{{Short description|Sanskrit medical text}} {{Infobox book | name = Bhela Samhita | author = Bhela | title_orig = भेलसंहिता | orig_lang_code = sa | title_working = | translator = K.H. Krishnamurthy | country = Ancient India | language = Sanskrit | subject = Internal medicine | genre = Samhita | pub_date = c. 7th century CE or later | native_wikisource = भेलसंहिता }} '''Bhela Samhita''' (IAST: Bhela-saṃhitā, "Compendium of Bhela") is a Sanskrit-language medical text from ancient India. It is known from an incomplete {{circa}} 1650 CE manuscript kept at the Sarasvati Mahal Library in Thanjavur, and a c. 9th century fragment found at Tuyoq. Quotations in other works suggest that an older version of the text, possibly composed during 400–750 CE, existed.
Much of the text is in form of a dialogue between sage Atreya and his pupil Bhela, the author of the text. It shows many similarities with the ''Charaka Samhita'', another text of the Atreya school, but it also shows some similarities with the ''Sushruta Samhita'' of the Dhanavantri school.
== Authorship ==
The text is primarily in form of a dialogue between the sage Atreya{{efn|The text calls Atreya by several names, including Atreya Punarvasu, Chandra-bhaga, Chandrabhaga Punarvasu, and Krishnatreya.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=14}}}} and his pupil Bhela (also called Bheḍa). However, several other people also talk to Atreya in the text, including:{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=14}}
* the royal sage Nagnajit, who asks Atreya questions about detecting poison in food * Gurdalu Bhekin, who asks Atreya about medical topography * Sushrotar Medhavin, who describes the treatment of the dosha-related disorders * Several sages (including Khandakapya and Maitreya) talk to Atreya on the topic of tastes
In the text, the dialogue between Nagnajit and Atreya takes place during Atreya's visit to Gandhara.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=14}} Based on the text's mention of Gandhara, some scholars theorize that Bhela was from Gandhara. However, R.S. Singh theorizes that Bhela was from western India, based on an analysis of vegetables used for preparing medicines mentioned in the text.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=22}}
== Date ==
Multiple sources, including the Thanjavur version of the ''Bhela Samhita'' mention Bhela as a pupil of the ancient sage Atreya. Plus, Bhela is mentioned in ancient texts such as the Bower Manuscript. This suggests that Bhela was regarded as a medical authority in the ancient period.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=23}}
Modern scholars date the Thanjavur manuscript to c. 1650, and the ''Bhela Samhita'' version represented by this manuscript was probably completed in the 7th century CE or later, as suggested by internal evidences.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=24}} Unlike the ''Charaka Samhita'' and the ''Sushruta Samhita'', it has not been revised by later authors.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=14}}
Tisata's ''Chikitsa-kalika'' (10th century) contains a recipe attributed to Bhela; this recipe is very similar to the recipe described in the Thanjavur manuscript, although the wording is somewhat different. This suggest that the ''Bhela Samhita'' text represented by the Thanjavur manuscript was not very different from the one known to Tisata in the 10th century. The Thanjavur version contains several quotes attributed to Bhela in ''Jvara-samuchchaya'', whose oldest manuscript dates to 924 CE.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=23}}
Sodhala's ''Gada-nigraha'' (c. 1200 CE) describes the formula for a medicine called ''dhanvantara-ghrta'', attributing it to Bhela; the Thanjavur manuscript refers to this medicine twice, but does not provide the actual formula. This suggests that a more complete version of ''Bhela Samhita'' existed around 1200 CE.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|pp=22-23}}
An earlier form of the text probably developed sometime during 400–750 CE. The ''Bhela Samhita'' refers to several practices that originated in the Gupta period, such as chanda-karman and the worship of Shiva on a cremation ground.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=24}} The original ''Bhela Samhita'' was not identical with the Thanjavur text, as suggested by several quotations. For example, on the topic of applying enema to children, the ''Kaashyapa-samhita'' (possibly c. 7th century{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=41}}) attributes an opinion to Bhela which disagrees with the Thanjavur text.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=23}}
