Vaidya

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Vaidya (Sanskrit: वैद्य) is a Sanskrit word meaning "physician".[1] It is also used unchanged in modern Indo-Aryan languages such as Hindi.[2] It was and is used generally in India to refer to a person who practises ayurveda, an indigenous Indian system of medicine.[3] Senior practitioners or teachers were called Vaidyarāja "physician-king" as a mark of respect.Some practioners who had complete knowledge of the texts and were excellent at their practices were known as " Pranaacharya". Some royal families in India had a personal vaidya in attendance and these people were referred to as Rāja Vaidya "the king's physician"[4][5]


In the classical text, Charakh Sahinta ( Chapter 29 of Sutrasthan) the term Vaidya is classified into 2 types:

1. Pranabhisar Vaidya- the ones who protect the lives by curing diseases and exhibits complete knowledge theoretically ae well as practically. 
2. Rogabhisar Vaidya-the ones who doesn't have complete knowledge and due to lack of knowledge danger the lives of patient.

See also

References

  1. "Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Online Edition" [archive].
  2. "DSAL Hindi Dictionary" [archive].
  3. Ember, Carol R. Encyclopedia of medical anthropology: health and illness in the ... [archive] Vol. 2.
  4. Hutchison, Rose. Gazetteer of the Chamba State [archive].
  5. Agrawal, S. P. Development/digression diary of India: 3D companion volume to Information ... [archive]