Changes

The name of each chapter of Sutrasthana has its own significance. It either describes the main content of the chapter, the first topic described in that chapter, or  the first word of that chapter. All the chapters are written in the same prose and poetry format. Each chapter ends with a summarizing verse or Tatrashloka(chapter summary). In some places, prose is followed by poetry describing the same topic, such as ‘Bhavati Cha Atra’(the topic first described in prose is then described in poetry format). Various parameters have been used while constructing the shlokas of the Sutra Sthana, denoting the command of the author over Sanskrit. The chapters of Charaka samhita are written in various styles, including as a dialogue (or a question-answer session) between the sage Atreya and his protégé, Agnivesha, or discussions among an assembly of sages. In fact, on reading the Charaka Samhita, one can find four type of sutras - Guru sutras (by the sage Atreya), Shishyasutras (by Agnivesha, the disciple or shishya of Atreya), Pratisankartu sutras (by Charaka), and Ekiyasutras(anonymous).  

The name of each chapter of Sutrasthana has its own significance. It either describes the main content of the chapter, the first topic described in that chapter, or  the first word of that chapter. All the chapters are written in the same prose and poetry format. Each chapter ends with a summarizing verse or Tatrashloka(chapter summary). In some places, prose is followed by poetry describing the same topic, such as ‘Bhavati Cha Atra’(the topic first described in prose is then described in poetry format). Various parameters have been used while constructing the shlokas of the Sutra Sthana, denoting the command of the author over Sanskrit. The chapters of Charaka samhita are written in various styles, including as a dialogue (or a question-answer session) between the sage Atreya and his protégé, Agnivesha, or discussions among an assembly of sages. In fact, on reading the Charaka Samhita, one can find four type of sutras - Guru sutras (by the sage Atreya), Shishyasutras (by Agnivesha, the disciple or shishya of Atreya), Pratisankartu sutras (by Charaka), and Ekiyasutras(anonymous).  

Like in most sections of the Charaka Samhita, the Sutra sthana also reads as a free-flow text, with each chapter linked logically with the preceding and succeeding chapters in some way.

Like in most sections of the Charaka Samhita, the Sutra sthana also reads as a free-flow text, with each chapter linked logically with the preceding and succeeding chapters in some way.