Ayurveda-vedanta: The Vedanta of Life Science

krishna varnam tvishakrishnam sangopangastra parshadam yajnaih sankirtana prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah

This is a verse from the Srimad Bhagavata Purana, ( 11.5.32 !

"#n the age of $a%i, inte%%igent persons &orship the in'arnation of (odhead &ho 'onstant%y performs the sa'rifi'e of 'ongregationa% g%orifi'ation of the )ord.

*%though +is e,terna% 'omp%e,ion is not -%a'kish, &ithin, +e is $rishna +imse%f. +e is a''ompanies -y +is asso'iates, servants, &eapons and 'onfidentia% 'ompanions.. *''ording to the opinion of many *'haryas &ho are e,perts in the study of /edi' %iterature, this verse des'ri-es the in'arnation of )ord Sri 0haitanya 1ahapra-hu, &ho des'ended to earth in the ho%y p%a'e kno&n as 2avadvipa on the -ank of the 3ahnavi ((anges river in the present state of 4est Benga%, #ndia, in the year of 1567 *.8.

)ord 0haitanya 1ahapra-hu, -e'ame famous as 2imai pandita (pandita means a great s'ho%ar of the /edas9 having -een -orn under the medi'ina% neem tree, +e &as kno&n as 2imai from +is ear%y 'hi%dhood, -e'ause of his erudite s'ho%arship of the vast o'ean of /edi' %iterature. +e 'ompared the ten essentia% su-je'ts of the Srimad Bhagavata Purana &ith the ten medi'ina% roots of the *yurveda (8asha mu%as .

+e e,p%ained that, just %ike the dasha mu%as made into an "arishtam. 'ures the diseases 'aused -y the im-a%an'e of the three dhatus, vi:., $apha, vayu and pitta (mu'us, air and -i%e , in the same &ay the dasha mu%as of Srimad -hagavatam (the ten root su-je'ts &i%% 'ure the diseases of materia% identifi'ation 'aused -y the im-a%an'e of the

three gunas, vi:, sattva, rajas and tamas (goodness, passion and ignoran'e .

*''ording to Sri 0haitanya 1ahapra-hu, Srimad Bhagavata Purana is a natura% 'ommentary on the /edanta;sutras of Sri%a /yasadeva!

artho <yam -rahma;sutranam -haratartha;vinirnayah gayatri;-hasya;rupo <sau vedartha;pari-rmhitah purananam sama;rupah saksad;-hagavatoditah

"The Srimad Bhagavatam is the natura% 'ommentary to the /edanta;sutra. The fu%% purport of the 1aha-harata is a%so there. The 'ommentary of the Brahma;gayatri is a%so there and fu%%y e,panded &ith a%% /edi' kno&%edge. Srimad Bhagavatam is the supreme Purana, and it &as 'ompi%ed dire't%y -y the Supreme Persona%ity of (odhead in +is in'arnation as /yasadeva..

*%% /edanti' e,positions are 'ommentaries -y various *'haryas on the /edanta sutras. So the ten essentia% su-je't matters of Srimad Bhagavata purana are %ike "/edanti' o-servation and pres'ription. -y the (*yur /edi' a'harya /yasadeva -ased on his o&n study of the (*yur /eda shastra , the /edanta;sutras.

Thus there is no dou-t that the *yurveda shastras and the /edanti' shastras have a very simi%ar, if not a'tua%%y the same, purpose to them. +aving esta-%ished this samya and sam-andha (resem-%an'e and re%ationship of *yurveda and /edanta, %et us make an ana%yti'a% study of the su-je't through the eyes of -oth /edanti' and *yurvedi' *'haryas!

1edi'ine and hea%ing are the t&o most important physi'a% s'ien'es e,p%ored and deve%oped in the vedi' times. The 2yaya, /aiseshika and Sankya 8arshanas are dire't%y and intimate%y 'onne'ted &ith these aspe'ts of vedi' kno&%edge.

+atha yoga, Tantra physio%ogy, Siddha and many other yoga s'hoo%s of study e,tensive%y dea% in their anatomy se'tions &ith su-je'ts from the diffusion of energy in the -ody through the nervous system (-ased on the 'hakra %inked management of energy up to the study of em-ryo%ogy, heredity and geneti' 'odes.

# = *yurveda as part of the /edas

The great *yurvedi' *'haryas have 'onfirmed that *yurveda is a%so part of the /edas.

Susruta, one of the greatest *yurveda *'haryas says in his Samhita (1.1.5 !

"*yurveda is an upanga of the *tharva /eda, 'ontaining 1>>,>>> verses in one thousand 'hapters. Brahma is the author of these verses..

