Acharya Sharngadhara (आचार्य शार्ङ्गधरः)

Acharya Sharngadhara is not only known as a Physician but a pharmacist and a well-known poet. He is the author of a highly referred treatise of Ayurveda named as Sharngadhara Samhita (शार्ङ्गधरः संहिता).

परिचयः॥ Introduction

Charaka Samhita (चरक संहिता) , Sushruta Samhita (सुश्रुत संहिता), and Ashtanga Hriday/Sangraha were the three voluminous texts in Ayurveda. These 3 primary treatises are known as Brihatrayee meaning the greater triad or trio. These treatises were a little bit complicated and large for Ayurveda practitioners in later time, thus compiling a more simplified text started becoming popular during the later Era. Thus, there was the creation of laghutrayee (लघुत्रयी) which means the smaller or the lesser trio which included Shrngadhara Samhita, Bhavaprakasha, and Madhavnidana. Acharya Sharngadhara wrote Sharngadhara Samhita referring to the Brihatrayee, and wrote by simplifying the fundaments while sticking to the core principles. The motto of Acharya Sharngadhara was the application of certain fundamentals in Ayurvedic practice.

इतिहासः॥ History

Acharya Sharngadhara (आचार्य शार्ङ्गधरः) was the son of Damodar (दामोदरः) and the grandson of the well-known poet Raghavdev (राघवदेवः). Raghavdev was a poet in the court of the King of Hammir Naresh (हम्मीर नरेशः) and his guru as well, during the 13^th cent CE. He wrote the famous “Mahaganapati Stotra” (महागणपतिस्तोत्रम्). King Hammir ruled over the country named “Shakambari“ (शाकंबरी). Even today, there are temples of Shakambari Devi in today’s Haryana State.

According to Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum, Acharya Sharngadhara wrote 2 treatises,

1. Sharngadhara Samhita and
2. Sharngadhara Paddhati.

Sharngadhara Paddhati was written around the 14^th cent CE whereas Sharngadhara Samhita was written around the 13^th cent CE.

Acharya Sharngadhara lived around the 13^th Cent CE with his two brothers Lakshmidhara and Krushna.

According to certain historians, there is mention of,

• An Astrologer named Sharangdhar
• A philosopher named Sharangdhar
• And also, a playwriter named Sharangdhar.

Sharngadev

According to certain historians, there was a scholar named Sharangdev, who was also known as Sharangdhar, he might be the author of Sharangdhar Samhita and Sharangdhar Paddhati. He was son of “Sodhal”

Sharangdev also authored “Adhyatmavivek” and “sangeet Ratnakar”.

He was an excellent physician and a poet. He was also a chief accountant in the court of King Singhan. Later, his kingdom was ruled by King Mahadev, and “hemadri” and “bopadeva” were in his court and also happen to write commentaries on Sharangdhar Samhita. Considering Sharangdev, Hemadri and Bopadeva served the same kingdom during different time periods, historians claim that Sharangdev could be Sharngadhara Acharya who wrote Sharandhar Samhita referring to his father’s treatise “Gadanigraha”.

योगदानम् ॥ Pioneering work done by Acharya Sharngadhara

Sharngadhara has done pioneering work in many sections of Ayurveda.

1. Acharya Sharangdhar described Naadi pariksha in detail which is the Ayurvedic fundamental way of examination of a patient with the help of a Radial pulse.
2. He classified seasons according to the constellations.
3. Acharya Sharangdhar explained in detail about the “Aushadhi sevana Kala” which precisely means the time of drug administration according to certain factors.
4. Acharya Sharngadhara shed light on Bhaishajya Kalpana which is precisely Ayurvedic Pharmaceutics. Panchakarma preparations and Ayurveda anatomy and Physiology.

शार्ङ्गधरः संहिता ॥ Sharngadhara Samhita

Acharya Sharngadhara has clearly mentioned his name as well as his family background in this treatise. Sharangadhara has also stated the purpose of his work in the beginning of the treatise. He has mentioned that Sharangadhara Samhita is created with the concept of simplification of Ayurveda treatises and clarification on certain aspects like pharmaceutics.

Sharngadhara Samhita consists of 3 sections, 32 chapters, and 2600 verses.

Sections	Chapters
PurvaKhanda (पूर्वखण्डः)	7 Chapters (Explains Anatomy, Physiology, Naadi pariksha, Number of diseases, etc)
MadhyamaKhanda (मध्यमखण्डः)	12 chapters (medicinal preparation types, tablets, oils, etc.)
UttaraKhanda (उत्तरखण्डः)	13 Chapters (Panchakarma, general hygiene, etc)

टीका ॥ Commentaries on Sharangdhar Samhita

1. Adhamalla (आढमल्लः) wrote “Dipika” (दीपिका)
2. Kashiram Vaidya (काशिराम वैद्यः) wrote “gudardha dipika” (गूढार्थदीपिका)
3. Rudra Bhat (रुद्रभट्ट) wrote “Ayurveda Dipika” (आयुर्वेद दीपिका)
4. Bopadeva (बोपदेवः) and Hemadri (हेमाद्री) also wrote commentaries on Sharangdhar Samhita