INTRODUCTION TO
AYURVEDA
INTRODUCTION
Ayurveda or the “Veda of Life” stands for Indian System of Medicine Etymologically, the ‘Ayus’ means span of life and ‘Veda’ means unimpeccable knowledge. Ayurveda is named the Science of Life wherein are laid down the principles of the good and bad life; the happy and the unhappy; what is wholesome and what is unwholesome in relation to life and also the measure of life.
Apart from human beings, Ayurveda also covers the treatment of animals and plants. Ancient saints, like Nakula, Palkapya, Salihotra and Parasara composed treatises on Asva-Ayurveda, Gaja-Ayurveda, Gava-Ayurveda and Vriksa-Ayurveda for the treatment of ailments of horses, elephants, cattle and trees respectively.
AIMS AND BRANCHES
The aim of Ayurveda is prolongation of healthy life, prevention of diseases, senility of a person and help a person to attain the four principal aims of life, viz, Dharma (virtue), Artha (wealth), Kama (affluence) and Moksa (salvation or liberation).
Ayurveda is Astanga, i.c., eight special branches, viz (1) Kayacikitsa (internals medicine); (2) Kaumarabhrtya or Bala Tantra (paediatrics), (3) Bhuta-Vidya (psychiatrics); (4) Salakya Tantra (treatment of the diseases of upper clavicular region); (5) Shalya Tantra (surgery); (6) Agada Tantra (toxicology); (7) Rasayana (science of rejuvenation), and (8) Vajikarana Tantra (aphrodisiacs).
BASIC PRINCIPLE
The main object of Ayurveda is maintenance of the metabolic equilibrium of human psychosomatic machine and the restoration of the same to normalcy, if the homoeostasis is upset or disturbed by the aetiopathological factors.
Fundamental constituents of the body are Dosas, Dhatus, Malas and Agnis. Dosas are of two types (a) physical i.e. Vata, Pitta and Kapha and (b) mental, i.c. Rajas and Tamas. These pervade the entire body and mind. Each Dosa has three states, viz (1) Ksaya (decrease), (2) Sthana (normalcy), and (3) Vrddhi (increase).
Dhatu means, that which sustains the body and they are basic tissue elements. They are seven in number – Rasa, Rakta, Mamsa, Medas, Asthi Majja and Sukra.
The principal Malas are Mutra (urine), Sakrt (stool) and Sweda (sweat).
Agnis are thirteen in number – one Jatharagni, five Bhutagni and seven Dhatuvgin. Each of seven Dhatus and five Mahabhutas have their own Agni.
Apart from the abovementioned fundamentals, Ayurveda also deals with constitution of the body, concept of health and diseases, concept of Balas and Ojas, concepts of Ama and means of knowledge.
GENELOGY
Lord Brahma is the original profounder of Ayurveda. From him, the knowledge passed to Daksa Prajapati. From Daksa Prajapati, it passed to the Aswini Kumaras Who taught it to Indra transmitted the knowledge to his disciple Bharadwaja.
In the school of physicians, Punarvasu Atrey, the disciple of sage Bharadwaja was a very prominent figure. He established a school and arranged seminars. He had six disciples, viz. Agnivesa, Bhela, Jatukarna, Parasara, Harita and Ksarapani, all of these wrote Samhitas. The work of Agnivesa has come down to us as Caraka Samhita after so, many revisions. It mainly deals with Kayacikitsa. It also deals with physiology, aetiology and prognosis, pathology, treatment, objectives, influence of environmental factors, medicines, appliances and procedure, sequence of medication. The work is divided into eight Sthanas (sections) and contains 150 chapters.
Another disciple of Bharadwaja, Kasyapa specialized in paediatrics and wrote Kasyapa Samhita. Dhanwantari founded the school of surgery, and his disciple Susruta compiled Susruta Samhita which is the classical text of surgery. It has six Sthanas and 184 chapters. It also deals with pathology, fundamental postulates, anatomy, embryology, toxicology and a final section of specialized knowledge.
Vagbhata-I wrote Astanga Samgraha and Astanga Hridaya was written by Vaghata-II. These treatises are compilations of Caraka and Susruta Samhitas along with other available knowledge of Ayurveda.
Apart from these works, numerous other medical lexicons and commentaries are available on Ayurveda.
AYURVEDA IN PRE-VEDIC AND VEDIC PERIOD
Medicine was considered as an Upaveda in Vedic period and an analysis of Vedas reveals that all the four Vedas are replete with references to various aspects of medicines. The Rgveda mentions many medicinal plants and nearly 200 medicinal plants are described in Atharva Veda.
In Upanisadic period, the knowledge was systematized. The classical texts, like Caraka Samhita and Susruta Samhita came during seventh century B.C.
During Buddhist period, the universities of Taksasila and Nalanda became the centers of learning of Ayurveda.
MEDIEVAL PERIOD
The medieval period was the period of compilation rather than that of original contribution. It was during this period that Rasa Sastra (iatrochemistry) came into being. Mercury and many other metals were used as drugs. Nagarjuna is considered the father of Rasa Sastra. He endeavoured to make the entire universe free from miseries by the use of processed mercury. It was a golden age of pharmaceutical preparations. Due to foreign invasion and internal disquiet in the country, little attention was paid to scholarship and the progress was halted for a long period.
PRESENT POSITION
During the ninteenth and twentieth century, a great revival movement of Ayurveda began.
In 1827, a government college was opened at Calcutta for education in Ayurveda. Thereafter, a large number of colleges were opened throughout the country and at present 117 colleges are imparting Ayurvedic education. The Central Council for Research in Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy came into being in 1969. The Government of India set up a post-graduate centre in Ayurveda at Jamnagar in 1955. Another post-graduate institute was established at Benaras Hindu University, Varanasi in 1963. For research in Ayurveda, the Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha is running nearly a hundred institutes/centers/units throughout the country.
A National Institute of Ayurveda was established at Jaipur in 1976 by the Government of India. It is an apex institute of Ayurvedic learning and a model of Ayurvedic education and research in the country.
Ayurveda is being taught in many countries, like West Germany, Japan, Australia, Nepal and Sri Lanka these days.
The World Health Organization has recognized Ayurveda as a traditional system of medicine.
AYURVEDA AND YOGA
Patanjali had described eight measures of yogic practices for developing positive health, the goal of Ayurveda. These exercises improve endocrinology and metabolism of the person.
The future of this ancient traditional system is undoubtedly bright since it is a repository of untapped wisdom in medicinal field.
AYURVEDA :
THE SICENCE OF LIFE
While introducing the foreign students to Ayurveda, we should depart from the common practice of the western medical science. The students are unknown to the basic concepts of Ayurveda, therefore, it would be proper to provide a bird’s eye-view of the fundamentals of Ayurveda so that the student can make himself familiar with the general pattern of the Ayurvedic theory and its approach to the problems of health and diseases.
DEFINATION
The very word ‘Ayurveda’ is composed of two words viz ‘Ayu’ means life and ‘Veda’ means science. Thus Ayurveda means the science of life; which also covers the ‘art of living’. It is interesting to note that the ‘Ayu’ of Ayurveda is a combination of sarira (body), indriya (perceptory organs), Sattva (mind) and atma (soul). Here lies the basic difference in Ayurveda and other systems of medicine, that even the soul, which is unknown, has been incorporated in the study of science.
Ayurveda not only cures the disease, but also gives views regarding promotion, prolongation and maintenance of a happy and healthy life. In this connection Ayurveda has prescribed certain daily routine principles, namely, the Dinacarya (daily routine), Ratri-carya (night-routine), Ritu-carua (seasonal routine), and Sadvrtta (ethical routine). If this daily routine is followed with regulated diet, sleep and Brahnacarya (avoidance of mental and physical sexual intercourse without purpose), then one can remain healthy and happy.
Every science has an objective and Ayurveda is not an exception. The objective of Ayurveda is the proper maintenance of metabolic equilibrium of the human psycho-somatic material and the restoration of the same to normal when disturbed.
MYTHOLOGY
Lord Brahma first of all perceived Ayurveda, later on Brahma taught this science to Daksa-Prajapati. From Daksa-Prajapati the science came to Ashvini Kumars and they tought it to Indra. Regarding the further development of this science there are different opinions; according to Susrut Samhita, Lord Dhanwantri learnt the science from Indra and Dhamwantari taught it to Diwodasa. Diwadasa in turn taught it to Susrut, Aupadhenava, Aurbhara, Puskalawat Gopuraraksita and Bhrgu. But according to Caraka Samhita Sage Bharadwaj learnt it from Indra and he in turn taught it to Atrey Punarvasu. According to Kashyap Samhita Indira taught the science to Kasyap, Vasistha, Atreya & Bhrgu. Dhanwantri school mainly deals with surgery and Atreya school deals with Kayacikitsa (medicine).
A large number of texts were written about various aspects of Ayurveda, but many of them do not exist now.
To impart full importance to this science, Ayurveda was inserted in the ‘Atharva Veda’ as an ‘Upaveda’.
BRANCHES OF AYURVEDA
For the systematic study of Ayurveda, the subject was divided into the following eight branches:
1. Kayacikitsa (Medicine)
2. Salya Tantra (Surgery)
3. Salakya Tantra
(Treatment of diseases of head and neck)
4. Agad Tantra (Toxicology)
5. Bhuta-vidya
(Management of possessions by evil spirits and other mental disorders)
6. Bala-Tantra (Paediatrics)
7. Rasayana-Tantra (Geriatrics)
8. Vajikarana-tantra (Aphrodisiacs)
1. Kayacikitsa (Medicine): Treats diseases which instead of being simply restricted to any specific organ, or to any particular part of the body affect the entire body-system.
2. Salya-tantra (Surgery): Any foreign body lodged in a human organism and proving painful to it is called salya. The scope of this branch of Ayurvedic science is to remove (from an ulcer) any substance such as stone, dust, bone, nails, hairs, clotted blood, pus or to draw out of the uterus a dead fetus or to deal with the principle and mode of using and handling surgical instruments in general and with application of fire and alkaline substances together with the diagnoses and treatment of ulcers.
3. Salakya-tantra : In this branch diseases of the upward region (above clavicles), fissures or cavities of the body such as ears, eyes, mouth, nostrils are taken for treatment. The field of this branch is ophthalmology and Autorhinolaryngeology and the diseases of the dead. About 72 diseases of the eye are described. Surgical operations for Cataract, Pterigium etc. are also described.
4. Agad-tantra (Toxicology): This branch deals with poisonous substances. The pollution of air, water have also been described.
5. Bhutavidya: It lays down in contentions and modes of exercising evil spirits and making offerings to the gods, demons, Gandhrvas, Yakshas etc. for the cures of the diseases originating from their malignal influences.
6. Bala-tantra (Paediatrics): This branch mainly deals with the antenatal & post-natal body care and the care of the mother before conception and during conception, it also deals with purification and bettering of mother’s milk, various diseases of the children and their treatment have been described.
7. Rasayana-tantra (Geriatrics): This branch has the object of prolongation of the human life and the invigoration of memory and the vital organs of man. It deals with recipes, which enable a man to retain his manhood or youthful vigour upto old age.
8. Vajikarana (Aphrodisiacs): This deals with the increasing sexual vitality and efficiency. It also deals with purification of semen.
The above classification is mainly based on clinical concepts. However there are other branches also without which a proper study of the subject is difficult. These include Dravya guna vijnana (Materia-Media), Sarira (Anatomy and Physiology), Pancakarma Cikitsa (Five elimination therapies), Prasuti (Gynecology & obstetrics) etc.
SALIENT FEATURES OF AYURVEDA
Ayurvedic system of medicine has many unique features, which characterize this system superior to other systems of treatment. The following are a few salient features:
(1) Ayurveda treats the disease as a whole and the whole individual is taken into consideration. Thus the general body condition, mind and soul is improved; but in modern medicine only the diseased part of the body is treated.
(2) Ayurveda drugs are cheaper than the modern medicines and their preparation is easier. Most of the medicines are prepared from the herbs and animals available in the country.
(3) Ayurveda drugs are in use for last so many centuries and, therefore, they do not produce any toxic effects on the body. It is interesting to note that many toxic substances are used as drugs without any toxic effect. Infact Ayurvedic drugs have side-benefits rather than side-effects and, therefore, all Ayurvedic drugs act as tonics.
(4) While treating the patient Ayurvedic physicians often prescribe certain diet and regimens. These are according to the customs and traditions of the people. Such restrictions support the medicine and the patient recovers at a faster speed.
(5) In Ayurveda, diseases are neither pure psychic nor somatic. Somatic diseases are often described as due to psychic factors and vice-versa. So in Ayurveda, we have a psycho-somatic concept of diseases.
(6) In Ayurveda much attention has been paid towards the prevention of the diseases, a list of do’s and don’ts have been given for healthy persons, at the same time regiments for day, night and different seasons are prescribed for persons of different age groups and various social strata.
000000000000000000000000000000000000
YASHWANT KOTHARI
86, laxmi Nagar, Outside Brahmapuri, Jaipur -302002
MO-9414461207
INTRODUCTION TO
AYURVEDA
INTRODUCTION
Ayurveda or the “Veda of Life” stands for Indian System of Medicine Etymologically, the ‘Ayus’ means span of life and ‘Veda’ means unimpeccable knowledge. Ayurveda is named the Science of Life wherein are laid down the principles of the good and bad life; the happy and the unhappy; what is wholesome and what is unwholesome in relation to life and also the measure of life.
Apart from human beings, Ayurveda also covers the treatment of animals and plants. Ancient saints, like Nakula, Palkapya, Salihotra and Parasara composed treatises on Asva-Ayurveda, Gaja-Ayurveda, Gava-Ayurveda and Vriksa-Ayurveda for the treatment of ailments of horses, elephants, cattle and trees respectively.
AIMS AND BRANCHES
The aim of Ayurveda is prolongation of healthy life, prevention of diseases, senility of a person and help a person to attain the four principal aims of life, viz, Dharma (virtue), Artha (wealth), Kama (affluence) and Moksa (salvation or liberation).
Ayurveda is Astanga, i.c., eight special branches, viz (1) Kayacikitsa (internals medicine); (2) Kaumarabhrtya or Bala Tantra (paediatrics), (3) Bhuta-Vidya (psychiatrics); (4) Salakya Tantra (treatment of the diseases of upper clavicular region); (5) Shalya Tantra (surgery); (6) Agada Tantra (toxicology); (7) Rasayana (science of rejuvenation), and (8) Vajikarana Tantra (aphrodisiacs).
BASIC PRINCIPLE
The main object of Ayurveda is maintenance of the metabolic equilibrium of human psychosomatic machine and the restoration of the same to normalcy, if the homoeostasis is upset or disturbed by the aetiopathological factors.
Fundamental constituents of the body are Dosas, Dhatus, Malas and Agnis. Dosas are of two types (a) physical i.e. Vata, Pitta and Kapha and (b) mental, i.c. Rajas and Tamas. These pervade the entire body and mind. Each Dosa has three states, viz (1) Ksaya (decrease), (2) Sthana (normalcy), and (3) Vrddhi (increase).
Dhatu means, that which sustains the body and they are basic tissue elements. They are seven in number – Rasa, Rakta, Mamsa, Medas, Asthi Majja and Sukra.
The principal Malas are Mutra (urine), Sakrt (stool) and Sweda (sweat).
Agnis are thirteen in number – one Jatharagni, five Bhutagni and seven Dhatuvgin. Each of seven Dhatus and five Mahabhutas have their own Agni.
Apart from the abovementioned fundamentals, Ayurveda also deals with constitution of the body, concept of health and diseases, concept of Balas and Ojas, concepts of Ama and means of knowledge.
GENELOGY
Lord Brahma is the original profounder of Ayurveda. From him, the knowledge passed to Daksa Prajapati. From Daksa Prajapati, it passed to the Aswini Kumaras Who taught it to Indra transmitted the knowledge to his disciple Bharadwaja.
In the school of physicians, Punarvasu Atrey, the disciple of sage Bharadwaja was a very prominent figure. He established a school and arranged seminars. He had six disciples, viz. Agnivesa, Bhela, Jatukarna, Parasara, Harita and Ksarapani, all of these wrote Samhitas. The work of Agnivesa has come down to us as Caraka Samhita after so, many revisions. It mainly deals with Kayacikitsa. It also deals with physiology, aetiology and prognosis, pathology, treatment, objectives, influence of environmental factors, medicines, appliances and procedure, sequence of medication. The work is divided into eight Sthanas (sections) and contains 150 chapters.
Another disciple of Bharadwaja, Kasyapa specialized in paediatrics and wrote Kasyapa Samhita. Dhanwantari founded the school of surgery, and his disciple Susruta compiled Susruta Samhita which is the classical text of surgery. It has six Sthanas and 184 chapters. It also deals with pathology, fundamental postulates, anatomy, embryology, toxicology and a final section of specialized knowledge.
Vagbhata-I wrote Astanga Samgraha and Astanga Hridaya was written by Vaghata-II. These treatises are compilations of Caraka and Susruta Samhitas along with other available knowledge of Ayurveda.
Apart from these works, numerous other medical lexicons and commentaries are available on Ayurveda.
AYURVEDA IN PRE-VEDIC AND VEDIC PERIOD
Medicine was considered as an Upaveda in Vedic period and an analysis of Vedas reveals that all the four Vedas are replete with references to various aspects of medicines. The Rgveda mentions many medicinal plants and nearly 200 medicinal plants are described in Atharva Veda.