4hi%e hands and %egs are angas of our -ody, toes and fingers are upangas. The a'ademi' vie& may not -e a-%e to digest that su'h a %arge upanga &ou%d have -een part of the *tharva veda, -e'ause the entire avai%a-%e te,ts of the present *tharva veda seem to -e mu'h sma%%er than *yurveda a%one as des'ri-ed in the a-ove te,t?

But sti%% *'harya Susruta@s statement is an "apta vakya.9 So it 'annot -e under;estimated or reje'ted as a mere e,aggeration. There are reasons &hy the present num-ers, shape and form of the vedi' te,ts do not ta%%y &ith fa'ts and figures mentioned in the puranas and

other vedi' %iteratures. That is yet another area of resear'h and &e do not &ant to go off the tra'k from our present dis'ussion.

*s *yurveda is an upanga of the /edas, it has the same purpose in a different denomination. The Apanishads &hi'h are 'onsidered as the end of the vedi' kno&%edge, (veda;anta or /edanta , aim at understanding the a-so%ute truth, Brahman, -eyond the fun'tioning of e,terna%, materia% nama;rupa;jagat (the 'onstant%y 'hanging energy of name and form . #n a different denomination of the %eve% of e,pression, *yurveda a%so aims at the study and maintenan'e of the me'hanism of the -ody &ith a purpose of giving fu%% potentia% fun'tioning duration so that the aim of %ife 'an -e a'hieved. Thus there is /edanta in the *yurveda ; and it is in no &ay of a %esser vo%tage than any other upanga of the /edas.

*''ording to /edanta , %ife is eterna% and &as never produ'ed or 'ame into e,isten'e, at a parti'u%ar time in the history. The Apanihsads are very insistent on this point of /edanta. The $atha upanisad 1.2.16 says!

na jayate mriyate va vipash'in nayam kutash'a na -a-huva kash'it

ajo nityah shashvato@yam purano na hanyate hanyamane sharire

"Bor the sou%, there is neither -irth nor death at any time. #t does not 'ome into -eing at any time, it is un-orn, eterna% and primeva%. #t doesn@t die &hen the -ody is put to death..

The -asi' foundation of ayurveda is a%so on the same p%atform. The %ife or *yu is fu%%y 'omprehended as eterna% and -eyond the -odi%y e,isten'e. Su'h kno&%edge (veda , makes the phrase "kno&%edge of %ife., vi:., *yurveda.

/edas are 'onsidered as eterna% sound vi-ration present in the akasha, sha-da;-rahman9 The kno&%edge in the /edas is eterna%. Therefore, the kno&%edge of *yurveda, this kno&%edge of %ife, its for'e in the -ody and its distri-ution through the dhatus -y the %ife airs is a%so eterna%. There has a%&ays -een the 'ontinuity of the s'ien'e of %ife, vi:., *yurveda.

The different sty%es of systemati' 'ompi%ation of the kno&%edge and instru'tions for the pra'ti'a% app%i'ation of that kno&%edge 'ertain%y have an origin in re'orded history. But the spirit and sou% of this kno&%edge is dire't%y part (upanga of the eterna%, undying vedi' %ore

(*tharva veda . #t has never taken "-irth. at a parti'u%ar time.

Cven though at present on%y the treatises of 0haraka and Susruta, &hi'h &ere 'ommented on -y %ater *'haryas, are taken as *yurveda, a''ording to Susruta himse%f *yurveda is the origina% tea'hing of Brahma &hi'h &as %ater simp%ified into eight parts to suit the degraded inte%%e'tua% Dua%ity of the peop%e of this age of $a%i.

There are eight departmenta% %im-s (ashtanga of kno&%edge in ayurveda!

1 sa%ya surgery 2 sa%akya treatment of head 3 kaya 'ikitsa treatment of ordinary diseases of -ody 5 -huta vidya treatment of inf%uen'e of go-%ins 5 kaumara -hrtya treatment for 'hi%dren@s diseases 7 aagada tantra antidotes to poisons E rasayana s'ien'e of rejuvenation of -ody 6 vajikarana reviva% of se,ua% strength

+aving anya%ysed the authenti'y of the ayurveda as part of /edas, no& &e &i%% e,p%ore the 'ontents of the te,ts of ayurveda that 'onfirms this 'on'%usion.

## = 1ethods of treatment in *yurveda.

The atharva veda dea%s &ith the treatment of diseases -y seven kinds of pres'riptions!

