A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF DALHANA’S NIBANDHASAMGRAHA COMMENTARY ON SUSHRUTA SAMHITA WITH EMPHASIS ON TERMINOLOGY

Sushruta Samhita is one of the major and foundational texts of Ayurveda. Various commentaries have been written in this but Nibandhasamgraha of Dalhana is one of the authoritative commentaries. This commentary is given importance for its clarity and depth. It helps to grasp the difficult terms and complex ideas in Sushruta Samhita. This paper sets on a detailed analysis of Dalhana’s unique approach to terminology, emphasizing his methodological approach to defining, contextualizing, and clarifying technical terms. Through this study, twenty primary categories of terms have been identified, including those related to anatomy, diseases, mental health, therapeutic procedures, symptoms, dietetics, medical tools, and spiritual concepts. The majority of terms fall within the realms of specific definitions, sign and symptoms, treatments and procedures, and psychological terms. By the categorization and analysis of these terminologies, this paper reveals the depth of Nibandhasamgraha’s scholarly contributions and features its role in linking contemporary text with practical application. Such a study helps in deepening the understanding of Ayurvedic classics and offers perspective relevance to contemporary research and practice. It also offers a backbone for future inter-disciplinary research in Ayurveda, Sanskrit philology, and history of medicine. Further, structured use of terminology also supports standardization of Ayurvedic glossology, which is crucial for translation, teaching, and global integration of Ayurveda.