basis of all systems of scientific medicines in the world (1). Of these, the Sushruta Samhita is the most representative work of the Hindu system of medicine. It embraces all that can possibly appertain to the science of medicine (2).
Sushruta prior to Charaka:—The general consensus of expert opinion is to place Charaka prior to Sushruta in respect of time. But the Puranas unanimously describe Sushruta as a disciple of Dhanvantari, the first-propounder of medical science. The long compounds (samasas) used by him, the prose and metrical portions of the Sushruta after the models of Jaimini, Patanjali, and other philosophical writers who had adopted prose or metre according to the exegetic or rationalistic tenor of the subjects in their works, have all been cited to prove Sushruta a contemporary of the Darshanas, or of Buddha. But these may serve, at least, to fix the date of the recension by Nagarjuna, i.e., the Sushruta Samhita as we have it, but can never help to determine the chronology of Sushruta, the disciple of Dhanvantari "who was churned out of the primordial ocean in the golden age (Satya Yuga) (3). On the other hand, if
(l) A, "The great works of Charaka and Sushruta were translated into Arabic, under the patronage of Kaliph Almansur, in the seventh century. The Arabic version of Sushruta is known by the name of " Kelale-Shawshoore-al-Hindi." These translations in their turn were rendered into Latin. The Latin versions formed the basis of European medicine, which remained indebted to the Eastern science of medicine down to the seventeenth century."— History of the Aryan Medical science (Thakore Saheb of Gondal) P. 196.
B, For tljc indebtedness of Arabic school of Medicine to the works of Indian masters, see Puschmann P. 162.
C. BednVe. Book IV. Ch. IL 286—299. (2) Dr. Wise (Hindu system of medicine). Garuda PurSnam. Chip. 142, Vs. 5-6.