Svastyayana propitiatory rites Ba%i offerings 1anga%ahoma o-%atons 2iyama penana'es Prayas'itta purifi'atory rites Apavasa fasting mantra 'hanting of sound vi-rations ; 0haraka Samhita 1.3>.2>

Cven the dietery regu%ations and the use of medi'ines fa%% &ithin the 'ategory of -a%i, manga%ahoma, upasana and niyama.

# have myse%f seen the father of my fami%y do'tor &ho, &as treating my father for respiratory ma%fun'tion, pres'ri-e medi'ines &ith mantras to -e 'hanted 9 and it &orked %ike magi'? )ater on # have done a &ide range of resear'h on this fie%d, -oth theory and pra'ti'e, and it &ou%d -e &orth it to &rite a separate samhita on this su-je't.

### ; The +uman Body as a modifi'ation of the Bive C%ements

The human -ody is regarded -y 0haraka as a modifi'ation of the five e%ements and the seat of 'ons'iousness ("'etanahistana -huta., 0haraka Samhita 5.5.7 .

This fu%%y e'hoes the statements of the Bhagavad gita!

-humir apo Fna%o vayu kham mano -uddhir eva 'a ahankara itiyam me -hinna prakrtir ashtadha

apareyam itas tvanyam prakritim viddhi me param

jiva;-hutam maha;-aho yayedam dharyate jagat

"Carth, &ater, fire, air, ether, mind, inte%%igen'e and fa%se ego ; a%% together these eight 'onstitute 1y separated materia% energies. Besides these, G mighty armed *rjuna, there is another, superior energy of 1ine, &hi'h 'omprises the %iving entities &ho e,p%oit the resour'es of this materia%, inferior energy..

#/ ; 0on'eption a''ording to *yurveda

The semen that passes into the ovary is 'onstituted of eDua% parts of air, fire, &ater and earth. )ater, ether -e'omes mi,ed &ith it in the ovary. Semen is the produ't of si, kinds of f%uids kno&n as rasas.

vayu agni -humy a-guna padavat tad sad-hyo rase-hyah pra-havat 'a tasya ; 0haraka Samhita, 5.2.5.

The fetus 'annot -e produ'ed simp%y -y the union of the semen of the father and the sontia or -%ood of the mother. Su'h a union 'an produ'e the fetus, on%y &hen

the atman &ith its su-t%e -ody -e'omes 'onne'ted &ith it -y prara-dha karma of the past.

/ ; C%ements of 0on'eption

The e%ements that 'ontri-ute to the features of the ne& -ody are (from the mother@s side -%ood, (from the father@s side semen, and the karma of the individua% sou%.

The menta% attitudes are determined -y the state of mind of the individua% in the previous %ife.

tesham viseshad -a%avanti yani -havanti mata pitri karma jani tani vyavasyet sadrishatva %ingam sattvam yathanukam api vyavasyet ; 0haraka Samhita 5.2.2E

This same truth is 'onfirmed in the (ita (6.7 as fo%%o&s!

yam yam vapi smaran -havam tyajatyante kevaram tam tam evitikaunteya sada tad;-hava;-havita

"4hatever state of -eing one remem-ers &hen he Duits his -ody, G son of $unti, that state he &i%% attain &ithout fai%..

*gain, 0haraka '%ear%y e,p%ains that &hen one dies, the sou% together &ith the su-t%e -ody, in a su-t%e state and mind, passes invisi-%y into a parti'u%ar &om- on a''ount of karma, and then, &hen the 'on'eption takes p%a'e, deve%ops one@s fetus!

-hutair 'atur-hih sahitah su sukshmair manojavo deham upaiti dehat karmat makatvan na tu tasya drishyam divyam vina darshanam asti rupam ; 0haraka Samhita 5.2.3

/# ; The 0ause of the Senses The 'hi%d does not o&e sense organs to his parents9 he a%one is responsi-%e for his sense organs ("atma jannindriyani. . The 'ause for the status of his sense

organs is daiva, fruits of his prara-dha (fru'tified previous rea'tions .

Thus there is no hard and fast ru%e that a 'hi%d of a man &ho has defe'tive senses &i%% a%so have defe'tive senses. (0haraka Samhita 5.3.25 #t is not just the -odies of the parents &hi'h make the -ody of the 'hi%d. *yurveda is very '%ear a-out this. The idea that -odies 'reate -odies and 'ons'iousness is on%y a produ't of matter is not supported -y the ayurveda. Su'h idea is de'%ared as demonia' in the (ita (17.6

asatyam apratishtham te jagad ahur anishvaram aparaspara;sam-hutam kim anyat kama;haitukam

"The asuras (demons say that this &or%d is unrea%, &ith no foundation, no (od in 'ontro%. They say it is produ'ed of se, desire and has no 'ause other than %ust..

