Charaka Samhita

The Charaka Samhita (Sanskrit: चरक संहिता, romanized: Caraka-Saṃhitā, lit. 'Compendium of Charaka') is a Sanskrit text on Ayurveda (Indian traditional medicine), attributed to Charaka (c. 1st–2nd century CE) and later revised by Dṛḍhabala. It presents theories of physiology, diagnosis, anatomy, and tridosha (three humors of the body), and is considered one of the most authoritative texts on Indian medicine. Along with the Sushruta Samhita, it is one of the two foundational texts of this field that have survived from ancient India. It is one of the three works that constitute the Brhat Trayi.

The text is based on the Agnivesha Samhitā, an older encyclopedic medical compendium by Agniveśa. It was revised by Charaka between 100 BCE and 200 CE and renamed Charaka Samhitā. The pre-2nd century CE text consists of 8 books and 120 chapters. It describes ancient theories on the human body, etiology, symptomology and therapeutics for a wide range of diseases. The Charaka Samhita also includes sections on the importance of diet, hygiene, prevention, medical education, and the teamwork of a physician, nurse and patient necessary for recovery to health.