For a village in Greece, see Charaka (Laconia), Greece

Charaka, sometimes spelled Caraka, (perhaps 1st or 2nd century) is one of the founders of Ayurveda. According to Charaka, health and disease are not predetermined and life may be prolonged by human effort. Ayurveda (आयुर्वेद Sanskrit: ayu—life; veda—knowledge of) or ayurvedic medicine is a more than 2,000 year old comprehensive system of medicine based on a holistic approach rooted in Vedic culture. ...

According to the Charaka tradition, there existed six schools of medicine, founded by the disciples of the sage Punarvasu Ātreya. Each of his disciples, Agnivesha, Bhela, Jatūkarna, Parāshara, Hārīta, and Kshārapāni, composed a Samhitā. Of these, the one composed by Agnivesha was supposed to be the best. The Agnivesha Samhitā was later revised by Charaka and it came to be known as Charaka Samhitā. The Charaka Samhitā was revised by Dridhbala.

Āyurveda is traditionally divided into eight branches which, in Charaka's scheme, are:

1. sūtra-sthāna, general principles
2. nidāna-sthāna, pathology
3. vimāna-sthāna, diagnostics
4. sharīra-sthāna, physiology and anatomy
5. indriya-sthāna, prognosis
6. chikitsā-sthāna, therapeutics
7. kalpa-sthāna, pharmacy
8. siddhi-sthāna, successful treatment

Pathology (in ancient Greek pathos = feeling, pain, suffering and logos = discourse or treatise, i. ... Physiology (in Greek physis = nature and logos = word) is the study of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of living organisms. ... Anatomical drawing of the human muscles from the Encyclopédie. ... Prognosis (older Greek πρόγνωσις, modern Greek πρόγνωση - literally fore-knowing, foreseeing) is a medical term denoting the doctors prediction of how a patients disease will progress, and whether there is chance of recovery. ... Therapy (in Greek: θεραπεία) or treatment is the attempted remediation of a health problem, usually following a diagnosis. ... Pharmacy (from the Greek φάρμακον = drug) is the profession of compounding and dispensing medication. ...

External links

• Ayurveda Scholars (http://www.ayurveda-herbal-remedy.com/discover-ayurveda/ayurveda-scholars.html)
• Ayurvedic Literature (http://www.astrojyoti.com/ayurvedaclassics.htm)