This book written by Susruta who was a pupil of the sage Dhanwantari, is a compilation of the latter’s teachings. The revised version by Nagarjuna, which is the one now available to us, also contains a supplement added by him called Uttara Tantra.

The book has earned Susruta the title ‘Father of Surgery’. He classified all surgical operations into eight kinds and also enumerated 101 types of blunt instruments and 21 sharp instruments used in surgery, in ayurveda, the Indian system of medicine and health.

Dr. Hoernle, editor of the Bower Manuscript states that the book must have been revised between 400 and 500 AD. As such, it was written after the Charaka Samhita.

The Susruta Samhita has six main divisions :

They are,    1. Sutra Sthana
        2. Nidana Sthana
        3. Sarira Sthana
        4. Chikitsa Sthana
        5. Kalpa Sthana and
        6. Uttara Sthana