The term Ayurveda is derived from the Sanskrit words ayur (life) and veda(science or knowledge). Thus, Ayurveda translates to knowledge of life.
Ayurveda is a system of healing that originated in India and has its roots in the Vedic texts. The Vedas are the oldest texts of Hinduism and are believed to have been composed between 1500 BCE and 500 BCE. There are four Vedas that consist of several sections; the Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda. Vedic literature also includes the Upanishads, which shifts from an emphasis on ritual, sacrifice and hymn found in the Vedas, to a deeper philosophical treatise on the nature of reality, the self, and spiritual liberation.
Both yoga and Ayurveda find their origins and philosophies in these texts. Ayurveda is most closely tied to the Atharvaveda, which contains hymns and verses related to health, disease, and healing. The word “yoga” first shows up in the oldest of Vedas, the Rigveda, as well as in the Atharvaveda, where yogic practices and concepts such as meditation, breath control, and asceticism are referenced.