Relevance Of Ayurvedic Treatment In The Modern World
Relevance Of Ayurvedic Treatment In The Modern World
Ayurveda is considered to be the oldest and continuously practiced Indian system of medicine for more than 5000 years ago. It has evolved as a medical system and has survived from the ancient past to the present modern day. It had its ups and downs during this evolutionary period of time. There were periods of prosperity and there were periods of challenges.
The Samhita period, that is between 400 BC to 500 AD was considered as the golden age of Ayurveda. Many scientific advancements happened in the field of Ayurveda during this period of time. But when the country had faced the threat of foreign invasions, Ayurveda had to go through lots of challenges. But it is intriguing to learn that this very precious lamp of wisdom was preserved and never allowed to extinguish by dedicated practitioners, vaidyas and patrons all through the centuries.
Ayurveda has its roots in Vedas. Rig, Adharva and Yajurveda has clear references on health, diseases and medicinal plants. One can find 67 types of herbs mentioned in Rigveda. Adharva has details of 81 medicinal plants. Medicinal plants like Peepal and Soma are mentioned in the Vedas. One can find reference in Vedas about Ayurvedic herb Vacha which is prominently used as an anti-epileptic drug in the present day. Sarpagandha an anti-hypertensive drug is an important medicinal plant, currently used is also mentioned in the Vedas.
Frameworks that form the fundamentals of Ayurveda.
Philosophical schools like Visheshika, Nyaya and Sankhya Ayurveda form the darshanas. They provide the theoretical frame work of the fundamental principles of Ayurveda. The logical arguments, concepts and methodologies played a crucial role in understanding human body, health and diseases.
Ayurveda personify the application of these methodologies with the help of traditional theories as tridoshas, triguna, panchbhoota, prakriti purusa, samya, karma etc.
The basis of Ayurveda is the concept of pancha boudhika. The human body is made of pancha bhoothas, the five elements of nature. It also forms the physical, chemical base of matter. The five elements are jala, prithvi, akasha, vayu and agni and your body has these components in one form or the other. Same is the case with the universe. The same components are present in them as well. This implies that in a certain level the universe and the human body are structurally the same.
Some noteworthy examples are as follows. The solid components like bones, cartilage, hair, nail etc. constitute the earthy component- the parthiva component. The liquid component-the jala component in your body consists of the blood, limps and cerebral spinal fluids and so on. The fire forms the metabolic activities in your body.
The pancha bhoothas combine in different permutations and combinations to form the thridoshas such as vatha, pitha and kabha.
They constitute the biological functional forms of panchabhoothas. They also regulate the physiological functions of the body. Vatha controls all the neuromuscular functions of the body. Pitha meanwhile controls the metabolic activities. The kabha principle controls the cohesiveness and the compactness of the body.
There is an interesting theory in Ayurveda known as the Loka purusha samya- macrocosm- microcosm-continuum.
It means "all the manifest objects in the universe are present in the individual and all that is present in the individual manifests in the universe as well". To put it simply "all that manifest in the universe is also there in you and what is there in you is also there in the universe. This connection of a human being with the universe is very intriguing and this does have an impact in the treatment of Ayurveda