The Contribution of Sanskrit Commentators to the Preservation and Hermeneutics of Ayurvedic Knowledge

Abstract

ABSTRACT The preservation of Ayurvedic medical knowledge across millennia is not merely a consequence of the physical longevity of manuscripts, but is predominantly an intellectual achievement driven by the tradition of Sanskrit commentators (Vyakhyanakaras). The foundational treatises of Ayurveda— collectively known as the Brihattrayi (Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, and Ashtanga Hridaya)—were composed in dense, aphoristic Sanskrit verses (Sutras) that frequently utilized multi-layered metaphors, contextual terminologies, and anachronistic cultural references. Without systematic decoding, these texts were highly vulnerable to semantic drift, practical misinterpretation, and textual corruption. This paper examines the historical and methodological contributions of prominent Sanskrit commentators, including Chakrapanidatta, Dalhana, Arunadatta, Hemadri, and Jejjata, from the 9th to the 15th centuries CE. It explores how these scholars employed classical Indian hermeneutical tools (Tantrayukti, Nyaya, and Vyakarana) to standardize medical nomenclature, resolve structural contradictions, integrate contemporary pharmacological developments, and preserve the internal consistency of clinical practices. Through cross-referencing lost alternative recensions and providing clear botanical, anatomical, and surgical explanations, these commentators acted as living dynamic links that transformed archaic medical philosophies into applicable clinical guidelines. Ultimately, this study demonstrates that the commentaries are original intellectual achievements essential to the continuity, evolution, and contemporary practice of Ayurvedic science.

KEYWORDS: Ayurveda, Sanskrit Commentators, Brihattrayi, Chakrapanidatta, Dalhana, Hermeneutics, Tantrayukti, Preservation of