Ayurveda is India's thousands of years old medical treatment method. Ayurveda is a mode of treatment which combines spirituality and science because Ayurveda uses scientific intelligence from spiritual point of view. Ayurveda has not only given information and knowledge about the entire current life of a human being, but Ayurveda also provides insights on the aspects of life before birth and life after death. The base of Ayurveda believes that structure and nature of human body and the universe is same. Ayurveda's physiology carries the five elements (Sky, air, fire, water and earth) which guide not only the human body but also existence of everything. These are called Panchamahabhutas . Based on Panchamahabhutas , Ayurveda has defined body constitutions and three pillars for physical health known as Vata, Pitta and Kapha . Now let's start discussion on some wrong assumptions about Ayurveda, the unique and wonderful ancient treatment method.
Charak Sanhita has said that Ayurveda is a science of life because it provides knowledge of age or life. Believers of modern medical science consider Ayurveda as an alternative therapy even though we regard it as a traditional therapy. In fact, the knowledge of Ayurveda has been available in such a natural way that it was absorbed in our tradition very easily. Our ancestors accepted the knowledge of Ayurveda in their lifestyles and have carried it forward in their next generations. This way, Indian lifestyle got its base from the directions of Ayurveda. We want to say that instead of calling Ayurveda a traditional medical science, it is to be understood that Ayurveda's knowledge has become a tradition. So calling it knowledge in tradition is more meaningful. Ayurveda is one of the major and mainstream treatment methods in India thats why it takes 5 years to get a gradute degree in Ayurveda and it takes additional 3 years to get a post graduate degree in Ayurveda related courses in different universities of india. Additionally, foreign institutions like ‘college of Ayurveda, California' and ‘Ayurveda College of Adelaied' Australia were established where foreign students also study for up to 8 years to gain knowledge of Ayurveda treatment method. That's why we want to say that Ayurveda is a mainstream medical treatment method and not an alternative treatment method.
One wrong assumption about Ayurveda is that Ayurveda treatment method comes with lots of dietary restrictions for patients. Ayurveda has given top priority to food out of three pillars of health known as food, sleep and brahmacharya (controlled sex). It is true that, more than treatment, ayurveda has given more emphasis on accepting pathya (eatable food) and avoiding apathya (non eatable food). Ayurveda believes that eating pathya food body remains strong and healthy and avoiding apathya food makes sure that human body doesn't become diseased or weak. Initially, Ayurveda's views on pathya apathya were not taken seriously by western medical professionals but today every medical specialist suggest their patients to consult a food expert (Dietician). Thus, since thousands of years ago, Ayurveda knew the importance of food restrictions in disease treatment.
One more wrong assumption about ayurveda is Ayurveda means jadi-buti (herbal medicine). To this, we want to say that in every treatment method, medicines are acquired from plants, creatures and minerals. Ayurveda also uses animals, plants and vegetation, minerals and metals to get ayurveda remedies. Many modern allopathic medicines are also prepared using plants and vegetation. Ayurveda has given complete and indepth details of selection of ayurvedic medicine, their quantity and dosage, combination of medicines, their working mechanism etc. for complete treatment of any specific disease or illness. That's why we say that ayurveda is not about only jadi-butis . In fact, ayurveda itself says that there is no material in this world which can't be used as a medicine if used in different quantities and methods.
Today a new illusion about ayurveda is being created that ayurveda remedies are bhasm of metals which can cause kidney disease or renal failure. Our response to this allegation is that ayurveda remedies and bhasms are prepared after proper refinement of metals. These bhasm are a micro form of the metal. Bhasm is not oxide but it is complex herbomineral compound of mineral and vegetation. That's why ayurveda remedies are completely safe.
Another wrong assumption or illusion about Ayurveda is that ayurveda medicines work very slowly or provides very late benefits. We can only laugh on this accusation. If harad is taken in night then its effect can be felt by early morning. Drinking mulhathi syrup instantly throws the cough out. Use of Sarpagandha brings the blood pressure down within 2 hours. Allopathy claims to provide quick relief but certain health conditions like high bp, joint pain, diabetes and asthma etc. require daily medications for long time.
World health organisation's team, in its report, has described Ayurveda as a complete scientific mode of treatment. Truth associated with any topic can't be perfectly defined by only one dimension. Spirituality regards Omkar as ultimate truth while science believes that energy found after breaking the material is eternal truth. Interestingly, sound is a form of energy.
Literal meaning of “Ayurveda” is science and knowledge of Age. This means knowledge about science of life. The word “Ayurveda” is the combination of two words “ Aayush” and “Veda”. Aayush means life and Veda means knowledge and science. This means “Ayurveda" word means “Science related to life”. Ayurveda is not only a medical treatment method but it is an art to live a healthy and happy life. Ayurveda is an art of living the life in a right and appropriate way. Ayurveda not only provides us the cures , treatments and knowledge about diseases but it also teaches us how to lead a healthy and systematic life.
