Learning program



Samhita Academy of Ayurveda is introducing a very unique learning program - Swastha vritta. Along with our profound study material - which is based on the commentary book of Vaidyabhooshanam K. Raghavan Thirumulpad - Ashtanga Sangraha - we are planning to offer a two weeks practical learning experience in Sunethri Ayurvedashram - Kerala - india, under the guidance of  Vaidya M.Prasad our chief physician 


Introduction of Ayurveda by DrPrasad

Swastha vritta is one of the unique concepts of Ayurveda,which stresses importance of lifestyle, diet and mental attitude for maintenance of health and prevention of diseases. Lifestyle, diet, optimum use of sensory and motor organs and avoiding their disuse -  ayoga, misuse - mithyayoga or overuse - atiyoga Behavior pattern detoxification of the body, exercise, yoga, are some of the areas covered by swastha vritta and are given much importance in Ayurveda. These regimens suggest how a day should be spent, instructions regarding diet, activities, behavior and thinking process.
For more information please contact:

Vaidyabhooshanam K.Raghavan Thirumulpad

http://www.thirumulpad.com/


Treating the person, not the disease:(interview with Thirumulpad, reproduced from ‘Health Action’-Jan 2002)

Vaidyabhooshanam K RaghavanThirumulpad has been practicing Ayurveda for over three decades. He has authored numerous articles, papers, and books on Ayurveda. Prakasika Vyakhya, a commentary on Ashtanga Samgraha (12 volumes), is his best-known work. He was a member of the Sanskrit University Syndicate and Academic Council for a term of 4 years. He was also a member of the faculties and board of studies on Ayurveda in the Universities of Kerala, Calicut and Kottayam. Even now, students of Ayurveda colleges come to him to gain experience in matters of science and practice of Ayurveda.Mr. O J Paul, II Vice-President, The Catholic Health Association of India (CHAI), Secunderabad, interviewed him at his residence in Kerala.Excerpts....Q. What is Ayurveda?A. The term ‘Ayurveda’ refers to life and health, not death and disease. ‘Ayushyani anayushyani cha dravyagunakaramani vedayathi ithayayaurveda’, says Charaka. Ayus refers to the life from birth to death. Life is in fact, synonymous with ayus. That which facilitates ayus is ayushayam; anayushyam is what interferes with it.‘Dravyas’ means food and medicine. The properties and application of these articles enable us to use them judiciously. Vedas refer to knowledge. Accepting what is desirable and refusing the undesirable is knowledge. Ayurveda is an appreciation of life. It teaches how you should live. You, everybody and I want to enjoy life. To enjoy life we have to be healthy. What makes you healthy and how you can be healthy constitutes the content of ayurveda. The guiding principle of Ayurveda is that the mind exerts the deepest influence on the body. This state of balanced awareness creates a higher state of health. Ayurvedic medicine stresses a holistic approach to health. It defines disease as the result of climatic variations, bacterial attack, nutritional deviance, and stress as well as other forms of emotional imbalance; in short, life-style as a whole. Optimal health is achieved by cultivating mental and physical habits that are conducive to physical and spiritual well-being, and treatment often includes diet and the development of positive attitudes.Q. What prompted you to learn Ayurveda?A. I had been working in the railways for some time. During my service, I developed certain serious health problems. I tried allopathic medicine for a few years. But I felt no relief. Then I tried Ayurveda and I was cured fully. My personal experience inspired me to learn more about Ayurveda.Q. How does it look at health?A Actually, health is something natural. Disease is unnatural. There cannot be any disease if you live a natural life and health comes to you naturally. Ayurveda aims at attaining health, not fighting disease. Ayurveda is just like a candle. Just as light dispels darkness, ayurveda gets rid of ill health.Q. Can Ayurveda claims superiority over other systems of medicine?A. When we think of modern medicine it has negative signs because it gives more importance to disease and treatment with drugs. I haven’t studied much about modern medicine. I know only about Ayurveda. So I cannot make any comparison.Q. In what way does it differ from allopathy?A. For the treatment, Ayurvedic physicians, at least the old generation people, emphasis pathya (regimen). In the modern medical colleges, most of the time they teach about the disease. But, in Ayurveda colleges all the diseases are explained from the point of view of health. They emphasise the positive aspects of life. Medicine does not cure any disease. But medicine will assist the regimen in curing the disease.Modern medicine, as the name indicates, deals