Bhela's text is probably not much earlier than the ''Sushruta Samhita''.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=24}} While the ''Charaka Samhita'' refers to the ''Bhela Samhita'',{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=16}} the Thanjavur version was probably composed after Dṛḍhabala redacted the present-day version of ''Charaka Samhita''.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=24}}
The Bower Manuscript attributes three gruels to Bhela. Eleven more prescriptions mentioned in the Bower Manuscript also appear in the Thanjavur manuscript of ''Bhela Samhita'', although not attributed to Bhela; these may have derived from earlier works that are now lost.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=23}}
== Contents ==
''Bhela Samhita'' is a medical treatise that primarily deals with internal medicine (''kaya-chikitsa''). The text mainly consists of shloka verses in anuṣṭubh metre, and only the ''Sharira-sthana'' part contains prose passages.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=13}}
The ''Sutra-sthana'' section of the text lists its contents as follows:{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=13}}
{| class="wikitable" ! Section (''sthana'') ! Number of chapters ! Chapters surviving (partial or complete) in the Thanjavur manuscript |- | ''Sutra-sthana'' | 30 | 4–23, 25–28 |- | ''Nidana-sthana'' | 8 | 2–8 |- | ''Vimana-sthana'' | 8 | 1, 3–6 |- | ''Sharira-sthana'' | 8 | 2–8 |- | ''Indriya-sthana'' | 12 | 1–12 |- | ''Chikitsa-sthana'' | 30 | 1–28 |- | ''Kalpa-sthana'' | 12 | 1, 3–9 |- | ''Siddhi-sthana'' | 12 | 1–2, 4–8 |}
Some features of the text include:{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=17}}
* It names four categories of living beings: placentals, oviparous, germinating, and moisture-born (''svedaja'').{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|pp=18-19}} * It states that the main task of a physician (''kaya-chikitsaka'') is to treat the disorders of the "digestive fire" (''kaya-agni''), which is located in the abdomen, and whose size depends on the body size of the animal{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=18}} * Its list of internal and external organs differs slightly from the ''Charaka Samhita'', and it names the ''rasa'' (nutritive fluid) as the most important constituent of the body.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=19}} Its description of the heart is similar to that of the ''Sushruta Samhita'',{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=17}} and it states that according to Parashara, the heart is the first part of the embryo to develop.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=18}} It also discusses other concepts in physiology, such as 8 types of sweat.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=17}} * It contains general advice regarding diet. For example, it describes 12 types of wholesome food articles; advises people against drinking water before or during a meal; and advises against eating a fish called ''chilichima'' in combination with milk.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=17}} * It states that the mental state of the parents during the sexual intercourse determines the nature (''guṇa'' - ''satvika'', ''rajasa'', or ''tamasa'') of a child.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=18}} * It discusses a wide range of disorders. Examples include various types of diarrhea (including the ones caused by fear and grief),{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=20}} fainting and sleep-related disorders, including hypersomnia and insomnia etc.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=21}} * It discusses a wide range of causes of the disorders, such as abnormalities during pregnancy; constipation; bile; improper administration of emetics and laxatives, five causes of baldness and grey hair etc.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=17-18, 21}} * It describes 20 kind of parasites (''krmi'').{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=18}} It describes rainy season as dangerous, stating that there is a high incidence of disease during it.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=17}} * It rejects the claim that supernatural beings cause epilepsy, and instead states that an epilepsy attack is caused when one or more ''doshas'' obstruct the veins leading from the heart to the mind.