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Ayurveda, un-arguably the most ancient science &
traditional system of healing, continuing unbroken into 21st century
in the world today. Long before the Christian era began, maharishi charak, a court
physician with the emperor kanishka, had compiled his famous samhita embracing diagnosis,
treatment, surgery, reconstructive& even plastic surgery!
Ayurveda originated as a part of “vedic science”.it is
considered as the 5th veda or rather an “upveda” of “atharveda”.
Ayurveda is science of longevity, healthy life, as holistic as any system can
aspire to be. Etymologically, the word “ayurveda” is derived from two words
viz. ayu- which means life and veda –
which means knowledge or science. Ayurveda thus means “the science of life and
longevity”.
Ayurveda has gone through several stages of development in
its long run. Today , ayurveda, in yet another stage of development, is
undergoing re-adaptation to the western
world and modern conditions, to include Greek (unani) and Arabic
medicine and the secrets, metaphysics & medicinal, of European alchemy.
For making it easier to understand this vast ocean of
knowledge, ayurveda has been divided into 8 principals branches, viz. shalya
(surgery), shalakya (E.N.T. and ophthalmology ), kaya (general medicine),
prasuti tantra & kaumar bhrutya (gynecology & pediatrics ), bhootvidya
(demonology ), agadtantra (toxicology), rasayan tantra (geriatrics) and
vajikarna (virieology).
The detailed study of the above mentioned branches are :
- shalya tantra (surgery) – the word “shalya” denotes something that causes discomfort to the body and / or mind. This branch deals with the removal of shalya and includes the surgical procedures like incision, excision, suturing, rhino-plastry, treatment of the dislocation of the bones. Etc.
- shalakya tantra [ E.N.T. and ophthalmology ] - this branch deals with the use of a rod [shalaka] for the treatment of the diseases of the organs above the clavicle bone, hence the name shalakya tantra. In the other words it deals with the diseases related to ear, nose, throat and eyes. Though according to the description of the branch, the disorders of the head should be included under this title, but they are included in the branch of general medicine.
- kaya chikitsa [ general medicine ] Here the word “kaya” means “Agni” [digestive power ] and also “Body” & “chikitsa” means “treatment” . the entire ayurveda lays an emphasis on the concept of Agni. Any disturbance of this Agni causes imbalance in the homeostasis and causes disease. This branch includes the diagnosis and the treatment of the systemic disorders without surgical intervention. It also describes general introduction to health and medicine, longevity, general hygiene, preventive medicine and personal health, dietetics and instructions against the suppression of the natural urges. The popularity known panch karma is also described under this branch.
- prasuti tantra and kaumar bhrutya [ gynecology and pediatrics ] – this branch deals with the diagnosis and treatment of the diseases related to conception, pregnancy, delivery, post-delivery and children. It is noteworthy to mention that this branch also deals with the diseases caused due to the psychological reason and also due to the evil spirits.
- bhootvidya [Graha Chikitsa ] [ demonology] –this branch deals with the diseases where the cause is unknown. These sorts of diseases can be correlated to as idiopathic disorders, in Allopathic system of medicine. According to Ayurveda, it has been assumed that these diseases are caused by suffering or possession due to evil spirits.
- agad tantra [ toxicology ] – this branch deals with the forensic aspect. Diagnosis and the treatment of the diseases caused by various types of organic and inorganic poisons have been described under this heading.
- rasayan tantra [geriatrics] the main objective of ayurveda to maintain health is carried out through this branch .it deals with various aspects of preventive health care . It includes details concerning rejuvenation.
- vajikarna (virileology) – this branch focuses on the sexual aspect of life. It deals with the disorders of reproduction and sexual life and includes administration of medicines which are aphrodisiacs and which not only help in spermatogenesis but also improves the quality of sperm.
In addition to these branches, certain paramedical branches are also
described. they are:
A)Dravya gun vigyan (pharmacology and pharmacognosy ) -it deals with the description of the
herbs and their medicinal properties.
The knowledge of this branch plays an important role in the treatment of the
diseases.
B) rasa shashtra and bhaishajya kalpna
(ayurvedic pharmaceutics and pharmacotherapeutics ) –the branch
which deals with the study of the classical alchemic procedures meant for
enhancing or altering the properties of various metals in order to make them
medically useful, is called as rasa shashtra and the branch which deals with
the manufacturing of purely herbal formulation without the use of minerals is
termed as bhaishajya kalpana .
