medicine.
· The text is part of the Bṛhat-Trayi (Great Trilogy) of Ayurveda, alongside the Sushruta Samhita and Ashtanga Hridaya.
· The Charaka Samhita was later expanded by Dṛḍhabala, making it an encyclopaedic treatise.
· Charaka emphasised ethics in medicine, highlighting the importance of physician conduct, diet, and preventive care.
· It remained authoritative for over two millennia, and was translated into Arabic, Latin, and other foreign languages, showing its global medical relevance.
· Sushruta, dating back to the 7th century BCE, is revered as the Father of Surgery and possibly the world’s first documented surgeon.
· He authored the Sushruta Samhita, which elaborates on over 300 surgical procedures, 120 surgical instruments, and various types of fractures and dislocations.
· Innovations include rhinoplasty (nasal reconstruction), skin grafting, cataract surgery, and caesarean sections.
· The Sushruta Samhita also integrates anatomical knowledge, surgical training, patient care, hygiene, and scientific observation.
· Sushruta’s teachings display principles of evidence-based medicine, centuries before modern systems emerged.
Guttala Sculptural Inscription
· A 16th-century sculptural inscription found near Chandrashekara temple, Guttala (Haveri district, Karnataka), records the death of 6,307 people due to a drought in 1539 CE, making it India’s earliest epigraphic evidence of a humanitarian disaster.
Guttala Sculptural Inscription:
· Found near Chandrashekara temple, Guttala village, Karnataka.
· Written in Kannada script and language on a stone slab.
· Dated Saka 1461, August 18, 1539 CE.
· Records that 6,307 people died due to “bara” (drought).
· A local named Marulaih Odeya, son of Nanideva Odeya, buried the dead in baskets to earn merit for ruler Timmarasa Svami.
· Sculpture depicts Marulaih carrying a basket with dead bodies.
· Rare sculptural and textual record of a natural disaster in Indian history.
· Includes exact toll and social response.
· Depicts humanitarian act and local governance structure (mention of “seeme” – territorial unit).
· A 16th-century sculptural inscription found near Chandrashekara temple, Guttala (Haveri district, Karnataka), records the death of 6,307 people due to a drought in 1539 CE, making it India’s earliest epigraphic evidence of a humanitarian disaster.
Guttala Sculptural Inscription:
· Found near Chandrashekara temple, Guttala village, Karnataka.
· Written in Kannada script and language on a stone slab.
· Dated Saka 1461, August 18, 1539 CE.
· Records that 6,307 people died due to “bara” (drought).
· A local named Marulaih Odeya, son of Nanideva Odeya, buried the dead in baskets to earn merit for ruler Timmarasa Svami.
· Sculpture depicts Marulaih carrying a basket with dead bodies.
· Rare sculptural and textual record of a natural disaster in Indian history.
· Includes exact toll and social response.
· Depicts humanitarian act and local governance structure (mention of “seeme” – territorial unit).