Ayurveda

What is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda literally means "Knowledge of life". The careful, critical and unbiased study of the classical Ayurveda texts show that by the time Samhita-granthas were compiled, the Science and Art of Ayurveda had already passed through the stage of specialization and, knowledge flowing from different specialized fields of medicine and allied sciences generalized, simplified and principles enunciated. Thus, Ayurveda is referred as Science and Art of life. The practice of Ayurveda as a form of medicine dates back to 3000 BC.

Source of Ayurveda

Out of the four vedas – Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda - physicians owe their loyalty to the Atharva Veda because this deals with the treatment of diseases by resorting to various practices like sacrifices, prayers, and chants, charity, moral discipline, the atonement of sins, austere practices like fasts, etc. These are advocated for treatment as well as for living a healthy, long life. Thus,it is sourced as Upaveda from Atharva veda.(Cha.Su.30/21)

What is Ayu?

Ayu (life) implies the conjunction of physical body, senses, mind and soul and is known by the synonym dhari (that which sustains), jivita (that which is live), nityaga (that which is in continuum), and anubandha (that which is interdependent, or a link between past life and the future life).(Cha.Su.1/42)

Thus Ayu means the anuvritti (continuity) of chetana (consciousness) i.e., chetananuvritti, being alive (jeevita), bonding with the body (anubandha) and sustenance of life (dhari).(Cha.Su.30/22).

Life is not merely the existence of machine like physical structure of body. The conscious interaction of soul, mind and sense organs makes it live. Therefore these are essential components of Ayurvedic biology of human beings.

Scope of Ayurveda

Ayurveda is that source of knowledge which teaches about or deals with Ayu. Through its characteristics, it imparts the knowledge of joy and suffering, benefit and harm, and authentic/authoritative and unauthentic/unreliable (sources of information). It is also that which informs us about the lifespan and substances with properties and actions that result in the same. This is dealt with in the entire text of Charak Samhita at various appropriate contexts.[[(Cha.Su.30/23) Thus, Ayurveda deals with good, bad, bliss and sorrow in life, and with (what is) wholesome and unwholesome for it, longevity, and about what Ayu (life) is in itself.(Cha.Su.1/41)

The texts Charak Samhita, Sushruta Samhita and Ashtanga Hridayam are three major samhitas (compendiums) of Ayurveda. The objective of Ayurveda is preservation of health and treatment of diseases.

There are eight main branches of Ayurveda:

1. Kayachikitsa (Internal Medicine)
2. Bala Chikitsa Or Koumarbhrutya tantram (Paediatrics)
3. Graha Chikitsa Or Bhootavidyaa (Demonology / Psychology)
4. Urdhvanga Chikitsa(Treatment of disease occurring in head and neck)
5. Shalya Chikitsa(Surgery)
6. Damshtra Chikitsa Or Agada tantra (Toxicology)
7. Jara Chikitsa Or Rasayana tantra (Geriatrics, Anti ageing and rejuvenation therapies)
8. Vrisha Chikitsa Or Vajikarana tantra (Aphrodisiac therapy, treatments for preserving sexual health and assisting natural conception and fertility)

External links

Ayurveda [[1]]