दुर्गृहीतं क्षिणोत्येव शास्त्रं शस्त्रमिवाबुधम्।
सुगृहीतं तदेव ज्ञं शास्त्रं शस्त्रं च रक्षति।।

durgṛhītaṃ kṣiṇotyeva śāstraṃ śastramivābudham | sugṛhītaṃ tadeva jñaṃ śāstraṃ śastraṃ ca rakṣati ||

A text, wrongly grasped, only harms the unwise — just as a weapon does in an untrained hand. That same text, rightly grasped by one who understands it, protects — as a weapon does in a skilled hand. This library exists so these texts are read the second way: with the context, commentary, and care they were meant to be read with.

— Caraka Saṃhitā, Siddhisthāna 12.49

Free · Public · Growing

Ancient Books of Ayurveda आयुर्वेदस्य ग्रन्थालयः

A free library of classical Ayurvedic literature — Samhitas, commentaries, and reference works. Read online, download the PDF, or find where to buy the printed edition.

texts · 15 categories · languages

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Fifteen shelves, one tradition

Each category gathers texts by classical subject. Select one to filter the library below — or search directly.

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Filter by language, script, or edition year. Every entry can be read online, downloaded as a PDF, or — where offered — purchased in print from the publisher.

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About this library

Reading freely, crediting properly

Ancient Books of Ayurveda gathers historical editions of classical Ayurvedic texts — Samhitas, commentaries, and shastric works — for Ayurveda students, teachers, and faculty who want to read rare and out-of-print books that are otherwise hard to find. Where a modern printed edition of a text is still in print, we link to the publisher directly, so the people keeping this tradition in print are supported too.

  • Every entry lists its editor, commentator, publisher, and edition year, the way a citation would.
  • Search works across title, author, commentator, publisher, subject, and language.
  • New texts are added as they're prepared — check back, or use the category shelves to see what's covered so far.

Support the tradition

This library is free to read and will stay that way. If a text here has a printed edition still available from its publisher, buying a copy is the best way to support the scholars and presses who keep these works in circulation.

Have a scanned manuscript, rare edition, or correction to contribute? Write in — every entry here is maintained by hand.