Sie sind auf Seite 1von 6

Bull. Ind. Inst. Hist. Med. Vol. XX pp.

1 to 6

AVURVEDASARA OR VIRABHATIlvA
OF REVANASIDDHA

B. RAMA RAO*

ABSTRACT

Ayurvedasara or Virabhattiya is a work on salient features of Ayurveda


and is written by Revanasiddha. Copies are available in Madras, Mysore.
Hyderabad and Delhi. No details of the author are available. Revanasiddha
was one of the Pranacharyas of Virashaiva cult and was known to be an expert
in mantra, yantra and rasayana. Revanasiddha kalpa. Rasadarpana and Rasa-
rajalakshmi are also attributed to Revanasiddha. There are no evidences to
establish the identity.

The work is in five chapters and the copy in Adyar Library. Madras
has one more chapter. The work deals with desha (region) desha (hurnour )
rasa (taste) classification of diseases, karrnavipaka, desavayunirnaya, effects of
vitiated humours. and signs anrl symptoms of certain ai Iments. The work
mentions the names of some authoritative texts and authors. They include
Rasarnava, Bahata. Nagarjuna, Yamala, Rasadarpana etc.

Since the copies in Mysore are on palmleat. it may not be later than
17-18 c. Though the work mentions some tantra works. it does not contain
any tantric material except nadivijnana. The author may belong to 16-17 c.

The manuscript under description and legible. The work is in 44 pages


is with Vaidya Vedantam Ananta- and the remaining several pages are
charva of Nujividu in Krishna district blank.
of Andhra Pradesh. The work is in a
small bound note book of ruled pages Name of the book and author:
and written on both sides. The size The Colophons at the end of the
of the note book is 10.2 X 16 ems. chapters mention that the work is
Each page contains 18 Jines excluding Virabhattiya (hereafter VB) or Avur-
the page title and each line has about vedasara (AS) by Revanasiddha (RS).
12 letters. The hand-writing is good The colophon runs as below:

• Assistant birector, Dr. A. L. Research Centre for Ayurveda, Madras.


2 Bull. Ind. Inst. Hist. Med. Vol. XX

"Iti Revanasiddha Viracitayam Avur- Sarvalokahltarn." The colophon and


vedasara Virabhat ttva nama .. " This the beginning and ending verses
also suggests that Vlrabhat t lva suggest that the work may be different.
may be a part of a bigger work called This manuscript in Devanaqari script
Ayurvedasara. is incomplete and contains only one
chapter, that too incomplete. Another
Other Manuscripts: copy of the manuscript is said to be
The Aufrecht's Catalogus Catalo- preserved in the Documentation and
rJorum does not have any entry of the Publication Division of CCRAS, New
two titles or of the author. The new Delhi,
Catalogus Catalogorum of University
of Madras does not mention AS or The manuscript in Adyar library,
RS. Avurvedasara by Acyuta, is Madras has been perused. The manus-
entered, as mentioned by Niscalakara. cript which was traced and given for
AS is also mentioned as another study was not the original manuscript
name of Vaidyakapaddhati by Ka~ina- listed in the catalogue. It is a copy
tha. The volumes of letters 'ra' and of the original manuscript. This was
'va' are not yet published for referring copied by N. Ramachandra Bhatt in
RS and VB. But on approaching per- 1940 in Devans qari script from the
sonally the Editor and Staff*'" were original manuscript bearing No.8 J 57.
kind enough to furnish information The last few peges contain Telugu
from the material of New Catalogus and Tamil notes on the preparation of
Catalogorum. VB and RS have only certain medicines. This material is
one entry of the copy in Adyar library. also copied in Devanaqiri script. The
The Adyar Library, Madras has one original manuscript was not made
manuscript with the title Virabhat tlva. available for comparison which would
The Oriental Institute, Mysore has have helped checking certain words
two works of Revanasiddha but they and clarifying some doubts. This
could not be perused. The information copy has one additional chapter-
available in the Descriptive Catalogue chapter 6 - which is absent in the
of manuscripts of that Institute Nujividu copy. The contents of other
suggests that one copy with the title chapters in both these copies are
Virabhatt iva may be identical to the same. except few variations here and
copy under study. Another work, there and some additional verses.
though by Revanasiddha, is listed The Nujividu manuscript was copied
with the title Sarvalokahita. The by Vedantarn Kutumbaramacharvutu
colophon runs "lti Revanasiddhavira- of Balliparru (Village) Post: Pamarru, .
citayam Vlrabhat t ivanamankitam Gudivada Taluk, and Krishna district
**Grateful acknowledgements are due to the Editor and staff of New Cat. Cat. University of Madras
for their cooperation.
Avurvedesere of Revanasiddha-Rama Rao 3

