The Conception of Ancient Indian Medicine (Suśruta – Caraka – Vāgbhata Periods)

India is the cradle of some traditional medical systems such as Āyurveda, Siddha and Unani. Medical experience which began as verbal tradition had proceeded importantly following its transformation into a written tradition after the Aryans settlement in India. The first written information about Indian medicine, was obtained from the sacred texts of Hinduism such as rigveda, sāmaveda, yajurveda and atharvaveda. Then, many physicians had created their own voluminous works in different times related to this matter. Among these works, there came the ones belonging to the famous physicians named as Suśruta, Caraka and Vāgbhata, also known as auld-triad (major triad). These works, which put forth the principles of Āyurveda, as considered the basis of Indian medicine, were able to survive by some changes and updates until today. In this study, on the ground of these works it was targeted to give detailed information about many subjects related to ancient Indian medicine, such as the origin of Āyurveda, tridosha theory (vāta, kapha, pitta), mahābhūta/pañcamahābhūta (great/five elements), deontology, medical institutions, etiology, symptom, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, surgery, gynecology and pediatrics (marriage, pregnancy, embriyology, birthy, dystocia, wet-nurse, midwifery, child welfare), hygiene, diets, yoga, special therapies, herbal and chemical compounds.