________________ i vii ] m. 2. Dhanwantari has been mentioned at several places in the Caraka samhita also once as god' but Atreya is not quoted in the Susruta sarhita. It shows that Divodasa was anterior to Atreya. Keeping in view these facts, if the date of Atreya is fixed as 1000 B.C.1 Divodasa may be placed during the period 15000-1000 B.C. L VRDDHA SUSRUTA In commentaries, one comes across quotation from VIddha Susruta which definitely is a traditional landmark different from Susruta. In ancient tradition, the adjective. Vtddha' was prefixed to denote the earlier edition of the texts. We find this also in case of Kasyapa-Vrddha Kasyapa, Bhoja-Vrddha Bhoja, VagbhataVtddha, Vagbhata and so on. Thus, Vtddha Susruta was the earliest edition of the Samhita in its original form containing teachings of Kasiraja Divodasa. As Veddha Susruta was a junior contemporary to Divodasa his date will also be the same ( 1500-1000 B.C.). SUSRUTA Susruta is said to be the son of Viswamitra--who is different from Viswamitra, the military teacher of Rama and Laksmana. Susruta, the son of Salihotra, was an expert in animal husbandry and an such may be a different person. . 1. Susruta has mentioned places like Sriparvata, Sahyadri, Devagiri, Malaya cala etc. which are situated in south India. In the Caraka Samhita there is no mention of these places. There is also the word 'Daksinapatha'. 2. Viswamitra, Susruta's father, is said to be the founder of Andhra Pradesha. 3. Susruta has used many south Indian words such as 'murangi for 'sigru'. He has also described first the drug 'tuvaraka (Hydnocarpus) which is found in wertern ghats. These facts show that Susruta was intimately acquainted and connected with south India. Date of Susruta : The following evidences will be helpful in deciding the issue : 1. There are some facts which show that the work is after Buddha. The words 'munda', 'caitya', 'bhiksusanghati' (monk's robes). The word 'nagna' is for jaina monks. 1. C. vi 8.10. 2. S. ci. 37.7, 38.93. 3. S. ci. 2.1; v. 66.1.
