TajWagstaff at 21:47, 4 May 2025

2025-05-04T21:47:48Z

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{{Short description|Ayurvedic author in Hinduism}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

'''Agnivesha''' ({{langx|sa|अग्निवेश|translit=Agniveśa}}) is a legendary [[rishi]] (sage) in [[Hinduism]], reputedly one of the earliest authors on [[Ayurveda]] (Indian alternative medicine).<ref name="dowson">{{cite book|last=Dowson|first=John|title=A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology, and Religion, Geography, History|publisher=Rupa & Co.|page=8|location=Calcutta|orig-year=1879|year=1984}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Lingham |first=Durgadas (Rodney) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SO0LBgAAQBAJ&dq=agnivesha+ayurveda&pg=PA59 |title=Exploring Mantric Ayurveda: Secrets and Insights of Mantra-Yoga and Healing |date=2013-11-03 |publisher=Lulu.com |isbn=978-1-304-59409-9 |pages=49 |language=en}}</ref> He is described to have codified the knowledge of his preceptor, [[Atreya]], and arranged it in the form of a treatise, named the ''[[Charaka Samhita]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2021-05-13 |title=The Story of Agnivesha [Chapter 5] |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/history-of-indian-medicine-and-ayurveda/d/doc627431.html |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref>

== Legend ==
Agnivesha is described to be the chief pupil of Punarvasu [[Atreya]]. The ''Agnivesha Samhita'', dated back to 1500 BCE,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mangathayaru |first=K. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2UQ8BAAAQBAJ&dq=agniveshasamhita&pg=PA36 |title=Pharmacognosy: An Indian perspective |date=2013 |publisher=Pearson Education India |isbn=978-93-325-2026-4 |pages=36 |language=en}}</ref> is based on Atreya's teachings, and is a lost text on [[Ayurveda]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mittal |first=J. P. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rrh4tY3v2A4C&dq=Agnivesha&pg=PA471 |title=History of Ancient India (A New Version) |date=2006 |publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist |isbn=978-81-269-0616-1 |language=en}}</ref> The Agniveśatantra, consisting of 12,000 verses,<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2021-05-13 |title=Agniveshatantra, Agniveśatantra, Agnivesha-tantra: 1 definition |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/agniveshatantra#ayurveda |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref> is stated to be the foundational text of the Agnivesha school, one of the six schools of early Ayurveda (others being [[Parashara]], Harita, [[Bhela]], Jatukarna, and Ksharpani).<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2021-05-13 |title=The Pupils of Atreya [Chapter 10] |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/history-of-indian-medicine-and-ayurveda/d/doc627436.html |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref>

The text is mentioned in the ''[[Charaka Samhita]]'': "the tantra (Agnivesha) as written by Agnivesha is compiled, edited and modified by [[Charaka]]" ({{Transliteration|sa|agniveśakṛte tantre carakapratisaṃskṛte}})<ref>Charaka Samhita Online wiki edition available from http://www.carakasamhitaonline.com/mediawiki-1.28.2/index.php?title=Deerghanjiviteeya_Adhyaya {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125020548/http://www.carakasamhitaonline.com/mediawiki-1.28.2/index.php?title=Deerghanjiviteeya_Adhyaya |date=25 January 2019 }}</ref><ref>Ram Karan Sharma and Vaidya Bhagran Dash, ''Agnivesa's Caraka Samhita,'' Varanasi, Chowkhamba Sanskrit Studies XCIV (2006). Vol. I: {{ISBN|81-7080-012-9}}; Vol. II: {{ISBN|81-7080-013-7}}; Vol. III: {{ISBN|978-81-7080-014-9}}; Vol. IV: {{ISBN|81-7080-015-3}}; Vol. V: {{ISBN|81-7080-024-2}}; Vol. VI: {{ISBN|81-7080-051-X}}, Vol. VII: {{ISBN|81-7080-071-4}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}{{Ayurveda}}{{Rishis of Hindu mythology}}

[[Category:Rishis]]
[[Category:Ayurveda]]
[[Category:Ayurvedacharyas]]

{{Hindu-myth-stub}}

Agnivesha - Revision history

TajWagstaff at 21:47, 4 May 2025