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Vagbhatta - The Unique Compiler of Ayurvedic Texts - Dr. B S Mehta

Before the beginning of the Golden Age of the Guptas there were many great ayurvedic scholars such as Atreya, Dhanvantari, Sushrutha, Charaka, Bhel, Parasher, Kashyapa, Jivaka, and Lord Buddha (who himself was a great physician). Each of them wrote a treatise. At the time there were three famous universities, Taxila, Kashi, and Nalanda, and these too produced a large number of physicians, each of whom had their individual views.

Obviously, an array of schools of thought and an equally eclectic range of textbooks confused the students. They needed the knowledge in a concise and coherent form, and that is what (AD 575–606) says, there were eight books (texts) of medicine and Vagbhatta summarized them in a single whole.

We need to look at the early history of India during the pre-Gupta period – 220 BC and AD 200 to appreciate Vagbhatta’s contributions. After Alexander, a number of invaders attacked India: The Shakas, Huns, and Kushans pre-eminent among them. Around AD 115, the Shakas occupied a large part of Sindh province, which they called Indoscuthia. The Huns occupied the north-west provinces of India and a certain Banaspher ruled there as governor. Nags (Bharshivas) defeated the Kushan king Vasudeo I and established Shaivism as the state religion in AD 176. It was in AD 255 that the Chandragupta I (AD 255 – 324), followed by Samudragupta (AD 325 – 75). The third ruler Ramgupta (AD 375) was a cowardly king who ruled for a short period and offered his queen to the Shaka chief, and was eventually assassinated by his brother.

The fourth ruler was Chandragupta II (AD 375 – 413), who defeated the Shakas and came to be known as Shakari Vikramaditya. The dynasty continued with Kumargupta (AD 413 – 55) and Skandgupta (AD 455 – 67). During this entire period the Shakas and Huns continued their attacks and were repeatedly defeated. The western region of the country was in turmoil throughout the period. The next ruler Purgupta six rulers tried their skills, and eventually succeeded in defeating and ousting the Shakas in AD 532. The Gupta dynasty came to an end with Vajra Gupta (AD 545 – 60.)

The Vagbhatta family belonged to the Sindh province. As is the custom prevalent in some regions, the grandson is known by the name of his grandfather. We find Vagbhatta (the great great grandfather of Vaghbhatta II), whose son was Singh gupta (great grandfather of Vagbhatta II), whose son was Singh Gupta (great grandfather of Vagbhatta II), whose son was Vagbhatta I, elder; his son was Singh Gupta II who was the father of Vagbhatta II. Each of them was a famous physician.

Vagbhatta I probably lived in the reign of Samudragupta, studied Sanskrit and Ayurveda, and became a renowned physician. It appears that Vagbhatta I was taught by his father Singh Gupta and by the great Buddhist scholar, Avalokiteshwar. He is believed to have condensed the existing ayurvedic literature in his book, Ashtang Sangraha (eight-part collection.)

His son, Vagbhatta II, was born in AD 420 (I have arrived at this date on the basis of historical and literary evidence). Sindh was no place for scholars, yet Vagbhatta II stayed there for at least 36 years. He had a beautiful daughter, and when she was 16 or 17 years of age a Shaka chief of the Mihirgul group (may be Torman, though authors are not sure about this) became enamoured of her. He asked Vagbhatta to hand her over to him. When the father rejected the demand, the Shaka chief forcefully abducted her. Vagbhatta wept at his helplessness, but his brave daughter consoled him and said, "Don’t weep father. God was kind enough to give me this beauty but, due to the sins of a previous birth, I have to suffer this misfortune; so don’t be unhappy, I will face this fate." In despair and consumed with misery, Vagbhatta decided to move out of Sindh.

Chandragupta II had wiped out the Shakas from the Himalayan regions. Kashmir had become the land of learned men, and this was region where Charaka lived, so Vagbhatta decided to settle in Kashmir. He spent the rest of his life there and died in AD 508 during the reign of Vaishgupta. As is evident now, Vagbhatta II lived through the reigns of the last seven Gupta kings.

Vagbhatta II condensed the Ashtang Sangraha and compiled the Ashtang Hridaya (the eight-part gist, or the heart of ayurveda). A few scholars believe that Vagbhatta II was the author of both the books, writing Ashtang Sangraha when he came to Kashmir and Ashtang Hridaya when he was 66 years old (AD 486). When completing the last chapter he laments that Punjab and Sindh had become Shakadesha.

A disciple of Avalokiteshwar and Singh Gupta, Vagbhatta talks about his teachers but says nothing about his sons and disciples. Later literature however has a mention of his son, Tisat (who wrote Chikitsa Kalika), and his grandson, Chandrat, another famous scholar who corrected the manuscript of Sushruta Samhita in AD seventh century. Among his disciples, Indukar is famous. Indukar’s son Madhavkar is known in ayurveda for his great text Madhav Nidanam, the first book on ayurvedic pathology. A disciple, Jejjat, and even his followers built a reputation in the field.

What did Vagbhatta look like? Interestingly there is a poem that describes him: "A man with long and dense moustache, of dark skin, wearing wooden sandals, silken overall on his shoulders, a sacred thread on his body, and eyes tinted with collyrium".

