Vŗkşăyurvĕda of parăśara--an ancient treatise on plant science.

ABSTRACT

Vŗkşăyurvĕda of Parăśara is a great contribution to the Botany in ancient India. N.N. Sircar and Roma sarkar edited this text with English translation. Notes with comparative references of modern botany were added. This book can be placed in all probability in between 1st century B.C to 4th century A.D by its linguistic style. Many scientific branches of Botany including origin of life, ecology, distribution of forests, morphology, classification, nomenclature, histology and physiology were dealt in this ancient work. Though it is presumed that this book was written by Parăśara to teach Botany to preparatory to Ayurvĕda studies to ancient Ayurvĕda students, it is true to the Ayurvĕda personals and other disciplines related to Botany of present day as well. Aim of this article is to attract the attention of all scholars who are related to Ayurvĕda and Botany and to feel the depth of the knowledge of ancient Indian botany.