with medicine. The ‘cure’ in nature cure also refers to this. The emphasis is laid on diseases and their remedial measures. Health is referred to accidentally. Ayurveda on the other hand, does not lay emphasis on ‘somehow remedying the disease’. The effort is to attain health to remedy ailments. You cannot evaluate health apart from the patient. Q. Panchabhutas and Tridhosha principles are central to ayurveda. Please explain these principles?A. We evaluate the world around us through five senses. How you understand all these things around you is through panchabhutas.Human body is composed of the five basic elements (bhutas) namely solid, liquid, gas, energy and space. Tridosha theory explains the functional aspect of the human body. Actually human body is miniature form of the universe. Whatever is there in the universe, it is in our body also in a condensed form. Actually, it cannot be apart from the universe. The structural aspect of body is explained by panchabhutha theory.Pathogenic factors in the body are vata, pitta and kapha (tridoshas) while those of the mind are rajas and tamas. All these pathogenic factors have their actions in the body both jointly and individually. It is not that the pathogenic factors are only to vata, pitta and kapha. By permutation and combination, these factors take in numerable forms.I think ayurveda and modern medicine differ here. Modern medicine gives more importance to structure through x-ray, scanning and other things. But ayurveda gives importance to function. When everything functions properly, it is health. When there is some difference or difficulty in the function, ill-health is caused. That is why symptoms are given more importance in ayurveda. Actually, symptoms are the language through which the body explains its condition.The body expresses its condition through various symptoms. If you understand the symptoms you can actually understand the function/condition of the body.Q. How does Ayurveda create immunity in an individual?A. You cannot create immunity. Ayurveda assists in strengthening immunity through various systems of the body. In Ayurveda, the immune system is denoted by the term bala and ojas. Here the term bala does not stand for mere bodily strength. It denotes vitality and stamina. It is the net result of healthy life and healthy circumstances where all the systems of he body work efficiently and the tissues of the body are pure and properly nourished. Healthy thoughts and conditions of the mind such as love, equanimity, generosity, truthfulness and controlled sex life sustain it.There are certain medicines in ayurveda, which give immunity against diseases.Suppose there is a disease/condition that can be temporarily replaced by giving certain medicine. You can prevent the disease condition by making the system alert against disease attack. Through medicine alone you cannot create immunity. Everything depends on lifestyle. That is the main thing. Suppose a man is dying, you cannot revive him by giving medicine.Q. Ayurveda has lots of myths in it? What are your comments?A. There is no myth at all in ayurveda. In fact, ayurvedas is a science - science of life and longevity. There is no need to make it more scientific. They give a definition to science from the standpoint of modern medicine and they want to assess ayurveda accordingly. That is difficult. Can you assess English language from the standpoint of Sanskrit grammar?Q. AIDS continues to kill people. Ayurveda has the potential to cure AIDS, How do you see the situation?A Yes, I have treated 4 patients infected with AIDS. You can eliminate all the symptoms. But you cannot completely eliminate the HIV virus as long as there is some conductive condition, which helps it to survive. AYURVEDA – IN MY VIEWVaidyabhushanam K. Raghavan Thirumulpad(Reproduced from ‘Health India’- published by Rashtradeepika Ltd.)Beginnings of AyurvedaAyurveda is said to be anadi, beginingless, in the texts, as a particular period cannot be ascribed when it began, before which there was no Ayurveda. Preservation of life is the primary concern of all thing beings, animals, birds, reptiles, even plants, creepers etc. as can be observed very closely. The Vedas are the earliest literature available in India. They are codification of the experiences, experiments, and explanations in matter concerning life of the primitive peoples of Bharatha that is India, an area of land with Himalayas in the North, the Indian Ocean in the South, with the Arabian Sea in the West and the Gulf of Bengal in the East. It is said to extend up to the modern Afghanistan, which was known as Gandhara, he land of Gandhari the mother of the Kouravas, Duryodhana and his hundred brothers. It was not a political unit, but an extension of land with people of various customs and manners of life. Actually it may seem that the area between the