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=18}} * It rejects the claim that supernatural beings cause insanity,{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=18}} instead attributing it to a gradual process in which the doshas progressively affect the various parts of the mind, including the ''manas'', the ''chitta'' and the ''buddhi''. It also discusses other mental disorders that may develop into instanity.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=20}} * It describes many drug formulae and therapeutic rules.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=21}} It also mentions religious elements while describing treatment of fevers, such as invoking of deities like Vishnu and Shiva, and chanting of Vedic mantras. It also discusses fevers in animals other than humans.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=19}} * It mentions spirit possession (''bhutonmada'') while discussing insanity, but does not give much attention to the topic. It states that the physicians should focus on prescribing drugs, and the religious treatment should be left to exorcists (''bhuta-vaidya'' or ''bhuta-chikitsaka'').{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|pp=19-20}} * It lists 16 deities that preside over the functions of the body and the mind: Agni, Prithvi, Apah, Akasha, Vayu, Vidyut, Parjanya, Indra, Gandharva, Mrtyu, Aditya, Chandramas, Tvastar, Vishnu, Prajapati, and Brahma. This list does not match with a similar list in the ''Charaka Samhita''.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=19}} * It discusses the transmigration of the soul.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=19}}
=== Comparison with the ''Charaka Samhita'' ===
The ''Charaka Samhita'' refers to ''Bhela Samhita'',{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=16}} and the two texts are similar in many ways:{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=13}}
* They agree on several topics, suggesting that they both belong to the Atreya school.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=16}} * The name of the sections (''sthana''s) and the number of chapters in each section is exactly same.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=13}} * Several chapters in the two texts have same or similar names.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=14}} * The chapters in both texts begin in same way.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=13}} * Both texts (as well as the ''Sushruta Samhita'') feature discussions among sages. For example:{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=14}} ** Both texts feature a discussion between sages on the topic of tastes, which takes place in the Chaitra-ratha forest. In both cases, Atreya rejects seven different opinions and expresses what he calls the correct view. Unlike the ''Bhela-sahita'', the ''Charaka Samhita'' attributes these seven opinions to particular persons.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=14}} ** Both texts feature a discussion on which part of the embryo develops first: the views expressed in the ''Bhela-sahita'' and the ''Charaka Samhita'' are very similar, and disagree with the view of the ''Sushruta Samhita''.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=14}}
However, the ''Bhela Samhita'' also differs from the ''Charaka Samhita'' in several ways:
* It is more concise and uses simpler language than the ''Charaka Samhita''.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=13}} * Its chapters end differently, with the phrase ''ity āha bhagavān Ātreyaḥ''.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=14}} * While some of the content in the two texts is similar, there are substantial differences. For example, the ''Vimana-sthana'' sections of the two texts differs considerably.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=15}} * It contains considerable similarities with the Dhanavantri school represented by the ''Sushruta Samhita''.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=13, 23}}
== Manuscripts ==
Only one pre-modern manuscript of ''Bhela Samhita'' with substantial content is known. It is kept at the Sarasvati Mahal Library in Thanjavur, and several copies of this manuscripts have been made,{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=13}} such as the one at the India Office Library.{{sfn|C.R. Sarma|B. Rama Rao|1980|p=7}} The Thanjavur manuscript is missing several chapters or portions of chapters, and the surviving chapters are not arranged in the proper order. It has several scribal errors, and the Sanskrit text is often grammatically incorrect. Several other copies of this manuscript have been prepared.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=13}}