/## ; *&areness is intrinsi' to the Sou%.

The spirit sou%, is a%&ays &ith a&areness. #t is never &ithout the "sattva., or the a&areness!

na hy asattvah kada'it atma sattva visesha' 'opa%a-hyate jnana viseshah ; 0haraka Samhita 5.3.27

#n the materia% e,isten'e the spirit sou% is a&are through the mind stuff &hi'h is %ike a 'rut'h that is used -y a disa-%ed person to &a%k. The hea%thy a&areness is the 'ons'iousness &hi'h is the symptom of the spirit sou%. This 'ons'iousness a%&ays e,ists and is not destroyed at the time of death.

#n the (ita (2.1E &e find!

avinashi tu tad vidhi yena sarvam idam tatam vinasham avyayasyasya na kash'it kartum arhasi

"That &hi'h pervades the entire -ody ('ons'iousness you shou%d kno& to -e indestru'ti-%e. 2o one is a-%e to destroy that (on%y the -ody 'an -e destroyed ..

Be'ause this 'ons'iousness pervades the su-t%e me'hanism, vi:., the mind , one is a-%e to per'eive the &or%d through the senses.

#n the (ita (2.15 this is e,p%ained as fo%%o&s!

matra;sparshas tu kaunteya sitoshna;sukha;dukha;dah

"G son of $unti, -y tou'h of the sense o-je'ts (-y the mind one e,perien'es heat, 'o%d, happiness and miseriesH..

Cven &ithout the fun'tioning of the senses, this mind is a%&ays 'onne'ted &ith the sense o-je'ts. That the se%f has 'ons'iousness even &hen the senses do not operate is &e%% i%%ustrated -y our dream kno&%edge &hen the senses are not operating. (0haraka Samhita 5.3.31

/### ; The Sou% is &ithout 'hange.

The organs and the %im-s potentia%%y e,isted in the joint 'auses that operated to -ring the fetus into form. Gf a%% these 'auses the se%f remains un'hanged even &hen the -odi%y per'eptions undergo different 'hanges, vi:., heat , 'o%d, happiness and misery9

nir vakarah paras tvatma -hutanam nirvisesa sattva sarirayos tu visesad visesopa%a-dhih 0haraka Samhita 5.5.35

Thus the vikaras or 'hanges of e,perien'ing p%easure and pain, or other su'h per'eptions, are a'tua%%y due to the 'onta't of mind &ith the sense o-je'ts, and they do not affe't the sou% proper.

2ot on%y the 'hanges of per'eptions, -ut even the e,terna%%y visi-%e 'hanges of gro&th and materia% transformation of the age and si:e of the -ody, does not affe't the spirit sou%. #t remains un'hanged, through a%% the 'hanges of the -ody.

This ayurvedi' statement is supported -y the Apanisads and the (ita (2.13 !

dehino Fsmin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara tatha dehantara;praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati

"*s the em-odied sou% 'ontinuous%y passes &ithout 'hanging, in spite of the -odi%y 'hanges, from -oyhood to youth and on&ards to o%d age, it simi%ar%y passes into another -ody after death of the present -ody. * so-er person is not -e&i%dered -y su'h a -odi%y 'hange..

#I ; The three 8hatus and the three (unas.

There are three dhatus &hi'h are the -asi' 'onstituents of the -ody, and t&o modes, vi:. passion and ignoran'e, that affe't the mind. The im-a%an'e of the three dhatus 'auses the physi'a% diseases and the im-a%an'e of the t&o modes 'ause the psy'ho%ogi'a% pro-%ems.

The treatment of diseases through ayurveda is founded on the kno&%edge that -y proper pres'ription of medi'ine

and diet, a hea%thy person 'an maintain the eDui%i-rium of the dhatus and a si'k person 'an regain it. 0haraka says!

dhatu samya kriya 'okta tantrasyasya prayojanam ; 0haraka Samhita 1.1.52

#n the /edanta, the "guna samya., eDu%i-rium of the three modes of nature , vi:. sattva, rajas and tamas, &hi'h 'an -e effe'ted on%y -y trans'ending them, is the pres'ription to -e'ome free from the disease of materia% e,isten'e, of repeated -irth and death. #n the (ita (15.2> it is said!

gunan etan atitya trin dehi;deha samud-havan janma;mrityu;jara;dukhair vimukte Fmritam ashnute

"4hen the em-odied sou% is a-%e to trans'end these three modes of nature asso'iated &ith the -ody of matter, he 'an -e'ome free from -irth, death, o%d age and other miseries asso'iated &ith these. Thus one 'an enjoy the ne'tar (of immorta%ity even &hi%e %iving in the -ody..

