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Principles of Ayurveda

Friday, March 23rd, 2007

Ayurveda is the ancient system of living. Ayurveda is the oldest documented medicine system of the world. Ayus means life and Veda means science or knowledge. Thus Ayurveda is not just a system of medicine; it is a way of living.

Ayurveda assumes a holistic approach to diagnosis, treatment and medicine. It also gives the directions for a healthy life.

According to Ayurveda, the whole universe is made up of five different elements, which the ancient yogis and seers of India named Pancha Bhootas or the five elements. Modern chemistry defies this and says there are over 90 elements in nature.

The five elements are Akash (Sky), Bhoomi (Earth), Jal (Water), Vayu (Air, Wind) and Agni (Fire). The universe is made of these five elements. Human body and everything we find in this nature is made of these five elements. Human body is no exception.

Human body is composed of all the five elements of the nature. The combination of elements will be different in different persons. From the difference in combinations comes another basic principle or concept of Ayurveda, the Tridosha Theory. The three doshas of Tridosha are Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Vata is combination of Vayu and Akash, Pitta is combination of Agni and Jal and Kapha is combination of Bhumi and Jal.

People on the world have one or the other dosha prominent in their body. Thus persons can be classified – Vata type, Pitta type and Kapha type persons based on the dominant dosha. Each dosha has specific functions to perform and imbalance in a dosha can cause disease. The disease that is caused due to vata imbalance can be called a vata related disease and likewise.

Dhathus (Dhatus) are the tissues found in human body. There are seven types of tissues and they are collectively called as Sapta Dhathus or the seven types of tissues. They are Rasa (Plasma), Rakta (Blood), Mamsa (Muscle, Flesh), Meda (Fat), Asthi (bone), Majja (Bone Marrow) and Shukra (Human Reproductive Cells).

These tissues are in turn dominated and controlled by one dosha or the other. Vata controls movements inside and outside body (respiration, circulation, elimination) and is composed of sky and air elements.

Kapha is responsible for body mass, growth and protection. The lining of stomach and the cerebral-spinal fluid are kapha. It is made of water and earth elements.

Pitta controls digestion and metabolism. It is made of water and fire elements.

According to Ayurveda, an imbalance in the doshas causes disease. Arthritis is vata related disease, which affects Asthi Dhathu. Vata is responsible for movement. Arthritis is difficulty in moving joints. Likewise digestive problems are due to imbalance in pitta (digestive juice).

Mala (or malas) is anything that is a waste product in human body. The different malas are digestive waste, urine, sweat, air, menstrual blood, etc. It is the responsibility of humans not to suppress the release of any mala or waste product from the body. They are toxic inside our body, causing different diseases. Not suppressing any natural urges (sareera vega) like urination is essential for expelling toxins from our body.

According to Ayurveda body has the natural capabilities to restore the balanced state. At the time of disease, the Ayurvedic physician just prepares the body to fight that disease by strengthening the weak doshas. It is also required the medicines used for any purpose must not create an imbalance elsewhere in the system.

According to Ayurvedic concepts, everything that you find on this earth is medicine and has curative powers under the right circumstances. Humans just have to identify the favorable factors that keep the body in a balanced state and prevent diseases.

The different elements for good health according to Ayurveda are thoughts, habits, food and lifestyle. Understanding the basic principles of Ayurveda and adjusting life and lifestyle accordingly is the way for good health and longevity.

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The Divine Origin of Ayurveda

Friday, March 23rd, 2007

The term Ayurveda is first mentioned in Sanskrit scripts by Ayurvedic practitioners like Sushruta, Charaka, Kasyap, etc in their Samhitas now known as Sushrutha Samhita, Charaka Samhita, Kasyapa Samhita. Bhela is also another practitioner who mentioned the term Ayurveda.

Ayurveda, in its modern form is believed to have come into existence around 600 BC. The Panchabhoota and Tridosha concepts would have developed from other sciences like numerology, yoga, theology, philosophy, etc.

