Ayurveda and its components: Ashtangas

Ayurveda can be a health science that emphasizes the maintenance of health insurance prevention of stress and diseases through proper knowledge of in depth underpinnings. For the proper idea of this science lord brahma has classified Ayurvedic science into eight branches..Ashta means eight and anga means branch. In short Ashtaanga is eight branches of Ayurveda.Ayurveda originally formed one of several subsection of Adharvaveda & before the creation of mankind, the self begotten Brahma strung it together in a hundred thousand couplets, divided in a thousand chapters. But then he considered the small amount of human life on earth & the failing character of human memory & found it prudent to divide the full of Ayurveda into eight different branches.
1.Kaaya cikitsa(general medicine)
2.Baala cikitsa(paediatrics)
3.Graha cikitsa(idiopathic)
4.Saalaakya cikitsa(ophthalmology&otorhinolaryngology)
5.Salya cikitsa(surgery)
pathologist 6.Damshtra cikitsa(clinical toxicology)
7. Jaraa cikitsa(rejuvenative therapy)
8.Vrsha cikitsa(reproductive medicine)
KAAYA CIKITSA(GENERAL MEDICINE)
It includes the treating diseases regarding kaaya. The term kaaya comprehends the entire process of metabolism. Henceforth, the saying also means body in general. In simple words vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats and things else which might be eaten can be bio-transformed to the bodily substances. As long as kaaya is proper all of the activities are executed smoothly. Any disturbance in kaaya causes imbalance in homeostasis & disturbs physiology which is nothing but the disease. Thus kaaya cikitsa refers to the treatment of diseases, which arise because of impaired metabolism. This branch includes the management of diseases, which instead of being restricted to any specific organ or any particular the main body, get a new entire system. Eg: fever. So this branch could be correlated to general medicine.
BAALA CIKITSA(PAEDIATRICS)
Baala cikitsa, in general deals with the diseases of infancy ,childhood, adolescence as well as their treatment. Baala means nothing but child. It mentions the qualities of surrogates, reasons behind vitiation of breast milk and modes of the company's purification, diseases as a result of intake of vitiated breast milk and their treatment. It also includes the description of symptoms and management of infections and affections of childhood. Antenatal care and treating puerperium comes under this. In short this branch includes the care of your baby starting from pregnancy to teenage. This may be generally correlated to pediatrics. It also trespasses in the faculty of obstetrics to a lesser extent.
GRAHA CIKITSA(IDIOPATHIC DISEASE)
This branch handles diseases acquired or inherited from apparently unknown cause . in modern terminology it can be considered as idiopathic diseases, when the exact reason for disease is unknown. According to Ayurveda, micro organisms are symbolically mentioned as bad demons or evils which cause diseases. In that case somebody affected which has a particular graha will show the features of the graha. For eg.sarpa graha. The exact patho-physiology of such disorders is to be researched.
SAALAAKYA TANTRA(OPHTHALMOLOGY & ENT)
Refers to the treating diseases related to the areas over the neck for example those confined on the ears, eyes, mouth, nose. It comprehends the faculties of ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology (ENT)
SALYATANTRA(SURGERY )
Analogous to “surgery” of recent medicine, deals with various surgical and orthopedic procedures. Removing foreign bodies; either of exogenous origin including grass, sand, wood, stones, warfare materials like parts of arrow etc. or of endogenous origin for example pus, extravasated blood, dead foetus inside womb etc. comes under this department. It also relates to the diagnosis and treating inflammatory swellings and includes the description and uses of assorted surgical instruments and appliances. Further, it explains the mode of preparation, properties and application of varied cauteries.
VISHA CIKITSA (CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY)
Deals with the diagnosis and treatments for bites of poisonous snakes, spiders, insects, venomous worms. Its symptoms and antidotes are also explained. It has also because of its object the avoidance of poison, whether animal, vegetable or chemical through the system of man, overwhelmed featuring its effects.
JARA CIKITSA (REJUVENATIVE THERAPY)
Branch of Ayurveda that works with various areas of preventive healthcare. Without rejuvenative therapy it isn't possible to get a desirable effect. It gives methodology and medication to preserve youth, prolong life, promote intelligence and strength and present immunity to resist diseases. Rasayana adds to the metabolic activities to result in best possible bio transformation resulting in health.
VRSHA CIKITSA (REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE)
Includes remedies to increase the quantity of semen when it's scanty, methods for the purification when vitiated, replenishing its losses and methods of improving virility.
These eight branches are connected with other branches of medicine s for example gynecology, embryology, social &preventive medicine and complementary medicine like use of herbs, minerals, medicinal plants , spices and gemstones. All therapies are scientific, logical and time tested for their effects.
The ancient virtues of Ayurveda happen to be inculcated in these eight branches .Due knowledge of those 'ashtaangaas' produces a practitioner trained in in this holistic medicine.