Charaka or Caraka is the most familiar name associated with the Ayurveda. one of the stalwarts of Ayurveda, who has redacted the Agnivesha Tantra (the book written by Agnivesha) and made it to the Samhita form; today known as Charaka Samhita.
From the time of Vedas there is a community of sages, who are of ‘Yayavara koti’ (nomadic type) as mentioned by Yajurveda. Charaka is one among them, by which he moves from one place to another practicing and propagating the Ayurveda system. In Krushna Yajurveda (there are two types of Yajuveda i.e. Krushna and shukla) he is mentioned as the disciple of Vaisampayana (who is the commentator of Krushna Yajurveda). Bhavapraksha (one of the famous book of Ayurveda) mentioned him as an incarnation of the king of serpents i.e.” lord Sesha”. One more reference also suggested him as the royal physician of the king Kaniska of Kusana dynasty.
There are so many logical citation based on supportive eveidences; so it is better to approve Charaka as a repersentative of a community who practiced Ayurveda and moved from one place to other. Moreover it can also be considered as a title given to person who perfects the medicine just as the title Dhanwantari (God of Ayurveda) accorded to a good surgeon.
Some of the authors like ‘Swami kumara’ and ‘Chakarapni dutta’ considers the triad of Charaka, Panini (Sanskrit phiologist) and Patanjali (wrote classical Yoga text i.e. Yoga sutra) as the same person. In Ayurveda deepika (commentary of Charaka samhita) Chakrapani himself quoted as ” The salutation to the person who has rectified the errors of mind through the Patanajali yoga, linguistic errors through the Vyakarana mahabhasaya and body ailments through the redaction of Charaka samhita”. This is much clearly stated by Bhavaprakasha opinion i.e. these three are the incarnation of Lord Seshanaga (king of all serpents). This explanation is very much suitable regarding the origin all the triads.
As in Yajnvalkya smriti (a dhrama related shastra/ scripture from 300 AD) quotes about charaka, which shows its prssence before it. Also Vagabhata (wrote Astanga hrudyam in 6th century AD, one of the text of Ayurveda) mentioned about the Charaka, which again shows its presence prior to it. There are so many simillarity between the Charaka explanation and Patanjali yoga sutra which is around 2nd century BC.
Which finally concluded the time period of Charaka is around 2nd century BC.
