FORENSIC SCIENCE
Indian History (Ancient And Medieval)
Ancient India
Ayurveda Curative
Ayur Veda
Preventive
Life Science
In Sanskrit, Ayurveda means “The Science of Life.” It is a form of alternative
medicine that is the traditional system of medicine of India and seeks to
treat and integrate body, mind, and spirit using a comprehensive holistic
approach especially by emphasizing diet, herbal remedies, exercise,
meditation, breathing, and physical therapy.
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Branches of Ayurveda
Eight different branches collectively known as Ashtanga Ayurveda
1. Kāyācikitsā (Internal Medicine)
2. Kaumārabhrtya (Paediatrics)
3. Bhūtavidyā (Spirit Medicine/Psychiatry)
4. Urdhyaanga Cikitsā (Treatment of eyes, nose, throat, head related
diseases)
5. Śalyaroga Cikitsā (Surgery)
6. Damstra Cikitsā or Agada Tantra (Toxicology)
7. Rasāyana (Science of rejuvenation/Geriatrics)
8. Vājīkarana (Aphrodesiacs/Virility)
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Agada Tantra
• Specialized branch of Ayurveda that discussed application of poison to
cause death and also mentioned usage of poison as an antidote for
different types of diseases.
• Earliest mention of poison is found in Atharva Veda.
• Reference of VishKanya in ancient texts.
• Reference about use of poisons and its classification is found in
ancient Ayurvedic texts: Caraka Samhita, Susruta Samhita,
Ashtangahridaya and Bhavamishra.
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Vishkanya
• Literally translated to “poisonous maiden” or “venomous virgin”.
• Used as seductive assassin to eliminate powerful enemies
• From the second day of birth, ancient Indian Kings would feed one tiny drop
of snake venom to the baby girl. Gradual feeding of different types of poison
continued throughout the girls early age to make them immune to the lethal
effects.
• Sexual intercourse, a kiss, contact with her sweat or even just sharing a glass
of wine with her would be fatal for the victim.
• Reference about existence of Vishkanya in India is also found in pseudo-
Aristotle treatise, Secretum Secretorum (The secrets of secrets) and in
writings of 13th century Spanish author Guillem de Cervera.
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Caraka Samhita (Charak Samhita)
• Attributed to Maharshi Charaka
• Compiled between 100 BCE and 200 CE.
• Based on Agnivesa Samhita, created by Agnivesa (800 BCE).
• Visochikitsa
• Classification of poison into
1. Jangamavisha (animal poison)
2. Sthavaravisha (plant and mineral poisons)
• Samyogvisha (poisons prepared by mixing two or more substances)
• Samyogvisha was classified into:
1. Garavisha (prepared by non-poisonous substances)
2. Kritrimvisha (prepared by poisonous substances)
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Suśruta Samhita
• Atributed to Suśruta or Sushruta
• Contradiction regarding the author and its creation year but most
commonly is said to be created by 6th century BCE.
• Kalpasthana in Suśruta Samhita deals with several modes of poisoning in
ancient India.
• Narrated how poisons were mixed with food, drinks, honey, medicine,
bathing water, anointing oils, perfumes, eyelash pigments and snuff or
sprinkled over clothes, beds, couches, shoes, garlands, jewellery, saddles of
horses etc.
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Characteristics of Poisoner according to
Suśruta
• An intelligent physician, who is well qualified to ascertain the true state of one’s
feelings from the speech, conduct, demeanour, and distortions of the face, would be
able to discover the true culprit (poisoner) from the following external indicators.
• A giver of poison does not speak or answer when a question is put to him; he swoons
or breaks off suddenly in the middle of his conversation and talks inarticulately and
indefinitely like a fool.
• He is found suddenly and listlessly to press the joints of his fingers or to scratch the
earth, to laugh and to shiver. He will look frightened at the sight of others
(indifferently) and will cut (straw or hay) with his finger nails, and his colour changes
constantly.
• He will scratch his head in an agonized and confused state and will look this way and
that way, trying to slip away by a back or side door.
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Ashtanghridaya
• Attributed to Vagbhatta, dated 7th – 8th century AD.
• Volume II, Uttarstahna, Chap. 35 deals mainly with antidotes of
poison.
