The "Sushruta Samhita" is an ancient Sanskrit text that covers areas of both surgery and medicine. It is widely regarded as one of the most important documents on these topics to have reached present day from the ancient past. This compendium is also considered to be one of the main foundations of Ayurveda, which is a traditional form of Indian medicine alongside Charaka-Saṃhitā. The Sushruta Samhita, in its extant form, is divided into two parts containing184 chapters, descriptions of 1,120 illnesses, 700 medicinal plants, 64 preparations from mineral sources and 57 preparations based on animal sources. Sushruta Samhita is said to be the most comprehensive treatise written on surgical practice. This treatise is the main source of knowledge about surgery in ancient India. Sushruta became the master and pioneer of this science. The modern surgery is also said to be developed from the basics provided by Sushruta. The fact that Sushrutha made the beginning of every aspect of surgery, documented the techniques covering all minute details of Shalya Tantra in an era which lacked scientific advancements and technical help and with almost no facilities available makes us bow down our head with respect and reverence to this great saint and teacher of Ayurveda.
