Literature Research

The study of literature and its revival is an important background material for planning research programmes. Their relevance in respect of Ayurveda and Siddha is further enhanced due to the non-availability of sufficient amount of oriental literature. Many of these extinct treatises are available in the form of manuscripts in different Museums of the country as well as in private possessions.

The Council has diverted it resources to scrutinise, microfilm, make copies, to edit and publish them suitably. There are certain books available in regional languages and efforts are in progress to make them available in the form of Sanskrit/English editions.

A brief report of the literary research work conducted under Ayurveda & Siddha is given below:

Ayurveda

I. Outcome of the Projects Functioning Between 1970-74

• Literary Research Unit, Varanasi : This unit under Vd.V.N.Dwivedi compiled a catalogue of Ayurvedic books relating to 653 titles held in the Varanaseeya Sanskrit Vishwa Vidyalaya, Varanasi with the aim of knowing the magnitude of unpublished books on Ayurveda.
• Literary Research Unit/Source Material Collection Unit, Jamnagar: This unit under Prof. V.J. Thakkar initiated the publication of the Astanga Samgraha originally conceived at the Source Material Collection Unit, under Vd.V. Narayanaswamy at Chennai. Besides the above, literary aspects of the clinical research methodology, obtainable in Brahattriyee, Kashyapa Samhita and Bhel Samhita were also studied.
• Collection of Source Material Unit, Patna: This unit under Vd. R.R. Pathak collected some references on the philosophy of Ayurveda
• Source Material Collection Unit, New Delhi: This unit under Vd. Hari Datta Shastri prepared details of different commentaries of Charak Samhita (Published as well as unpublished).
• Source Material Collection Unit, Berhampur (Orissa): This unit under Kvj.A.T.Sharma compiled details of references on Ayurveda obtainable in Valmiki Ramayan and helped brought out Ramayan Mein Ayurveda.

II. Literary Research Unit (Ay.), THANJAVUR

The Department of Health, Govt. of India during 1964-65 established this unit at the Saraswati Mahal Library, Thanjavur with the aim of revival of basic source materials on Ayurveda and Siddha. This unit, which was taken over by the erstwhile CCRMH in 1969-70 compiled/published the following 10 classical books of Ayurveda:

1. Bhel Samhita of Bhel (Published)
2. Bhesaja Kalpa of Bhardwaja (Published)
3. Netra Prakasika of Nandi Keshwara (Published)
4. Shatshloki of Abhidhan Saraswati (Published)
5. Dhanvantari Sarnidhi of Maharaja Tulaja (Published)
6. Nanavidha Vaidyam (Skt.) of King Tulaja (Published)
7. Kaumartantram (Skt.) of Ravana (Published)
8. Netra Roga Nidanam (Skt.) (Published)
9. Ashwa Cikitsa of Shalihotra (Published)
10. Sabhendra Vaidya Ratnavali (In process at Chennai based on Sarbhendra Vaidya Muraigal of Sarfoji Thanjor Maharaja-II (Published).

Besides the above works, following are also under compilation/translation:

• Rasa Raja Lakshmi of Vishnu Pandit (14th century A.D.).
• Pathyapathya Vibodh of Kaideva
• Cikitsa Amritsagar of Devidasa
• Astanga Hridya of Vagbhatta

Incidentally, it is mentioned that Rasaraj Lakshmi of Vishnu Pandit who flourished in 14th century and is cited by Chudamani, author of Rasakamadhenu, Upadhyay Madhav, author of Ayurveda Prakash and, of late, by Vd.Hariparpan Sharma Sastri, author of Rasayoga Sagara, is of great historical value.