Acharya Madhavakara (आचार्य माधवकरः)
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One of the basic fundamentals of Ayurvedic knowledge is the “Nidana” aspect which means Diagnosis. Acharya Madhava wrote, “Rogavinischyay” which is one of a kind text which focuses on the “Nidana” (diagnosis) aspect, this is popularly known as “Madhava Nidana”. Progress in the diagnosis in the preventive aspect of modern medicine is rapid now which took a leap as recent as 50 years ago, but the basis of this belongs to the orally transmitted tradition of Indian medicine, Ayurveda. Acharya Madhava judiciously created Madhava Nidana covering major branches of Ayurveda like, Kaya Chikitsa(internal medicine), Shalya Tantra(surgery), Shalakya Tantra(Head, neck), Kaumara Bhritay(pediatric), Agada Tantra(toxicology and forensics) and etc. “Amavata” (which can be correlated to modern Rheumatoid Arthritis) and its detailed description is a prominent contribution of the author. The utility of this treatise is what makes it a competent inclusion in the “Laghu trayee”(the lesser trio) along with Bhavpraksha and Sharangdhar Samhita.
Period and History
Acharya Madhava or Madhavacharya lived around the 7th Century CE.
He was the son of Indukara, the kara is the suffix here, and they belonged to the “kara” family of physicians. Hence Acharya Madhava is popularly known as “Madhavakara” as well. (according to Vachaspati’s commentary on Madhav Nidana)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17333668/
He belonged to the” Vanga” region of Bharat Varsha which is present-day West Bengal, India.
https://www.japi.org/t2a4e4/madhavacharya
A historian named Vrinda Madhava who composed “Siddha Yoga Sangraha” lived around the 9th Cent CE and followed the work of Acharya Madhava in his work suggesting his existence before that period.
According to certain historians, the knowledge or information in Bharat Varsha took approximately 200 years to travel from one region to another, considering this fact, Acharya Madhava who lived in the Vanga region, and Acharya Vagbhata who lived in the Sindhu region must have experienced similar knowledge gap. Thus, Acharya Madhava lived in the Post Vagbhata era/period.
https://www.easyayurveda.com/2016/11/01/madhavakara-madhava-nidana/
Acharya Madhava wrote Madhava Nidana referring to Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, and Ashtanga sangraha as manuals and created his own unique work focusing on the “nidana” or the diagnostic aspects of Indian traditional medicine, Ayurveda.
Madhava Nidana
The treatise consists of 1530 verses divided into 69 chapters, describing 79 diseases in total
Other works
Madhava Chikitsa (which is a text principle on therapeutics is not accessible to read.)
and “Paryayaratnamala” are certain other works of Acharya Madhava.
https://www.japi.org/t2a4e4/madhavacharya
Commentaries
There are approximately 20 commentaries on Madhava Nidana, but the below two are the most popular and read one’s.
Madhukosha was written by Vijaya Rakshita and Shrikantha datta
Vachaspati wrote Atankadarpana
These are both Sanskrit commentaries.
https://www.japi.org/t2a4e4/madhavacharya
Translations
Madhav nidana is translated in all major Indian languages (Hindi, Marathi, Oriya, Bengali and etc) along with English, Italian, Arabic, French.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17333668/