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The
Sanskrit word 'Ayurveda' is composed of 'Ayus' which means
life and 'Veda' means Science or Knowledge. Thus Ayurveda
is the Science of life or Knowledge about life.
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> www.ayurtoxicology.com |
Ayurveda is a system of medicine in the
sense that it systematises and applies the knowledge about
health and disease, that is of the balanced and unbalanced
states of living beings and how unbalanced states can be corrected,
and the restored balance maintained.
According to Ayurveda health is not merely considered to be
a state of freedom from ailments or disease, but rather a
state of enjoying uninterrupted Physical, Mental and Spiritual
happiness and fulfillment. The concept of true balance doesn't
only imply correct functioning of our systems and organs,
Psyche and sprit, but also a balanced and creative relationship
with our fellow creatures and nature as a whole - i.e., Ayurveda
is concerned with every possible aspect of life. As one of
the great Mother- sciences, it developed many branches and
it is not only concerned with the well being of humans but
also of animals and plants.
Charaka defines Ayurveda as follows,
"Hitahitam sukham dukhamayustasya
hitahitam
Manam cha thachya thrayoktham ayurvedaha sa uchaithe;
means,
Life is of four types viz., hita (useful or advantageous),
ahita (harmful or disadvantageous), sukha(happy), and dukha(unhappy
or miserable). Thus Ayurveda is a science which deals with
all these four types of life, its wholesome and unwholesome
habits and its span- short and long and the description
of life itself.
Charaka describes about happy and unhappy life in detail.
Those who are not afflicted with physical and mental ailments,
who are endowed with youth, enthusiasm, strength, virility,
reputation, manliness, boldness, knowledge of arts and science,
senses, objects of senses, ability of the sense organs,
riches and various luxurious articles for enjoyment, who
achieve whatever they want and move as they like, lead a
happy life, others lead an unhappy life.
Those who are the well-wishers of all creatures, who do
not aspire for the wealth of others, who are truthful, peace
loving, who examine things before acting upon them, who
are vigilant,who enjoy the three important desires of life
viz. virtue, wealth and pleasure with out the one affecting
the other, who respect superiors, who are endowed with knowledge
of arts, science and tranquility, who serve the elders,
who have full control over passion, anger, envy, pride and
prestige, who are constantly given to various types of charity,
meditation, acquisition of knowledge and quite life, who
have full knowledge of spiritual power and are devoted to
it, who made efforts both for the existing as well as the
next life and are endowed with memory and intelligence,
lead a useful life, others do not.
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Ayurveda has 8 branches:
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1. Kaya Chikitsa
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: Internal Medicines |
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2. Salakya tantra
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: Treatment
of the diseases of head and neck
- eyes, ears, nose, mouth and
throat etc.- |
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3. Salya tantra
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: General Surgery. |
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4. Agada tantra
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: Toxicology. |
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5. Kaumara bhritya
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: Paediatrics. |
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6. Bhootha vidya
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: Psychiatry, Psychology. |
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7. Rasayana
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: Science of Rejuvenation. |
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8. Vajeekarana
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: Sexology. |
Like all Indian Sciences, Medicine
is considered to have been original propounded by the God. "Brahma",
the primordial factor of creation of the Universe, is the original
profounder of Ayurveda.
From Brahma, the knowledge passed to Dhaksha Prajapathi, primordial
creative sage. From Dakshaprajapathi it passed to the Asswins. The
Asswins became known as the divine physician in Swarga(Heaven).
Asswins passed this knowledge to Indra, the ruler of Swarga. Indra
transmitted the knowledge to the disciples Atreya and Bharadwaja
to Kassyapa and to Danwantari.
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The School of Ayurveda initiated by Atreya
and Bharadwaja specialised in internal medicine. The school
of Kassyapa, is supposed have Specialised in Paediatrics,
while the school founded by Dwanwandari specialised in surgery.
Susrutha, the famous author of "Susrutha Samhitha"
an outstanding work mainly on surgery but also including information
on General Medicine, belongs to the School. Ancient Indian
surgery was extra ordinarily advanced. There are descriptions
of caesarian section and plastic surgery.
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(SUSRUTA the
father of surgery lived 2nd century BC He performed almost
all the general surgeries in his period. It is believed that
he used a secret anaesthesia"SAMMOHINI VIDYA" while
performing surgery.
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He wrote the
famous "SUSRUTA SAMHITA", the first written documentation
known, describing surgical methods to be adopted in different
ailments, and anatomical study of human body)
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Composition of Living Body - According to Ayurveda.