Ayurveda is a volume or text which has described the forms of happy age, sad age, well-being age and non-well-being age. Another definition of Ayurveda states that one which contains thoughts about well-being and non-well-being of age is called Ayurveda. Ayurveda has only two objectives. Ayurveda's first objective is to cure the disease of diseased person. Ayurveda's second objective is to protect the health of healthy person. This way Ayurveda covers both purposes of prevention and treatment.
Ayurveda is such a text which provides us the art of healthy living and educates us about prevention from getting sick. Ayurveda is called “knowledge of life” because it provides complete details about the lifestyles of humans. According to Ayurveda, life and age are synonymous words with same meaning. The science which provides useful and beneficial information on different forms of life (or age) is called Ayurveda. Charak Sanhita states that: -
" हिताहितं सुखं दुखमायुस्तस्य हितहितम |
मानं च तच्च यत्रोक्तमायुर्वेदः स उच्यते ||"
It means Ayurveda is a science which provides favourable and unfavourable guidelines for four ages Wellbeing Age, Non Wellbeing Age, Happy Age and Sad age .
This verse is very meaningful, broad and pithy providing useful guidance and sermon to the mankind. This is the unparalleled speciality of Ayurveda that its every verse has deep, secret and comprehensive meanings. Ayurveda's teachings and principles are still relevant and are being proven true even in this scientific era. Through this verse Ayurveda is giving overview of four types of ages. Detailed explanation of every age is given below:-
• Wellbeing Age – A person whose life (age) is being spent in doing good to others, who works for wellbeing of others, who is tranquil and at peace with himself, does everything thoughtfully, is cautiously following Dharma , Arth and Kaam , who respects deserving people, who is well educated, knowledgeable and wise, who serve elders, who is capable of controlling mental conditions of anger, grudge and arrogance, who does meditation, who is peace loving and knows different arts, who knows spirituality and follows it too, and who does everything keeping in mind world order and beyond... – the age (life) of such a person is called wellbeing age.
• Non wellbeing Age – doing deeds opposite to the behaviour of above mentioned wellbeing age is called Non wellbeing Age.
• Happy Age – A person who is strictly following appropriate diet and appropriate thoughts and behaviour, who is free from disease, who is young and whose body contains pure semen, who has strong character, who is manly, courageous and strong, who is wise and knowledgeable, whose senses are able to accept their subjects and are capable of doing their job, who is wealthy and well off and is able to get whatever he wants, who selflessly completes his work without worrying about the result – Age (life) of such a person is called Happy Age.
• Sad Age – behaviour opposite to what is explained above in Happy Age is called Sad Age.
The text which provide beneficial and life enhancing methods for all four types of ages is called Ayurveda . The science which accurately provides teachings and sermons about value and form of age is called Ayurveda .
The detailed analysis, overview and description of “what is age (life)” is given only by Ayurveda and not any other treatment method. And Ayurveda's definitions are very unique, Unparalleled and down to earth.
Charak Sanhita has said: -
" शरीरेइन्द्रियसतवात्मसंयोगो धारी जीवितं |
नित्यगश्चानुबन्धश्च पर्य्यरयेराच्युते ||"
It means the combination of body, senses, psyche and soul is called Age (life). This verse says bearing the life is being alive. In other words, as long as the combination of body, senses, psyche and soul is intact, this situation is called Age and this time interval is called “lifetime”.
In defining the health and healthy person, ayurveda has not only included body and soul but it has covered all related facts as well . Sushrut Sanhita has said that when all three Doshas (vata,pitta and kafa) are balanced, fire is balanced, All Dhatus of body are balanced, all senses are happy, this state is called health and beholder of such health is called healthy person by Ayurveda .
आयुर्वेद का शाब्दिक अर्थ होता है आयु का ज्ञान और विज्ञान . इसका मतलब हुआ जीवन के विज्ञान के बारे में ज्ञान या जानकारी . " आयुर्वेद " शब्द दो शब्दों " आयुष " और " वेद " से मिलकर बना है . आयुष मतलब जीवन और वेद मतलब ज्ञान और विज्ञान . इसका मतलब ये हुआ की आयुर्वेद का अर्थ हुआ " जीवन से सम्बंधित विज्ञान ". आयुर्वेद केवल चिकित्सा उपचार की पद्धति नहीं है बल्कि यह खुश हाल और स्वस्थ जीवन जीने की एक कला है . आयुर्वेद ज़िन्दगी को उचित और सही तरीके से जीने की एक विधा है . आयुर्वेद ना केवल बिमारियों से इलाज व् रोगमुक्ति प्रदान करता है बल्कि यह भी सिखाता है की एक स्वस्थ , उपयुक्त और रोगमुक्त जीवनशैली कैसे अपनाई जानी चाहिए .
