Vagbhatas

Vagbhatas, also known as Vagbhata, is the name given to an ancient Indian physician traditionally regarded as one of the most influential authorities in Ayurveda. He is traditionally dated to the early medieval period, roughly between the 5th and 7th centuries CE. In many sources, the name Vagbhata is associated with two major encyclopedic medical treatises, the Ashtanga Hridaya and the Ashtanga Samgraha, which together form a core part of classical Ayurvedic literature. Some traditions mention more than one physician named Vagbhata, but modern scholarship generally treats the figure as a single author or a consolidated tradition.

Vagbhata’s works present a systematic synthesis of earlier Ayurvedic thought, drawing on the Charaka Samhita and the Sushruta Samhita. They cover disease causation, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment, and they emphasize clinical practice, diet, daily routine, and pharmacology. The two texts are composed in verse and organized into sections that address topics such as anatomy, pathology, therapeutics, and pharmacy, with case-based guidance and practical procedures for physicians.

The influence of Vagbhata’s writings has been profound in the Indian medical tradition. They became standard handbooks for scholars and practitioners, were subject to numerous commentaries, and were translated and adapted in various regional contexts. Through medieval India and into Southeast Asia, the Vagbhata tradition helped shape the Ayurvedic curriculum and the broader reception of classical medicine in the Indian Ocean world.