*gain in the se'ond 'hapter, te,t fourty;five of the (ita &e find!

trai;gunya;vishaya veda nistrai;gunyo -havarjuna nirdvandvo nitya;sattva;stho niryoga;kshema atmavan

"The kno&%edge of the /edas dea% main%y &ith the three modes of materia% nature. G *rjuna, -e'ome trans'endenta% to these three modes (-y the kno&%edge of these /edas . Be'ome free from a%% dua%ities and from a%% an,ieties for gain and safety, and -e esta-%ished in your Fse%f@..

I ; #m-a%an'e in the 8hatus.

The 'ause of -oth the t&o 'ategories of diseases, vi:., physi'a% and psy'ho%ogi'a%, a''ording to ayurveda is the

im-a%an'e in the usage of the three dhatus9 Cither e,'essive, defi'ient or mis; use!

ka%a -uddhi indriyarthanam yogo mithya na 'ati 'a dvyasrayanam vyadhinam trividha hetu samgrahah ; 0haraka Samhita 1.1.53

/edanta 'onfirms that -y the improper use of the three modes of nature, vi:., goodness, passion and ignoran'e, one aggravates the si'kenss of "samsara., the 'y'%e of repeated -irth and death9 and in good -a%an'e of the gunas one -e'omes unaffe'ted. #n the (ita, (15.23 this is stated as fo%%o&s!

udasina;vad asino gunair yo na vi'a%yate guna vartanta ity evam yo Fvatishthati nengate

"Gne remains un&avering and undistur-ed through the rea'tions of the modes of materia% Dua%ities -y remaining neutra% and trans'endenta%, kno&ing that the gunas a%one are a'tive..

#t is interesting to meditate on the fo%%o&ing ana%ysis at this point of our 'omparison of ayurveda and /edanta!

1 Brom the gunas manifest the five materia% e%ements, vi:., earth, &ater, fire, air and ether.

2 The five e%ements 'onstitute the physi'a% -ody.

3 Brom the same gunas manifest the identity, inte%%igen'e and mind, &hi'h 'onstitute the su-t%e -ody.

5 Three dhatus are dire't manifestations of the three gunas (sattva, rajas and tamas and they &ork -y the fun'tion of t&o gunas (passion and ignoran'e .

5 The im-a%an'e of the dhatus 'auses the diseases. Cither e,'essive, defi'ient or misuse of the poten'y of the -ody 'auses this im-a%an'e. The purpose of ayurveda is to pres'ri-e medi'ine and diet to -a%an'e the dhatus.

7 The im-a%an'e of the gunas 'auses the repetition of materia% e,isten'e and the miseries therein. The trans'ending of the gunas is the so%ution. Thus one

-e'omes free from the miseries, even &hi%e %iving in the -ody.

I# ; The Dua%ity of the Body.

The Dua%ity of the -ody is of t&o kinds!

1a%a = that &hi'h 'ontaminates the system, and Prasada ; that &hi'h sustains and purifies. 0haraka Samhita 5.7.1E

The ma%a or 'ontamination from &hi'h the sou% shou%d -e'ome free is e,p%ained as fo%%o&s in the 1undaka Apanisad (3.1.J !

esho anur atma 'etasa veditavya yasmin pranah pan'adha samvivesha pranais 'ittamsattvam otam prajanam yasmin vishuddhe vi-havatyesha atma

"The atomi' sou% 'an -e per'eived -y perfe't inte%%igen'e as f%oating in the five kinds of %ife airs (prana, apana,

vyana, samana and udana . 4hen the 'ons'iousness (that pervades from the sou% through the entire -ody is purified from the 'ontamination of the five kinds of materia% airs, its spiritua% inf%uen'e is e,hi-ited..

The prasada, or purifying Dua%ity, is 'onfirmed in the (ita (2.75;75 thus%y!

raga;dvesha;vimuktais tu vishayan indriyaish 'aran atma;vashyair vidheyatma prasdam adhiga''ati

"Gne &ho is free from a%% atta'hment and aversion and is a-%e to 'ontro% his senses through regu%ative prin'ip%es of freedom fa'tua%%y attains Fprasada@..

prasade sarva;dukhanam hanir asyopajayate prasanna;'etaso hy ashu -uddhir paryavatishthate

"#n the prasada p%atform of e,isten'e, a%% miseries -e'ome non;e,istent. #n su'h satisfied 'ons'iousness one@s inte%%igen'e is soon &e%% esta-%ished..

