Indian J ournal of Traditional Knowledge

Vol. 6(4), October 2007, pp. 660-662

Ayurveda in Rajtrangni-Kalahanas treatise of ancient Kashmir

YK Sharma
PG Department of Kayachikitsa, Rajiv Gandhi Government Post Graduate Ayurvedic College,
Paprola 176115, Himachal Pradesh
E-mail: dryks1@rediffmail.com
Received 8 November 2005; revised 14 September 2006
In the paper, information about Rajtarangini compiled throws light on the development and prevalence of Ayurveda in
Kashmir. The paper related to eight main disciplines of Ayurveda (Astanga Ayurveda), medicine, Pancakarma, surgery, etc.
have been described according to chapters (tarangas) of Rajtarangini. There is a reference of Dandalasaka and Sitajvara,
which have been described as epidemics while Ksaya (tuberculosis) has also been mentioned. References of plastic surgery,
trauma and surgical removal of the embedded foreign body have also been included.
Keywords: Ayurveda, Rajtrangni, Kashmir
IPC Int. Cl.
8
: A61K36/00, A61P17/00, A61P29/00, A61P31/00, A61P31/02, A61P39/02
Ayurvedic practices in Indian subcontinent are much
older than written historical descriptions. From time
to time review of ancient Indian literature brings out
description of Ayurvedic practices in this part of land
through individual and institutional practices.
Ayurveda had been backbone of healthcare activities
in past. No doubt its practices were exploited even in
war or at the time of natural calamities in ancient
India. Kashmir region of this land though cut off from
the plains continued to be ruled by Hindu dynasties
till fourteenth century when Muslim Invaders from
central Asia annexed this part. The description of
political and social set up of Hindu rulers of Kashmir
is well compiled in a monumental book of Kalahana
on ancient Kashmir namely, Rajtrangani. Though this
book is more a description of rule and misrule,
exploits, wars and political set of Hindu rulers, it also
sheds some light on Ayurvedic practices during the
regions of these rulers extending from 2448 BC till
1148 AD.

Rajtrangani
Rajtrangani, River of Kings brings before us the
earliest history of Kashmir. Written in middle of
tweleveth century in the age when the crusaders of
Europe were fighting in West Asia, Rajtrangani in
blend of authentic chronicle and imaginative poetry.
In it there is too much of palace intrigue, murder and
treason, civil war and tyranny and adulterous queens.
Rajtrangani in a rich storehouse of information of
political, social and to some extent economic doings
of kings of ancient Kashmir. It consists of Sanskrit
poems compiled in 8 cantos, called Trang or wave.
The book is written by Kalahana. Kalahana started
writing this book in 1148 AD and concluded in 1150
AD. Kalahana was closely associated with the region
of King Harsha Dev, who ruled Kashmir from 1089 to
1101, as he was son of Harshas Prime Minister
Champaka. Kalahana also witnessed the region of
Kashmir King Sursala. Kalhan was a Brahmin and a
devote disciple of Lord Shiva. The book emits
description of few early rulers of Kashmir due to non-
availability of authentic data.

Ayurveda in Rajtrangani
The popularity and practices of Ayurvedic system
of healthcare was established in Ancient Kashmir.
Written Ayurvedic literature provides references to
holding of conferences of learned Ayurvedic sages to
decide controversial Ayurvedic concepts in Kashmir.
Ayurvedic practices were practiced in ancient
Kashmir for promoting and restoring health is well
described in some Trangs of Rajtrangani. Description
of Kayachikitsa, Shalya Chikitsa, Ras-Shastra and
Panchkarma, etc. practices are available through
verses of Rastrangani Not only this, in Trang 3/461
there is description of establishment of hospital in
ancient Kashmir during the region of King Randatya
and Queen Ranaramba:

