Screening the concept of Pramanas and application of Upamana Pramana in Charaka Samhita

Abstract

Ayurveda and Darshana Shastra both are immensely influenced by each other as both sciences flourished in same time period. Darshanas are classified into six Astika Darshanas and three Darshanas Darshanas. Ayurveda has used the principles of Darshana and moulded them according to need, one such principle is Pramana. Pramanas, the means or sources for gaining the true knowledge have their special importance in Ayurveda in terms of literary, research, clinical practice and therapeutics. Pratyaksha, Anumana, Aptopadesha and Yukti are the four independent Pramanas accepted by Acharya Charaka.[1] He has not accepted the Upamana as a separate Pramana, but narrated it in the context of Vada-Marga’s of Roga-bhishagjeethiya-vimanam of Vimanasthana.[2] All of them provide valid and real knowledge. These eventually produce the true knowledge about the objects, similarly Aupamya which gives the knowledge or the idea of an object by the similar comparison. Charaka considered Aupamya as a component of Vada-Marga which gives the valid knowledge rather than the Pareeksha. Acharya Charaka has utilized the Aupamya throughout the Samhita and in most of the contexts to make fundamentals clear. Charaka conveyed the proper appreciation of various basic concepts, principles, processes, etc of Ayurveda with the utility of Aupamya. Hence an effort will be made to Screen the concept of Pramanas and application of Upamana Pramana in Charaka Samhita