I## ; The /edanta.

3ust %ike many undesira-%e -odi%y gro&ths form in the pores of the -ody, un'onstitutiona% desires gro& in the aggregate 'osns'iousness forming the ma%as of desire and hatred ("i''a dvesha sukham dukham sangata 'etana driti. = (ita 13.7 .

Sometimes the -%ood and other %iDuids, &hi'h are ingredients for the sustenan'e and gro&th of the -ody, turn into puss. Simi%ar%y, the rea% energy of 'ons'iousness, &hi'h is %ove for (od, turns into %ust for sense enjoyment, and the pro,y 'ons'iousness in the su-t%e -ody, vi:., e,terna% identity, inte%%igen'e and mind, -e'ome materia%%y motivated.

8ue to e,'essive, defi'ient and mis; use, the mu'us, -i%e and air -e'ome either more or %ess than the reDuired measure. Simi%ar%y, the three gunas &hi'h inf%uen'e the 'ons'iousness try to super'ede ea'h other and thus pu%% the 'ons'iousness to -odies situated in different positions in the &or%d.

8a%hana identifies the 'onne'tion -et&een the gunas and the dhatus as fo%%o&s!

/ata = Kajas Pitta = Sattva $apha = Tamas

#n 'ontrast to this, other *yurveda *'haryas, su'h as Susruta, have e,p%ained the 'onne'tion -et&een the dhatus and gunas different%y. Susruta states that in a fun'tioning 'apa'ity as a 'ause for the designing of the -ody, $apha a'ts in the upper portion, i.e., as sattva. This seeming%y 'ontradi'tion &i%% -e dea%t &ith in our ensuing arti'%e, "8oshas, 8hatus and (unas..

Susruta says the dhatus are "deha sam-hava hetava., 'auses for the formation of the -ody. 4hi%e a'ting in this fun'tion, the dhatus are 'onne'ted to the gunas and -odi%y system as fo%%o&s!

/ata = %o&er portion of the -ody ; tamas Pitta = midd%e portion of the -ody ; rajas $apha = upper;portion of the -ody %ike pi%%ars ; sattva

2o& %et us %ook at &hat the /edanta has to say a-out positions or formation of -odies a''ording to the gunas. The (ita (15.16 states!

urdhvam ga''hanty sattva;stha madhye tishthanti rajasah jaghanya;guna;vritti;stha adho ga''hanty tamasah

"Those situated in the mode of goodness gradua%%y go up&ard to the higher p%anets. Those in the mode of passion %ive on the earth%y p%anets. *nd those in the mode of ignoran'e do do&n to %o&er spe'ies..

Thus the position that a spirit sou% takes in this &or%d determines his %ifesty%e for the maintenan'e of his e,isten'e through the impetus of the inf%uen'ing modes of nature ("sthanam poshanam utayahH. ; Srimad Bhagavatam .

The spirit sou% is part and par'e% of the divine9 +is strugg%e in the &or%d is due to su-t%e and gross identity. )ord $rishna says in the Bhagavad (ita (15.E !

mamaivamsho jiva;%oke jiva;-huta sanatanah manah;shashthanindriyani prakriti;sthani karshati

"The spirit sou%s in this &or%d are 1y eterna% fragmenta% parts. 8ue to the 'onditioned %ife, they are strugg%ing very hard &ith the si, senses, &hi'h in'%ude the mind..

#n an im-a%an'ed state of the dhatus, the resisten'e goes do&n and other entities su-sisting in the -ody tend to &eaken and destroy the -ody. Simi%ar%y, the u%terior and e,terna% motives &hi'h are materia% and un'onstitutiona% (to the sou% , vi:., the fruitive, spe'u%ative and e,p%oitive motives, &eaken the 'ons'iousness and destroy the mission and rea% goa% of %ife.

The essentia% part of digested food is Frasa@ ('hy%e and the 'ontaminations &hi'h are %eft are the ma%as.

Simi%ar%y, if the sense per'eptions and the ensuing atta'hments that are aroused -y the modes remind the sou% of its divine and origina% 'onstitution (vi:., sat ; "eterna%., 'hit ; "a&areness., ananda = "-%iss. , that is the rea% Frasa@. ("raso vai sahH.

1a%as &hi'h 'reate pro-%ems for the hea%thy fun'tioning of the -ody are un'onstitutiona% to the -ody.

The 'ontaminations of the 'ons'iousness are un'onstitutiona% to the sou%. They are materia%, vi:., temporary, fu%% of ignoran'e and misera-%e, and thus just opposite to the origina% 'onstitution of the sou%. Bor this reason they are termed as ma%as, or "po%%utions..