Himalayas in the north and the Vindhya ranges in the South was the habitat of the Vedic people, with their culture and civilization, with a language from which Sanskrit originated with aberrations as local dialects. The land was called Aryavartha, the land South of it was called Dakshinapatha. Dakshinapatha had a language from which modern Tamil and the dialects of the south originated. It is claimed that the culture and civilization of the people is something thoroughly different from that of the Northern. But a study of literature will reveal that there was much in common in ideas and expression between the two civilizations. A study of Thirukkural, a classic text of the Tamilians will surely reveal it. Siddha vaidya, the particular medical system vogue in Tamilnadu has more or less the same fundamental principals based on the Panchabhutha, tridosha theories and practices of ayurveda, which find mention in Thirukkural. Thirukkural has many Sanskrit words. Some pundits of Tamilnadu claim that the siddhavaidya with Tamil culture was the original, which spread up to the Himalayas, formed the basis of Ayurveda, and Sanskrit language. The fact that can be inferred from all these arguments is that the people of the area of land, from the Himalaya to the Indian Ocean, have more or less a common heritage. Ayurveda is an aspect of that heritage.   Ayurveda is a natural system of medicine. In the Atharvaveda there are certain hymns, in which mention is made of the beasts, bids, and snakes knowing medicine. Naturalists can observe animals bringing and eating some particular herb by instinct when they are not well. In the list of such birds and animals man also is included and mention is made of the physician, also, prescribing medicine. Man naturally endowed with intelligence in addition to instinct, surely thought on the knowledge gained by experiences and observations. In the texts, how experiences can be experimented and conclusions can be arrived are explained. All these can be taken as the origin of Ayurveda, as can be understand from the texts. The early texts are which all these things are documented are extant and the texts now available are redactions of the original ones.The system of studying Ayurveda was in the form of ‘teacher to the student method’ (Gurusishya-parampara-sampradaya). Students from Bharatha went to the other parts of the universe in search of knowledge. It is said in the texts that selected students went from Bharatha were sent to Svarga (heaven) where there were efficient scholars and physicians. The lord of Swarga, Indra, was an efficient scholar, teacher and practitioner of Ayurveda. The earliest teacher mentioned in the texts is Brahma. His heredity is not known. Some take Brahma as the creator of the universe, and consider the basic knowledge of sustaining life-Ayurveda, inherently originated with the universe. When creatures were created, they were granted with instinct to preserve themselves, with readily available herbs also created with them. It became a system of knowledge, when inferred ideas became systematically codified. As it is natural, the system of treatment based on this knowledge is prevailing even now, in essential aspects. The earliest texts, as available today Charaka, Susrutha and Vagbhata form even now the basis of teaching, practising, experimenting and researching in Ayurveda, through out the world. Many texts are written, through the centuries, even now to make the system up to date. Vagbhata the latest of the acharyas says in his text that he is trying to make the system up to date, suitable to the times (yuganuroopa). The changes are only in application, not in principles, as their validity is vouched by experiences through the ages. The texts contain and explain all aspects of treatment, medicine and surgery, though through negligence and negative conditions, much of it is lost in actual practice, for example, surgery. Actually the words Ayurveda became, used when the knowledge and practices gained by observation and experiences and experiments were co-related and codified as a system of medicine. Ayurveda means the knowledge of life, how to live easily and happily, avoiding disease and unhappiness. Body is the instrument of action for realization of the values of life. Particular attention is to maintain the safety and efficiency of the body, perfecting health, avoiding illness, healing when ill. Much importance is given to curative measures, as arogya meaning health denotes. Arogya means, cured of disease, roga. Actually the term health also means the same thing, as it is devised from the term heal to cure. Perhaps it is disease that forced man to think of health.Ayurveda has been said as a herbal system of medicine even though animal products and minerals also are used for medicine. Whatever used as food to nourish the body, can be used as medicine, as medicine is mostly corrective in nature, disease being an observation in the systematic working of the system, caused by faulty habits of diet etc. Herbs being the natural sources of food of the human beings, though animal items are included by a section of the people. Mineral materials, which are not digested and assimilated in their natural form are refined and processed for use as medicines. The system using minerals, as medicine is known siddhavaidya, as the basic principles of siddhavaidya are mainly and mostly Ayurvedic, it can be considered as an off shoot of Ayurveda. Siddhavaidya uses herbs in the process of preparation of medicines, and as adjunct to the mineral treatment. The philosophy of Ayurveda is natural, as it considers nature as the prime aspect of life. Inspect of diversity of everything, it is unitary in action and effect. The various articles of food, if analyzed, can be understood to contain various ingredients with diverse properties and particulars, but as food, the action is unitary in sustaining and maintaining the systems. The human body has various organs each with particular functions and aspects, in maintaining particular system. But the system as a whole is the holistic effect of all the particular systems properly working. The lungs, the heart, the liver, the kidneys etc. have particular functions, but they collectively work in providing and maintaining the cumulative effect, health. For the efficient working of the whole system, each particular system has to work efficiently, coordinating and co-operating. This is the concept of health, in Ayurveda. In disease a particular organ or system is out of order and it disturbs cooperative functioning of all the organs and systems. All these depend on the style, and conditions and circumstances of life. When something is wrong some where, the balance is lost, where the other things also automatically fail, resulting in disease. So treatment is corrective in nature in the style and circumstances of life. Any set of medication assists nature in its curative effect. Even without medicine sometimes, disease may be cured by correcting the lifestyle but never with medicine along. Particular disease may seem to be ameliorating by medicine, but the morbid condition of the system remains, ensuring disease in the some or other form. At times it may be in a more severe form, as a result of the deceased vitality caused by the previous disease, and medicines used, as the faults of life style remains. The experience in formulating the strategies for ‘Health for all in 2000 AD’ clearly indicates this. The effort was to provide effective medicine, to all patients even in the remotest areas of the State. The effort was disease oriented. The result was more disease, more serious in nature, as that primary cause of all diseases; the defective life style was not at all taken into consideration. The treatment has to be health oriented, providing the basics of a healthy life, corrected life style, medicine just to assist the system in its process of returning to its natural condition of health. That is the basic approach of Ayurveda. It is said in the texts, that it is the cause of health and disease, life styles, proper for health and improper for disease. In health every system of the body functions properly, maintaining the balance of all the biological aspects of the system, manifesting ‘symptoms’ of well being. In disease some particular system is affected, upsetting the balance of the whole system, manifesting particular symptoms of uneasiness, differentiating particular disease. The world view: We understand the world around us through our senses, hearing, touching, seeing, testing and smelling. Each sense grasps one quality (guna) sound etc. The qualities cannot exist independently. Each quality has its own matter (dravya). As we have five senses, there has to be five basic qualities (gunas) and five kinds of basic matters (dravyas). These primary aspects of matter are called bhoothas. The bhoothas combine to from the various subjects of the universe. As all objects can be heard, touched, seen, tasted and smelt, they are said to be composed of the five bhoothas, the difference in sound produced etc. is due to the difference in the proportion and arrangement of the bhoothas, in the composition of the particular object. In some object some quality may be latent, not grasped by the particular sense organ, for example, gold is not smelt or tasted. But as the properties ascribed to the bhoothas, which have smell and taste also are evident, when gold is processed and used as medicine, with its benefits. So it is reasoned that it is composed of those bhoothas also. The primary thing is that the particular properties of the various objects to be used as food and medicine have to be properly understood for effective and beneficial