Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Home Remedies
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128
Chapter XV
131
Chapter XVI
136
Chapter XVII
Classification of Drugs t
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142
Chapter XVIII
146
Chapter XIX
148
Chapter XX
Ayurvedic Preparations
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156
Chapter XXI
158
Chapter XXII
K a y a K a lp a .....................................................................
203
Chapter XXIII
214
Chapter XXIV
Y antras.................................. .........................................
216
Appendix
Definitions in A y u r v e d a ..............................................
Rajo D h a r m a .................................................................
Nomenclature of D i s e a s e s ..........................................
Diseases of the E y e s .................................. ...................
Index to Diseaes and T re a tm e n t..................................
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Chapter I
AYURVEDA-THEORY AND PRACTICE
Ayurveda
The Importance and Value of the
Ancient Indian System of Medicine
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holy water of Mother Gariga is the medicine and LordNarayana, from whose holy feet Ganga emanates, is the great
physician.
Lord Dhanwantari.
Once upon a time some distinguished sages happened to
meet on the Himalayan mountains, among them being
Agastya, Ashvalyana, Asita, Badarayana, Balikhya,
Bharadwaja, Chyavana, Devala, Dhaumya, Galaya, Garga,
Gautama, Gobhila, Harita, Hiranyaksha, Jamadagni, Kamya,
Kankayana, Kapinjala, Kashyapa, Katyayana, Kaundinya,
Kushika, Langakshi, Maitreya, Markandeya, Narada,
Parashara, Parikshaka, Pulasthya, Sankhya, Sankritya,
Shakuneya, Shandilya, Sharaloma, Shaunaka, Vaijapeya,
Vaikhanasa, Vamadeva, Vasishtha, Vishwamitra and many
others. All of them were well-versed in philosophy and
practised religious austerities. The subject of their
conversation was the ills that the flesh is heir to. They began
to complain: Our body, which is the means of attaining the
four aims of life, viz., virtue, worldly pursuits, pleasure and
liberation, is subject to diseases which emaciate and weaken
it, deprive the senses of their functions, and cause extreme
pains. These diseases are great impediments to our worldly
affairs and bring on premature death. In the face of such
enemies, how can men be happy? It is neceesary, therefore,
to find remedies for such diseases. They turned to sage
Bharadwaja, and thus addressed him:
O Sage! Thou art the fittest person among us. Go thou
to the thousand-eyed Indra, who has systematically studied
the Ayurveda, and by acquiring from him the knowledge of
that science, free us, O sage, from the scourge of diseases.
So be it, said' the sage, who at once went to Indra and
thus accosted him: O Lord, I have been deputed by the
parliament of sages, to learn from you the remedies for the
direful diseases that afflict mankind; I pray you, therefore, to
teach me the Ayurveda.__________________ ____________
AYURVEDA-THEORY AND PRACTICE
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Renaissance of Ayurveda
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treasures, not only for the sake of India, but for the sake of
the whole universe at large.
Ayurveda has immense potentialities. Even today it is
used by 80 per cent of the population in India. Ayurvedic
drugs are cheap, easy to obtain and administer and are more
effective, too.
Look at the marvels of Ayurveda!
Bhasmas even in the smallest quantity work wonders and
cure incurable diseases.
Kaya Kalpa is another marvel of Ayurvedic science.
Nadi Vijnana is a third wonder.
Diagnosis of diseases through facial and eye expressions,
odours, sounds, etc., is astounding. Finding of incurability or
otherwise of diseases through Til oil examination is also
wonderful.
Doctrines of Tridoshas, Mahabhutas, Rasa, Vipaka,
Veerya, Prabhava, etc., are thought provoking.
The Ayurvedic system is still alive after centuries of
vicissitudes. Even now there are institutions, doing wonderful
work; this clearly indicates that it has a vitality and natural
root in India. All that is required is proper encouragement.
What is necessary for the growth of Ayurveda at the
present moment is standardisation of quality, methods of
administration, ways of manufacturing and the degree of
potency.
The establishment of an All-India Ayurvedic University is
an important constructive work in India. It should be taken
up by the State at once.
The Ayurvedic Pandits, all workers in the science,
sympathisers and lovers of Ayurveda must co-operate,
collaborate, co-ordinate to organise themselves and help in
the establishment of this University.
This will bring about uniformity in Ayurvedic education
AYURVEDA-THEORY AND PRACTICE
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Chapter II
A YU RVEDIC ETH IC S
According to Charaka the fruits of extremely wicked
deeds cannot be checked by the normal efforts of good
conduct. The fruits of all ordinary actions can be checked by
good conduct, the administration of proper medicines and
the like.
You may have fallen ill according to the effects of your
ordinary Karma; but if you take due care, you may avoid such
effects and may still be in good health.
Charaka does not speak of the immutability of ripe
Karmas. He says that the effects of all Karmas excepting
those which are extremely strong, can be modified or
combated by good conduct, efforts and' the observance of the
ordinary daily duties of life.
He says that a man must carefully judge and anticipate
the utility of his actions before he begins to do it. He must
judge whether the action will be good for him or not. If the
effects are beneficial for him, he ought to do it. If they are
harmful, he should not do it.
Our ultimate standard of good actions lies in seeking our
own good. To achieve this, the mind and the senses should be
disciplined properly and kept under proper control.
He further adds that the proper means of keeping the
mind in the virtuous path consists in avoiding too much
thinking, in not thinking of revolting objects and keeping the
mind ever busy or active.
