In Hindu mythology, many stories and incidents reveal that the sainya-chikitsa (treatment of the army in the battle field) or chikitsa (treatment) was in a developed state in the Vedic era. As described in Rig- Veda, many examples unveil that the medical attendants of gods, Aswini kumars performed many breathtaking surgeries, and they were considered experts in body (limb) implants.
The examples of implantation of steel legs in the place of broken legs of Visakha, the daughter of King Ravel, implantation of a horse's mouth in the place of Dadhichi's head, and again replacement with original ones, make it evident that sainya-chikitsa was very well developed.
Atharva-Veda, Kaushik-sutras, Ramayana, Mahabharata and Harshabharit, etc. have descriptions about the well-equipped medical attendants in the army quarters.
In Artha-sastra (treatise on economy) by Kautilya, there is a discussion about the medical attendants who possessed yantras (medical-equipment), sastra (expertise), agada (poison), aushadha (medicines), sneha (love), vastra (clothes), parichaarak / parichaarika (nursing orderlies) to cure and heal the sick and the wounded
Sushrut Samhita:Dhanvanthari, the king of Kashi, taught the theory and practice of Ayurveda to several sages that approached him for treatment of diseases they were afflicted with. The compilation of his teachings is Sushrut Samhita.
According to him, Ayurveda is a part of Atharva-Veda. It is divided into eight branches, namely, Shalya, Shalakya, Kaya-chikitsa, Bhoot-vidya, Kaumar-bhrutya, Agada-tantra, Rosayan-tantra and Vasikaran-tantra.
Ayurveda is primarily meant to rescue from disease and to maintain good health.
The purpose of Ayurveda, according to Dhanwantari, is to know by which life is present, by which one can get long life (ayu), by which one can get knowledge of life and to generate an attitude to think on ayu (life).
Charaksamhita:Of all the treaties available on Ayurveda, Charaksamhita is the best even today. It encompasses the details of the precious principles (elements) about Ayurvedic therapeutics (Chikitsa-Vijnan), and is the only work which covers Ayurveda comprehensively. Charaksamhita also has the aggregation of the contents of the Sankya, Yoga, Nyay, Vaisheshik, Vedanta and Mimansa, given in the form of verses, in relation to therapeutics. It is said that Chraksamhita is the tree, which contains branches of all sciences.
Ayurveda in India:Ayurveda is, thus, an ancient Indian medical science, the origin of which can be traced to the Vedas. It is a holistic healing science, which comprises two words Ayu and Veda, literally meaning the science of life. Ayurveda is, thus, a science dealing not only with treatment of diseases, but is also a complete way of life.