(Camp at Tadikonda of Guntur taluk). Revanasiddhakalpa is available in


The copying was completed on Oriental Research Institute, Mysore.
17.9.41. The dates of completion of This is incomplete and treats yantras,
the copying of Chapter I and Chapter mantras and rasavanas, Another
IV are given as 31.8.41 & 39.41 manuscript with the same title by a
respectively. This shows that the Jain author is also available in the
scribe had very leisurely copied this, same Library. Another book ascribed
since the whole manuscript could to Revanasiddha is also said to be
have been copied in a single day. available in Sarangamatha at Kapadi
Sanqam. There are no evidences to
The scribe of the copy in Adyar establish that the RS, author of Ayur-
Library, Madras appears to be Vais- vedic work is same as the author of
nava. since at two places in this copy the other Ayurvedic and saiva works.
the word 'vlsnu' is substituted in
place of "deva", Authors and works quoted:
After making obeisance to Lord
Revanasiddha and his identity: Dhanvantari, the God of medicine,
Prof. P.V. Sharma has mentioned the book gives the 'form' of physician.
the works on Rasag<'istra called The form of physician has three heads,
Rasadarpana and Rasarajasfrornanl three eyes, six arms, four faces and
attributed to Revanasiddha. This eight legs. These are described as
information is based on the list follows:- Kalvana (7) Bhevajakaloa
supplied by A. Siddhinandan Mishra and Dravvasuddhi are the three heads.
of Varanasi. * There are no evidences Sutrasthana. Nidana and Sarira are
to identify all these Revanas and fix the three eyes. Cudarnani, Ka~ali,
their time. Prof. K.R. Srikanta Murthy Candraja, Karmaka, Nagarjuna, Kri-
has kindly passed on the following sheya are the six arms. Caraka,
information on Revanasiddha. Reva- Sakhara, Sakta. Yamala are four faces.
nasiddha or Hevanacarva was one Rasarnava. Bahat a. Vasisrha, Virabha-
among the Pral)acaryas of Virasalva t taka, Rasaputra, lndtasara. Sutraja,
sect. He is said to be of divine Yusrna are eight legs. In the above
descent and to have lived about some words are not clear and some
1082-1167 AD. He was an erudite appear to be works and some others
scholar and an adopt in mantra, to be authors.
ventra, and rasavana and is said to After describing this, seme more
have written books on these subjects. authorities are listed under the head-
*This however. appears to be not only based on his list; works from some other lists are also
included in it. Rasapradipika of Mangalagirisurin finds place in it. while this was brought to the
notice of Ayurvedic world by this author based on the manuscript available in APOM Library,
Hyderabad.
4 Bu/!. Ind. tnst. Hist. Med. Vol. X X

ing matabhedas i, e. differing authe n- Some names of the above list


tic views. The following are included. are common in South India and are
Hasamava. Bahata. Parijata, Karmukhi, referred to in many works, manuscripts
Nagarjuna, Kapali, Darnodara. Rasa- and inscriptions. Sutrasthana, ~arira,
putra, Indrasata, Sutataja, Yusmini, Nagarjuna, Bbesajakalpa and Sanqraba
Kalvana. Bhesajakalpa, Sutrasthana. have been very popular.
Sanqr aha, Somaparita, Vibhra (7)
Sarira, Virabhat t aka, Sadyadi (7) Date:
S,ii.kteya, ~akhara, Sornanatha, Maha- There are no evidences available
astra, Nandinatha, Rasendra, Asyi- to decide the date. Even the manus-
neya, Ciic.lamal).i,Candrajnana, Krsne- cripts are also recently copied. The
yam Vasistha. Kalvanakaraka, Caraka, two manuscripts in Mysore are Palm-
Yamala and Hasadarpana. leaf manuscripts and hence may be
considerably earlier than the two
All these appear to be the name's' 'presented now. Even if the condition
of either authors or works which were of the manuscripts is good, they may
popular and authentic during the time not be later than 17th and 18th Cen-
of the author. The list appears to be tury and the author may not be later
one prepared at random. It is doubtful than 17th C. The identity of Revana-
whether the author Revanasiddha had siddha, author of other works men-
seen all the works listed above. It fs tioned, can be made only after
studying and comparing them. Though
also significant that Susruta, Kasyapa
the work includes some tantric works
are not mentioned. The inclusionof
under the authoritative texts men-
Yarnala. Sakteya which are tantra
tioned, it does not contain any
works indicates the relationship of
material of tantra nature except the
tantra branch to Ayurveda duri'ng
nadivijfia na. A work attributed to a
medieval period.
Siddha without much tantric practices,
Inclusion of Virabhattak~ 'is int~- suggests that the author or the com-
pilation may belong to 16th, 17th
resting. No other work with the
centuries. The study of aII the other
name Vlrabhatt iva than the one under
manuscripts may throw further light
description is known. Why the author on the identity and date of Revana-
named his work as Virabhat tiva siddha.
knowing that a work was already
existing by the same name. is unex- Contents: The work is divided into
plainable. The name Avurvedasara five chapters and it contains a total
can be justified with its meaning and number of 244 verses. The sixth
suits the work; but the name Virabha-
t t iva. suqqestinq that it is composed
chapter of Adyar manuscript contains
by Virabhatta is also difficult to 120 verses. The topics dealt with are
explain. .. given below:
Ayurvedasara of Revanasiddha-Rama Rao 5

