Ayurveda: a historical perspective (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781520272580)

Ayurveda, a Historical Perspective challenges the often romanticized and exaggerated claims surrounding Ayurveda. Widely praised in both India and the West, Ayurveda is frequently portrayed as a flawless, ancient system capable of achieving what modern scientific medicine cannot. Enthusiasts credit it with pioneering vaccinations long before Jenner and performing miraculous surgeries even before the discovery of anesthesia.

Through engaging narratives and eloquent advocacy, some writers have built soaring expectations in patients suffering from chronic or incurable conditions. But how much of this is historically and scientifically accurate?

In this bold and timely work, an experienced professor of Ayurveda critically examines the tradition's real historical roots, its actual medical contributions, and the myths perpetuated around it. Drawing from scholarly research and firsthand experience, the book provides a grounded perspective on Ayurveda's evolution while warning against the damage caused by pseudo-scholarship and uncritical glorification, both in the East and the West.