Who is Bhela in Ayurveda?
Bhela was one of the six disciples of Punarvasu Atreya, and he was the contemporary of Agnivesa.
As of today, the available treatises written by the disciples of Atreya are Agnivesa Samhita and Bhela Samhita only.
According to Burnell, Bhela belongs to Gandhara or Kandhahar of Afghanistan, as he repeatedly mentioned the name of Gandhara Desa. He was also known as Bheda.
The general outline of the treatise of Bhela agrees with Agnivesa Tantra, which contains Sutra, Nidana, Vimana, Sharira, Indriya, Chikitsa, Kalpa, and Siddhi Sthanas. In comparison with Agnivesa Tantra, Bhela Samhita was concise and mostly in the form of prose rather than verse.
Similar to Charaka Samhita & Susruta Samhita, Bhela Samhita has not undergone any redaction and is available in its original form in a mutilated state, in Tanjore, Saraswati Mahal Library. It was published and edited by CCRAS under the guidance of Ayurveda Siromani C. Rajarajeswara Sharma and others.
The Telugu M.S.S. belonging to 1650 AD was published by Calcutta University in Devanagari in the year 1921.
Some of the verses in Bhela Samhita prove that Chandrabhaga and Punarvasu are one and the same.
It also gives information regarding the progress and development of toxicology in those days, as the kings and emperors were in constant fear of being poisoned.
The court physicians, who were well versed in Ashtangas and particularly Agada-Tantra were highly respected.
The verses mention the name of the ruler of his country, the status of the court physician, and the desire of the king to learn the science of toxicology.
In the chapter Janapada – Vibhaktiya, it can be seen that new terms are applied to fevers in animals and plants.
- Fever affecting the cows, dogs – “Charana”
- Matsya (Fish) – “Indrajala”
- Sakuna (Birds) – “Pramilaka”
- Sarva Dhanya (all cereals) – “Chitraka”
- Kanda moola, Phala (tubers, fruits) – “Dava”
- Hasti ( elephants) – “Phalana”
- Aswa (horses) – “Utkarna”
- Sarvamaya (Different diseases) – “Tejas”
- Others – Artaka (va)
In the same chapter he gives an interesting description of the countries and the peculiar diseases prevalent in them.
| Tikshna, Ushna, Abhishyandi Mamsa, Parvatopatyaka – Bahlika Desa | Balasaka |
| Matsya + Anna | Kapha Prakopa, Slipada, Galaganda |
| Matsya – Dakshina Desa ( Costal Belt) Masura, Yava, Godhuma, Tila | Kustha |
| Uddala – Kamboja Desa Mamsa, Sura | Arshas |
| Stri, Sahasa – Paschima Desa | Rajayakshma |
Bhela described 8 types of Sudation such as Sankara, Prastara, Seka, Nadi, Drona, Jala, Udakoshta, and Kuti. But Charaka gives 13 varieties.
In Bhela Samhita, the following new terms, Prithvi Kaya, Ap Kaya, Tejas Kaya, Vayu Kaya, etc. can be seen.
Similar to Agnivesa Samhita, Bhela Samhita consists of 8 divisions and 120 chapters.