Taccheelyadi as an Interpretative Application Tool in Ayurveda: A Review

Abstract

Background: Classical Ayurvedic treatises were composed in Sanskrit in prose and verse, and employ interpretative aids to clarify concise, context-dependent expressions. Tacchīlyādi is one such classical tool and is described through seventeen usages based on similarity, association, quality, function, location, purpose and related interpretative relationships. Aim: To comprehend Tacchīlyādi and explore its applicability in the study and interpretation of Ayurvedic literature. Materials and Methods: A literature review was undertaken using Aṣṭāṅgahṛdaya with the Sarvāṅgasundarā and Āyurvedarasāyana commentaries as the primary source, supported by the Caraka Saṃhitā, Suśruta Saṃhitā and a postgraduate textbook of Saṃhitā and Siddhānta. Review Findings: The seventeen forms of Tacchīlyādi were reviewed together with author-provided examples. Their utility was explored in teaching and learning, understanding disease and treatment, research methodology, textual interpretation and contemporary education. Conclusion: Tacchīlyādi provides an interpretative approach for understanding explicit and implicit meanings in classical Ayurvedic texts and may support conceptual clarity, critical reading and the application of classical knowledge in academic and research settings. Keywords: Taccheelyadi, interpretative application tool, Ayurveda, classical texts, teaching and learning, research methodology