Abstract

Epidemics are widespread outbreaks of disease that affect a large number of group in a very short period. They have been a recurring feature throughout human history, causing a lot of suffering, death, and sometimes even completely changing societies. Even in ancient civilisations, epidemics were a common occurrence. This paper explores how epidemics were understood in ancient India, looking at their meaning as mentioned in the book ‘Charak Samhita.’ It looks at the different ways disease outbreaks were explained in that book. It also examines various strategies which people used to prevent epidemics during that time. The objective of this paper is to enrich our understanding of public health, disease management, and recognize the relevance of holistic healthcare philosophies in contemporary times.

Key words: Epidemics, Ancient knowledge, Disease outbreaks