Vagbhatta originally belonged to the Charaka school and believed in Bhagwat Dharma. To understand his philosophy we must know that Vaishgupta was a Shaivite but respected Buddhism and the Bhagwat Dharma. The ethos of the time was one of sarvadharma sambhav (equal respect for all religions). Vagbhatta does not name any god but prays to the almighty power. He says, "There is definitely an all-pervading power which looks after the welfare of all beings. You may call him Avalokiteshwar or Dhanvantari, but I bow to that all-compassionate power". Vagbhatta in Hridaya pays homage to all the masters of ayurveda such as Atreya, Sushruta, Charaka, Kashyapa, Nimi, Manibhadra Yaksha, Buddhist physicians, and at one place he bows to a Jain acharya.

He further says, "Kapha, pitta, vayu are three humors, some say oil, butter, and honey are their vehicles (pathya). But it matters little. Their good and bad effects do not change. Theories do not change their power, so one should rise above personal prejudices and rivalries and seek the middle path; seek the truth of nature".

He also says, "I am not a rishi (sage), I have only collected their wise words. It won’t serve any purpose to oppose their ideas"… "I am churning the ocean of ayurveda to bring out the amrita". The royal physician of Chandragupta tried to collect ayurvedic literature but was unable to prepare a compendium. It is to Vagbhatta’s credit that he was able to do so.

The Charaka school was existentialist and opposed Buddhism. Sushruta was a materialist and supported even atheists and was followed by the Mahayana school that introduced chemotherapy and was opposed by the Charaka school of herbal medicine. Vagbhatta says, "The prejudiced scholars, who study only old texts, can only collect a few facts". He not only collected the works of great authors but also studied them intelligently. He brings an accord between Charaka and Sushruta and thus breaks new ground. He refers to the Shakas and Huns when he says, "If great works fall into the hands of ignorant people, they will be destroyed".

Vagbhatta does not give much importance to aphrodisiacs, which held an important place in older literature. He supports the yogic ideal of indriya nigraha (control of the senses), and supports the Vedic ideals in social life. Those were the times of charvakians (epicureans), vajrayanis, lingayats, chemotherapists, and others. Vagbhatta believes that beyond this material body there is undoubtedly some indestructible element (atma or soul?)

We can see the Greek, Persian, Shaka, Hun, and Persian influences on Vagbhatta. He advises: "Take a daily bath, use aromatic scents, wear decent clothes, and do not look shabby". He talks about massage, wrestling, meditation, and anointment with pastes containing saffron and musk. He refers to the use of shoes and umbrella, drinks, scents, cosmetics, flowers, and talks about festivals and garden picnics. He is clearly of the opinion that the preparation, sale, and offering of and indulgence in wines is bad. He is opposed to nudism (a foreign influence; during the Gupta period we find that largely nude figures were shown enveloped by a fine transparent covering). Vagbhatta observes that celibacy is the ideal of Shiva and that it provides an individual with worldly and spiritual happiness.

An erudite scholar, he describes varieties of rice and salt. He discusses river water and the harmful effects of its pollution. He has his own opinion about trade, the sale of cotton textile, sugar, salt, etc., in foreign lands.

Vagbhatta talks about the auspicious and inauspicious; about good and bad omens. He says that when he decries any indecorous conduct, he does not desire to hurt the decorum of any religion. His religion is health. He classifies the age group of people: (1) up to 16 years, child; (2) up to 70 years, adult, (3) beyond 70, old. He firmly believes that salvation is not possible without health. He considers all natural products to be useful and to give some message about health, one must therefore know how to use various things. There is nothing that is not useful. He observes that every letter of the alphabet has the power of a mantra, every product has the power of a drug, every person has the capability to perform a job, but there is a dearth of people who can use these capabilities. As a good paediatrician, he describes the birth, naming ceremony, first cereal food, pricking of ears, diseases and treatment of children. He advises parents not to beat their children and not to inculcate the feeling of fear. Without giving much importance to the examination of the pulse of the patient, he asks to inspect, enquire, and palpate. He tells students that no one can become a good physician by memorizing the texts, and practical experience is important.

Though Charaka does not believe in ghosts, Vagbhatta does. He tells us that Shiva created five male and seven female protectors for his son Kartikeya, and that they are still alive. They trouble children, and from a careful analysis of these evils, one can recognize some of the childhood diseases such as rickets, use of infected milk, eye disease, thrush, etc.

Vagbhatta also deals with military medicine. In Kashmir, Vagbhatta was the chief executive officer for the inspection of food and drink. He advised many formulae of antidotes to combat poisoning. He tells us that medical camps should be situated in a high place, it should be well stacked with essential drugs and instruments, and that a flag should fly over the camp to enable it to be easily located. He makes many valid observations: "A wine prepared by a Shudra or by a Brahmin will have the same intoxicating effect. Whether one drinks in a yagyashala (holy place) or in a tavern, there will be no difference in the effect". He says that garlic from the Himalayan region and Shakadesha are more potent. Hingvashtak (as asafoetida churna, a famous product even today), is credited to him.

He says, " A nation is not bound by geographical borders, it is the cultural entity that forms a nation". He is for social integration. In nature nobody is high or low: everyone is a part of it. He does not quarrel with polytheism and monotheism (it is a personal choice, he believed). He advises people to give up orthodoxy and follow traditions for the welfare of everyone. He says, "Do not be greedy. Do not destroy flowers, because only then you can receive fruits. Nurture the plants with good behavior, then only you will get the juicy fruits of love. Do not be perturbed by profit and loss. Envy others in doing duty, but not in benefits. Love but without the foul smell of lust"

A very famous couplet in Sanskrit goes thus: ‘Madhava is best in pathology, Vagbhatta for sutra (sources), Sushruta is master of anatomy, and Charaka excels in medicine’.

What insight this fifth century scholar Vagbhatta had!

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