Overview

Ayurvedic medicine, the traditional medical system widely practiced in India today, probably originated some 3,000 years ago. The origins of Ayurveda, "the science of life," are uncertain, but the remedies used may have evolved from prehistoric drug lore. The theoretical concepts and methodologies of Ayurveda are set forth in the classic texts attributed to Charaka, Susruta, and Vagbhata, semilegendary physicians, authors, and founders of the Ayurvedic system of healing.

Background

Mythic tales of ancient India survive in the form of four collections known as the Vedas, sacred books of divinely inspired knowledge. The Vedas are accompanied by later commentaries known as the Brahmanas and the Upanishads, which explain the texts and speculate about the nature of the universe. Further insights into the ancient origins of Indian civilization were made possible in the 1920s when archeologists began to explore the ruins of Mohenjo-daro and Harappa, cities that...