Ayurvedic System of Indian Medicine: Or an Exposition, in English of Hindu Medicine: Vol.I

It would be no exaggeration to say that of all nations of the earth, the Hindus first turned their attention to the study of disease and the means of its alleviation. The Vedas are undoubtedly the most ancient of written records in the world. The Ayurveda or Science of Life is believed to have formed a part of the Vedas,viz., those that go by the name of the Atarvas. No complete text is obtainable of the Atharva Veda. Hence it is impossible to ascertain how the Science of Life was treated in it. The first great professor of Medicine coming after the age of the Atharva Veda with whom we are acquanted is Purnarvasu of the race of Atri, Atri was one of the well-begotten sons of Brahma, the Grandsire of the universe. He is regarded as one the sages through whom the Vedas were revealed. It is not known by how many degrees was Punarvasu removed from Atri. It is impossible to fix his age, even roughly. It may even be doubted whether any such person existed. He is represented as having lectured on the Science of Life unto several disciples among whom six are mentioned by name. They are Agnivesa, Bheta, Jatukarna, Parasara Harita, and Kharpani. These disciples became professors in time. Every one of them compiled a treatise on Medicine. That by Agnivesa is generally allowed to have been superior in point of merit. It is believed that Agnivesa's compilation gradually superseded the compilations of the others. At present, fragments only exist of those compilations.