Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S
Shastra means science. For example, Ayurveda is also called as Ayurveda Shastra i.e. Ayurveda science.
Ayurveda also means literature, book or treatise.
Each branch of Ayurveda is a Shastra by itself. Example, Acharya Sushruta has used the word ‘asmin shastre’ at some instances which means ‘in this science’. ‘This science’ in that context means ‘in this shalya shastra or surgical science’.
So, the word Shastra should be contextually understood. It may be more general or more specific.
Eka Shastra (one science) vs Bahu Shastra (many sciences)
Acharya Sushruta stresses upon one (physician in this context) to know and learn many Shastras rather than limiting himself to one particular shastra. The idea is to have expansive knowledge. Here, probably he meant to say that in spite of him giving very much importance to Shalya Shastra, the science of surgery, he was open enough to advise his students to refer to the other branches of Ayurveda and tap the knowledge from them. Example, for a surgeon, the knowledge of Kaya Chikitsa is essential because the principles of treatment explained in Kaya Chikitsa are applicable for all the other 7 branches of Ayurveda, including Shalya.
Even in modern day Ayurveda academics, we see that a teaching institution / Ayurveda schools or colleges will have different departments. But the knowledge of each department is related to the knowledge of the other department. One needs to forgo his ego and tap the knowledge of the other department for progressive development of the science. After all, they are the kids of the same mother. Example, A Kaya Chikitsa department which deals with generalized medicine would want the help of Bhaishajya Kalpana department for formulating and designing a medicine and also for the methodology of its preparation. Bhaishajya Kalpana department might need the help of Dravyaguna department to identify the right herb.
Anya Shastra
Here, we need to understand the word ‘Anya Shastra’ also.
For Ayurveda, taking the meaning of Shastra in a broader way, the other contemporary sciences might have been Shastra. In ancient times, the Darshanas – philosophical sciences, Jyotishya Shastra – the astrological / astronomical science etc. which were developing parallel to Ayurveda might have been considered as Anya Shastra.
Speaking from the perspective of today’s Ayurveda, the anya shastra for us will be other contemporary medical sciences like Allopathy, Homeopathy, Unani, Siddha Medicine etc. We see that the Ayurveda curriculum has amalgamated the knowledge of other medical sciences into Ayurveda. While we read Sushruta Sharira for understanding Ayurveda Anatomy, we also go through the modern anatomy books including dissection manuals for conducting dissection. Ayurveda students read many books of modern medicine for clinical diagnosis along with Madhava Nidana and other treatises to learn Ayurveda ways of diagnosis. The amalgamation is healthy and helps in not only learning the aspects of other sciences but also to expand the knowledge and keep ourselves updated. The comparative and correlative studies will also help in better interpretation and also in research works.
Bahu Shastra
According to Sushruta / Divodasa Acharya, it is good and preferable to know many shastras, accept and understand the knowledge from various contemporary sciences, but without damaging the soul of one’s shastra while respecting and guarding the same.
Ref – Sushruta Sutra Sthana, Chapter 4, verses 7-9 (Su.Su.4/7-9)
Let us have a look into the Related reference now.
Bahu Shastra Jnana – best way of learning
भवन्तिचात्र:-
एकंशास्त्रमधीयानोनविद्याच्छस्त्रनिश्चयम्॥
तस्माद्वहुश्रुतःशास्त्रंविजानियाच्चिकित्सकः॥७॥
शास्त्रंगुरुमुखोद्रीर्णमादायोपास्यचासकृत॥
यःकर्मकुरुतेवैद्यःसवैद्योऽन्येतुतस्कराः॥८॥
औपथेनवमौरभ्रंसौश्रुतंपौष्कलावतम्॥
शोषाणांशल्यतन्त्राणांमूलान्येतानिनिर्दिशेत्॥९॥
Some Verses here
The master says –
If the person (student) has studied only one science, he or she will not be able to arrive at a correct decision about any aspect. The knowledge will be unclear and incomplete. The bottom line is, with such knowledge, one would be unable to understand even the basics of that science which he has studied. This means to say that, to understand the basics of your science properly, you need to understand and have the knowledge of other sciences also.
It is therefore very important that the physician / student should know and understand many other sciences also and not limit himself to only his science.
In the same context, the Acharya says, ‘The student should first learn his science from a teacher following which he should be constantly engaged in summarizing, revising and reviewing the same. After this he should constantly practice medicine with the theoretical and practical knowledge he has gained. Only then he will be entitled to be called as a physician. All others will be entitled as imposters.
The treatises that have been written by Aupadhenava, Aurabhra, Sushruta and Puskalavata are considered as the remaining sources of the knowledge of Shalya Tantra (surgery).
The other angle
Here, we get another perspective. The ‘other shastra and all shastras’ can also mean accepting or referring to different authors and teachers of the same science or branch immaterial of the timeline of the scriptures.
Example, as mentioned above, Aupadhenava, Aurabhra, Sushruta etc. are contemporaries and have documented the knowledge of Shalya Shastra in their own way of understanding. They are also anya shastras. For those who follow Sushruta’s treatise, that written by Aupadhenava or Puskalavata may become ‘anya shastra’. There is no harm in referring to the books penned down by other authors. We have seen that by doing so, the information available in one treatise may be available in an expanded and clearer way in the other treatise. Or, the portions of information about something missing in one shastra may be available in the other shastra. This multi-shastra reference will also serve in adding to the information while compiling about a topic. This will give a broader vision and perspective to a shastra as a whole or portion of shastra specifically.
This can be applicable to the treatises written over a period of different generations. Example, we can get different perspectives of understanding the concept of dosha or agni by reading Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita and Ashtanga Sangraha or Hridaya, which were written at different time periods. The understanding of these and many other topics may give a different perspective when we refer to all these treatises and we may also get a different direction and dimension for the same. This will help in the evolution of Shastra. We can see footprints of Charaka and Sushruta in Ashtanga Hridaya or Samgraha which follows the ‘culture of bahu shastra’.
Finally, not to miss out on the precious and invaluable work done by our Tikakaras – commentators, over a period of time. Time and again, they have kept interpreting the Shastra and refining and returning them by adding ‘that generation specific thought process and perspective’ to the shastra or portions of shastra and made concepts ‘easy to understand’ that too ‘without damaging the originality and soul of Ayurveda’.
This is a thankless job and I would dedicate this article to Acharya Chakrapani, Acharya Dalhana and many other commentators who have not only commented on the portions of the related Samhitas on which they were working, but also have included the opinions of other acharyas in their work.
We can see that the modern-day commentator Acharya Gangadhara, in his Jalpakalpa Taru has interpreted Master Charaka, Master Chakrapani and also his own commentary on the treatise. He too has followed the multiple-shastra culture.
In Madhava Nidana treatise, we can see that each chapter has shlokas – verses from different Samhitas. In Madhukosha commentary of the same treatise also we can see the same ‘bahu-shastra-culture’.
Summing up,
Ayurveda has so much in its core and the references and perspectives are so diverse. The diversity has followed the timeline of evolution of Ayurveda in a healthy way. We should be broad minded enough to travel through the timeline of the knowledge of shastras to-and-fro, back and front to understand and interpret Ayurveda in its best and truest form.
Bahu Shastra Jnana is the call of the day.
