Ayurveda

Ayurveda (आयुर्वेद Sanskrit: ayu—life; veda—knowledge of) or ayurvedic medicine is a comprehensive system of medicine, more than 2,000 years old and based on a holistic approach rooted in Vedic culture. Its conspicuous use of the word veda, or knowledge, reveals its role in early Hinduism and describes its hallowed place in India. Ayurveda also had a tradition of surgery. Two early texts of Ayurveda are the Charaka Samhita and the Sushruta Samhita.

The Five Elements

According to the ancient Sankhya theory of cosmology, on which ayurveda is based, the five elements – panchamahabhuta – combine in different proportions to form the material world. Each element possesses different amounts of the above-mentioned gunas; thus each element has its unique qualitative nature. The elements are:

Related Topics:
Sankhya - Cosmology - Panchamahabhuta

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Akasha – ether or space
• Vayu – air
• Tejas or agni – fire
• Apa or jala – water
• Prthvi – earth

Some authorities state that the early European concept of five elements evolved as a result of contact with ayurveda.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~