"Ayurveda" is a compound of the word ayus meaning "life" or "life principle", and the word veda, which refers to a system of "knowledge" (based on the root word ‘vid’ i.e. ‘to know’ as interpreted by Sage Charaka) as well as the “steps to attain” a long and health life (based on the root word ‘vid’ i.e. ‘to attain’ as interpreted by Sage Susruta). Thus "Ayurveda" roughly translates as the "knowledge of life" or alternatively the ‘practical steps to attain good health and longevity’.

DhanvantariSage Dalhana sums up the various definitions of Ayurveda as: “Ayurveda is the science which encompasses the knowledge about the four components of life, viz. body, senses, mind, and soul. The term ‘Ayurveda’ refers to life and health, not death and disease. Ayurveda is concerned with measures to protect "ayus", which includes healthy living along with therapeutic measures that relate to physical, mental, social and spiritual harmony. Body is the instrument of action for realization of the values of life. The effort is therefore focused on the safety and efficiency of the body, perfecting health, avoiding illness, healing when ill.

A guiding principle of Ayurveda is that the mind exerts the deepest influence on the body. A state of balanced awareness in an individual leads to presence of the right attitudes, in turn leading to the right actions, culminating in a higher state of health. Disease is seen to be the result of climatic variations, bacterial attack, nutritional deviance, and stress as well as other forms of emotional imbalance; in short, life(style) as a whole. Optimal health is achieved by cultivating mental, physical, and dietary habits that are conducive to physical and spiritual well-being.