Over the years
*Dr.M.Harikrishnan
PG.Scholar, Dept. of Agadatantra, Govt.AVC, Tvpm
PG.Scholar, Dept. of Agadatantra, Govt.AVC, Tvpm
Father of Ayurveda, Lord Brahma had authored the first ever document on this universal science compiling the various aspects which were orally or verbally passed on to the succeeding generations till then. It was the vast ever text written on Ayurveda comprising of one lakh verses. Agadatantra or Damstra Chikitsa had occupied a place among eight branches of Ayurveda. Envenomation to humans and animals from various members of animal kingdom, poisoning due to some plant species ( also metals and minerals) homicidal poisoning, toxic substances applied over weapons used in warfare, adulterated ( with toxic material or mixtures of non-toxic unfavorable substances) food material, costumes, cosmetics and all other routine articles used by subjects posted in higher cadres like king etc. were the principal coverage entities for this stream of Ayurveda.
Sage Charaka dedicated one chapter in chikitsa sthana for this branch which he called as Visha Gara Vairodhika Prasamanam. A unique treatment sequence called Chaturvimsati Upakrama containing twenty four modules was indicated by Acharya Charaka as a part of Agadatantra. This included Panchakarma therapies like emesis, purgation etc. also citing their stage of implementation. Some measures like nasya, anjana occupied astronomical significance as they were applied for saving life or restoration of consciousness. Though Charaka Samhita contained only chapter on visha chikitsa, it had the ingredients for a general practitioner to materialize Agadatantra.
Sage Susruta who was earlier to Charaka had initialized textual Agadatantra exclusively through Kalpasthana of Susruta Samhita. Father of Surgery was actually the founder of a tradition which allotted individual chapters to diagnosis and treatment of snake bite apart from elaborating on spider bite, harmful arthropods, rodent bite etc. Susruta’s research methodology only should have prompted him to discuss vividly on food toxicology. Clinically active practitioners of Ayurveda will never cease to express their sincere gratitude to sage Susruta for introducing the identity of Agadatantra – Vilwadi Gutika.
Acharya Vriddha Vagbhata once again established that he is also a specialist with no compromise on individuality, for which the chapter on Vishopadrava chikitsa in Uttarasthana is a standing example. Dalhana and Indu occupy the first place among the later scientists of Ayurveda due to their analytical thinking and sincere explanation for some of the prescriptions of Susruta and Vagbhata respectively. They brought many ideas for implementation of formulations mentioned in main texts, for example, the use of Dushivishari agada in visha vega chikitsa, explained by Dalhana.
In this Bharata Desa, there was a parallel development of Agadatantra through Siddha tradition of medicine, south of Vindhyas. New plants native to siddha bhoomi (south India) were introduced into visha chikitsa. South and South western tip of India occupied by western ghats witnessed a new evolution of Agadatantra through Ashtavaidya ( eight physicians) of Kerala. From tenth century A.D to early 20th century A.D, there has been no stopping for practice and compilation of works on visha chikitsa in Kerala. Even the influence of modern medicine could not prevent common man from visiting a visha vaidya for emergency situations. Prayoga samucchaya, Visha Narayaneeyam, Lakshanamrutam, Kriya Kaumudi, Visha Jyotsnika etc. are some of the numerous Malayalam texts on Agadatantra. Special treatment procedures like Dhara, anjana, Oothuprayoga and unique formulations like taruna bhaskara gutika, Neelikaranjadi kashaya etc. are some of the invaluable contributions of these texts.
In spite of these positive happenings the last five decades has seen a steady decline of practice of Agadatantra. The actual reason has to be the attitude of current generation(dismissing the science as being irrelevant to present day) rather than putting the blame on western influence and urbanization. At present, Agadatantra is remembered only through drugs like Vilwadi gutika and Dushivishari gutika. Instances of poisonous bite is confined to only a few geographical locations and that adds to the issue. Modern era is also going through a rapid upsurge of new diseases with high morbidity or mortality ( infections like swine flu etc.) due to unwholesome contemporary life style. At this juncture, the drive should be to find promising solutions for challenging diseases through Agadatantra rather than the compulsive force to make this science stay alive.
*The Author won the 'Best Seminar Paper Award' of 'Nirvisha 2009', national seminar on Agadatantra
Sage Charaka dedicated one chapter in chikitsa sthana for this branch which he called as Visha Gara Vairodhika Prasamanam. A unique treatment sequence called Chaturvimsati Upakrama containing twenty four modules was indicated by Acharya Charaka as a part of Agadatantra. This included Panchakarma therapies like emesis, purgation etc. also citing their stage of implementation. Some measures like nasya, anjana occupied astronomical significance as they were applied for saving life or restoration of consciousness. Though Charaka Samhita contained only chapter on visha chikitsa, it had the ingredients for a general practitioner to materialize Agadatantra.
Sage Susruta who was earlier to Charaka had initialized textual Agadatantra exclusively through Kalpasthana of Susruta Samhita. Father of Surgery was actually the founder of a tradition which allotted individual chapters to diagnosis and treatment of snake bite apart from elaborating on spider bite, harmful arthropods, rodent bite etc. Susruta’s research methodology only should have prompted him to discuss vividly on food toxicology. Clinically active practitioners of Ayurveda will never cease to express their sincere gratitude to sage Susruta for introducing the identity of Agadatantra – Vilwadi Gutika.
Acharya Vriddha Vagbhata once again established that he is also a specialist with no compromise on individuality, for which the chapter on Vishopadrava chikitsa in Uttarasthana is a standing example. Dalhana and Indu occupy the first place among the later scientists of Ayurveda due to their analytical thinking and sincere explanation for some of the prescriptions of Susruta and Vagbhata respectively. They brought many ideas for implementation of formulations mentioned in main texts, for example, the use of Dushivishari agada in visha vega chikitsa, explained by Dalhana.
In this Bharata Desa, there was a parallel development of Agadatantra through Siddha tradition of medicine, south of Vindhyas. New plants native to siddha bhoomi (south India) were introduced into visha chikitsa. South and South western tip of India occupied by western ghats witnessed a new evolution of Agadatantra through Ashtavaidya ( eight physicians) of Kerala. From tenth century A.D to early 20th century A.D, there has been no stopping for practice and compilation of works on visha chikitsa in Kerala. Even the influence of modern medicine could not prevent common man from visiting a visha vaidya for emergency situations. Prayoga samucchaya, Visha Narayaneeyam, Lakshanamrutam, Kriya Kaumudi, Visha Jyotsnika etc. are some of the numerous Malayalam texts on Agadatantra. Special treatment procedures like Dhara, anjana, Oothuprayoga and unique formulations like taruna bhaskara gutika, Neelikaranjadi kashaya etc. are some of the invaluable contributions of these texts.
In spite of these positive happenings the last five decades has seen a steady decline of practice of Agadatantra. The actual reason has to be the attitude of current generation(dismissing the science as being irrelevant to present day) rather than putting the blame on western influence and urbanization. At present, Agadatantra is remembered only through drugs like Vilwadi gutika and Dushivishari gutika. Instances of poisonous bite is confined to only a few geographical locations and that adds to the issue. Modern era is also going through a rapid upsurge of new diseases with high morbidity or mortality ( infections like swine flu etc.) due to unwholesome contemporary life style. At this juncture, the drive should be to find promising solutions for challenging diseases through Agadatantra rather than the compulsive force to make this science stay alive.
*The Author won the 'Best Seminar Paper Award' of 'Nirvisha 2009', national seminar on Agadatantra
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