Ayurveda Reading List and Glossary
Classical texts, reference works and key terms
Ayurveda rests on a large body of classical literature written in Sanskrit, supported by modern translations, commentaries and introductory works. The selection below is a starting point for readers who want to go beyond summaries and study the tradition at its source.
The Brihat Trayi, or "great three", are the foundational texts of Ayurveda:
- Charaka Samhita: the principal text of internal medicine (kayachikitsa), covering theory, diagnosis, diet and treatment
- Sushruta Samhita: the classical text of surgery (shalya tantra), anatomy and the use of medicinal plants
- Ashtanga Hridaya by Vagbhata: a concise verse synthesis of Charaka and Sushruta, widely used in teaching
The Laghu Trayi, or "lesser three", add important later contributions:
- Madhava Nidana: the classical reference on diagnosis and the classification of disease
- Sharngadhara Samhita: a key text on pharmacy, formulations and pulse assessment
- Bhavaprakasha: a later compendium with an extensive materia medica of herbs and foods
Modern Reference Works
English translations of the classical texts, such as those by P.V. Sharma, R.K. Sharma and Bhagwan Dash, and K.R. Srikantha Murthy, are widely used by students. Well-known introductory and reference books include:
- Textbook of Ayurveda (series), Vasant Lad
- Ayurveda: The Science of Self-Healing, Vasant Lad
- Prakriti: Your Ayurvedic Constitution, Robert Svoboda
- The Yoga of Herbs, David Frawley and Vasant Lad
- Indian Materia Medica, K.M. Nadkarni
Glossary of Key Ayurveda Terms
Ayurvedic terms are Sanskrit words, often with several layers of meaning. The short definitions below reflect their most common use.
- Ayurveda: the "knowledge of life", the traditional system of health that originated in India
- Dosha: one of the three functional principles, Vata, Pitta and Kapha, that govern body and mind
- Vata: the dosha of movement, composed of the elements air and space
- Pitta: the dosha of transformation and metabolism, composed of fire and water
- Kapha: the dosha of structure and cohesion, composed of earth and water
- Prakriti: an individual's inherent constitution, established at conception
- Vikriti: the present state of imbalance among the doshas
- Agni: the digestive and metabolic fire that transforms food
- Ama: undigested residue that accumulates when agni is weak
- Dhatu: the seven bodily tissues, from rasa (plasma) to shukra (reproductive tissue)
- Mala: the waste products of the body, chiefly urine, faeces and sweat
- Srotas: the channels through which substances move within the body
- Ojas: the refined essence of the tissues, associated with strength and resilience
- Nadi pariksha: pulse assessment, one of the classical methods of examination
- Dinacharya: the recommended daily routine
- Ritucharya: seasonal routines that adapt diet and lifestyle to the time of year
- Abhyanga: full-body application of warm, often medicated, oil
- Shirodhara: a continuous stream of warm oil or liquid poured over the forehead
- Snehana: oleation, the internal or external use of oils and ghee
- Swedana: therapeutic sweating with herbal steam or heat
- Panchakarma: the five classical cleansing procedures and the programme built around them
- Basti: medicated enema, regarded as a primary therapy for Vata
- Virechana: therapeutic purgation, used mainly for Pitta
- Rasayana: rejuvenation therapy aimed at long-term vitality
- Rasa: taste, of which Ayurveda recognises six: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent
Authoritative Sources
For balanced, independent information on traditional medicine and Ayurveda, the following public bodies are good places to start:
Information on this site is educational. Always consult a qualified healthcare practitioner before starting any treatment or herbal preparation.
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Further reading on authentic Ayurveda from across Satya Ayurveda.