From the noble lineage of Śāntanu arose Devāpi, Vāhlika, and Somadatta. Vāhlika, in turn, begot Somadatta, and from Somadatta were born Bhūri, Bhūrisravas, and Śala—each a distinguished name in the Kuru dynasty. Through the divine river Gaṅgā, Śāntanu was blessed with the mighty Bhīṣma, while from Kālyā came Vicitravīrya. It was in the field of Vicitravīrya that the sage Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana was born. Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana, revered as Vyāsa, fathered Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Pāṇḍu, and Vidura. From Pāṇḍu and Kuntī were born Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, and Arjuna—three pillars of righteousness. And by the grace of the gods, Nakula and Sahadeva were born to Pāṇḍu and Mādri. Arjuna’s line continued through his son Abhimanyu, who fathered Parikṣit, also called Saubhadra. The beloved Draupadī, wife to the Pāṇḍavas, bore Prativindhya to Yudhiṣṭhira, Śrutakīrti to Bhīmasena, and Dhanañjaya to Arjuna. Sahadeva’s son was Śrutakarman, while Nakula’s was Śatānīka. Bhīmasena, through Hiṃbā, had the powerful Ghaṭotkaca. Thus, the lines of these kings—past and yet to come—are countless, for all beings pass with time. Time itself is Hari, the Lord; may the twice-born ever honor Him. Let them perform the sacred offering to Agni, for by such offerings all desires are fulfilled. Then, Agni spoke: “I shall reveal the essence of Ayurveda, as the divine Dhanvantari once taught to Sushruta—a wisdom so potent it can restore the very dead to life.” Sushruta replied, “O Lord, teach me Ayurveda, which removes the diseases of men, horses, and cattle. Share with me the perfected formulas, accomplished mantras, and those that restore the dead.” Dhanvantari instructed: “To preserve strength during fever, let the physician give light food to one who has fasted; roasted barley and parched rice, with water boiled and cooled, will allay thirst and fever. Use musta, parpata, koshira, sandalwood, udichya, and nagara; when the fever’s peak has passed, a bitter preparation should be administered.” “After oiling and removing the doshas, purgation is to be performed. Well-cooked shashtika, nivara, red rice, and pramodaka are suitable. Such foods, along with barley preparations, are prescribed for fever. Mung beans, lentils, chickpeas, horse gram, and those with kustha are also beneficial. Atakya, naraka, karkotaka, katolvaka, patola with fruit, neem, parpata, and pomegranate are helpful in fever.” “In disorders moving downward, emesis is best; in upward-moving disorders, purgation. For bleeding disorders, one should drink a six-ingredient decoction, omitting dry ginger. Roasted barley, wheat, rice, lentils, chickpeas, mung beans, and wheat preparations are wholesome. Foods prepared with ghee and milk, honey, bull’s urine, and honey again are salutary. In chronic diarrhea, eating old rice is recommended.” “Choose foods that do not cause obstruction, combined with lodhra bark; wind must be carefully avoided in all abdominal tumors. Wheat, rice, mung beans, brahmi, khadira, haritaki, the five peppers, wild vegetables, neem, amalaki, and patola are advised. For those with skin diseases, water infused with khadira is suitable for drinking; juice of matulunga, jati, dried roots, and rock salt are also beneficial.” “Lentils and mung beans are suitable as gruel, and well-cooked rice as food; add neem and parpata greens, and the juice of wild animals. Vidanga, black pepper, musta, kustha, lodhra, suvarcika, manashila, and valerian, pounded with urine, destroy skin diseases.” “For urinary disorders, cakes and preparations of kustha, kulmasha, barley, and similar foods are beneficial; barley, mung beans, horse gram, and well-cooked rice are suitable. Bitter and dry vegetables, bitter greens, and oils of sesame, mustard, vibhitaka, and inguda are also appropriate. Mung beans with barley and wheat, grains stored for a year, and juice of wild animals are best for consumption.” “One should use horse gram, black gram, rasna, dried roots, wild meats, or prepare these with flowers or grains seasoned with curd and pomegranate. Food prepared with the juice of citron, honey, grapes, long pepper, and similar ingredients, as well as barley, wheat, and rice, should be given to those suffering from breathlessness and cough. Gruels, soups, and decoctions with ten roots, bala, rasna, and horse gram are remedies for breathlessness and hiccups.” “Digested rice, wheat, and barley should be taken with the juice of dried roots, horse gram, and wild roots, along with usira. A person with swelling should eat pathya with gur and ginger, and also buttermilk and citraka—both are remedies for digestive diseases. Old barley, wheat, and rice, juice of wild meats, mudga, amalaki, dates, grapes, and badara are recommended.” “Honey, ghee, milk, sugar, neem, parpata, buttermilk, and arishta are always beneficial for those afflicted by wind disorders. For heart disease, purgation is necessary; long pepper is good for hiccups. Buttermilk, valāla, and sindhu, cooled with cold water, are to be used. Pearls, black salt, and similar substances are good for intoxication; lac with honey and milk relieves vomiting.” “Tuberculosis is overcome by a diet of meat broths, which protect the digestive fire; at meals, red rice, nivara, and kalama are to be taken. Barley preparations, meat, vegetables, black salt, and shati are wholesome. For hemorrhoids, gruel or buttermilk with water is recommended. Use musta, as well as lopa with citraka and turmeric, barley preparations, rice, and vāstuka with black salt.” “Barley and wheat with tin, mixed with milk, sugarcane juice, and ghee, are good for difficulty in urination; for drinking, gruel and sura are suitable. Puffed rice, śaktu, honey, roasted meat, parushaka, brinjal, kulāva, and shikhin, as well as drinks, are remedies for vomiting.” Thus, the wisdom of Ayurveda, as revealed by Dhanvantari and preserved by the sages, brings health and balance to all who follow it with faith and discernment.