आयुर्वेद के केवल दो उद्देश्य हैं . आयुर्वेद का पहला उद्देश्य है बीमार व्यक्ति की बीमारी का इलाज करना . आयुर्वेद का दूसरा उद्देश्य है स्वस्थ व्यक्ति के स्वास्थ्य की रक्षा करना . इस प्रकार आयुर्वेद सावधानी और रोग निदान के अपने दोनों उद्देश्यों को पूर्ण करता है .
आयुर्वेद ऐसा शास्त्र है जो हमें स्वस्थ जीवन जीने की कला (Art of healthy living) सिखाता है और बीमार होने से बचाव करने की शिक्षा देता है . इस शास्त्र को "आयु का वेद (ज्ञान)" इसलिए कहा गया है की यह हमारे पूरे जीवन की शैली का विस्तार से वर्णन करता है. जीवन और आयु एक ही अर्थ रखने वाले पर्यायवाची शब्द हैं. जितना हमारा जीवन होता है उतनी हमारी आयु होती है और जितनी हमारी आयु होती है उतना हमारा जीवन होता है. इससे सिद्ध होता है की आयु और जीवन एक अर्थ रखने वाले पर्यायवाची दो शब्द हैं.जो शास्त्र आयु के विभिन्न रूपों का उपयोगी तथा लाभप्रद विवरण प्रस्तुत करता है वह आयु का वेद (science of life) यानी आयुर्वेद कहलाता है . चरक संहिता में ही कहा गया है :-
"हिताहितं सुखं दुखमायुस्तस्य हितहितम |
मानं च तच्च यत्रोक्तमायुर्वेदः स उच्यते ||"
अर्थात जिस ग्रन्थ में हित आयु , अहित आयु , सुख आयु और दुःख आयु - इन चार प्रकार की आयु के लिए हित (पथ्य), अहित (अपथ्य ), इस आयु का मान (प्रमाण और अप्रमाण ) तथा आयु का स्वरुप बताया गया हो , उस ग्रन्थ को आयुर्वेद शास्त्र कहा जाता है.
यह श्लोक बहुत सारगर्भित , व्यापक अर्थ रखने वाला और मानव मात्र के लिए परम उपयोगी मार्गदर्शन युक्त उपदेश देने वाला है . आयुर्वेद शास्त्र की यह बेजोड़ यानि अद्वितीय विशेषता है की उसके प्रत्येक श्लोक में बड़े गहरे , गूढ़ और व्यापक अर्थ छिपे होते हैं यानी गागर में सागर भरा होता है . ब्रह्मज्ञानी और तत्वदर्शी ऋषि - मुनियों ने अपनी दिव्य दृष्टि से संसार के पदार्थों के गुण , कर्म और प्रभाव देख कर , इस विषय में विस्तृत जानकारी , आयुर्वेद शास्त्र के माध्यम से , जगत के कल्याण के लिए प्रस्तुत की जिसकी वजह से आयुर्वेद के उपदेश आज भी प्रासंगिक और इस वैज्ञानिक ज़माने में भी सत्य सिद्ध हो रहे हैं . आयुर्वेद शास्त्र की व्याख्या प्रस्तुत करने वाले इस श्लोक के माध्यम से , आयुर्वेद चार प्रकार की आयु के बारे में जानकारी दे रहा है . प्रत्येक आयु की व्याख्या निम्नलिखित है :-
हित आयु - जिस मनुष्य का जीवन ( आयु ) दूसरों का हित करते हुए व्यतीत हो रहा हो , जो प्राणिमात्र की भलाई करता हो , सत्य व् न्याय पर अमल करता हो , शांतिमय हो , हर कर्म को विचारपूर्वक करता हो , सावधानी के साथ धर्म , अर्थ और काम का पालन करता हो , पूज्य व्यक्तियों का पूरा मान - सम्मान करता हो , स्वयं सुशिक्षित , ज्ञानवान और बुद्धिमान हो , वृद्धों की सेवा करता हो , क्रोध , द्वेष और अभिमान जैसे मानसिक वेगों को रोकने में सक्षम हो , दानशील हो , तपस्वी , शांतिप्रिय और विविध विधाओं का जानकार हो , आध्यात्म विद्या का ज्ञाता हो और उसका अनुसरण भी करता हो , तथा जो भी काम करता हो वो लोक - परलोक को ध्यान में रख कर करता हो - ऐसे मनुष्य की आयु ( जीवन ) को हित आयु कहा जाता है .
