Charaka

Highlights 

• Around 300 BC, Charak, also spelled Caraka, made significant contributions to the ancient art and science of Ayurveda. It was an ancient medical and lifestyle system in India
• Acharya Charak, also known as the “Father of Indian Medicine,” was an important ancient Indian medicine scientist. According to Charaka, life is not predetermined by health and disease; rather, a person’s life can be extended simply by making some human efforts and paying attention to their lifestyle
• The prevention of various diseases is more important according to the Indian heritage and science of the Ayurvedic system rather than its treatment. It also depends upon the way of living a person has along with nature and four seasons responsible for complete wellness of a person
• Acharya Charak has attributed the following statements: “A doctor who neglects to enter the body of a patient with the light of information and comprehension can never treat illnesses. He should initially concentrate on every one of the elements, including climate, which impact a patient’s infection, and afterward endorse treatment”
• Another remark of his includes: “It is more important to prevent the occurrence of disease than to seek a cure.” These remarks were not heeded, but they were mentioned in his famous treatise related to Ayurveda named Charaka Samhita
• The treatise has various remarks, as discussed above, that hold importance in present also. Some of those remarks are related to several fields that include etiology, physiology, and embryology
• The concept of metabolism, digestion, and immunity was presented by the physician Charaka which he also translated in Vedas as body functions since it requires three principles (also called dosha) that are movement (Vata), transformation (pitta), and lastly, lubrication and stability (Kapha)
• The doshas are also called humor, sometimes related to the normal functioning of the body fluids or semi fluids. These fluids are named bile, wind, and phlegm. The production of doshas is sometimes called humor (a normal functioning bodily semi fluid or fluid), namely, bile, phlegm, and wind. These doshas are produced when the food eaten is acted upon by the dhatus (blood, flesh, and marrow)
• In different bodies, various doshas are produced even if the amount of food consumed is the same. Thus, it is said that one body is different from another. The body differences are based on weight, strength, and energy. The cause of illness is the imbalance among three doshas and their distribution in the human body
• Certain medicinal drugs were prescribed by him in order to maintain the balance. He also did not value germs in the body and was familiar with the fundamentals of genetics, such as the factors (now known as genes) that determine a child’s sex
• According to him, the mother or father are not to blame for any genetic defect in the child, including lameness and blindness; rather, it occurs due to a defect in the parents’ ovum and sperm
• Charaka studied the anatomy of various organs as well as the entire human body. He also stated that the human body has 360 bones, which includes the teeth
• The heart has only one cavity, which is incorrect, but he was correct in his belief that it is a controlling centre
• According to him, there are 13 major channels that connect the entire body and heart. Aside from these channels, various other channels of varying sizes supply nutrients and allow waste materials from the body to exit the body. He also stated that if there are any major channels, the body may develop certain deformities
• Agnivesa wrote an encyclopedia under the physician Atreya in the eighth century B.C. After being revised by Charaka, the treatise gained popularity and became known as the Charaka Samhita. It was translated into a number of foreign languages, including Latin and Arabic, and was considered standard work for nearly two millennia
• The six schools of medicine were founded by the disciples of sage Punarvasu Atreya based on the Charaka tradition. His disciples were named Harita, Parashara, Jatukarna, Agnivesha, Jatukarna, Bhela, and Ksharapani, who formed a Samhita
• The Samhita, which was composed by Agnivesha, was considered the best, and later Charaka revised it, and after that, it was named Charaka Samhita
• Lastly, Dridhbala revised the Charaka Samhita

Ayurveda is traditionally divided into eight branches in Charaka Samhita, which are: 

• kayachikitsa or internal ayurvedic medicine 
• Bala chikitsa or pediatrics 
• bhootavidya or treatment of demoniacal diseases 
• urdhwanga chikitsa or ENT with ophthalmology 
• salyatantra or ayurvedic surgery 
• agadatantra or toxicology 

The Vedic era heralded a new era of scientific and technological advancement. Science arose from the religious plane during Vedic times. The Vedic people had an impact on the development of Indian science. Understanding real-world phenomena in a rational and scientific manner began with the study of natural phenomena such as rainfall, the appearance of the sun and moon, seasonal changes, and agriculture. This naturally led to theories about physical processes and natural forces, which are now studied as distinct topics within various branches of physical science.

Later advancements in mathematics, astronomy, astrology, medicine, surgery, and other fields in ancient India were significant by any standard. It can be understood through the contributions of scholars in various fields/subjects.

Name of a few scholars:

• Sushruta
• Panini 
• Varahamihira-I Aryabhatta (500 AD)
• Brahmagupta (598–668 AD)
• Lalla-Bhaskara (700 AD)
• Misra, Vachaspati (circa. AD 840)
• Halayudha Brahmadeva (10 Century AD)
• Bhaskara-II (Born 1114)
• Madhava \sNilakantha Somayaji
• Sushruta

Conclusion

A significant portion of mathematics developed in India as a result of astronomical advancement, and it is no coincidence that the majority of post-Vedic mathematics has only been discovered in association with the Siddhantas, a class of astronomical works. Siddhantic astronomy’s formative period may have been limited to the first few centuries of the Christian era. These centuries and possibly the last few of the preChristian era, saw the development of mathematics needed to adequately express, describe, and account for astronomical elements and phenomena, as well as to meet the various needs of an organised society.