Atma Hita or Self-good which is the end of all our
actions is that which bestows us pleasure, comfort, peace of
mind and longevity. Right conduct leads to the health and
AYURVEDIC ETHICS
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AYURVEDIC ETHICS
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Chapter III
D O C T R IN E OF VATHA-PITTA-KAPHAS
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Vatha
Vatha is the most important of the three Doshas as it
performs the most useful functions. It is the first of the three
primal constituents of the living body. It upholds the
constituents of the body, such as blood, flesh, marrow, fat,
etc. Mind is checked from all undesirable objects. All the
parts of the body are pierced by Vatha. The foetus in the
womb is affected by Vatha.
Vatha is that secretion of the alimentary canal which
converts food into assimilable materials.
Pitta
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make the system foul, the Mala, and those which purify the
body and sustain it. They are the Prasada.
It is Vayu, Pitta and Kapha that are primarily responsible
for all kinds of morbidities of the body. For that reason they
are called Doshas. But these three (Vayu, Pitta and Kapha)
are also body constituents, i.e., Dhatus so long as they do not
exceed their proper measure. They are called Mala-dhatus.
Now Mala-dhatus and Prasada-dhatus must cooperate with
one another in sustaining the body. The Mala-dhatus must
function properly for sending out the waste products of the
body. The Prasada-dhatus must function for building up the
tissues etc., of the body. Thus Vayu, Pitta and Kapha are very
valuable. It is Vayu that contributes energy (Utsaha),
inhalation and exhalation (Uchvasa and Nishvasa), bodily
and mental movements (Cheshta) and ejective forces (Vegapravartana). Pitta helps the body by bringing about digestion,
giving the necessary amount of heat, helping the function of
sight, developing imagination (Medha), power of
understanding (Dhee), courage (Sourya) and giving softness
to the body. Kapha gives steadiness and smoothness and is
helpful for uniting the joints etc. Balhana, the commentator
on Sushruta, one of the classical authorities on Ayurveda,
says that Vayu is to be identified with Rajoguna, Pitta with
Sattva Guna and Kapha with Tamoguna. Of all these, it is the
Pitta which corresponds to the Sattva Guna that is most
powerful. Susruta says that Pitta is the fire in the body and
that there is no other fire than Pitta. It is situated between
the stomach (Amasaya) and the smaller intestines
(Pakvasaya) and it cooks all food and drink; it separates the
chyle on the one hand, the excreta and urine on the other.
Though it is situated in one place, it gets up proper activities
in other parts of the body. It does many functions and so has
many namesit cooks and so is Pachaka. It gives redness to
the blood and is, therefore, called Ranjaka. It serves
intellectual purposes in the heart and so is called Sadhaka; it
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DOCTRINE OF VATHA-PITTA-KAPHAS
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Chapter IV
DO CTRIN E OF RASA, VEERYA, VIPAKA AND
PRABHAVA
Rasa
The entire knowledge of the preparation and application
of drugs in the treatment of the sick, the selection and proper
use of the different dietetics, depend entirely on the Rasa,
Guna, Veerya, Vipaka and Prabhava of the drugs and the
dietetics.
The Ayurvedic physician should have a very good
knowledge of this doctrine and the preparation of medicines
and their uses. He who begins to practise Ayurveda and to
treat patients without this basic knowledge is like a blind
man. He does immense harm to the patients and brings their
ruin.
An able Ayurvedic physician estimates the correct
proportions of the combinations of the Doshas and Tridhatus,
plans the combinations of Rasas and administers to the
patients the suitable Rasas and brings about the harmony or
equilibrium of the Doshas. He finds out the correct causes
and the correct symptoms of diseases and very successfully
and wonderfully treats his patients.
Many diseases are caused by eating together things which
are opposed to each other in Rasa, Vipaka, or Veerya.
The theory of Rasas or tastes plays a vital part in
Ayurveda in the selection of medicines and diet and in
diagnosing diseases and arranging their cures.
There are six tastes (Shad-rasas) in all the eatable
substances. The six Rasas are (1) Madhura (sweet), (2) Amla
(sour), (3) Lavana (salt), (4) Tikta (bitter), (5) Katu
(pungent) and (6) Kashaya (astringent).
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Chapter V
HYGIENIC PRINCIPLES IN AYURVEDA
The Six Seasons
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like. The inhabitants have a strong but thin body. They suffer
from diseases of bile and Vatha.
Mishra is a country which has all the advantages of Anupa
and Jangala without their disadvantage. It is neither too
moist nor too hot. Such a country is naturally the best,
because it promotes health and long life.
In this country cold, heat and wind are proportionate. The
three basic principles (Tridoshas) are held in equilibrium.
Elephantiasis of the swampy land is not present here.
A man suffering from a phlegmatic disorder may with
advantage go to a Jangala country. One suffering from biliary
complaints will be benefited by resorting to an Anupa
country.
Use of Oil
Use Brahmi-Amla oil. This will prevent the falling of grey
hair and produce good sleep. Take cold bath.
Oil the ears with sesamum oil. This will prevent deafness,
difficulty in hearing and will remove ear-diseases, stiffness of
throat etc.
Rub the feet with oil. This will remove roughness,
dryness, heat, fatigue, numbness of feet, fissures of the feet,
sciatic pain, etc. This will produce good sleep.
Massage the body with gingily oil or Narayana Tailam.
This will remove Kapha and fat and make the limbs strong.
Food
Take two meals a day, in the morning between 9 and 12
Oclock and in the evening between 7 and 10.
Take a little rock salt and fresh ginger before taking food.
This will clear the throat and sharpen the appetite.
Food taken in silver plate promotes functions of the liver.
Food served in brass utensils cures phlegmatic disorders and
expels worms. The use of glass vessels cures chlorosis,
jaundice.
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