Clinical Anatomy in Ayurveda

by Suresh Chandra and Dinkar Govind Thatte

Authors realized the need to write a book on Clinical Anatomy in Ayurveda, when they were involved in teaching Anatomy to the post graduate students of Sharir Rachna at state Ayurvedic College, Lucknow. They not only felt the need to write this book but also felt nice to write a book on the subject. Having realized this fact, they started tracing the insight vision concerning Clinical Anatomy available in Ayurvedic literature like that in Charaka, Sushruta, Vagabhat and Sharangadhar Samhita. They succeeded in their attempt and could find out rich subject matter concerning clinical anatomy in Sanskrit quotations mentioned in these texts. Though in many diseased conditions Nidan and Samprapti have been elaborately discussed based on Tridosh theory. But the detailed change in the structural pattern of Anatomy involved in the disease has not been highlighted. Therefore authors have made strenuous efforts to correlate the effects of vitiated Dosh on the diseased organs and their neighbouring structures. Therefore every Ayurvedic professional must know something about the anatomical changes or variations, which follow the process of samprapti before and after the onset of Roga (Disease). He should also know what changes have actually happened at the anatomical level before he plans Chikitsa of a Chikitsa Purush. Because of these lacuna in the knowledge, authors resolved to write this book not only for graduates or postgraduates students but also for Ayurvedic clinicians.  Authors are happy to present this book in the hands of Ayurvedic scholars and hope that the book will prove most useful.  The present book is the most exploring book on the human anatomy from Ayurvedic point of the view while correlating the same with the modern knowledge acquired over the period of time. The book is one of the most delightful treats for an inquisitive mind wishing to understand the anatomy of the human body with the deep rooted knowledge as described in Ayurvedic texts by great scholars of all times including Sushurta Samhita Charak Samhita, Ashtang Hridaya and others. This book is an earnest attempt to explore the knowledge to its deepest origin based on the principle of believe in what you see or in other words how Ayurvedic scientists look into the body, what they conceived, perceived and observed. The author has critically taken not of all the descriptions and after correlating the same with his own experienced acquired over five decades of his association with Ayurveda and has tried to present the most impartial and acceptable view regarding the mysteries of human body. The whole book has been prepared on the basis of different disciplines of human anatomy such as Garbh Sharir, Sira Dhamni Sharir, Srotas Sharir, Asthi Sharir, Marma Sharir, Peshi Sharir, Indriya Sharir, Tantrika Sharir, etc. This chapterwise description is again important for graduate and postgraduate level scholars of Ayurveda. From the examination point of view of the book covers the syllabus approved by the Central Council of Indian Medicine, Delhi and a number of other Universities and Colleges imparting the education in the faculty of Ayurveda.  Attempt has been made to provide a systematic stream of knowledge which may be able to develop scientific intent in the minds of the readers.  The author feels that with the changing global scenario and transformation of the world into global village, it becomes imperative to come up with an authorartive text on Ayurvedic, which may be able to provide opportunity to those coming from non-Hindi speaking regions of India as well as from abroad. Understanding of human anatomy is the very basis for initiating a study into any healthcare system. Ayurveda is no exception, however there has been an earnest requirement for providing a good Ayurvedic text book on human Anatomy with pictorial presentation. The present book fills the void.

About the Author:

Prof. Suresh Chandra is a Professor and Head of the Post Graduate Department of Rachna Sharir at State Ayurvedic College, Lucknow since last four years. For more than last twenty five years he has been teaching subject of Sharir to the student's in wide range of Government Ayurvedic Colleges of Uttar Pradesh such Government Ayurvedic College, Gurukul Kangri, Hardwar, and Government Ayurvedic College Atarra (Banda) and now at Lucknow. He received M.D. (Ayurveda) Sharir degree from Lucknow University, Lucknow in the year 1982. He has many valuable papers to his credit, which have been published in National Journals of Ayurveda. He also presented most laudable scientific papers in different scientific seminars and workshops organized by Ayurvedic Institutions of the country. Prof. Suresh Chandra is recipient of the prestigious late Bhaskar Govind Ghanekar "Best Sharir Teacher" award of the country and also late Laxmi Bai Thatte "Best M.D. thesis:" award from All India Sharir Research Institute, Lucknow. He has been honoured with a title of "National Dissector" in Dissection Methodology Training Programme organized by All India Sharir Research Institute, Lucknow. He possess skilled hand for meticulous cadaveric dissection. He is supervisor of number of M.D. and Ph.D. thesis and also expert member and examiner in Universities of India.

Prof. D.G. Thatte is a retired professor Sharir and Additional Director of Ayurvedic and Unani education Govt. of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow. He has been teaching the subject of Sharir (Human anatomy and physiology) for the last forty year. He received his bachelor's degree in Ayurveda from Faculty of Indian Medicine, Lucknow University, Lucknow in the Year 1957 with a Gold Medal Immediately after his completion the job of House officer and R.M. officer, he was appointed as Demonstrator in anatomy at State Ayurvedic College, Lucknow. He rose to the level of Professor and Head of the Post Graduate Department of Sharir at State Ayurvedic College, Lucknow and then as Principal cum Superintendent of the College. Finally he retired as Additional Director of Ayurvedic and Unani education Govt. of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow. He also got an opportunity to work as Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Ayurvedic, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. Presently he is Guru of Sharir Rachna at National Ayurveda Academy (Rashtriya Ayurveda Vidyapeeth) New Delhi an Undertaking of Govt. of India, New Delhi.  He is first founder President/Director of "All India Sharir Research Institute" Lucknow and still holding the same responsibility. He has been honoured by Rashtriya Ayurveda Vidyapeeth as "Ratna Sadasya" for his laudable services for Ayurveda. He has received number of prestigious state and national awards for his contribution in the filed of Sharir. He has written more than a dozen of original books concerning Sharir.  Professor Thatte, has also been awarded the certificate of "Excellence in Ayurveda" by the Ayurveda Academy, Pune and "Life Time Achievement Award" by National Intergrated Medical Association U.P. State Branch at Aligarh. He has authored more than a dozen of original books concerning Sharir, which are most useful for Under Graduate and Post Graduate Scholars of Ayurvedic College of India. These books have been recognized by the Central Council of Indian Medicine New Delhi, as Text books and reference books.  Above all, he loves his students for upgrading their academic standard and also providing them prestigious jobs in the renowned Ayurvedic institutions of the country. He has organized number of valuable workshops and presented scientific papers in the seminars organized b many universities of the country as well as abroad at the Global level. His contributions have increased awareness and great passion amongst Graduate and Post Graduate scholars for learning and getting more and more knowledge of Ayurvedic Sharir.  Recently he has been honoured by Honourable Minister of Human Resources Development, Govt of India, New Delhi, for his classical work titled "Adhunatan Sharir Samhita" in Sanskrit and Hindi version published by Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan-Deemed University, Govt of India New Delhi. His one more book titled "Surgical Anatomy in Ayurveda" is under publication.