Maharshi Charaka – Contributions and Legacy of the Author of Charaka Samhita

Maharishi Charaka is one of the most renowned figures in the history of Indian medicine. His work is a foundational text that greatly influences our long-standing traditional approach to disease prevention and healthy lifestyle. Charaka's teachings combined rational analysis, philosophical depth, and a holistic vision of health—ideas that still influence our approach to a healthy life. 

Origin Story of Maharishi Charaka

Charaka is believed to have lived between 100 BCE and 200 CE, although the exact period is debated. Although no biographical details like birthplace or lineage are definitively known about Charaka, he is linked with the Atreya school of medicine, which traces its knowledge back to the sage Atreya Punarvasu. 

The name "Charaka" is believed to mean "wandering scholar" or physician, suggesting a tradition of travelling healers. It is known that sages and physicians in ancient India travelled to gain and share medical knowledge. Rishi Charaka is sometimes identified as the court physician to the Kushan emperor Kanishka in traditional belief. 

In the classical period, Ayurveda developed into distinct schools of thought. Two major lineages emerged: the Atreya school of medicine and the Dhanvantari school of surgery.

The foundational texts of Ayurveda were produced by these schools, notably the Charaka Samhita from the Atreya tradition and the Sushruta Samhita from the Dhanvantari tradition. Later, around the 5th century CE, the physician Vagbhata compiled the Ashtanga Hridaya, the third major text in Ayurveda's classical canon.

Scholarly Contributions

1. Charaka Samhita

Maharshi Charaka is credited with compiling and expanding upon the Agnivesha Tantra, an earlier text authored by Agnivesha, a disciple of Atreya. This edited and revised version became known as the Charaka Samhita. The text was later completed by Dridhabala, who added seventeen additional chapters. 

The Charaka Samhita begins with a tribute to Atreya and traces Ayurveda’s origins to divine revelation from Brahma, passed down through sages. This text contains 120 chapters divided into eight sections:

1. Sutra Sthana – General Principles and Therapeutics

2. Nidana Sthana – Pathology

3. Vimana Sthana – Diagnostics and Investigation

4. Sharira Sthana – Anatomy and Embryology

5. Indriya Sthana – Prognosis

6. Chikitsa Sthana – Treatment

7. Kalpa Sthana – Pharmacy

8. Siddhi Sthana – Procedures and Clinical Success

Charaka Samhita

Charaka’s text outlines four essential components of medical care: the physician, the patient, the nurse, and the medication. It also categorizes different geographical and ecological zones—jangala (dry), anupa (wet), and sadharana (mixed)—and discusses how these influence the local flora, fauna, and medical resources.

2. The three Doshas 

Charaka explained the concept of tridosha: the three primary functional energies or principles in the body: 

(1) Vata (movement), 

(2) Pitta (transformation), and 

(3) Kapha (lubrication and stability). 

Doshas originate from how body tissues interact with food, influenced by its taste, energy, and digestion. Each person has a unique dosha mix (prakriti), shaping their body, mind, and health tendencies. When doshas stay balanced, a person stays healthy; imbalance leads to illness. Factors like food, stress, and environment can disturb this balance, but it can be restored with proper care.

3. How does the body work?

Charaka also presented early theories of digestion, metabolism, and immunity. He was among the first to describe ojas, the essence responsible for vitality and disease resistance. His ideas on individual constitution and food-based health are similar to many concepts in modern medicine. He also recognized microorganisms (krimi) as potential causes of disease, distinguishing between visible and invisible agents.

He wrote extensively about anatomy, including embryology (development of a baby in the mother’s womb), organ functions, and bodily channels (srotas). He listed 360 bones in the human body, including teeth—a count based on Vedic-era anatomical understanding. He described the heart as the control centre, connected to the body via 13 main channels, which carried nutrients and waste. Obstruction of these channels, he said, led to disease.

Legacy and Recognition of Maharishi Charaka

Charaka emphasized rational diagnosis, lifestyle-based healing, and the importance of preventing disease through deep understanding. As we move today towards individualized medicine, two thousand years ago, Charaka propounded the importance of a customised approach to every individual patient, as well as the roles of diet and mind in health. 

When European medical theories were still emerging, Charaka had studied and described blood circulation and diseases which in modern times are known as diabetes, tuberculosis, etc. His work influenced generations of Indian physicians and formed one-third of Ayurveda’s Brihat-Trayi, or “Great Trilogy”, alongside the Sushruta Samhita and Ashtanga Hridaya. 

Charaka’s teachings laid the foundation for preventive and holistic healthcare, leading him to be honoured as the “Father of Indian Medicine". Many Ayurvedic colleges, hospitals, and pharmaceutical products are named after him. Charaka Samhita is still a core textbook in Ayurvedic education. To honour Acharya Charaka’s contributions as a revered physician and sage, the Ayurveda fraternity celebrates Charaka Jayanti on the fifth day of Shukla Paksha in the holy month of Shravana.