Sutra Sthana

सूत्रस्थानम्

Sutra Sthana lays the foundation of Ayurveda. It explains the basic principles of health, daily and seasonal routines, diet, doshas, agni, dhatus and the path to a healthy life.

Sutra Sthana
  • 30 Chapters
  • Foundational Principles
  • Vagbhata
  • 6th–7th Century CE

Topics Covered

Sutra Sthana is the first and most important section of Ashtanga Hridayam. In thirty chapters Vagbhata sets out the aim of Ayurveda, the daily and seasonal regimen, the qualities of food and drink, the doshas and their treatment, and the principles of Panchakarma and surgery that the rest of the text builds on.

Featured Chapters

Sutra Sthana – All Chapters

Explore all 30 chapters of Sutra Sthana.

# Chapter Name Topics Covered Actions
1 Ayushkamiya Adhyaya आयुष्कामीय अध्याय Ayurveda definition, goals of life, benefits of healthy living
2 Dinacharya Adhyaya दिनचर्या अध्याय Daily regimen, wake up time, oral hygiene, exercise
3 Ritucharya Adhyaya ऋतुचर्या अध्याय Seasonal regimen, behavior and diet in different seasons
4 Roganutpadaniya Adhyaya रोगानुत्पादनीय अध्याय Natural urges, their suppression and prevention of diseases
5 Dravadravya Vijnaniya Adhyaya द्रवद्रव्यविज्ञानीय अध्याय Properties of water, milk, honey, oils and other liquids
6 Annasvarupa Vijnaniya Adhyaya अन्नस्वरूपविज्ञानीय अध्याय Properties of grains, pulses, meat, vegetables and fruits
7 Annaraksha Adhyaya अन्नरक्षा अध्याय Food safety, poisoned food and incompatible diet
8 Matrashitiya Adhyaya मात्राशितीय अध्याय Right quantity of food, indigestion and eating rules
9 Dravyadi Vijnaniya Adhyaya द्रव्यादिविज्ञानीय अध्याय Dravya, rasa, guna, virya, vipaka and prabhava
10 Rasabhediya Adhyaya रसभेदीय अध्याय The six tastes, their sources and actions
11 Doshadi Vijnaniya Adhyaya दोषादिविज्ञानीय अध्याय Functions of doshas, dhatus and malas; signs of increase and decrease
12 Doshabhediya Adhyaya दोषभेदीय अध्याय Seats, types and functions of the subtypes of each dosha
13 Doshopakramaniya Adhyaya दोषोपक्रमणीय अध्याय Principles of treating vitiated doshas
14 Dvividhopakramaniya Adhyaya द्विविधोपक्रमणीय अध्याय Two types of therapy: nourishing (brimhana) and depleting (langhana)
15 Shodhanadigana Sangraha Adhyaya शोधनादिगणसंग्रह अध्याय Groups of drugs for purification and other therapies
16 Snehavidhi Adhyaya स्नेहविधि अध्याय Oleation therapy: types, doses and procedure
17 Svedavidhi Adhyaya स्वेदविधि अध्याय Sudation therapy: types, indications and contraindications
18 Vamana Virechana Vidhi Adhyaya वमनविरेचनविधि अध्याय Therapeutic emesis and purgation
19 Basti Vidhi Adhyaya बस्तिविधि अध्याय Medicated enema therapy
20 Nasya Vidhi Adhyaya नस्यविधि अध्याय Nasal administration of medicines
21 Dhumapana Vidhi Adhyaya धूमपानविधि अध्याय Medicated smoking therapy
22 Gandushadi Vidhi Adhyaya गण्डूषादिविधि अध्याय Gargling, mouth-holding and head oil therapies
23 Ashchyotana Anjana Vidhi Adhyaya आश्च्योतनाञ्जनविधि अध्याय Eye drops and collyrium
24 Tarpana Putapaka Vidhi Adhyaya तर्पणपुटपाकविधि अध्याय Nourishing eye therapies
25 Yantra Vidhi Adhyaya यन्त्रविधि अध्याय Blunt surgical instruments
26 Shastra Vidhi Adhyaya शस्त्रविधि अध्याय Sharp surgical instruments
27 Siravyadha Vidhi Adhyaya सिराव्यधविधि अध्याय Venesection (bloodletting)
28 Shalyaharana Vidhi Adhyaya शल्याहरणविधि अध्याय Removal of foreign bodies
29 Shastrakarma Vidhi Adhyaya शस्त्रकर्मविधि अध्याय Surgical procedures and wound care
30 Ksharagnikarma Vidhi Adhyaya क्षाराग्निकर्मविधि अध्याय Alkaline cautery and thermal cautery

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