Abstract

Dr. Abhishek Singh* and Dr. Asha Thapliyal

ABSTRACT

Ayurveda is a comprehensive health science dealing with its own fundamental principles. To understand these fundamental principles, Acharyas adopted several methods to make common people understand the Shastra(science). The main purpose of Ayurveda is to maintain the health of the healthy individual and treatment of the diseased individual. Charaka Samhita is the oldest and the most authentic treatise on Ayurveda and is the ancient medical science. The whole Charaka Samhita is divided into eight Sthana. Among them Sutra sthana is described first. The Sutra possessing such a broad speculum are collected to comprehend the Samhita or Tantra. But the essence of the Samhita is extracted in its Sutra sthana only. Among the eight Sthana, Sutra sthana serves as the brain of the whole treatise because it governs and represents other Sthana also. Thus, it is also known as Slokasthan.[1] The Sutra Sthana is (First section on fundamental principles) deserves the same place as the head deserves in the human body.[2] This important section lays the foundation for the whole Samhita by describing the basic principles. The word Sutra literally means a short sentence which has deep meaning. The Sutra Sthana consists of thirty chapters, grouped into eight logical contexts. The first seven Chatushka (or tetrads, i.e., groups of four), while the last one is a a group of two chapters (sangrahadvaya).