A fragment of ''Bhela Samhita'' survives as one page from a paper manuscript found at Tuyoq, dated to c. 9th century. It was discovered by Indologist Heinrich Lüders among a collection of manuscripts brought to Europe by archaeologist Albert von Le Coq.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=13}} It contains parts of the ''Nidana-sthana'' Chapter 1 and the ''Vimana-sthana'' chapter 1.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=15}}
The surviving text known from the Thanjavur manuscript appears to be different from the original text that must have once existed.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=14}} This can be inferred from the fact that later authors often quote Bhela, but only a few of these quotations are present (some partially) in the Thanjavur manuscript text.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|pp=22-23}}
According to Lüders the Tuyoq fragment represents a more original version of the text. The ''Nidana-sthana'' section of both the ''Bhela Samhita'' and the ''Charaka Samhita'' discuss eight major diseases, seven of which are same. The Thanjavur manuscript of ''Bhela Samhita'' discusses the ''kāsa'' disease instead of the ''rakta-pitta'' disease discussed in the ''Charaka Samhita''. However, the Tuyoq fragment discusses ''rakta-pitta'' instead of ''kāsa''.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|p=15}}
== Critical editions ==
Several editions of the text have been published, all based on the Thanjavur manuscript:
* Edited by ''Mahamahopadhyaya'' Ananta-krishna Shastri and Asutosh Mookerjee; published by the University of Calcutta (1921). Shastri was a scholar of Sanskrit, but not of Ayurveda. He corrected some grammatical mistakes in the original text, but omitted some portions of the manuscript.{{sfn|C.R. Sarma|B. Rama Rao|1980|pp=7-8}} * Edited by ''Vaidya'' Girija-dayal Shukla; published by the Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office, Varanasi (1959). This edition was apparently based on the Calcutta edition, and not the original manuscript.{{sfn|C.R. Sarma|B. Rama Rao|1980|p=8}} * Edited by ''Vaidya Visharada'' V.S. Venkata-subramanya Sastry and ''Vaidya Visharada'' C. Rajarajeswara Sarma; published by the Literary Research Unit of the Sarasvati Mahal Library / Central Council for Research in Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (1977). This critical edition is based on a fresh study of the manuscript, and corrects several mistakes in the earlier editions.{{sfn|C.R. Sarma|B. Rama Rao|1980|p=7}} * Edited by Priyavrat Sharma with English translation and commentary by K.H. Krishnamurthy published by Chaukhambha Visvabharati (2000)
== Legacy ==
A number of historical Indian texts on medicine quote from or refer to the ''Bhela Samhita'', including the text of the Bower Manuscript and the ''Charaka Samhita''. ''Bhela Samhita'' is one of the sources for the Persian-language text ''Ma'din al-Shifa'' (1512), and Ibn Sina may have also been aware of it. The Tibetan tradition refers to Bhela as a medical authority by the name Gzins-can.{{sfn|G. Jan Meulenbeld|2000|pp=16-17}}
== Notes == {{notelist}}
== References == {{reflist}}
=== Bibliography === {{refbegin}}
* {{cite journal |author1=C.R. Sarma |author2=B. Rama Rao |title=A note on the New Edition of Bhela Samhita |journal=Bulletin of the Indian Institute of History of Medicine (Hyderabad) |volume=10 |year=1980 |issue=1–4 |pages=7–14 |pmid=11613682 |url=https://journals.lww.com/jimh/abstract/1980/10010/a_note_on_the_new_edition_of_bhela_sa_hit__.2.aspx }} * {{cite book |author=G. Jan Meulenbeld |author-link=Gerrit Jan Meulenbeld |title=A History of Indian Medical Literature |volume=IIA |publisher=Egbert Forsten |location=Groningen |year=2000 |isbn=9069801248 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G74rAAAAYAAJ }} {{refend}}
== External links == * [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.271948 The Bhela Samhita] (1921), University of Calcutta * [https://www.cc.kyoto-su.ac.jp/~yanom/sanskrit/ayurveda/bhela/ Transcription of Bhela-samhita] by Tsutomu Yamashita, based on the 1977 edition of the Sarasvati Mahal Library Literary Research Unit * {{cite web |author=Vitus Angermeier |title=Epidemiology in the Bhelasaṃhitā: The Chapter on Distinctions According to Land and People |date=2022-12-19 |publisher=Consortium for History of Science, Technology and Medicine |doi=10.17613/wn0a-rb05 |url=https://hcommons.org/deposits/objects/hc:50366/datastreams/CONTENT/content |access-date=2023-02-20 }}
Category:Sanskrit texts Category:Ancient Indian medical works