Gn%y for the purpose of e,perien'ing the rea'tions of the previous%y fru'tified a'tions from past %ives and thus finishing off the prara-dha karmas does one need to identify &ith the -ody. 4hi%e per'eiving this &or%d &ith the senses and fun'tioning &ith the materia% -ody, one has to -a%an'e -et&een this rasa and the ma%as. That -a%an'ed %ife is kno&n as sadhana!

sukha;duhkhe same kritva %a-ha%a-hau jayajayau tato yuddhaya yujyasva naivam papam avapsyasi

"8o thou fight for the sake of fighting, &ithout 'onsidering happiness or distress, %oss or gain, vi'tory or defeat = and -y so doing you sha%% never in'ur sin..

yuktahara;viharasya yukta;'eshtasya karmasu yukta;svapnava-odhasya yogo -havati duhkha;ha

"+e &ho is regu%ated in his ha-its of eating, s%eeping, re'reation and &ork 'an mitigate a%% materia% pains -y pra'ti'ing the yoga system..

0haraka says (5.26.3 !

evam rasa ma%au sva pramanavasthitav ashrayasya sama dhator dhatu samyam auvartayatah

Thus if rasa and ma%a are -a%an'ed and are kept in their reDuired Duantity they 'ooperate to sustain the -ody to F%ive@.

I### ; The 'on'%usion of *yurveda (*yurveda;vedanta .

/ag-hatta says that as the manifo%d universe is nothing -ut the manifestations of the gunas, so a%% the diseases are -ut modifi'ations of the three doshas,

*s the three gunas &ork together manifesting the diversity in the &or%d, the three doshas manifest the diversity of diseases.

aram-hakam virodhe Fpi mitho yadyad guna trayam vishvasya drishtam yugapad vyadher doshatrayam tatha ; *stanga;samgraha 1.21

dhanvantarish 'a -hagavan svayam eva kirtir namna nrinam pururujam ruja ashu hanti yajne 'a -hagam amritayur avavarundha

ayushya vedam anushasty avatirya %oke

LThe )ord in +is in'arnation of 8hanvantari very Dui'k%y 'ures the diseases of the ever diseased %iving entities simp%y -y +is fame personified, and on%y -e'ause of +im do the demigods a'hieve %ong %ives. Thus the Persona%ity of (odhead -e'omes ever g%orified. +e a%so e,a'ted a share from the sa'rifi'es, and it is +e on%y &ho inaugurated the medi'a% s'ien'e or the kno&%edge of medi'ine in the universe.L ; Bhagavata Purana 2.E.22

*s stated in the -eginning of the Bhagavata Purana, everything emanates from the u%timate sour'e, the Persona%ity of (odhead = "janmady asya yathah.. #t is therefore understood in this verse that medi'a% s'ien'e or kno&%edge of medi'ine &as a%so inaugurated -y the Persona%ity of (odhead.

The -ody is a sym-o% of disease. The disease may differ from one variety to another, -ut disease must -e there, just as there is -irth and death for everyone. So -y the gra'e of the Persona%ity of (odhead, disease of -ody and mind are 'ured. 2ot on%y are diseases of the -ody and mind 'ured, -ut a%so the sou% is re%ieved of the 'onstant repetition of -irth and death = our u%timate disease. The name of the )ord as the sour'e of 'uring the disease of

materia% e,isten'e is "-havausadhi., or the sour'e of 'uring the disease of samsara.

sharire jarjari-hute vyadhigraste tathapare oushadham jahnavi toyam vaidyo narayano harih

"4hen the -ody has %ived its duration of time and has -een 'aught up in the diseases therein, the medi'ine is (anga &ater and the do'tor is 2arayana &ho takes a&ay everything..

*''ording to the /edanta phi%osophy, our very e,isten'e &ithin matter is a disease. 4ithin that diseased 'ondition, due to the inf%uen'e of avidya (ignoran'e , &e identify some as -eing hea%thy and some as -eing si'k.

The purpose of *yurveda is to en%ighten us &ith the "kno&%edge (veda of %ife (ayuh! ..

This kno&%edge of %ife is not just kno&%edge of our e,isten'e &ithin dead matter, for that is not a'tua%%y "%ife.. $no&%edge of %ife is kno&%edge of the pure spirit sou%, situated -eyond the %imitations of the three gunas.

4e are a%% in rea%ity "'haitanya., or the divine F%ife for'e@ &ithin the -ody. The purpose of *yurveda is to -ring us to that 'omp%ete understanding of our se%ves as pure %ife energy.