Ardent lovers, and practitioners of Ayurveda, have written in palm leaves that Ayurveda, as a science of life has no beginning and end. It just passes to the mankind from the cosmic creator of this universe and everything in it – Lord Brahma. Lord Shiva and the Sun God too are related with Ayurveda. The knowledge was later transferred to humans through hermits or sages. These sages (called Rishis), mainly Sage Athreya, Dhanwantary, Didodasa, Kasyapa, etc, instructed their disciples. Kasyapa Samhita explicitly tells that Ayurveda, Ayurvedic medicines, and Ayurvedic treatment methods originated well before the advent of human race.

Diseases, according to Ayurveda affect not only humans, but also all living and nonliving things. The sages have named the diseases affecting different living and non living things. Pakalam affects elephant, abhithapam horses, neelika water, ooshara earth, etc. Only humans can recognize the diseases and take appropriate steps to correct the conditions.

These disciples learned all the eight branches of Ayurveda, called Ashtanga or Asthangahridaya, namely Kaya Chikitsa (physician), Bala, Griha (home treatment – women and children medicine), Urdhwanga, Salya (Surgery), Visha (toxicology), Rasayana, Vageekarana (aphrodisiac) chikitsakal or treatments.

The disciples later practiced these specializations and became experts in their fields. Sushruta is an example. He specialized in Salya Tantra or the technique of surgery. He is now considered the father of plastic surgery. Susrutha also used anesthesia before surgery.

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Ayurveda-The Ancient Method of Treatment

Friday, March 23rd, 2007

Ayurveda, the treatment method that originated in India about 5000 years is now regaining its past glory through global acclamation. The word Ayurveda is a combination of two Sanskrit words – ayur (life) and veda (science) and the word roughly translates into ‘the science of life’. Ayurveda principles are based on living in strict harmony with nature. According to Ayurvedic principles, diseases are caused when someone loses the balance between nature, mind, body and soul.

Ayurveda is also known as Ashtanga Veda (science with eight branches) because Ayurveda is classified into eight different branches of treatment – Kaya Chikitsa (general medicine) Kaumara Bhritya (pediatrics), Graha Chikitsa (psychology), Shalakya Chikitsa (Treatment for diseases of eye, nose, throat, eye and head), Shalya Tantra (technique of Surgery), Agada Tantra (Toxicology), Rasayana Chikitsa (Rejuvenation treatment) and Vajeekarana Chikitsa (Aphrodisiac Treatment).

Indians ascribe divinity to Ayurveda. Dhanwanthari (Dhanvantari, Dhanwantari, Dhanvathari) , an incarnation of Lord Maha Vishnu gave the science of life to humans through some sages. The literature of Ayurveda was recorded in palm leaves, copper plates and stones. The knowledge was transferred through generations through word of mouth, through a systematic educational system called Gurukul (Gurukula) education. The students live at the ashrams of the sage teachers and learn the science directly from the mouth of their teacher.

The main traditions followed in Ayurveda are Charaka (after Charaka Samhitha by ancient physicist Charaka), Sushrutha (the founder of surgery) and less known Kashyapa. Education lasts for many years (usually seven). At the end of education, the student has to give a Guru Dakshina (an offering) to his teacher. In one specific instance, the Guru of Jeevaka (the physician that treated Buddha) asked him to give him a plant with no medicinal value at all. Jeevaka searched and searched for years and could not find a plant with no medicinal value. He then come to see his teacher empty handed and says: “Guruji, I am not able to locate a plant with no medicinal value, I could not give you the Guru Dakshina, Pardon Me”. His guru smiled and said, this is my Guru Dakshina, and you now know nothing in this universe is useless or meaningless. Under suitable conditions, everything (living things, non-living things, matter and energy in different forms) in this universe assume significance.

The main concept of Ayurveda is that everything is composed of Panchabhootas (Akash – space, Bhoomi – earth, Jal – water, vayu – air and agni – fire). These five bhootas combine to form three doshas or tridoshas (Vata – akash and vayu, Pitta – agni and jal and kapha – jal and bhoomi).

Ayurvedic treatment consists of four basic forms – medication, panchakarma, dietary regulation and lifestyle regulation. Medication is the application of medicines, dietary regime includes the control of food habits for proper health, panchakarma is five different karmas or systems of Ayurvedic therapy and lifestyle control. They all work as both cure and prevention methods.

Panchakarma is the most important of all treatment methods. It is a process of careful expelling of toxins or excess doshas from the body system. Panchakarma mainly focuses to regain the natural healing power of body.

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