Abstract

*Vd. Kaushal U. Dave, Prof. A. S. Baghel, Dr. Vaibhav P. Dadu, Dr. Monika Rathod

ABSTRACT

Introduction- Ayurveda is a holistic system of medicine that relies on its own fundamental principles enshrined in the classical texts known as Shastra. Acharyas adopted several methods like Tantrayuktis, Shaktigraha et al to make people understand the Shastra. For the common people, there are certain tools of exposition like the the common sayings and the Nyayas (maxims). Nyaya is a device which takes us near to the intended meaning of the speaker. Nyayas (maxims) are used for many purposes like explanation of difficult subject, illustrate a topic through common examples and to clarify the ambiguity in meaning. The original classical text like Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita, describe the way to live healthy and to treat the disease. These descriptions are coded in the form of shlokas that need to be decoded. This decoding is done through the application of Nyayas (maxims). Here, an attempt has been made to review the application of Nyayas (maxims) in better understanding of Sushruta Samhita. Aim-To explore the applied aspect of Nyaya (maxim) in understanding the Sushruta Samhita. Materials & Methods- All the classical texts of Ayurveda with available commentaries, published research articles and other sources have been compiled and analysed. Discussion - A thorough observation of the Sushruta Samhita reveals that the Nyayas (maxims) are not directly found in the original text. The commentators like Dalhana have explained the Nyayas (maxims) in different contexts to elaborate the meaning and logic behind the textual description like the nomenclature of a chapter, explanation of method and methodology et al. Conclusion- It becomes clear that the application of Nyayas (maxims) makes the understanding of the information coded in the Sushruta Samhita easy to comprehend.