To -ring a-out this great rea%i:ation of identity, the *yurveda s'ien'e pres'ri-es a %ifesty%e -y &hi'h the tenets of the truths of "'haitanya. 'an -e understood in the simp%est manner.

The -ody is itse%f a temp%e of diseases (shariram vyadhi mandiram , thus it is impossi-%e to 'ross -eyond these %imitations &hi%e %iving in the -ody if one is identifying &ith the -ody9 for that misidentifi'ation is the a'tua% root of a%% disease.

By raising the 'ons'iousness -eyond the %imiting inf%uen'es of passion and ignoran'e (the gross inf%uen'ing modes of matter , one 'an re;identify &ith the sou% through fa'tua% rea%i:ation of the "se%f -eyond the -ody..

Thus one 'an fa'e the 'ha%%enge of matter and -e'ome tota%%y free from the sufferings 'aused -y the im-a%an'e of Fdhatus@ and the resu%tant Fdoshas@.

)ord $rishna des'ri-es this in the (ita as fo%%o&s!

janma;mrityu;jara;vyadhi duhkha;doshanudarshanam etaj jnanam iti proktam ajnanam yad ato Fnyatha

"Gne must see that -irth, death, o%d age and disease are 'aused -y the im-a%an'ed doshas. To see this is 'a%%ed kno&%edge. *ny other vision is ignoran'e..

Brom the per'eption of the -ody the doshas are the im-a%an'e of the three 'onstituents of the -ody, (vi:., kapha, pitta and vayu &hi'h %ead one to e,perien'e disease, o%d age, death, and re-irth.

But from the per'eption of the sou%, the three im-a%an'ed doshas are the modes of nature, vi:., sattva, rajas and tamas, &hi'h are the produ'tive 'ause of the 'y'%e of samsara, repeated -irth and death.

Anderstanding that the root 'ause of diseases is the im-a%an'e of doshas is Fkno&%edge of %ife., "*yur;/eda.9 and to understand ho& the pure %ife for'e, the "'haitanya., has -een 'onditioned -y the doshas of the three modes of nature, is 'a%%ed "/edanta., or "the 'on'%usion of kno&%edge (of %ife for'e .

The purpose of this treatise is to harmoni:e -y %inking the "kno&%edge of %ife. &ith the "'on'%usion of kno&%edge of %ife for'e. ; thus &e have the "*yurveda;/edanta.

#n the 'ontemporary times, it is )ord 0haitanya 1ahapra-hu &ho has e%a-orate%y presented this vision, or "darshanam., of "*yurveda;vedanta.. +e is the great $aviraja (physi'ian of modern times, presenting the perfe't medi'ina% arishtam to -a%an'e the three doshas of sattva, rajas and tamas.

+e has instru'ted that -y taking the ten medi'ina% "roots., the "dasha mu%a. of Srimad Bhagavatam (the ten su-je't matters dis'ussed in that '%assi' , &e 'an -a%an'e the three doshas of sattva, rajas and tamas, and 'ure the disease of 'onditioned materia% %ife.

C,p%aining this truth, )ord 0haitanya has given +is pres'ription, in +is 'omposition kno&n as Sikshashtakam,

&hi'h is a poeti'a%%y -eautifu% and phi%osophi'a%%y meaningfu% summary of *yurveda;/edanta!

'eto;darpana;maarjanam -hava;mahaa;daavagni; nirvaapanam sreyah;kairava;'andrikaa;vitaranam vidyaa;vadhu; jeevanam aanandaam-udhi;vardhanam prati;padam purna amrta asvadanam sarvaatma;snapanam param vijayate sri;krsna; sankirtanam

"The dasha;mu%a of Srimad Bhagavata Purana '%eanses the heart of a%% a''umu%ated po%%ution and permanent%y e,tinguishes the great forest fire of repeated -irth and death. These ten medi'ina% roots are %ike an effu%gent %otus of good fortune that has -een fed &ith the moon; -eams of %ife. #t is the eterna% 'ompanion of vidya; jeevanam (Fthe kno&%edge of %ife@, or *yurveda . By taking this arishtam of Srimad Bhagavatam the o'ean of -%iss in'reases at every step, a%%o&ing one to re%ish the death%ess %ife (amrita of one@s 'onstitutiona% position. )et a%% sou%s -athe in the pana'ea of this immorta% ne'tar?.

Pu-%ished on 2ov 15 2>13 >3!21 P1 M Posted -y *.T. 8as M *yurveda and +ea%th. 1y sin'ere thanks to *. T. 8as