C) swastha vritta ( personal and social hygiene ) this branch deals
with the preventive aspects of the disease
and includes the instructions on personal as well as social hygiene,
required to maintain health.
Ayurveda is traditional and
naturalistic system, it regards the body as composed of the same elements as
the cosmos-of five [panch] elements [bhootas]-earth, water, fire, air and
aether [space ] [aakash ]. Combination of these produce the three vital humors
[ dosas] viz.
- wind [vayu]
- bile or choler [pitta] and
- phlegem [kapha or slesman ]
According to most Indian authorities, health
is maintained through the even balance of the three vital humors of the body,
to which is added blood (shamit) as the 4th. Each humor is related
to the 3 universal qualities (gun) and each has itself five folds, with
specific locations and functions for each constituents. According to susruta,
the 7 ingredients of the body are chyle, blood, flesh, fat, bone, bone marrow
and semen (sperm), developing in that order from digested food in the metabolic
cycle.
The material medica of ayurveda
classifies hundreds of items of all kinds and a thorough mastery of “dravya
vidya”, ‘substance knowledge’ or an acquaintance with the general properties
and special action of medicinal substances which is considered indispensable
for the proper functioning of a good physician.
These medicinal substances are classified under animal, plant and
mineral headings.
Animal substances: milk and its products, honey, flesh, bones,
bile, fat [especially of the bear,
alligator, ass], marrow, blood, hair, nails, claws, hoofs, horns, gallstones
[the gorochana or gallstones of the cow were esteemed for their therapeutic
properties]; urine, and semen, especially of the elephant, horse, ass, sheep,
and goat.
Plant substances: most numerous
and most prevalent in use- fruits, flowers, seeds, buds, saps, herbs,
leaves, thorns, bark, pith, sprouts, cinders[residue of coal and wood] and
ashes of vegetable matter. Great care is recommended in the gathering of
plants. The land in which they grew had to be free from holes and burrows, not
sandy, not muddy, neither stony nor undiluted. The plant, says the ayurvedic text,
must not be cut with a weapon of
war, withered by frost dried by the sun , rotted by water or contaminated by
insects, it must be plucked by a pious man while facing northwards.
Mineral substances: included gold, silver, rocks, stones, sulfur,
salts, shilajeet, mica, petrified nuts. Mercury [parad, rasa ] played a major
part in the alchemical remedies as well as mica, sulfur, acids, and o-chre
[clay for colouring].
Ayurveda also classified
substances according to their taste [rasa], since each taste is believed to
have its own properties which produce definite effects. Thus, the effects are
described as:
Sweet [madhura] increases phlegm, chyle, flesh, appeases thirst and
hunger, causes flatulence, worms and goiter;
Acid [amla] increase salivation and appetite, improves the
digestion, causes heartburn
Salts [lavanya] purify the blood and stimulate digestion, but in
excess gives headache, causes convulsions;
Pungent [katu] provokes the appetite, lessens corpulence, purifies
the blood, and clears the head;
Bitter [tikta] stimulates the appetite, clears the complexion, and
reduces the heat of the body;
Astringent [kashaya] augments the action of any of the above if
taken with it.
Anything taken internally both in
sickness and in health was regarded as falling into the category;
1. Food [ahara], 2. medicine
[aushadha ], 3. antidote [agada], 4. elixir [rasayana], and 5. aphrodisiac
[vajikarma ]
Another scheme of classification
followed certain fixed dichotomies, namely: hot [ushna] or cold [sital]; heavy
[guru] or light [laghu]; sticky or dry ; energizing or sluggish; stationary or
fluid; soft or hard; clear or slimy; smooth or rough; coarse or subtle; dense
or liquid.
The live example of the ayurved
subject turns more interesting, when we go further viz. nimba [neem], lahsun
[garlic] haridra [turmeric] methika [fenugreek] are today main natural herbal
sourses to fight infections, hiccholesteric, inflammation and diabetes
respectively. The ayrveda is so versatile that medicinally and agriculturally
neem and haldi has been in terms of the chemically they contain, that they are
the subjects of international contention
and the West wants to claims patents on these-
Indian divine chemicals hereby
that are un-knowingly consumed everyday by us the Indians! Our humble ashwgandha has proven
to be as good a tonic and Rasayan as the prohibitively expensive Chinese
ginseng.
In its bravest sense ayurveda embraces all aspects of well
being physical, mental and spiritual, its main objects ayus- long life and
arogy- disease-lessness, in practice it covers the study of cause, symptoms,
diagnosis and cure of the disease.
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