Adhyaya-sangraha

The Ashtanga Hrdayam is an Ayurvedic treatise that was written relatively later and is divided into six sthan (parts) and 120 adhyaya (chapters). Each sthan covers a different subject (i.e., the Nidan sthan is the place where Nidan is written about, or Chikitsa sthan is the place where Chikitsa is written about).

The first part is called the Sutra sthan (sutra = password) and it has 30 chapters. The second part, Sharir sthan (sharír = the body and its development) has 6 chapters. The third part is the Nidan sthan (Nidan = pathology, symptomatology, ethiology) and it has 16 chapters. The fourth is the Chikitsa sthan (the part of the treatise about treatment and the course of treatment) and it has 22 chapters. The fifth part is Kalpa siddhi sthan (treatment procedures or Panchakarma) and it has 6 chapters. The last, sixth part is Utri sthan (information for advanced practitioners) and it has 40 chapters. This chapter is in the first part, Sutra sthan. In the next verse, all the chapters are listed in detail.

It can be a big mistake for a person who is supervising others to not explain what the plan is according to which everything will run. This kind of organization in advance is key. If the supervisor does not give clear instructions, then nothing works and mistakes happen. This kind of list in the treatises is common to guide people as to what to expect. Everything preceding this was an introduction or preface.