Dravyagunakosah : Dictionary of Ayurvedic Terms Relating to Names, Synonyms, Properties and Actions of Medicinal Plants (Sanskrit- Hindi-English)/Acharya Priya Vrat Sharma. 1997, 337 p., $36.
"Medicinal plants have been matter of interest from time immemorial. Osadhi-sukta of the Rgveda is perhaps the earliest document of the knowledge about medicinal plants which culminated in Samhitas and Nighantus of Ayurveda. During this long period, a large number of terms developed relating to names, synonyms, properties, actions and uses of medicinal plants which are found in Ayurvedic literature. They reflect the knowledge of the Ayurvedists about this miraculous green drapery of nature who identified each and every plant with specific names, described them by way of synonyms, defined their properties and actions and discovered their uses in various conditions of health and disease. Consequent to this continuous process extending for millenniums a sizeable number of terms accumulated which required a dictionary to interpret them correctly. Due to several nighantus coming to light in recent years another fresh material was added to this wealth.
"The present dictionary is a humble attempt to present the achievements of Ayurveda in the field of medicinal plants with interpretations so that scholars all over the world may share this ancient wisdom for the benefit of the living beings for the well being of which Ayurveda was evolved by the great seers." (jacket)