This chapter is not chosen at random. It was selected because it sets the tone and direction of the entire Samhita. In it, we are introduced to the seeds of the entire tantra—the causes of disease (hetu), the symptoms or signs (liṅga), and the essence of treatment (auṣadha). Moreover, it lays down the purpose, intent, and methodology behind the study and application of Ayurveda itself. It is a deliberate entry into the ocean of Ayurvedic thought. Acharya Charaka doesn’t jump immediately into the complexity of diseases or the intricacies of treatments. Instead, he begins with a fundamental inquiry: What is the purpose of Ayurveda? And how should one approach this knowledge? That is why the Dīrghañjīvitīya adhyāya is placed right at the outset.
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