The world's most complete Ayurvedic knowledge reference. Sourced from classical texts and official publications. Free. No ads. No affiliate links. No medical advice. No prescriptions.
Herbs
Six herbs with the deepest classical documentation — referenced across Charaka Samhita, Bhavaprakasha, and Ashtanga Hridayam.
Charaka Samhita documents Ashwagandha as a Balya (strength-building) and Vajikara (reproductive) herb. The name means 'smell of horse' — the root's scent, and the strength it was said to confer.
Charaka Samhita lists Haridra in the Lekhaniya (scraping) group. Sushruta Samhita documents its application in wound treatment. One of the most cross-referenced herbs in the classical texts.
Charaka Samhita classifies Tulsi as Hikkanigraha (hiccup-relieving) and documents it in formulations for Kasa (cough) and Shvasa (breathing conditions). Regarded as sacred in classical literature.
Charaka Samhita documents Brahmi in the Medhya Rasayana (cognitive rejuvenation) category. Bhavaprakasha prescribes it specifically for Smriti (memory) and Buddhi (intellect).
A compound of Amalaki, Haritaki, and Bibhitaki — documented across all three Brihat Trayi texts. Charaka Samhita records its classical indications for Vibandha and describes it as a Rasayana preparation.
Charaka Samhita classifies Nimba in the Tikta Skandha (bitter group) and documents its use across Kushtha (skin conditions) and Jwara (fever). Sushruta Samhita documents it in wound management.
Foundations
The five concepts that, once understood, make everything else in Ayurveda legible.
Not a wellness trend. Not alternative medicine. A complete system of knowledge about the human body, its relationship to nature, and how the classical texts document the conditions under which it remains in balance.
The three governing principles that the classical texts say determine constitution, function, and the direction of imbalance. Every herb, every formulation, every treatment in Ayurveda is understood in relation to these three.
Charaka Samhita documents seven constitutional types, each a different combination of the three Doshas. Prakriti is fixed at conception. Understanding it is the basis for all classical prescriptions.
Space, Air, Fire, Water, Earth. Charaka Samhita documents every substance in the universe — including the human body — as a combination of these five elements in different proportions.
Charaka Samhita. Sushruta Samhita. Ashtanga Hridayam. The three Brihat Trayi texts are the primary sources for every claim in this codex. What they say — and only what they say — is documented here.
Charaka Samhita states: "Agni is life itself." The thirteen types of Agni documented in the classical texts govern all metabolic transformation in the body — from food to thought.
Ashtanga — Eight Branches
Ashtanga Hridayam defines Ayurveda as eight distinct fields of knowledge, each with its own classical texts, practitioners, and body of formulations.
Internal medicine. The largest branch. The domain of Charaka Samhita.
Surgery. The domain of Sushruta Samhita — the world's earliest documented surgical text.
ENT, ophthalmology, and dentistry. The branch dealing with conditions above the clavicle.
Paediatrics, obstetrics, and gynaecology. Documented extensively in Kashyapa Samhita.
Toxicology. The classical documentation of poisons, antidotes, and food incompatibilities.
Mental health and psychiatry as documented in the classical system.
Rejuvenation. The classical documentation of longevity herbs, formulations, and practices.
Reproductive health and vitality. The eighth branch, documented in all three Brihat Trayi texts.
Brihat Trayi — The Three Great Texts
Three texts. Every herb, formulation, and remedy documented here cites chapter and verse.
The foundational text of Kayachikitsa (internal medicine). Eight sections, 120 chapters, documenting herbs, formulations, physiology, diagnosis, and treatment across the full scope of internal medicine. Attributed to the physician Charaka, redacted by Dridhabala.
The foundational text of Shalya Tantra (surgery). Documents 300 surgical procedures, 120 surgical instruments, and extensive materia medica. Attributed to Sushruta, a student of Dhanvantari. Recognised internationally as the earliest systematic surgical text.
Vagbhata's synthesis of Charaka and Sushruta, compiled approximately 600 CE. Six sections, 120 chapters. The most widely used clinical reference across the Ayurvedic tradition, notable for its precise versification and systematic organisation.
Official Directory
A complete directory of every licensed Ayurvedic manufacturer in India — sourced exclusively from the Ministry of AYUSH official registry and State Licensing Authority records.