If you are one of those who are interested in deeper studies of Ayurveda, you must have at some point of time gone through or at least must have seen Sanskrit Shlokas and scripts even though you might not have understood them. As you go deeper into studying Ayurvedic scriptures, there are some common abbreviations used at the end of each Shloka, which tells you from where exactly (which ancient text) it been taken from. For example, see the Sanskrit verse below:
तस्माच्छस्त्रेआर्थे विज्ञाने प्रव्रित्तौ कर्म दर्शने ।
भिषक चतुष्टये यु्क्त: प्राणाभिसर उअयते ।।
च. सू. ९ १८
Therefore, the physician who possesses the four-fold accomplishment consisting of theoretical knowledge, clear interpretation, right application, and practical experience is to be regarded as the reclaimer of life.
Ca.Su. 9 18
I searched a lot of the internet but if was a really difficult thing to find apparently. Here is a list of common abbreviations used which can be used for reference in your further Ayurvedic studies.
Also Read:
27 Ayurveda Quotes On Life & Health
Abbreviation | Book / Ayurvedic Reference Text | Short Description | Written By |
Y.R. | Yoga Ratnakara | A classical text written in mid 17th century which contains a complete and detailed compilation of entire basic concepts of Ayurveda. | Unknown |
B.R | Bhaisajya Ratnavali | An ancient text which is the holy grail of practitioners and Ayurvedic drug manufactures in India. Contains 106 chapters with detailed information of countless medical prescriptions in use along with dosages. | Acharya Govind Das Sen |
C.S. Su. | Caraka Samhita Sutrasthana | This is the first among 8 parts of Charka Samhita and is considered the most important part. It describes the basic principles of Ayurveda as described my Acharya Caraka | Acharya Caraka / Charaka |
C.S. Ci. | Caraka Samhita Chikitsasthana | This is the second part of Caraka samhita and it mainly deals with therapeutics. The word Chikitsa itself means treatment or therapy. Each chapter in this section starts with comprehensive information about etio-pathogenesis along with symptomatology, prognosis and classification of diseases before delving into detailed treatment. Read details | Acharya Caraka / Charaka |
C.S.S. | Caraka Samhita Siddhisthana | This part of Caraka Samhita deals with the standardization and successful administration of various therapeutic purification procedures. This section gives in depth knowledge about Panchakarma therapy which is still quite popularity used today. | Acharya Caraka / Charaka |
A.H.K. | Ashtanga Hrdaya Kalpasthana | Kalpasthana is the succeeding section of Chikitsasthana and it deals with the study of formulations used in therapeutic purification procedures. It contains topics like Dinacharya, Ritucharya, and the formulations used in shodahana (Panchakarma) etc, vamana, virechana, vasthi and nasya. It contains 8 chapters in total. | Rishi Vagbhata |
A.H.Ci | Ashtanga Hrdaya Chitiksasthana | This part of Asthanga Hridayam contains 24 chapters dealing with topics patient care and also diseases, along with diet and medicines used to heal the same. | Rishi Vagbhata |
B.P. | Bhavaprakasa | A very popular authoritative Ayurvedic comprehensive text with details about the doctrine, ethology, symptomatology, and treatment of many diseases. Contains 500 drugs from mineral, vegetable and animal kingdom. | Shri Bhavamisra |
B.P.N. | Bhavaprakasa Nighantu | Bhavaprakasa nighantu is a part of bigger text Bhavaprakasa. The section describes around 600 medicinal plants, many different foods as well as minerals. The herbs described by Bhava Mishra are different from the ones mentioned in Charaka and Sushruta Samhita. This is because many herbs mentioned in the Samhitas were becoming rare or had become extinct and so Bhava Mishra writes about their replacements which have similar properties. | Shri Bhavamisra |
S.S.Ma.K | Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda | Sharangadhara Samhita is an easier rework of the previously difficult to understand Brihat Trayi (Carak Samhita, Sushrut Samhita, & Ashtanga Hridayam). The Madhyam Khanda is the second division of the Samhita and contains 12 chapters containing details about kashyas, herb juices, medicinal decoctions, hot infusions, herbal powders, oils, mineral and metallic preparations and more. | Acharya Sharangadhara |
S.Y. | Sahasra Yoga | Ayurvedic text which is used as a practical prescriber among Kerala Ayurveda physicians. It is considered as a book of Ayurvedic home remedies in Kerala which contains more than 1000 popular formulations which are regularly updated and new formulations are also added with time. | Not sure about the original author. |
