Dridabala was an Ayurvedic scholar who lived in 4th century AD Kashmir. He reconstructed approximately 1/3 of the Charaka Samhita text that had been lost, including adding 41 chapters across three sections - 17 chapters on therapeutics, 12 on pharmaceutics, and 12 on treatment success. His reconstruction of this important ancient medical text was an important contribution, though it did lead to some confusion regarding the chronology of chapters. Overall, Dridabala helped preserve many teachings from Charaka Samhita that otherwise would have been lost.

1. The Redactor of
Charaka Samhita

2. || Contents
||
• Time Period & Place
• Works &
Contribution
• Controversies

3. || Time period & PLace ||
 Father – Kapilabala
 Time – Around 4th Century A.D.
 Place – Panchananda pura of
Kashmir

4. 4th Century A.D.
Panchananda pura
 Lived 1 or 2
Centuries earlier
to
the Period of
Vagbhata
 During the time
of
Gupta Dynasty
 ‘Panchananda
pura’
means –
meeting of
five streams
 Modern Day
Panjnor near
Srinagar Kashmir

5. || Works & Contributions ||
Dridabala Mentioned that during
his time some part of Charaka
Samhita was lost & he
reconstructed the lost 41 Chapters
of Charaka Samhita
• 17 Chapters of Chikitsasthana
• 12 Chapters of Kalpasthana
• 12 Chapters of Siddhasthana

6. || Works & Contributions ||
1 / 3rd of
Charaka Samhita
was reconstructed by
Dridhabala
...And also Redacted the Entire Samhita

7. Chikitsa Sthana
(therapeutics)
17 chapters
1. Unmada Chikitsa
2. Apasmara Chikitsa
3. Kshata Chikitsa
4. Shotha Chikitsa
5. Udara Chikitsa
6. Grahani Chikitsa
7. Pandu Chikitsa
8. Shwasa Chikitsa
9 Kasa Chikitsa
10. Chardi Chikitsa
11. Trishna Chikitsa
12. Visha Chikitsa
13. Trimarmiya Chikitsa
14. Urustambha Chikitsa
15. Vatavyadhi Chikitsa
16. Vatashonita Chikitsa
17. Yonivyapat Chikitsa
Kalpa Sthana
(pharmaceutics)
12 chapters
1. Madana Kalpa
2. Jimutaka Kalpa
3. Ikshwaku Kalpa
4. Dhamargava Kalpa
5. Vatsaka Kalpa
6. Krutavedhana Kalpa
7. Shyama Trivrit Kalp
8. ChaturangulaKalpa
9. Tilvaka Kalpa
10. Sudha Kalpa
11. SaptalaShankini Kalpa
12. Danti Dravanti Kalpa
Siddhi Sthana
(success in treatment)
12 chapters
1. Kalpana Siddhi
2. Panchakarma Siddhi
3. Vastisutriya Siddhi
4. Snehavyapadiki Siddhi
5. Netravastivyapadiki Siddhi
6. Vamanavirechanavyapad
Siddhi
7. Vastivyapad Siddhi
8. Prasrutayogika Siddhi
9. Trimarmiya Siddhi
10. Vasti Siddhi
11. Phalamatra Siddhi
12. Uttaravasti Siddhi

8. || Works & Contributions ||
Dridbala gives his brief introduction in the 30th
chapter of Chikitsa Sthana and 12th chapter of
Siddhi Sthana. He tells that he is an ardent follower
of Lord Shiva, son of Kapilabali and a resident of
Panchanada.
“अस्मिन् सप्तदशाध्यायााः कल्ााः ससद्धय एव च|
नासाद्यन्तेऽसिवेशस्य तन्त्रे चरकसंस्कृ
त ते ||२८९|| ”
“ तानेतान् कासिलबसलाः शेषान् दृढबलोऽकरोत्|
तन्त्रस्यास्य महार्थस्य िूरणार्ं यर्ातर्म् ||२९०|| ”
Ch. Chi. 289-290

9. || Works & Contributions ||
He open heartedly praises and credits master
Agnivesha and Charaka for their initial efforts.
Acknowledgement to Agnivesha and Charaka can
be found to be given at the end of each chapter
of Charaka Samhita.
इत्यसिवेशक
त ते तन्त्रे चरकप्रसतसंस्कृ
त तेऽप्राप्ते
दृढबलसम्पूररते सचसकत्सास्र्ाने ...................
नाम अध्यायाः
( Name of Adhyaya )

10. || Controversies ||
 Dridabala added 17 chapters over 13 existing ones
making it
total of 30 Chapters.
 The Chapters added by Dridabala were not
sequential
which lead to the confusion of chronology of the
Chapters.
 It is also suggested that as Dridabala reconstructed
the
entire Samhita along with the 41 added Chapters ,

11. https://www.easyayurveda.com/2019/09/05/acharya-dridhabala/
https://www.easyayurveda.com/2016/02/02/charaka-chikitsa-sthana-30th-
chapter-yoni-vyapat/#summary
http://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/ecaraka/?mod=read
Created By :-
Prajesh D. Jadhav
BAMS -1, GAMC, Mysuru