Cakradatta: A Treatise on Principles and Practices of Ayurvedic Medicine

Cakradatta or Cikitsasangraha of Sri Cakrapanidatta (11th Cent. A D) is an authoritative work on Ayurvedic Medicine dealing exhaustively and lucidly with principles and practices. It has remained, for the last about 2000 years, a popular handbook for the physicians of Ayurveda and a source-book for the later compilations on Medicine. Though Cakradatta followed Vrnda he excelled the latter by adding many single drugs and compound formulations particularly the mercurial compounds which are absent in Vrnda’s work. This clearly draws a line between the ancient and the medieval periods the Cakradatta being the first representative work of the latter. Thus the Cakradatta is not valuable only for its contributions in medicine but also as an important historical landmark. In past years a number of Sanskrit works in Ayurveda have been translated into English but so far no work was available on Ayurvedic Medicine. This edition serves this purpose and has been intended for those who are interested in Ayurvedic Medicine, its principles and practices, and are curious to know more in this subject. In 79 chapters this book covers almost the entire field of Ayurvedic Medicine including Pancakarma and its preparatory methods. Besides, venesection, surgical operations and medicaments in diseases of eye, ear, nose, throat, mouth and teeth are also described. Thus the book will serve not only as a faithful guide for Ayurvedic practitioners but also as important material for research for modern physicians and surgeons.