Chapter I : Bhisaklaksanam, Mata- dasas. Pindavardhanavidhi, purusa-


bhedah, persons who are not to be sm. vuqalajfianalaksanam, The ma-
treated and are to be treated; three nuscript in Adyar Library has an
types of desa (region) dosas and additional chapter.
r asas and their relationship, sarira
nirnava, Chapter VI : This is comparatively a
big chapter with 120 verses. This
Chapter II: Classification of diffe- deals with the following:
rent diseases; Karrnavidni (Karma-
vipaka). Sonitavata laks ana ; dhanurvatalak ..
sana, ast arasanam narnani, jvaropa-
Chapter III : Dasavavunlrnava, effects dravah, suddhalanqhana gUl)iiJ:!.
of the vitiated vavu and other atilanqhitalaksana: langhanavarja-
humours. laksana, apathvani, santatajvaralak-
sana. jvaralaksananirnavakrama.
Chapter IV : Niidisiistra. aqniprarnana, jirnalaksana. prasnti-
vatalaksana, dehalaksana. and nadi-
Chapter V: Miscellaneous - A'ita- nidanarn.
• I ~ J~!!?.lt t~~~J~~ ,L.e L L -,L.e 9 L ~1!!:I!!: H.£l~.E:L~ H~.E:L

I U~~hj ,L~~~.lt~ tftltJ.lt !!:k~jl~ t1\ g~ ~:ELJ~J~ ~ ~l~12j tg1l:!bJJh~ ~


.Et~~£: I!!: ~l~.E:L - k~~ §~ ~ l~.E:l .lt~ bj.l2h , t~!£.lt t~,L~~t!!?21~ ~ t2~J~~

:l.e IH-,L.e L L ~n .l!lLl!!:~ ~t~ Lb .lib-~l~ ~nQj./:}Qbdj Ll}t~ t!!?.lt~

I ~ Q~jl1:tj.lt2jln~~ .llip2.ltL'~l1n '~~1.l!1~ '~:g~

'12!n1.ltL
~~~J ~ tt.l! !z~J tit ltl~ ~ kLl!!?h~ft .e ~:tG~ft.!l?lnjJhJS
@.<~ ~.lt~ I ~

~l.nj.el.n~~ ~ l.l213j1n2
!!:~.l£1.tG~1211\./:}
~ lb~ QbJt~Js ;.I2!n~j~J12.lS~
'!!:Jb.Ej!t!!:

'lnl!!:!,.l!12l~ :l.l!~'.lt~ 'bt2 '~~ ~ ~J~.lt~ I ~ !£13j.l2.121.12~~


!!:ll ~.I%£:'~

~ .ltl~l1 h~J!!:Q~1Hn1~ QJJst~ t!!:.1%~


IhQ ~ hlhg~ .E:!b ~ ~J~ .lt~

I ~ ~~ .n~~b£: .lliJ.l:tJs
~~ ~L~ Jt.l%jl.:'£.lt~ I ~ t~U!: ~Ut EH~.E:L

~ ~.ltJ~12~ tit t.l::t:il~En.ltl 12 lnp2.1%L'M1iJt.ltj~12~ I ~ .\El~~1~ ~ b~ ~

~b~J2j ~ ~hlln .e ~h I ~Q ~.e l.tG~~ !!:ll ~ ~ ,lhl.E:ll.nJ./:}


~ n12Jsili 12~1lJ2

Jt.ltj.l:!.E~I J~~hj :l~~lLVt~ ~~ ~ hb12j ~ ~1~1~.E:~~.lt~ I ~ 13~~h£:~ t~:g~

Ih~ 21~11~~ 'll"..lt-!t'.I%J~h!hQJJs l!!:lt~ I ~ Jtajl:!.e~ mnjE:l ~1:t~ 1~ ~ ll:!l:L

t~l.e~l!!: ~21bQjJS I!!: l1tsb ~h'/:} ~ 2!2h1!£ ht~itlt!2 112b!£LJ.lt2~hl1~

)all u:tn. 'l.l!-

hl~itHla
v ~
If:td£ 11J:t~lanl~
~
~~ ]:J:tl~l:l
~,

JS~ll.lt

XX '/011 'paw '}$/11 'lSU/ 'pu] '/lng 9

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen