Cosmology & psychology
According to India's ancient texts, around 3000 BCE sage
Kapil founded both cosmology and psychology. He shed light
on the Soul, the subtle elements of matter and creation.
His main idea was that essential nature (prakrti) comes
from the eternal (purusha) to develop all of creation. No
deeper a view of the cosmos has ever been developed. Further,
his philosophy of Sankhya philosophy also covered the secret
levels of the psyche, including mind, intellect and ego, and
how they relate to the Soul or Atma.
Medicine (Ayurveda), Aviation
Around 800 BCE Sage Bharadwaj, was both the father of modern
medicine, teaching Ayurveda, and also the developer of
aviation technology. He wrote the Yantra Sarvasva, which
covers astonishing discoveries in aviation and space
sciences, and flying machines - well before Leonardo
DaVinchi's time. Some of his flying machines were reported
to fly around the earth, from the earth to other planets,
and between universes. His designs and descriptions have
left a huge impression on modern-day aviation engineers.
He also discussed how to make these flying machines invisible
by using sun and wind force. There are much more fascinating
insights discovered by sage Bharadwaj.
Medicine, Surgery, paediatrics, gynaecology. anatomy,
physiology, pharmacology, embryology, blood circulation
Around this era and through 400 BCE many great developments
occurred. In the field of medicine (Ayurveda), sage Divodasa
Dhanwantari developed the school of surgery; Rishi Kashyap
developed the specialized fields of paediatrics and gynaecology. Lord Atreya, author of the one of the main Ayurvedic texts, the Charak Samhita, classified the principles of anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, embryology, blood circulation and more. He discussed how to heal thousands of diseases, many of which modern science still has no answer. Along with herbs, diet and lifestyle, Atreya showed a correlation between mind, body, spirit and ethics. He outlined a charter of ethics centuries before the Hippocratic oath.
Rhinoplasty, amputation, caesarean and
cranial surgeries, anesthesia, antibiotic herbs
While Lord Atreya is recognized for his contribution
to medicine, sage Sushrut is known as the "Father of surgery".
Even modern science recognizes India as the first country to
develop and use rhinoplasty (developed by Sushrut). He also
practiced amputation, caesarean and cranial surgeries, and
developed 125 surgical instruments including scalpels,
lancets, and needles.
Lord Atreya - author of Charak Samhita. Circa 8th - 6th
century BCE. Perhaps the most referred to Rishi/physician
today The Charak Samhita was the first compilation of all
aspects of ayurvedic medicine including diagnoses, cures,
anatomy, embryology, pharmacology, and blood circulation
(excluding surgery).
He wrote about causes and cures for diabetes, TB, and heart
diseases. At that time, European medicine had no idea of
these ideas. In fact, even today many of these disease causes
and cures are still unknown to modern allopathic medicine.
Other unique quality of Ayurveda is that it uncovers and
cures the root cause of illness, it is safe, gentle and
inexpensive, it sees 6 stages of disease development
(where modern medicine only sees the last two stages),
it treats people in a personalized manner according to
their dosha or constitution and not in any generic manner.
Further, Ayurveda being the science of 'life', Atrea was
quick to
emphasize, proper nutrition according to dosha, and perhaps
above all else, that there was a mind/body/soul relationship
and that the root cause of all diseases and the best medicine
for all conditions is spiritual and ethical life.
Rishi Sushrut is known as the father of surgery & author
of Sushrut Samhita. Circa 5 - 4th century BCE.
He is credited
with performing the world's first rhinoplasty, using
anesthesia and plastic surgery. He used surgical
instruments - many of them look similar to instruments
used today; and discussed more than 300 types of surgical
operations. One of the Ayurvedic surgical practices being
used today in India involves dipping sutures into antibiotic
herbs so when sewed into the person, the scar heals quicker
and prevent infection. The modern surgical world owes a
great debt to this great surgical sage.