According to Ayurveda the living body is composed
of five basic elemental substances named as
1. Aakasa
(Ether).
2. Vayu (Air)
3. Theja or Agni (Fire)
4. Jala (Water)
5. Prithvi (Earth)
This five physical elements constitute the 3 essential components
of the living body, which are termed as the Tridosha, namely Vata,
Pitta and Kapha. It may be approximately understood that the gross
structure of the body(solid and liquid) is constituted by Kaphaja
fraction of Tridoshic set up in the total body composition. The
entire physicochemical phenomena including the biochemical and metabolic
activities as well as the endocrine functions are the attributes
of Pitta.
Vata is responsible for the activities or the movements in the organism.
It is believed that the Vata, though not apparently dominant in
physical structure very much dominates in the function and is supposed
to be the leader of the three "Doshas". These three "doshas"
have contradictory physical characters and so they are capable of
antagonising the activities of each other, maintaining an equilibrium.
The further development of the compositional concept of living body
is the re-categorisation of the morpho-physiological structure of
the body in to seven "Dhatus" or seven basic tissues which
are named as Rasa(Plasma), Rakta(Blood), Mamsa(Muscle), Meda(Fat),
Asti(Bone), Majja(Bone Marrow) and Sukra. Ayurveda believes that
Rasa is the first Dhatu(tissue) which is formed in the body, a part
of which when matured gets transformed in to Rakta similarly Rakta
gets transformed in to Mamsa, and Mamsa in to Medas and so on. Sukra
is supposed to be the last Dathu to be formed in this sequence.
Theories regarding the mode of nourishment of various tissues in
the body are described in Ayurvedic Classics like Charaka Samhita
Ashtanga Hrithaya etc.
Concept of Disease - According to Ayurveda
The Ayurvedic concept of the evolution disease is remarkably wide.
According to Ayurveda Vyadi or disease has been defined as the
state in which both the body and mind are subjected to pain and
misery. What ever may be the nature of the exciting causes of
the disease the actual factors which become excited and unbalanced
are the three Doshas and thus basically a disease process may
be correlated with the three basic constituents of the living
body which have been referred to us Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.
The mode and stages of development of a disease are described
in the form of 6 "Kriya Kalas" viz., Caya, Prakopa,
Prasa, Sthana, Samsraya,Vyakti and Bheda. As a matter of fact
the Kriyakala is a state during which the specific treatment of
the disease should be instituted. Once this period is passed the
instituted treatment has no effect. The 6 stages in the development
of disease actually refer to the accumulation of vitiated dhoshas
who, if not controlled efficiently, get excited and start spreading
in the dhadoos and influencing one or more part of the body where
they become localised to produce the specific feature of a disease.
Principles of Ayurvedic treatment
Ayurvedic approach to the treatment of disease consist of two
major procedures 1. Samsodhana Chikitsa 2.Samsamana Chikitsa
1. Samsodhana Chikitsa is the Radical treatment of a disease and
is supposed to eradicate or eliminate the vitiated Dhoshas, thus
completely preventing or curing the disease.
2.Samsamana Chikitsa is the conservative treatment which consist
of conservative measures like fasting, digestion etc. by administration
of appropriate drugs designed for subsiding or alleviating the
vitiated Dhoshas thus preventing temporarily or subsiding a disease.
Importance of Ayurveda today.
Ayurveda today is recognized world wide as a system of medicine
that provides sound mind in sound body. This traditional medicinal
system of India has an unenviable position in the field of providing
remedies for the ailments, as it provides satisfactory answers
to all the problems the world is facing today. Bulk of its Materia
medica is of vegetable origin and animal origin which are quite
harmless even if consumed over long periods. Ayurvedic classics
have many efficacious herbs to be evaluated for its own identity.
It lays great emphasis on individual health, diurnal, seasonal
regimen, proper diet, good social behavior and such other principles
of personnel hygiene enumerated in ancient Classics are exemplary
and sure to prevent many illness of modern society.
- Health in Ayurveda means harmony and there is really no end
to the degree of harmony one can achieve if one set himself to
the task. This method of living emphasizes prevention over cure
without neglecting cure.
- Ayurvedic system focuses on causes rather than symptoms.
Ayurvedic treatments are person specific rather than disorder
specific and such approach has proven affective over centuries.
- Ayurveda classifies not only individuals but also foods, herbs,
emotions, climate and life styles.
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The origin of
this Article is my another site www.ayurtoxicology.com
which deals with Toxicology in Ayurveda - Regarding the "Ayurvedic
Vishachikilsa" at Kakkiriyad(Swamimukke), kannur- Dt,
Kerala. |
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