Abstract

REVIEW OF METALS AND MINERALS IN CLASSICAL AYURVEDIC TEXT-SUSHRUT SAMHITA

Vd. Sushrut Anand Sathe* and Dr. Kalyani K. Jadhav

ABSTRACT

Ayurveda is an ancient science which literally means science of life. Ayurveda not only focuses on curing of diseased individual but also gives importance to maintenance of health of healthy person. Ayurveda is basically divided in Ashtanga (Eight Appendages). All these Ashtangas represents specific field of expertise in Ayurveda context. There are three major and old Granthas available for Ayurvedic literature namely Charaka Samhita, Sushrut Samhita and Ashtanga Sangraha. Out of these, Sushrut Samhita is considered as the masterpiece of texts related to Shalyatantra i.e Art of surgery. Sushrut Samhita was written by Acharya Sushrut, after Charak Samhita period. Rasashastra is study of use of metallic and mineral compounds for preparation of mineral & herbomineral medicines. Though Rasashastra became indivisible part of Ayurveda after 800 AD, use of metals and minerals is known to us since long time. There are various references scattered in Samhitas regarding use of Rasashastra Dravyas. Sushrut Samhita being one of the old Samhitas specially focused on acute conditions like Vrana(wound), Bhagna(Fracture of bones) and several operative procedures, it aims at early management of diseased conditions. In this review article, an attempt was made regarding unveiling the references of Rasashastra Dravya in Sushrut Samhita and it was noted that a lot of references of Rasashastra Dravya are there in Sushrut Samhita in form of either internal administration or external application or material used for storage of medicines.

Keywords: Rasashastra, Sushrut Samhita, Rasashastriya dravya, Shalyatantra.