An Explorative Literature Research on Unknown Medical and Non-Medical Works of Ācārya Pūjyapāda

Abstract

Background crya Pjyapda was a versatile physician of Karnataka belonging to 5th century A.D. He was a Jain saint. He inscribed not only many yurveda literary works but also literature pertaining to spiritual linguistics philosophical astrological veterinary sciences and so on. Minimal efforts have been carried out in the past to investigate or probe his literary works.Objective To identify all the existing yurveda literature works of crya Pjyapda.Methodology All the data were procured from Sri Manjunatheshwara Cultural and Research Foundation Dharmasthala Karnataka. To identify his works initially 35 voluminous Cataloguscatalogorum published by University of Madras and National Mission for Manuscripts New Delhi were searched. Further individual catalogues of various manuscript centres and major libraries of India and overseas were probed.Results A total of 23 manuscripts of crya Pjyapda were identified across India. Most of them were in Kannaa and most of them were preserved in various libraries of Karnataka especially at Sri Manjunatheshwara Cultural and Research Foundation Dharmasthala. These manuscripts were pertaining to the speciality of Rasastra N Kyacikitsa lkya and Kaumrabhtya.Conclusion Twenty-three obscure literature works of crya Pjyapda were identified. Basic information has been collected for further exploration.