Ayurvedic Encyclopaedia 2 Volume Set

This is a Commemoration Volume. A few weeks before my 75th birthday i.e. the 3rd March, 1995, one of my students, Ayurveda Acharya Mukkamala Venkata Shastri of Vijayawada, conceived the idea that a Commemoration Volume consisting of the felicitations and the reminiscences recevied from my friends and admirers on the occasion of the celebration of my 75th birthday might be published as a mark of respect towards me. He issued an appeal. Another student of mine, Sri Bhishagavara Veturi Sankara Shastri of Muktyala wished to publish a Birthday Special Number of his Journal "Sri Dhanvantari" as a symbol of the deep sense of devotion to me as his Guru. I myself thought that the enthusiasm on the part of my student and followers should be canalised and utilised for some useful purpose. I felt deeply grateful to Almighty God for giving me this youthful vigour and mental alertness at this age when so many of my playmates and classmates have disappeared when quite young. I wanted to devote my energy to the sacred task of collecting all the available information on Ayurveda, which has accumulated during the present generation into a comprehensive volume and offer it to the All- Merciful God as a sacrificial offering (Yajna) as a symbol of my gratitude to Him. I issued an appeal individually to over 100 scholars all over India to contribute their mite to this Gnana Yajna as a Dana (Gift of Knowledge) as their sacrificial offering. Some circulars were issued giving my suggestions regarding the plan of the work and indicating the special subjects on which the articles are to be contributed. A Board of Editors consisting of five members was constituted by the 40th All India Ayurvedic Congress held at Trivandrum. The response was very sincere. But some of the article fell short of the standard that I set for them. Several others had to be omitted on account of their overlapping each others.