Dalhana and His Comments on Drugs

by P. V. Sharma

Dalhana is immortal by his single monumental work, the commentary on the Susruta Samhita known as Nibandha Samgraha. Nibandha Samgraha compiles views of a large number of authors and commentators and critically analyses them to arrive at a logical conclusion hence the title is quite meaningful.

Dalhana was a versatile scholar and as such has contributed in discussing various allied topics which leads to clear understanding of the basic concepts. His outstanding contribution is picturesque interpretation of drugs mentioned in the Susruta Samhita.

The commentator belongs to the early medieval period and as such gives valuable information on the cultural condition of his times. The present work is the first of its kind which inaugurates the critical study of the commentaries on the ancient texts of Indian medicine which, apart from being a faithful guide to understand the ancient compendium, presents a rich panorama of cultural data which may be helpful in proper historical understanding.

About the Author:

Prof. Priya Vrat Sharma, the editor-translator of this text, is well known for his valuable contributions in the field of Ayurveda. During the last four decades he has written on various aspects of Ayurveda-literary as well as scientific, conceptual as well as historical. Born on 1st November, 1920 in a small village (Mustafapur) near Patna, the ancient Pataliputra, in the family of traditional Vaidyas. School career in Vedarata Vidyalaya at the home village.

University career in Ayurvedic college of Banaras Hindu University. Graduated in Ayurveda in 1940. Also did M.A. in Sanskrit and Hindi and Acharya in Sanskrit Sahitya later on. Teaching career started in 1946 as Professor and alter Vice-Principal in Ayurvedic College, Begusarai (Bihar). In 1953 appointed, as lecturer in Ayurvedic College, B.H.U., in 1956 took over as Principal, Govt. Ayurvedic College, Patna and Superintendent indigenous Medicines Bihar. In 1960 appointed as Dy. Director of Health Services (I.M.), Bihar. In 1963 joined as Professor of Dravyaguna in P.G. Institute of Indian Medicine, B.H.U., and also worked as officer-in-charge and later as Director of the Institute and Dean, Faculty of Indian Medicine.

Prof. Sharma has been participating in international conferences on human sciences and has been associated with several committees on Ayurveda on National level. He has authored about two dozen books and has published about 300 papers and articles. He has also edited a number of Sanskrit Medical Manuscripts which were hitherto unknown in the Ayurvedic world.