Roots of Ayurveda : Selections from Sanskrit Medical Writings

Ayurveda, the ancient art of healing, has been practiced in India for over two thousand years, and survives today as a living medical tradition whose principals are at the heart of many of the complementary therapies now used in the West. This 'science of longevity' has parallels with Buddhist thought, and advocates a life of moderation through which the three humours of the body will be brought into balance. The practical advice offered here ranges from the benefits of garlic therapy to prayers for protection against malevolent disease deities, from surgical techniques to exercise regimes, and from the treatment of poisons to the interpretation of dreams. The writings selected for this volume are taken from the Sanskrit medical texts written by the first Ayurvedic physicians, who lived between the fifth century BC and the fourteenth century AD. Dominik Wujastyk's authoritative translation is fresh and contemporary in feel, revealing Ayurveda as a timeless tradition.

Dominik Wujastyk is associate curator for South Asian collections at the Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine at University College London. He has taught Sanskrit grammar and literature as well as the history of classical Indian medicine and science.