S.Y.Pr.P. | Sahasra Yoga, Prathama Prakarana | It is the first section of Sahasrayogam also known as Kasaya Prakarana which mentions 401 formulations in kasha form according to diseases. Read in details | Not sure about the original author. |
S.Y.P.P. | Sahasra Yoga, Panchama Prakarana | This is the fifth section of Sahasrayogam called Arishta Prakarana which contains 15 types of Arishtas explained in detail. The most popular ones you must have heard of are Dasamoolarishtam, Amrutarishtam, Ashokarishtam, Draksharishtam, Balarishtam | Not sure about the original author. |
S.S. Ut. | Sushruta Samhita Uttara Tantra | It is the 6th volume of Sushruta Samhita and deals various subjects such as diseases of the eye, treatment of fever, diarrhea, diseases resulting from superhuman influences, insanity, rules of health etc. | Acharya Sushruta |
S.S. Ci. | Sushruta Samhita Chikitsa | It is the 4th volume of Sushruta Samhita and deals with therapeutics, surgical emergencies, geriatrics, aphrodisiacs and various other subjects. | Acharya Sushruta |
R.S. | Rasaratna Samucchaya | This Ayurvedic text is an alchemical work, written in 13th, 14th and 16 century and contains a detailed work on complex metallurgical processes and descriptions on how to setup laboratory conditions and other alchemy related topics. | Rishi Vagbhata |
D.V. | Dravyaguna Vigyana | This is the book of Ayurvedic pharmacology and it deals with properties and actions of drugs. | Many authors. |
D.N. | Dhanvantari Nighantu | One of the oldest texts with unknown author. It proves a distinctive categorization of 373 drugs, their unique properties, actions, synonyms, incompatibilities and safety. It was among the first texts to list drugs of non-plant origin: 2 are of kshara (alkali preparation) and 2 are lavana (salts), 11 drugs of mineral origin, 24 drugs are of animal origin, 9 are alcoholic preparations and 4 belong to jala varga. | Unknown |
A.S.Su. | Ashtanga Sangraha, Sutrasthana | It is an authoritative text, which goes in depth on Sitrasthana which is the fundamental principles, and philosophical background of all Ayurvedic topics. | Rishi Vagbhata |
N.A. | Nighantu Adarsa | A considerably modern text which contains details about several medicinal plants, herbs and their properties and actions. | Dr. Bapalal Ji Vaidya |
C.D. | Cakradatta | Also known as Chikitsa Sangraha. Contains 79 chapters which deals with 8 branches of Ayurveda extensively and it also methodically describes all principles of practices of surgery and medicine. Contains a lot of tested formulations and dosages. | Shri Chakrapanidatta |
S.Y.S. | Siddha Yoga Sangraha | This work has been written on the basis of disease oriented classification of formulations. The text contains 69 chapters and It is the enumeration of simple recipes & prescriptions which are so simple and easy to prepare that they are in easy reach of common man to put into use. | Virinda |
R.S.S. | Rasendra Sara Sangraha | It is oldest and most exhaustive text of Rasa Shastra (use of metals, gems, minerals and poisons for treatment), which contains 5 chapters and 2531 verses of time tested and therapeutically proven medicines. It also gives details on the manufacturing processes of these drugs. | Shri Gopal Krishna Bhatt |
Rm. | Rasamrita | Rasamritam is the latest doctrine in the field of Rasa shastra which compiles the extract of the older books and adopted some new and contemporary concepts. It also contains chemical formulae of drugs based on modern science, along with unani medicines which are parallel to Ayurvedic prepartions. | Acharya Yadavaji Trikamji |
G.N. | Gada Nigraha | It is a compilation of many indispensable formulations and medicines (eg Gugguluvasava, Tambulasava, Kushmandasava, Vasakasava etc) with their methods of prepartions, but it derives information from older texts like charka and sushruta samhita and presents them in simpler understandable language. | Gadadhara In 13th Century. |
B.N.R | Brhat Nighantu Ratnakara | ||
S.B.M. | Siddha Bhesaja Manimala | This is a commentary style textbook which contains topics of Rasa sastra (Indian alchemy) and it mainly deals with the preparations of formulations from metal and mineral origin. | Shri Krishnarama Bhatt |
V.M. | Vrnda Madhava | This is the same book as Siddha Yoga metioned above. | |
R.T. | Rasa Tarangini | This is another detailed text on rasa Shasta and contains 24 chapters and 3651 verses. It contains the details of various procedures involved in drug preparation. It is considered to be the last classical text of Rasashastra written in modern times. | Pranacharya Sadananda Sharma |
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