Abstract

SHAVA CHEDANA IN RACHANA SHARIR: AN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING MODEL BRIDGING CLASSICAL WISDOM AND MODERN ANATOMY

*Dr. Shan Ahmad, Dr. Ankit Tyagi, Dr. Jitender Kumar, Dr. Aaditya Bhardwaj

Abstract

Shava Chedana (cadaveric dissection), described by Acharya Sushruta, forms the foundation of Rachana Sharir (Ayurvedic anatomy). Classical Ayurveda not only emphasizes the structural study of the human body but also frames shava Chedana as a means of experiential learning, combining direct perception (pratyakṣa pramana) with scriptural authority (agama) and logical inference (anumana). This article revisits the classical methodology of shava Chedana, explores its philosophical and pedagogical dimensions, and correlates it with modern anatomical education, including cadaveric dissection, plastination, and virtual dissection. Unlike earlier publications, this review positions shava Chedana as a holistic model of learning that continues to hold relevance in postgraduate Ayurveda education.

Keywords: Shava Chedana, Rachana Sharir, Experiential Learning, Ayurveda Anatomy, Sushruta, Virtual Dissection.