The Legacy of Susruta

by M.S. Valiathan

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Susruta’s name is synonymous with India’s surgical inheritance. A legendary figure, he is believed to have lived and taught in Varanasi several centuries before the Buddha, and composed the Susruta Tantra which became a timeless medical classic. Though the original text was lost long ago a redaction by Nagarjuna survived as Susruta Samhita and won universal acclaim. The Samhita is a study of the human condition in health and disease with undisguised emphasis on surgery, and rivals Caraka’s classic in authority.

In The Legacy of Susruta, the text of Susruta Samhita has been recast in a thematic fashion without sacrificing any of the content of the original chapters. Furthermore, it presents much of the data in tabular form, and features many tables and illustrations in an effort to reach out to readers who may include not only students of ayurveda but also of modern medicine, biological and social sciences and the history of science.

About the Author:

Marthanda Varma Sankaran Valiathan, more commonly known as M. S. Valiathan, is an Indian cardiac surgeon and a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. Valiathan received his initial medical education in India, and specialized training in cardiac surgery in UK and USA. His medical interests have spanned the fields of pediatric cardiac surgery, tropical heart muscle disease and development of cardiovascular devices.

He is former Director of the Sri Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences, Thiruvananthapuram and former Vice Chancellor of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (Mahe). He was invited to deliver the Hunterian Lecture at the Royal College of Surgeons of England in London.