In Upanisadic period, the knowledge was systematized. The classical texts, like Caraka Samhita and Susruta Samhita came during seventh century B.C.
During Buddhist period, the universities of Taksasila and Nalanda became the centers of learning of Ayurveda.
MEDIEVAL PERIOD
The medieval period was the period of compilation rather than that of original contribution. It was during this period that Rasa Sastra (iatrochemistry) came into being. Mercury and many other metals were used as drugs. Nagarjuna is considered the father of Rasa Sastra. He endeavoured to make the entire universe free from miseries by the use of processed mercury. It was a golden age of pharmaceutical preparations. Due to foreign invasion and internal disquiet in the country, little attention was paid to scholarship and the progress was halted for a long period.
PRESENT POSITION
During the ninteenth and twentieth century, a great revival movement of Ayurveda began.
In 1827, a government college was opened at Calcutta for education in Ayurveda. Thereafter, a large number of colleges were opened throughout the country and at present 117 colleges are imparting Ayurvedic education. The Central Council for Research in Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy came into being in 1969. The Government of India set up a post-graduate centre in Ayurveda at Jamnagar in 1955. Another post-graduate institute was established at Benaras Hindu University, Varanasi in 1963. For research in Ayurveda, the Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha is running nearly a hundred institutes/centers/units throughout the country.
A National Institute of Ayurveda was established at Jaipur in 1976 by the Government of India. It is an apex institute of Ayurvedic learning and a model of Ayurvedic education and research in the country.
Ayurveda is being taught in many countries, like West Germany, Japan, Australia, Nepal and Sri Lanka these days.
The World Health Organization has recognized Ayurveda as a traditional system of medicine.
AYURVEDA AND YOGA
Patanjali had described eight measures of yogic practices for developing positive health, the goal of Ayurveda. These exercises improve endocrinology and metabolism of the person.
The future of this ancient traditional system is undoubtedly bright since it is a repository of untapped wisdom in medicinal field.
AYURVEDA :
THE SICENCE OF LIFE
While introducing the foreign students to Ayurveda, we should depart from the common practice of the western medical science. The students are unknown to the basic concepts of Ayurveda, therefore, it would be proper to provide a bird’s eye-view of the fundamentals of Ayurveda so that the student can make himself familiar with the general pattern of the Ayurvedic theory and its approach to the problems of health and diseases.
DEFINATION
The very word ‘Ayurveda’ is composed of two words viz ‘Ayu’ means life and ‘Veda’ means science. Thus Ayurveda means the science of life; which also covers the ‘art of living’. It is interesting to note that the ‘Ayu’ of Ayurveda is a combination of sarira (body), indriya (perceptory organs), Sattva (mind) and atma (soul). Here lies the basic difference in Ayurveda and other systems of medicine, that even the soul, which is unknown, has been incorporated in the study of science.
Ayurveda not only cures the disease, but also gives views regarding promotion, prolongation and maintenance of a happy and healthy life. In this connection Ayurveda has prescribed certain daily routine principles, namely, the Dinacarya (daily routine), Ratri-carya (night-routine), Ritu-carua (seasonal routine), and Sadvrtta (ethical routine). If this daily routine is followed with regulated diet, sleep and Brahnacarya (avoidance of mental and physical sexual intercourse without purpose), then one can remain healthy and happy.
Every science has an objective and Ayurveda is not an exception. The objective of Ayurveda is the proper maintenance of metabolic equilibrium of the human psycho-somatic material and the restoration of the same to normal when disturbed.
MYTHOLOGY
Lord Brahma first of all perceived Ayurveda, later on Brahma taught this science to Daksa-Prajapati. From Daksa-Prajapati the science came to Ashvini Kumars and they tought it to Indra. Regarding the further development of this science there are different opinions; according to Susrut Samhita, Lord Dhanwantri learnt the science from Indra and Dhamwantari taught it to Diwodasa. Diwadasa in turn taught it to Susrut, Aupadhenava, Aurbhara, Puskalawat Gopuraraksita and Bhrgu. But according to Caraka Samhita Sage Bharadwaj learnt it from Indra and he in turn taught it to Atrey Punarvasu. According to Kashyap Samhita Indira taught the science to Kasyap, Vasistha, Atreya & Bhrgu. Dhanwantri school mainly deals with surgery and Atreya school deals with Kayacikitsa (medicine).
