Sushruta Samhita

Along with the slightly earlier Charaka
Samhita, one of the two major sources
for the Indian medical tradition known
as ayurveda. Underlying ayurveda is the
theory of the three bodily humors—vata
(wind), pitta (bile), and kapha (phlegm).
Each is composed of different elements,
and although everyone has all three
humors, their varying proportions are
used to explain differing body types,
metabolic dispositions, and personalities. The cause of disease is an imbalance of these humors—whether
caused by environmental sources or
personal habits—whereas the state of
this equilibrium is the state of health.
The Sushruta Samhita has been edited
and translated into various languages,
and served as a source for secondary
studies, such as Debiprasad Chattopadhyaya, Science and Society in Ancient
India, 1977.