The Sushruta Samhita is a foundational Sanskrit surgical compendium attributed to the ancient physician Sushruta and crystallized in the classical Ayurvedic era (roughly the 1st millennium BCE–early centuries CE). Celebrated as one of the earliest systematic works on surgery, it catalogs anatomy, operative techniques, some 120 instruments, wound care, fracture treatment, rhinoplasty and cataract procedures, toxicology, obstetrics and rehabilitation. Its key themes—empirical dissection, meticulous technique, asepsis, ethical practice and holistic patient care—blend craft with philosophy. Today the Sushruta Samhita endures as a historic milestone: a source for the origins of plastic and reconstructive surgery, a reminder of rigorous medical training, and an inspiration for integrative, preventive and patient-centered approaches to health.