Ayurveda

Ayurveda is accepted as the oldest written medical system that is also supposed to be more effective in certain cases than ever the modern therapies. Ayurveda came into existence at least three thousand years before Christ. Books on this system were written 800 years before the Christ. It is presumed that this knowledge of Ayurveda was given to men by gods of a different world. We need not to go into the controversy regarding its origin as Ayurveda is an independent and self-sufficient medical system which has stood the test of time. The only thing that is required to enrich it, is to make it more competent to face the challenges of the modern times by continuous research and investigation.

This story relates to thousands of years ago in the past. It was the time when human beings were facing many diseases. Seeing no way to escape them, they went to the sages doing penance on the Himalayas. The saints got together to decide the line of action. Their inner knowledge told them that the creator of the world, Brahma, had told Daksh Prajapati the secret of long life. Daksh has passed on this knowledge regarding longevity to the physicians of the gods. The mystery of Ayurveda was then explained and revealed to the king of gods Indra.

The ancient sages decide that that sage Bharadwaj will go and take lessons in Ayurveda from Indra to save mankind and eradicate of diseases. Bharadwaj went to the abode of Indra. On return, he hold the other saints regarding the mysteries of Ayurveda. Amongst them was one saint named Punarvasu Attreya. He started regular classes in Ayurveda to teach his disciples. The teaching of Attreya were methodically recorded in writing some 800 years before Christ. This book is called Attreya-Samhita, and is the source of Ayurveda. The same book was re-written by the great physician Charak some 800 years before Christ. He has discussed the causes, symptoms and other details of diseases in an exhaustive manner. According to Charak, the diseases spread into the bodies due to imbalance in gas, bile and phlegm.

The second pillar on which the edifice of Ayurveda rests is Susruta-samhita written 600 years before Christ. In this book, even surgery has been discussed for treatment of chronic diseases. Mention his found in this book of operations can be undertaken. In cases of stones, obstacles during child birth, eye ailments, intestine problems, for removing parasitic germs from the brain and putting on a new nase in palce of one cut off. Operation is also recommended for diseases of urinary tract.

For teaching operations, models, fruits, vegetables, animals and dead bodies were methodically used, Ayurveda had unique method of teaching postmortem or dissection. The dead body was covered in straw and kept in shallow water for some time. The body got swollen and then it was easy to remove the skin. The students then studied the muscles, arteries and veins and parts of the body in their original state. Even in modern allopathy only skeletons are used for this purpose.

The successful physicians were administered an oath that they would take their profession seriously. They would be ready to serve patients for 24 hours. Their behavior was expected to be balanced, polite and graceful. They were not supposed to treat criminals as also anarchists. They were not to enter anybody’s hours without being invited ad so on.

A lot of research was carried on in Ayurveda till 16th century. Then it stopped. In 1688, a French intellectual Charles Delan wrote, “The Indians have been eminently successful in finding out the causes of many diseases. Their system of treatment is most suited to their country due to their climate. The foreign physicians should take full advantage of their knowledge and methods.” This created a stir in the foreign countries.

Forty books were written during the end of 19th century and the beginning of 20th. Harnel’s book Studies in the Medicine of the Ancient India and Bower’s Navnitak found quick acceptance. Julius Jolly, Newberger and Harnel   made a name in this line.

The German Physicians Newberger even wrote, “The Indian medical system has developed after good progress and investigations in all aspects of treatment. Its development has been stalled because of the lack of initiative of its own people. That is why this therapy is getting limited."