Vedic civilisation is perhaps the most advanced civilisation across times. The kind of knowledge and understanding of various aspects of creation that was possessed by the Vedic seers and is documented at length in ancient texts is unmatched till date. While the rest of the world was inhabited by barbarians as per modern historians, Vedic masters were dispelling the gyan of shanti (peace), preservation and protection of nature and its resources, compassion to animals and envisioning universes and galaxies far and beyond. One such phenomenal Vedic master was Sushruta who taught the world the art of surgery, long before the advent of modern medicine.
Around 600 BC in Kashi, known as Varanasi today, there lived an old man. No one knew of his past or birth or whereabouts, he just seemed to have come from nowhere. Rumours had it that he was the disciple of Dhanwantari, the physician of the gods and perhaps he descended on earth from the gods’ abode. The old man was Sushruta, the ancient Indian surgeon who is recognised for his innovative methods of
Sushruta would sit by the shore of the Ganges at night, and wait for the corpses to flow downstream. He would then make his students practice on those corpses. His students were from the potter community. His legacy was passed down the generations of potters. It is from an Indian potter, that the young English surgeon J C Carpue caught on to the idea of a nose replacement, and taught the world the art of plastic surgery.
The story goes like this…
In the time period from 1769 AD to 1799 AD, many wars were fought between the British and Haider Ali and his son Tipu Sultan. On one occasion, Tipu Sultan captured Cowasjee, a Maratha cart driver who had served the British, along with four Indian soldiers of British Army and as was customary, cut off their noses. The captives were then returned to the English Command. Some days later, an English officer noticed an Indian merchant who had a peculiar nose and a triangular scar on his forehead. On inquiring he found that the merchant’s nose had also been cut by the Sultan and he had got it substituted by a Maratha Vaidya of the potter caste.
Fascinated, the officer sent for the Vaidya and asked him to reconstruct the noses of Cowasjee and the four Indian soldiers in the presence of two English doctors. An illustrated account of this operation was reproduced in the October 1794 issue of The Gentleman’s Magazine of London.
Following this incident, Carpue performed two successful operations based on it from 1814 to 1816 AD. Simultaneously, translations of Sushruta Samhita (a 600 BC Sanskrit treatise by Sushruta) were popularised by German Sanskrit scholars throughout Europe.
Slowly and gradually modern science is progressing, only to appreciate and validate the Vedic concepts and way of life. Every Vedic practice and concept is rooted in science and reason. This is our heritage. Let’s delve deeper into the science and experience its glory.
The writer is the spiritual head of Dhyan Foundation.
www.dhyanfoundation.com