The Bṛhat-Trayī, literally translated as "The Great Triad (Of Compositions)", refers to three early Sanskrit encyclopaedias of medicine, which are the core texts of the indigenous Indian medical system of Ayurveda. These are contrasted with the Laghu-Trayī or the "lesser triad", a secondary set of later authoritative compositions. This classification cannot be found in works earlier than about 1900. It was first devised probably at some time in the early twentieth century, although its earliest use has not yet (2024) been identified. The classification is not known to Sanskrit authors. It is part of the modern creation of a formal canon for ayurvedic literature. There are older, authoritative medical encyclopaedias that are not included in the Bṛhat-Trayī, for example the Bheḷa-saṃhitā.

Overview

The following three works constitute the Bṛhat-Trayī: The Bṛhat-Trayī or "Triad of the Great" is also sometimes called the Vṛddha-Trayī, which means "the triad of the old/mature (classics or authors)". All three works have been published in numerous Sanskrit editions, and all have been translated into English more than once. The English translations of P. V. Sharma and of Srikantha Murthy are considered among the better ones. The German translation of the Ashtanga Hridayam by Hilgenberg and Kirfel is widely considered the very best and scholarly translation available.