Ayurveda's roots lie in the Atharva Veda (c. 1200 BCE). Its two foundational texts — the Charaka Samhita (internal medicine) and the Sushruta Samhita (surgery) — were compiled around 600 BCE and represent extraordinary medical sophistication. Sushruta described over 300 surgical procedures including rhinoplasty and cataract removal, using 120 different surgical instruments, more than 2,600 years before modern medicine.

• Ahara (diet) — food tailored to one's Prakriti, season, and time of day
• Vihara (lifestyle) — daily routine (Dinacharya) aligned with natural rhythms
• Panchakarma — five deep purification therapies: Vamana, Virechana, Basti, Nasya, Raktamokshana
• Yoga and Pranayama — movement and breath to balance the doshas
• Herbal medicine — over 700 medicinal plants used in classical formulations
• Rasayana — rejuvenation therapies for longevity and vitality
• Marma therapy — 107 vital energy points on the body
• Sattvik living — cultivating the quality of pure, luminous being

The ancient university of Taxila (c. 600 BCE) was a global centre of Ayurvedic learning — students came from Greece, China, and Persia. Arab traders carried Ayurvedic knowledge westward; it influenced Unani medicine and ultimately European herbalism. Today, the WHO recognises Ayurveda as a complete medical system. Ashwagandha, turmeric, Triphala, and neem are found in health stores worldwide.

Modern science has validated dozens of Ayurvedic formulations. Turmeric's curcumin is proven anti-inflammatory. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) reduces cortisol and improves cognitive function. Triphala is confirmed as a powerful antioxidant. Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) enhances neuroplasticity. But Ayurveda's deepest wisdom — that health is not the absence of disease but the presence of vitality, joy, and purpose — remains ahead of modern medicine.