Eight Parts Of Ayureda
Ayurveda is a vast science so for convenient study of Ayurveda, it is divided into eight branches, which are collectively called as Ashtang Ayurveda. The eight branches of Ayurvedic science are as follows :
- Kayachikitsa (Internal Medicine)
- Shalya chikitsa (Surgery),
- Bala chikitsa- (Pediatrics),
- Graha chikitsa- Bhoot Vidya (Psychiatry)
- Urdhvanga chikitsa-Treatment of eyes, ears, nose, throat and head,
- Damstra chikitsa- agad tantra or (Toxicology),
- Jara chikitsa-Rasayana (Gerentorology),
- Vrishya chikitsa (vajikarana) (Aphrodisiacs)
- Kaya means the living human body, which includes body and mind both. It includes both, the visible body as well as the subtle body. In Kayachikitsa that is medicinal branch includes all the diseases situated in the body like fever, etc.
- Bala-chikitsa is that branch of Ayurveda, which deals with children. The diseases suffered by children and the treatment given for curing is Bala-chikitsa.
- Graha chikitsa bhoott vidya is that branch or subdivision of Ayurveda and mainly deals with the management of psychological disorders of human beings produced as a result of invasion by some evil spirits.
- Urdhvanga means the organs situated above the neck and the treatment of eyes, ears, nose, throat and head is Urdhvanga chikitsa or shalakya.
- Shalya chikitsa is the branch of ancient Indian surgery that describes in detail about the pre-operative procedures, general procedures, post-operative procedures, marma’s (vital points) and also about anesthesia. The description of the types of bandages, shastra (sharp instruments), yantras (blunt instruments), and sutures (stitches) has been described in this surgery.
- Damstra chikitsa toxicology or agad tantra is the branch including the science of poisons.
- Jara chikitsa rasayana or the rejuvenating therapy is the therapy, which, promotes rejuvenation in a healthy person and cures the disease of a diseased person.
- Vrishya chikitsa(vajikarana) or (Aphrodisiacs) is the branch of ayurvedic treatment, which includes drugs that are mainly used for improving fertility. They serve as good aphrodisiacs and induce an immediate sense of pleasurable excitement, along with increased fertile seminal secretions even in an ageing person. These drugs also increase the strength and stamina of the person. All this is included in Vrishya chikitsa.