Ayurveda (Devanagari: आयुर्वेद) or Ayurvedic medicine is an ancient Hindu system of health care that is native to the Indian subcontinent. Even today it is very common in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka and is used by millions of people. Ayurveda is also gaining popularity in the west. The word "Ayurveda" is a tatpurusha compound of the word āyus meaning "life," "life principle," or "long life" and the word veda, which refers to a system of "knowledge." Thus "Ayurveda" roughly translates as the "knowledge of life," "knowledge of long life" or even "science of life." According to Charaka Samhita, "life" itself is defined as the "combination of the body, sense organs, mind and soul, the factor responsible for preventing decay and death, which sustains the body over time, and guides the processes of rebirth."

    According to this perspective, Ayurveda is concerned with measures to protect "ayus", which includes healthy living along with therapeutic measures that relate to physical, mental, social and spiritual harmony. Ayurveda is also one among the few traditional systems of medicine to contain a sophisticated system of surgery (which is referred to as "salya-chikitsa").

Last update: 05-07-2008 17:39