SHARMA: RAJTRANGNI AYURVEDA OF ANCIENT KASHMIR


661
vkjksX;kkyk fuj/kkI;qYyk/kRok; jksfxuke~
(Trang 3/461)
Scattered over various Trangs the description of
Ayurvedic practices in Rajtrangani makes sufficient
reference to existence of the same. A few are being
elucidated here:
In fourth Trang of Rajtrangani, there is description
of spread of an epidemic Luta during the region of
king Bheemsen. The infected patient had eruptions
over the body and disease used to spread by contact.
Fever was important symptoms of this disease and
disease was often fatal. To protect uninfected people
the infected patient was often thrown out of town.
There is also a reference that disease was Pitta dosha
vitiation induced, which depicts Ayurvedic basis of
understanding of pathogenesis of disease:

v=kUrjs ujirs% iSjk.kkefrnqLrjA
ywrkHk;d`rk O;kinqni|r e.Mys AA (Trang 4/524)
vke;% LikZlapkjh r=O;kikndp l%
nsknks"kknrks tUrqywrkZO;krks foot;ZrsAA
(Tarang 4/525)
rS
fikksspdSHkqZRdSToZyfRikkso/Toje~
A
(Tarang 4)

In Tarang 4, there is description of disease
Visuchaka and in Tarang 7/1445, there is description
of disease Dandalasaka. These diseases also
described in ancient Ayurvedic books like Charaka
and Sushruta. Describing Dandalsak in Tarang 7, it is
written that king Harsh suffered from this disease and
therapeutic procedures like Swedan (sudation),
Samvahan (massage) and Vamana (emesis) were
applied to relieve the ailment. When the disease did
not recover even after application of these therapeutic
procedures it was considered incurable and patient
was considered as at verge of death:

n.Mdkylda n.M/kjks O;tfUe"kkkr%
v/khjb~opUn yqBfUuLiUnykspu%A
(Tarang 7/1445)
LosnlaokguLusgoeuk/kSjUieS%
fu% 'kSfFkY;O;Fka rsu eqew"kqZra
tuksonr~A
(Tarang 7/1446)

Dandalasak resembles partially to complete
intestinal obstruction or paralytic ileus with grave
prognosis without surgical help even today.
In Tarang 8, there is reference to death of ten
thousand soldiers in the army of King J ai Singh
due to Sheet Jwara, which spreaded like an
epidemic characterized by chills (sheet) and jwara
(fever):
HkwHk`rk laxzghrkuka 'khrTojjUtk rr%
rs"kka n'klgLkzkf.k ;ks/kkuka fu/kua ;;q%A
(Tarang 8/1906)

In this Tarang, there is also description of Yakshma
(;{ ek infecting Sureshwarin Devi wife of king
Dhanya:

kfi fr"B;sok'kq ;{e{kfir;kr;k (Tarang 8/2418)

In this Tarang, king Vajraditya is described to have
been inflicted with Kshaya roga or wasting disease
due to excessive indulgence in physical sex for
pleasure:

lksvfrlaHkksxtUeuk
tkxkela{k;{eke`R{kjksxs.kfdfYo~"khA
(Tarang 4/398)

Yakshma, is a disease specifically described in
Ayurveda, which in characterized by wasting of body
tissues, fever and blood in sputum. Its description has
near similarity to modern day lung tuberculosis. The
description in Tarang 4/398 that Yakshama results
due to excessive sexual indulgence matched similar
belief of Ayurveda. The eighth Tarang of Rajtrangani
also describes surgical practices and care while
describing the surgical dressings of war injured
soldiers:

oz.kikpua 'kY;ks)kja iF;/kukiZ.ke~
'kL={krkuka lrra dkj;UlO;yksD;r~A
(Tarang 8-8/740)

Going through Rajtrangani, one finds reference of
practices of Rasayana and Vajikarna therapies of
Ayurveda in ancient Kashmir. Tarang 7 describes the
use of fish soups by king Kalash to improve his
sexual potency:

oh% dke;ekuL;;ksf"kr% froklje~A
eRL;;w"kkfnfHko`Z";SukZL; iqf"Vjgh;r~AA
INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 6, No. 4, OCTOBER 2007


662
(Tarang 7/522)

In Rajtrangani, there is reference to believe that
plastic surgery and repair surgical practices were too
practiced by vaidyas of ancient Kashmir. Vaidyas
used to treat mutilated noses, ears and cut throats of
soldiers in the king Lalitaditya:

<oz.kksxnadkjS% l pkdk;Zr lRd`rS(Tarang 4/ 281)
The reference of toxicological practices also exists
in Rajtrangani; words like Amrit and Visha are
commonly found in its text. In Tarang 4/381, there is
description of poison named Kalkoot (dkydqV),
which in Ayurveda too is described as Mahavisha
(egkfo"k). A common direction to detect a poisoned
food by serving it to dogs or other animals before
consumption also appears in Rajtrangni in Tarang
7/688:

rsuksu ijh{kkFkZ nkfirsukithforkSA
g"kZ% {okukSfujkE;kHkwfjk'kksfutthforsA
(Tarang 7/688)

In the same Tarang, role of Dhanwantri or Vaidya
has been recognized in neutralization of Visha or
poison:

fdaikrkyreks u gfUr fgexq% fduks foHkh;rs
ikuh;a fxyr% fdekUrjf'kf[k/oLR;S /kUorfjA
(Tarang 7/1379)

The drug manufacturing units or pharmacies
(vkS"k/k fuekZ.kkkyk) also existed in ancient
Kashmir. Reference to this exists in Tarang 8/859 of
Rastrangani:

jkT;LFkkuU;n`"VL; drZO;s"kqeqeksg l%
vn`"VdesZo fHk"kXHkS"kT;L; ins insAA
(Tarang 8-859)

"J ust as a Vaidya not familiar with drug
manufacturing practices faints on seeing drug
manufacturing pharmacies, similarly people not
familiar with administrative setup of kingdom also
faint on first seeing it".
Rajtrangani also gives references of conversion of
mercury ikjn into Gold Lo.kZ by some people.
In Tarang 1/110 it is narrated that J aloak son of king
Ashoka founder of modern Srinagar used to convert
mercury into gold by Ras siddhi.

dksfVdf/kfu fl)s fgl jls gkVdkiZ.kS A
vklhRlqf"kjrka grZq gsek.ML; /kzqoa{ke%A
(Tarang 1/110)

By Kotivedi Ras Siddhi he used to convert metals
into gold in such as huge quantity that it could fill the
entire vacant space of universe.
Thus, Rajtrangani provides sufficient evidence of
Ayurvedic practices in ancient Kashmir much before
the Ayurvedic text available today were written. It is
also evident from the written description that role of
the physicians was played by Brahmins who occupied
highest positions as royal physicians. This trend
continued even in the time of early muslim ruler of
Kashmir, Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin in fifteenth century.
Fifteenth century under Zain-ul-Abidin's age
witnessed significant development in the field of
medicinal and technical educations as well. Abul Fazl
tells us that Sultan often personally administered
medicinal remedies. Shirya Bhatta, the Royal
physician was unrivalled in the science of medicines
of his age and special favours, which he received
from Sultan, were a source of great encouragement to
study medicines. Ayurvedic and Unani Systems of
Medicine were in vogue. A medical manual was
compiled by Mansur-bin-Mohammad bin- Ahamd
bin-Yusuf bin -Ilyas called, Kifayah-i-Mujahidiyya.
Narhari was another most distinguished figure
associated with science of medicine in ancient
Kashmir. He composed the famous medical glossary,
Rajnighantu in Kashmir in 1450 AD. It is during
these time music was applied to treat diseases. During
this time, midwives were imported to Kashmir and
maternity services established in hospital.
In the end it can be concluded that Rajtrangani, the
book written regarding sociopolitical scenario of
ancient Kashmir puts light on Ayurvedic practices in
ancient Kashmir. Though it does not specifically
deliberate on the health services status in ancient
Kashmir. There is no doubt that Ayurveda was only
healthcare system practiced in Ancient Kashmir.

References
1 Pandya Ramtej Shastri, Kalhans Rajtrangni, (Pandit
Pustakalaya, Kashi) 1960.
2 Ranjit Sitaram Pandit, Rajtrangani-The Saga of the kings of
Kashmir, (Sahitya Akadami, New Delhi), 1934.
3 Zulshi NK, Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin in Kashmir, (Nupur
Prakashan Lucknow), 1976.
4 Kapur ML, Kingdom of Kashmir, (Kashmir History
Publications, J ammu), 1983.