Sthavaram
(Plant and Mineral
Poisons)
Akratrimavisha
(Natural Poisons)
Jangamam
(Animal Poisons)
Visha
(Poison)
Garavisha
(Prepared by non-
poisonous substances
Kratrimavisha
(Artificial Poisons)
Dusivisha
(prepared by
poisonous substances)
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Bhavamishra
• Bhavamishra classification of poison is more or less same as in other
samhitas. He classified Akratrimvisha (unnatural poison) into
Garavisha (prepared from non-poisonous substances) and Dusivisha
(prepared from poisonous substances)
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Rasatarangini
• Rasasastra classified visa into two types. According to Rasatarangini,
poison can be classified as:
Mahavisha Upavisha
1. Halahala 1. Vishatinduka
Jangamavisha
(Animal Poisons)
2. Kalakuta 2. Ahiphena
Mahavisha 3. Srungaka 3. Recakam
Visha
(Poison of high
(Poison) Sthavaravisha potency) 4. Pradipana 4. Dhatura
(Plant and Mineral 5. Saurastrika 5. Vijaya
Poisons) Upavisha
6. Brahmaputra 6. Ganja
(Poison of low
potency) 7. Haridraka 7. Bhallataka
8. Saktuka 8. Arkaksiram
9. Vatsanabha 9. Snuhiksiram
10.Langali
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Art of Burglary and Thieving
• Information about scientific burglary is described by Sudraka, where he
mentions that a standard book on house-breaking was in existence during
his time. (650-750 CE)
• Steya-Shashtra authored by Karnisuta or Muladeva contained classification
of thieves, methods of digging tunnels in the buildings, recommendations
for breaking into houses, various implements required by thief during
burglary etc.
• In Mricchakatika, a thief Sharvilaka describes the seven kinds of breaches
that can be made in walls and classifies them by shape — the lotus, the
sun, the crescent moon, the tank, the broad, the svastika shaped and the
filled pot.
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Ashumritakpariksha
• Medicolegal aspects of death described by Kautilya in Arthashashtra (2nd century
BCE-3rd century CE)
• Nirudhochvashatam (Strangulation)
- Dead person with urine and stool passed out
- Organs inflated with air
- Swollen hands and legs
- Eyes open
- Neck marked with ligature
• Udbandhhatam (Hanging)
- Along with the signs of nirudhochvashatam, contracted arms and
thighs
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…Continued
• Shoolaropitam
- Dead person with swollen hand, legs and belly
- With shrunken eyes
- Inflated navel
• Udakahatam (Drowning)
- Prolapsed rectum
- Eyeballs steady and outside cavity
- Tongue bitten between teeth
- Swollen belly
• Kashthairashmibhirvahatam
- Dead body wet with blood and fractured limbs, indicates that person
was killed with sticks and ropes
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…Continued
• Avakshiptam (Fall of building)
- Fractured bones and broken limbs are found
• Vishahatam (Poisoning)
- Dark colored hands, legs, teeth and nails
- Loose skin
- Fallen hair
- Face bedaubed with foam and saliva
• Sarpkithatam (Snake bite or poisonous insect bite)
- Signs of vishahatam as well as bleeding with bite marks
• Madanyoghatam (Madya, Madana Plant)
- Death caused by consumption of narcotic drugs
- Disorganized body, shattered clothes, excessive vomiting
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Types of Crime in Ancient India
Dand Parusya
(Assault & Battery)
Artha Vivada
(Civil disputes)
Vivada Vak Parusya
(Disputes) (Defamation)
Himsra Samudbhava
Vivada
(Criminal disputes) Sahasa
(Murder & other
violations)
Strisangrahana
(Adultery)
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Judicial Process in Ancient India
Moral Justice
Complaint Reply Evidences Judgement
Social Justice
Justice
Legal Justice
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Judicial Process in Ancient India
Answers
Previous
Admission Denial Special Plea
Judgements
Document Note: Hearsay Witness was not
allowed, however a witness in a
Confirmations foreign country can give his
Possession evidence in writing before a man
(Evidences)
learned in the three Vedas and
the writing sent by him may be
Witness
examined in court.
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[email protected] Judicial System in Medieval India
• Islamic law or Sharia was followed by all the sultans and Mughal
emperors during the Muslim rule in India.
• Non-Muslims were prohibited from enjoying all the rights and
privileges in Muslim law. They were not treated as equal to Muslims
in law and were called zimmis. Their evidence was inadmissible in the
courts against Muslims.
• Muslim criminal jurisprudence treated criminal law as a branch of
private law rather than of public law.
• Four well-defined branches or schools of Muslim Law:
Hanafi School, Maliki School, Shafi School and Hanbali School
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Types of Crime in Medieval India
Crime Against God
Crime Against State
Crime Against Private Individual
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Punishments in Medieval India
Punishments
Diya Hadd Tazeer
Kisa (Blood (Punishment for (Penalty for cases
(Based on revenge) money/Compensat offences against not falling under
ion) God) Hadd or Kisa)
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Thank You
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