Significance of Chatuska Methodology of Charak Samhita - A Literary Review

Abstract

The Caraka Samhita the best and superior text of Chikitsa, is the store of pearls, which needs a polish just to prove its significance and utmost importance in today’s context, in order to earn the profit of perfect management. The baseline survey of Catuskas is conducted which revealed the facts that the Chatuska Methodology, the unique contribution of Caraka, as the building block of Sutrasthana. Catuskas act as the directory, which collects the verses as important as Mantras sorting them in seven subjects and making them easy to remember. The Catuskas are designed in particularly aiming to the fulfilment of the Ayurveda Prayojana Dvaya - Swastharaksana and Vikara Prasaman this base was found for the division of Chatuska. The Slokasthana is explained as head or Uttamanga of the text. In this verse the Catuskas are donated as Madhura = Maha + Artha. The Maha and Artha both terms elaborates the vitality of Catuskas more than that the Artha is a synonym of heart this word appropriately narrates the exact position and importance of Chatuska in Samhita. These Catuskas are as the heart of the text providing the nourishment to rest of Samhita. The Catuskas are not just presenting a unique scribing methodology but are the evidences of the practical approach of Caraka Samhita as a text of Kayacikitsa School of thoughts.