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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.

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*%though +is eterna% 'omp%eion 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

eperts in the study of /edi' %iterature, this verse

des'ri-es the in'arnation of )ord Sri 0haitanya

ahapra-hu, &ho des'ended to earth in the ho%y p%a'e

kno&n as avadvipa on the -ank of the ahnavi (anges

river in the present state of 4est Benga%, #ndia, in the

year of 167 *.8.

)ord 0haitanya ahapra-hu, -e'ame famous as imai

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 imai 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 ep%ained that, just %ike the dasha mu%as made into an

"arishtam 'ures the diseases 'aused -y the im-a%an'eof 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

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three gunas, vi:, sattva, rajas and tamas (goodness,

passion and ignoran'e.

*''ording to Sri 0haitanya ahapra-hu, Srimad

Bhagavata Purana is a natura% 'ommentary on the

/edanta;sutras of Sri%a /yasadeva!

artho

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*%% /edanti' epositions 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!

edi'ine and hea%ing are the t&o most important physi'a%

s'ien'es ep%ored and deve%oped in the vedi' times. The

yaya, /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 etensive%y dea% in their anatomyse'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.

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# = *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 andfingers 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 tets of

the present *tharva veda seem to -e mu'h sma%%er than

*yurveda a%one as des'ri-ed in the a-ove tet?

But sti%% *'harya Susruta@s statement is an "apta vakya9

So it 'annot -e under;estimated or reje'ted as a mere

eaggeration. There are reasons &hy the present

num-ers, shape and form of the vedi' tets do not ta%%y

&ith fa'ts and figures mentioned in the puranas and

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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

eterna%, materia% nama;rupa;jagat (the 'onstant%y

'hanging energy of name and form. #n a different

denomination of the %eve% of epression, *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 eisten'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

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ajo nityah shashvato@yam purano na hanyate hanyamane

sharire

"or 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 eisten'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 thekno&%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

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(*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 surgery2 sa%akya treatment of head

3 kaya 'ikitsa treatment of ordinary diseases of -ody

-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 seua% strength

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+aving anya%ysed the authenti'y of the ayurveda as part

of /edas, no& &e &i%% ep%ore the 'ontents of the tets of

ayurveda that 'onfirms this 'on'%usion.

## = ethods 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

anga%ahoma o-%atons

iyama 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.

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# 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 iveC%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

..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

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jiva;-hutam maha;-aho yayedam dharyate jagat

"Carth, &ater, fire, air, ether, mind, inte%%igen'e and fa%seego ; a%% together these eight 'onstitute y separated

materia% energies. Besides these, G mighty armed *rjuna,

there is another, superior energy of ine, &hi'h

'omprises the %iving entities &ho ep%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 mied &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, .2..

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

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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 .2.2E

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

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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 ep%ains that &hen one dies, the

sou% together &ith the su-t%e -ody, in a su-t%e state andmind, 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 dehamupaiti dehat

karmat makatvan na tu tasya drishyam divyam vina

darshanam asti rupam

; 0haraka Samhita .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

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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 .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%.

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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 .3.27

#n the materia% eisten'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 eists 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

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"That &hi'h pervades the entire -ody ('ons'iousness

you shou%d kno& to -e indestru'ti-%e. o 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 (2.1 this is ep%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 themind one eperien'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 .3.31

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

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The organs and the %im-s potentia%%y eisted 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 ..3

Thus the vikaras or 'hanges of eperien'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 notaffe't the sou% proper.

ot on%y the 'hanges of per'eptions, -ut even the

eterna%%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.

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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

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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%

eisten'e, of repeated -irth and death. #n the ita (1.2>

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 ofmatter, 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.

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*gain in the se'ond 'hapter, tet 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%% anieties 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

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#t is interesting to meditate on the fo%%o&ing ana%ysis at

this point of our 'omparison of ayurveda and /edanta!

1 rom 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 rom the same gunas manifest the identity,

inte%%igen'e and mind, &hi'h 'onstitute the su-t%e -ody.

Three dhatus are dire't manifestations of the three

gunas (sattva, rajas and tamas and they &ork -y thefun'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% eisten'e and the miseries therein. The

trans'ending of the gunas is the so%ution. Thus one

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-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!

a%a = that &hi'h 'ontaminates the system, and Prasada

; that &hi'h sustains and purifies. 0haraka Samhita

.7.1E

The ma%a or 'ontamination from &hi'h the sou% shou%d

-e'ome free is ep%ained as fo%%o&s in the undaka

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,

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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 ehi-ited.

The prasada, or purifying Dua%ity, is 'onfirmed in the ita

(2.7;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 eisten'e, a%% miseries

-e'ome non;eistent. #n su'h satisfied 'ons'iousness

one@s inte%%igen'e is soon &e%% esta-%ished.

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I## ; The /edanta.

ust %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 proy 'ons'iousness in the

su-t%e -ody, vi:., eterna% 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!

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/ata = KajasPitta = Sattva

$apha = Tamas

#n 'ontrast to this, other *yurveda *'haryas, su'h as

Susruta, have ep%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

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o& %et us %ook at &hat the /edanta has to say a-out

positions or formation of -odies a''ording to the gunas.

The ita (1.16 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

eisten'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!

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mamaivamsho jiva;%oke jiva;-huta sanatanahmanah;shashthanindriyani prakriti;sthani karshati

"The spirit sou%s in this &or%d are y 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

eterna% motives &hi'h are materia% and un'onstitutiona%

(to the sou%, vi:., the fruitive, spe'u%ative and ep%oitive

motives, &eaken the 'ons'iousness and destroy themission 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

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a%as &hi'h 'reate pro-%ems for the hea%thy fun'tioningof 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%. or this

reason they are termed as ma%as, or "po%%utions.

Gn%y for the purpose of eperien'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, onehas 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

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"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 (.26.3!

evam rasa ma%au sva pramanavasthitav ashrayasya

sama dhator dhatu samyam auvartayatah

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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

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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 ea'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. ot on%y are diseases of the -ody andmind '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

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materia% eisten'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 arayana &ho takes a&ay

everything.

*''ording to the /edanta phi%osophy, our very eisten'e

&ithin matter is a disease. 4ithin that diseased 'ondition,

due to the inf%uen'e of avidya (ignoran'e, &e identifysome 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

eisten'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.

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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'ometota%%y free from the sufferings 'aused -y the im-a%an'e

of Fdhatus@ and the resu%tant Fdoshas@.

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)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.

rom 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 eperien'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 ofsamsara, repeated -irth and death.

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Anderstanding that the root 'ause of diseases is the

im-a%an'e of doshas is Fkno&%edge of %ife, "*yur;/eda9

and to understand ho& the pure %ife for'e, the

"'haitanya, has -een 'onditioned -y the doshas of thethree 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

ahapra-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.

Cp%aining this truth, )ord 0haitanya has given +is

pres'ription, in +is 'omposition kno&n as Sikshashtakam,

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&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 amrtaasvadanam

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%yetinguishes 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 thedeath%ess %ife (amrita of one@s 'onstitutiona% position. )et

a%% sou%s -athe in the pana'ea of this immorta% ne'tar?

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Pu-%ished on ov 1 2>13 >3!21 P M Posted -y *.T. 8as

M *yurveda and +ea%th.

y sin'ere thanks to *. T. 8as