Bhela

• He was one of the six disciples of Punarvashu Atreya, contemporary of Agnivesha.
• He is said to have composed a treatise called Bhela Samhita.
• At present among the treatises written by disciples of Atreya only Agnivesha Tantra and Bhel Samhita are available.

   Time Period:-

• As the concept of Buddha is present it can’t be prior to Lord Buddha.
• Present day Bhela Samhita is contemporary to Gupta period hence it is of 7th century AD.
• Original Bhela Samhita was contemporary to Agnivesha, so the time period is 1000 century BC.

 Manuscripts (Pandulipis) of Bhela Samhita:-

There are 3 pandulipies present in the context of Bhel Samhita.

1. The one published by the Kolkata university was taken from Tanjora book Store and is about 1650 AD .
2. The second one was by Girija Dayalu Shukla and was published by Chaukhamba.
3. Third is in 1977 by Tanjore Publishing House.

Present Day Bhela Samhita is a big doubtful due to following reasons :-

• The context of Bhela Samhita which is present in different referrences of Samhita are not from present day Bhela Samhita.
• Vastikarma should be done in children after 6 years is found in Kashyap Samhita was taken from Bhela Samhita but it is not present in the modern day Bhela Samhita.
• The Guru-Shishya question answering pattern is not present in Bhela Samhita as in Charak and Sushruta Samhita.

Controversies among Charak Samhita, Sushruta Samhita and Bhel Samhita :-

–In Charak Samhita it was said that we should consume :-

• Bibhitaki – Before Food
• Amlaki – After Food
• Haritaki – At end of digestion

But according to Bhela :-

• Amlaki – Before Food
• Haritaki – After Food
• Bibhitaki – At end of digestion

–Like Sushruta he has also consider 5 types of Agni but along with it he has said that Alochaka pitta is again of 2 types ie.

1. Chakshu Vaishesika
2. Buddhi Vaishesika

Contribution of Bhela Samhita :-

1. The word Janmara was used in the context of Janpadadhwamsa ( Epidemics), while Sushruta has used the term Marak.
2. Different names were given to the fever cause in animals. A disease named vatalika was given by him which is considered as plague by some.
3. The definition of kayachikitsa is present here.
4. 8 types of Swedan karma are given.
5. Separate chapter for Vishama Jwar.
6. Raktapitta is of 2 types butthe asadhya one was named as Sarvsrotspravrittah.
7. Special importance was given for Panchkarma.
8. In classification of Vatajaprakriti, he has included the concept of philosphical prakriti which is not found any where else.

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