The concept of Health and Disease in Ayurvedic medicine system
Ayurveda is an ancient Indian medicine system. It prevents a holistic and comprehensive view of health and diseases. Ayurveda is originated from Sanskrit word “Ayus”. It has two words one is Ayus and second is Veda. Ayus refers the life or health, and Veda refers the science or the knowledge. The Vedic system of Medicine or Ayurveda enhances human’s holistic health. According to Vedic literatures or textbooks Atharvaveda elaborates Ayurveda System. Looking at the history and development of Ayurveda we see Atharvaveda at the first level, after that Brahma had the knowledge of Ayurveda, and Brahma gave to Indra. Indra divided Ayurveda into three Sampradaya. One is Kayachikitsa Sampradaya, second is Shalyachikitsa Sampradaya and the last one is Kaumarabhritya Sampradaya. In the ancient time, following well-established Kayachikitsa Sampradaya, Charaka Samhita, Ashtanga Hridaya and Bhavaprakash were composed. It is written in Sanskrit language.
Dharma, Artha, Kam and moksha are the four goal of Ayurveda Medicine system. Accroding to charak “Ayurveda is the knowledge of happy and unhappy, a good and bad life, and that which contributes to those four aspects.” For achieving four purushartha human being should be healthy and happy. Dharma is the principle of living one’s life in a way that promotes inner and outer health and harmoney. Artha is a certain amount of money is needed to comfortably support life. Kam is sensory pleasure. And Moksha is liberation of soul.
According to Ayurveda human body is formed by Tridosha (Kapha, Vata and Pitta), Panchamahabhuta (Earth, water, fire, air, space), Seven Dhatu (Rasa – plasma/white blood cells, lymph, Rakta – red blood cells/platelet, Mamsa – muscle tissues, Medas – fat/adipose tissues, Asthi – bone, Majja – bone marrow, Sukra – semen/reproductive tissue), Panchakosha (Annamayakosha, Pranamayakosha, Manomayakosha, Vijnanamayakosha, Anandamayakosha), and the Triguna (Satva, Raja, Tama). And the agni elaborate the main form of agni as a digestive fire in human body. Healthy and powerfull agni digeste all food for making human body healthy. It also prevents the buildup of ama, undigested food that acts as a toxin and leads to disease.
In overall, Ayurveda is a holistic approach of Tridosha, Panchamahabhuta, Seven Dhatu, Panchakosha, Triguna, Herbal Science etc. Tridosha is one of the major concepts of Ayurveda. It is made of by the combination of five elements (Panchamahabhuta). Vata, Kapha and Pitta energies human body to function healthy. Vata is combine form of air element and ether element. Air gives it characteristics such as mobility and dryness, while ether makes it subtle and light. Vata helps to Breath, Circulation of Blood, Transmission of nerve signals and elimination of waste. Fire and water are the ingredients that make up Pitta. It acquires qualities from fire, like heat and sharpness, and from water, like fluidity and oiliness. Pitta delivers internal heat and is the source of transformation in the body, including digestion. The stomach and small intestine serve as the pitta’s primary seats. In addition to producing blood and coloring the skin, pitta also aids in digestion and agni fuelling, intelligence and self-confidence, and sight. The dosha of water and earth is called kapha. Kapha receives characteristics from water, such as smoothness and oiliness, and from earth, such as stability and weight. Kapha provides the body with immunity, lubrication, strength, cohesiveness, substance, and coolness. It is also in charge of healing. The chest and stomach are where kapha is primarily located. Food in the stomach receives moisture from kapha, which also gives the heart and sense organs strength and coolness. Adding flavor; stabilizing and lubricating the joints.
Acharya Sushruta defined health in his Sushruta Samhita textbook.
Sama dosha samaagnischa sama dhatu mala kriyaaha
Prasanna atma indriya manaha swastha iti abhidheeyate |-sushruta samhita,
According to him health is the balanced state of Tridosha, Agni, Panchamahabhuta, Seven Dhatu, Triguna and Panchamakakosha. Food that has not been digested by Agni builds up and becomes toxic to the body. According to Ayurveda, that poison is called Ama. This Ama creates diseases in human body. This Ama is the main reason for unhealty body. If a person has powerful agni, then that agni prevents from origin of Ama. Malas are the body’s excretions, which include perspiration, excrement, and urine. They build up and can cause disease, therefore passing them on time helps maintain the body’s equilibrium. Healthy Agni able to digest properly, this can absorb all nutrient from foods. Nutrient convert into Seven Dhatu (Plasma, Blood, Muslce, Skin, Fat, Bone, Nerve tissue, Bone marrow and Reproductive tissues). Weak Agni cann’t digest food properly and it builds Ama in body.
Janmaantara kritam paapam vyaadhi roopena bhaadate.
Tat shantihi aushadhaihi, daanaihi, japa homa suaarchanaihi ||-sushruta samhita,
Acharya Sushurta exlpain disease as our past wrong Karma. Our soul holds past life’s sinful action’s effect. Karma refers the action done by us in our past existence. Our bad Karma cultivate Vyaadhi in present life. To prevent disease, we should Practice offering, Chanting, Praying. Ayuarvedic medications can hinder diseases. Acharya Charaka is agree with having strong sensory organs is the menifestation of Healthy person.
In Ayurveda, health is divided into 3 componets. Respectively they are physical health, psychological health and spiritual health. Physical health is the balances state of dosha, mala, agni and guna. Pure of satisfied mind and indriyas cultivate psychological health. Everyone can achieve spiritual health after achieving good physical and mental health. Adjusting Triguna, Tridosha, Panchamahabhuta, Agni, and Mala in Ayurveda includes an integrator approach established in slim down, way of life, and mindfulness hones. To develop mental concordance and adjust the Trigunas—Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas—one ought to embrace a sattvic way of life characterized by new, wholesome nourishments, normal reflection, and moral living (Frawley, 2000). Adjusting the Tridoshas—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha—requires personalized schedules based on one’s structure, such as devouring cooling nourishments for Pitta, establishing hones for Vata, and invigorating exercises for Kapha (Lad, 2002). Concordance among the Panchamahabhutas (five components) is accomplished by living in match up with characteristic cycles, eating nourishments adjusted with regular and natural needs, and detoxifying the body through Panchakarma treatments (Dash & Sharma, 1998). Keeping up Agni, the stomach related fire, is central to wellbeing and can be accomplished by eating warm, naturally arranged dinners at standard interims, joining digestion-enhancing flavors like ginger and cumin, and maintaining a strategic distance from prepared nourishments or sporadic eating propensities (Lad, 2002). Guaranteeing appropriate end of Mala (squander items) includes remaining hydrated, expending a fiber-rich eat less, and locks in in standard physical action, which helps within the body’s common detoxification forms (Frawley, 2000). Extra hones, such as every day Abhyanga (oil knead), pranayama (breathing works out), and yoga, upgrade the body-mind association and back generally adjust. Together, these hones cultivate physical, mental, and otherworldly agreement, empowering people to live in arrangement with Ayurvedic standards and nature’s rhythms.
References:
- Frawley, D. (2000). Ayurvedic Healing: A Comprehensive Guide. Lotus Press.
- Lad, V. (2002). Textbook of Ayurveda: Fundamental Principles. Ayurvedic Press.
- Dash, B., & Sharma, R. K. (1998). Caraka Samhita. Chaukhamba Sanskrit Series Office.
- Shivananda yoga vedanta center (2018). Practical Ayurveda.
