Sarvatantra Swatantra Kaikulangara Rama Varier - An illustrious polymath who enriched the Ayurveda literature

Abstract

Abstract Kaikulangara Rama Varier (1832–1897) was one of the greatest Sanskrit scholars, Kerala had ever seen. He had a profound knowledge of Sanskrit, Ayurveda, Astrology, Vedanta, Yogabhyasa, Tarka, Vyakarana, and Music. With his extraordinary writing skills, even the toughest Sanskrit slokas were translated into Malayalam and made reader-friendly. His keen interest in popularizing Sanskrit language paved the way for translational works of Ayurveda. In the present study, the life profile of Kaikulangara Rama Varier is documented with the data collected through direct interviews with relatives, historians, and other published works. In Ayurveda, the literary works of Kaikulangara Rama Varier, which are commendable are Arogyaraksha-Kalpadruma, Bhavaprakasha and Sararthadarpana vyakhyana of Ashtanga Hridaya, Vaidya granthamala, and Vaidyamrita tarangini. The areas of panchakarma and management of eye disorders from his Ashtanga Hridaya commentaries were compiled and published separately as Panchakarma chikitsa and Netra chikitsa. Arogyaraksha-Kalpadruma expounds on various areas of pediatric practice right from birth, including the prevention and management of age-specific illness with many unique drug formulations that are successfully in practice even now. His recommendations on pediatric practices remain unparalleled and have made him more famous in Ayurveda. Over time, much of his works of literature got decayed. It is the need of the hour to preserve and explore these invaluable works, especially those related to Ayurveda, to sustain the knowledge and essence of this traditional science.