A large number of texts were written about various aspects of Ayurveda, but many of them do not exist now.
To impart full importance to this science, Ayurveda was inserted in the ‘Atharva Veda’ as an ‘Upaveda’.
BRANCHES OF AYURVEDA
For the systematic study of Ayurveda, the subject was divided into the following eight branches:
1. Kayacikitsa (Medicine)
2. Salya Tantra (Surgery)
3. Salakya Tantra
(Treatment of diseases of head and neck)
4. Agad Tantra (Toxicology)
5. Bhuta-vidya
(Management of possessions by evil spirits and other mental disorders)
6. Bala-Tantra (Paediatrics)
7. Rasayana-Tantra (Geriatrics)
8. Vajikarana-tantra (Aphrodisiacs)
1. Kayacikitsa (Medicine): Treats diseases which instead of being simply restricted to any specific organ, or to any particular part of the body affect the entire body-system.
2. Salya-tantra (Surgery): Any foreign body lodged in a human organism and proving painful to it is called salya. The scope of this branch of Ayurvedic science is to remove (from an ulcer) any substance such as stone, dust, bone, nails, hairs, clotted blood, pus or to draw out of the uterus a dead fetus or to deal with the principle and mode of using and handling surgical instruments in general and with application of fire and alkaline substances together with the diagnoses and treatment of ulcers.
3. Salakya-tantra : In this branch diseases of the upward region (above clavicles), fissures or cavities of the body such as ears, eyes, mouth, nostrils are taken for treatment. The field of this branch is ophthalmology and Autorhinolaryngeology and the diseases of the dead. About 72 diseases of the eye are described. Surgical operations for Cataract, Pterigium etc. are also described.
4. Agad-tantra (Toxicology): This branch deals with poisonous substances. The pollution of air, water have also been described.
5. Bhutavidya: It lays down in contentions and modes of exercising evil spirits and making offerings to the gods, demons, Gandhrvas, Yakshas etc. for the cures of the diseases originating from their malignal influences.
6. Bala-tantra (Paediatrics): This branch mainly deals with the antenatal & post-natal body care and the care of the mother before conception and during conception, it also deals with purification and bettering of mother’s milk, various diseases of the children and their treatment have been described.
7. Rasayana-tantra (Geriatrics): This branch has the object of prolongation of the human life and the invigoration of memory and the vital organs of man. It deals with recipes, which enable a man to retain his manhood or youthful vigour upto old age.
8. Vajikarana (Aphrodisiacs): This deals with the increasing sexual vitality and efficiency. It also deals with purification of semen.
The above classification is mainly based on clinical concepts. However there are other branches also without which a proper study of the subject is difficult. These include Dravya guna vijnana (Materia-Media), Sarira (Anatomy and Physiology), Pancakarma Cikitsa (Five elimination therapies), Prasuti (Gynecology & obstetrics) etc.
SALIENT FEATURES OF AYURVEDA
Ayurvedic system of medicine has many unique features, which characterize this system superior to other systems of treatment. The following are a few salient features:
(1) Ayurveda treats the disease as a whole and the whole individual is taken into consideration. Thus the general body condition, mind and soul is improved; but in modern medicine only the diseased part of the body is treated.
(2) Ayurveda drugs are cheaper than the modern medicines and their preparation is easier. Most of the medicines are prepared from the herbs and animals available in the country.
(3) Ayurveda drugs are in use for last so many centuries and, therefore, they do not produce any toxic effects on the body. It is interesting to note that many toxic substances are used as drugs without any toxic effect. Infact Ayurvedic drugs have side-benefits rather than side-effects and, therefore, all Ayurvedic drugs act as tonics.
(4) While treating the patient Ayurvedic physicians often prescribe certain diet and regimens. These are according to the customs and traditions of the people. Such restrictions support the medicine and the patient recovers at a faster speed.
(5) In Ayurveda, diseases are neither pure psychic nor somatic. Somatic diseases are often described as due to psychic factors and vice-versa. So in Ayurveda, we have a psycho-somatic concept of diseases.
(6) In Ayurveda much attention has been paid towards the prevention of the diseases, a list of do’s and don’ts have been given for healthy persons, at the same time regiments for day, night and different seasons are prescribed for persons of different age groups and various social strata.
000000000000000000000000000000000000
YASHWANT KOTHARI
86, laxmi Nagar, Outside Brahmapuri, Jaipur -302002
MO-9414461207
