Last verified: April 2026
Eight Branches -- Ashtanga Ayurveda
Ashtanga Hridayam, Sutrasthana 1 documents Ayurveda as an eight-branched system. Each branch specialises in a different domain of health, all sharing the common theoretical framework of Dosha, Dhatu, Agni, and Srotas.
Classical documentation
Ashtanga Hridayam, Sutrasthana 1 opens with the definition of Ayurveda and immediately documents its eight branches. The same eight-branch system is documented in Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita, with minor variations in nomenclature reflecting each text's primary domain.
The eight branches
Kayachikitsa
काय चिकित्साInternal MedicineThe largest branch. Kaya = the body governed by Agni. Documents treatment of all systemic diseases through Agni, Dosha, Dhatu, and Mala. Primary text: Charaka Samhita.
Kaumarabhritya
कौमार भृत्यPaediatrics and ObstetricsEncompasses conception to adolescence: Prasuti Tantra (obstetrics), Stanya (lactation), and paediatric medicine. Primary text: Kashyapa Samhita.
Shalya Tantra
शल्य तन्त्रSurgeryDocuments over 300 surgical procedures, 120 instruments. Sushruta's rhinoplasty and cataract documentation are the oldest surgical records for these procedures in the world. Primary text: Sushruta Samhita.
Shalakya Tantra
शालाक्य तन्त्रENT and OphthalmologyTreats conditions of the structures above the clavicle: ear, nose, throat, eye, and mouth. Documents 76 eye conditions, 28 ear conditions. Primary documentation: Ashtanga Hridayam, Uttarasthana.
Bhuta Vidya
भूत विद्याPsychiatryClassical psychiatry and conditions with exogenous causes. Documents Unmada (major psychiatric conditions) and Apasmara (seizure conditions). Primary text: Charaka Samhita, Chikitsasthana.
Agada Tantra
अगद तन्त्रToxicologyScience of poisons and antidotes. Documents plant poisons, animal venoms, food incompatibilities, and environmental toxicology. Primary texts: Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita, Kalpasthana.
Rasayana
रसायनRejuvenationRejuvenation, longevity, and optimisation of all biological functions. The longest chapter in Charaka Samhita. Documents Chyawanprash as the foundational formulation.
Vajikarana
वाजीकरणReproductive HealthShukra (semen/reproductive tissue) enhancement, sexual capacity, and optimising reproductive potential. Primary text: Charaka Samhita, Chikitsasthana, Vajikarana chapter.
The integrated system
The eight branches share a common framework of Dosha, Dhatu, Agni, and Srotas, and a common diagnostic methodology. A surgeon (Shalya Tantra) uses the same constitutional assessment as an internist (Kayachikitsa). The specialisation is in target organ system and specific techniques — not in a separate theoretical framework.