अहित आयु - हित आयु में बताये गए उपरोक्त आचरण से विपरीत आचरण करना अहित आयु है .
सुख आयु - जो मनुष्य उचित आहार - विहार और उत्तम आचार - विचार का दृढ़ता से पालन करता है , रोगों से रहित तथा स्वस्थ शरीर वाला हो , युवा है और शरीर बलवीर्य से युक्त है , यशस्वी चरित्र वाला , पुरुषार्थी , साहसी व् पराक्रमी है , ज्ञान - विज्ञान का ज्ञाता है , जिसकी इन्द्रियाँ अपने अपने विषय को ग्रहण करने और क्रिया करने में पूर्ण समर्थ हैं , जो धन - सम्पत्ति वाला है और अपनी इच्छा के अनुसार सभी कार्य संपन्न करने में समर्थ है , जो अनासक्त भाव से सारे कार्य करता है और फल की चिंता नहीं करता - ऐसे मनुष्य की आयु ( जीवन ) को सुख आयु कहा जाता है .
दुःख आयु - सुख आयु में वर्णित आचरण से विपरीत आचरण दुःख आयु है .
इन चारों प्रकार की आयु के लिए हितकारी अर्थात आयुवर्धक हो और अहितकारी यानी आयु कम करने वाला न हो - इन दोनों स्थितियों का सही - सही और सुफलदायक वर्णन करने वाला तथा आयु का मान तथा स्वरुप बताकर उचित निर्देश देने वाला जो शास्त्र है उसे ' आयुर्वेद : स उच्यते ' के अनुसार " आयुर्वेद " कहा जाता है .
आयु क्या है इसकी व्याख्या किसी अन्य चिकित्सा शास्त्र ने की हो या ना की हो पर आयुर्वेद ने प्रस्तुत की है और बड़ी बेजोड़ और यथार्थवादी परिभाषा की है . चरक संहिता का एक श्लोक निम्नलिखित है :-
" शरीरेइन्द्रियसतवात्मसंयोगो धारी जीवितं |
नित्यगश्चानुबन्धश्च पर्य्यरयेराच्युते ||"
अर्थात शरीर , इन्द्रिय , मन और आत्मा के संयोग को आयु कहा है . धारी , जीवित , नित्याग और अनुबंध - इन पर्यायों से आयु कहा जाता है . धारी का अर्थ है शरीर को धारण करके इसे सड़ने नहीं देना है . प्राण को धारण करना जीवित रहना है . नित्यग का अर्थ है प्रतिदिन उम्र का घटते जाना और अनुबंध का अर्थ है प्राण और चेतना से आयु का सम्बन्ध रहना . कहने का मतलब ये है की शरीर , इन्द्रिय , मन और आत्मा का संयोग जब तक बना रहे उस स्थिति को आयु और समयावधि को " जीवनकाल " कहते हैं .
आयुर्वेद ने स्वास्थ्य और स्वस्थ व्यक्ति की परिभाषा में सिर्फ शरीर या सिर्फ आत्मा को ही नहीं बल्कि सम्बंधित सभी तथ्यों का समावेश किया है . सुश्रुत संहिता में कहा गया है तीनो दोष ( वात पित्त कफ ) सामान हों , अग्नि सामान हो , शरीर की सब धातुएं सामान हों , मल क्रिया सामान्य हो , आत्मा , मन और इन्द्रियाँ प्रसन्न रहें , इस स्थिति को स्वास्थ्य और ऐसे स्वास्थ्य वाले व्यक्ति को आयुर्वेद स्वस्थ व्यक्ति मानता है .
The Ayurveda Shastra is not created or invented by common people. Nor is it invented by medical experts, plant or vegetation experts. Ayurveda Shastra is not invented by the businesspersons of medicines or medical industries either. Ayurveda Shastra is created and invented by Yoga visionary, ascetic, altruistic and benevolent Rishi-Munis who possessed the divine, numinous and celestial knowledge. This is the reason Ayurveda is a mode of treatment which has no limits. Ayurveda is limitless, boundless and profound. Most common people do not understand the depth and delicacy of Ayurveda Shashtra so they cannot take the advantage of it. For past several years, we at Biovatica.Com , are trying our best to introduce the power of Ayurveda and Ayurveda Shastra to the common people. And it is a matter of jubilation for us that thousands of users/visitors of Biovatica.Com are now at least somewhat familiar with Ayurveda. Our many visitors now have a keen interest, curiosity and desire to accept Ayurveda. The more we try to understand Ayurveda ; we will get to know that it is difficult to swim across this ocean of knowledge.
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