application. These are explained in the texts as to what are what, and which is which. The question how is also explained, but the question ‘why’ is tried to be explained by reasoning which may cause differences in opinions. The primary thing to be known of a raw material is how they act and what do they effect in the system when applied as food and medicine. This kind of knowledge can be gained only by observation, and experiments. The texts codify the practical and theoretical knowledge obtained and verified through the ages. Whatever said in the texts is vouched even today. It is not the disease and its medicine. Treatment is actually rectifying the morbid condition, condition of the system caused by unhealthy habits and circumstances of life. By adhering to healthy life style, in diet and habits the disease denoting the morbid condition is primarily cured. Medicine and treatment assist the system to regain its normal condition. The problem with modern day treatment is the undue importance given to medicine, neglecting the aspects of life style. We can see the programme, Health for all by 2000 AD failed, as we see today, to achieve the goal, because the question of life style was ignored and medicine is given all the importance. Health is the result of proper psychic conditions also, perhaps even more than the physical conditions and that aspect was also disregarded. The amelioration of the symptoms was considered to the cure of disease. It was forgotten in actual practice that the symptoms are not the disease; they just indicate that something is wrong in the system. By medicine, the symptoms can be suppressed, but only by correcting the style and circumstances of life, the system can be functionally and structurally corrected, ensuring health.Ayurveda has its theory on the working of the system. If we analayse the biological aspects of the system, each and every tissue of the body, is disintegrated and reintegrated. The various internal organs cooperate in their way in this process of disintegration and integration. There has to be a coordinating factor in all the processes, controlling the various functions in this regard. These three basic aspects of sustaining and maintaining the system are technically termed doshas. The word dosha has a two-fold meaning, that which instigates proper function in proper conditions of life, and that pollutes the tissue and disturbs the various functions of the various systems of the “system”. In proper life style, the instigation of the doshas ensures health. When the conditions of life changes and is improper, the instigation changes, the balance of the system is lost leading to disease. The manifestation, health as well as disease, brings out various symptoms, which denote the prevailing conditions. The symptoms of health denote ease, pleasantness mentally and physically. In disease, as the term itself denotes, the ease is lost and symptoms indicate unpleasantness, pain. In health, we forget that there is a body, as everything is natural. In health, we do not actually feel that we are breathing or seeing. In disease, when the process of breathing is disturbed, we feel it as symptoms of pain, blurred vision, smelling etc. Then we think of the eyes, think of taking remedy. This is because health is natural, and disease is unnatural and artificial conditions of life, that too instinctively, begets disease. Artificial conditions of life promotes, artificial functioning of the system, and that is disease. The three doshas are vatha (Promoting) pittha (digesting) and kapha (nourishing).The various kind of tissues, (dhathus) are replenished in the course of metabolism. It is a kind of digestion. The nutritional part is assimilated; the residue is left for elimination, through various channels of elimination. With faulty diet, lack of exercise etc. the system of metabolism is upset. If the metabolic waste is not properly eliminated, it accumulates in a putrified form in the various tissues and organs and channels upsetting the balance of the doshas, so that the systemic and systematic biological functions upset, and the result is, disease. Treatment is to correct all these aspects. First the prime cause, the faulty life style has to be corrected, to correct the metabolic and eliminatory functions. In most cases, by just correcting the life style all other corrections are naturally effect, and health is regained. All these corrections are attributed to the natural vitality of the system, which is termed as ojas and bala. The vital energy itself depends on the styles and conditions of life. With a long course of faulty style and conditions of life, vitality becomes weak necessitating some assistance in the form of medicine. The treatment in Ayurveda is essentially to regain the vital strength and then the accumulated waste has to be eliminated to make the dhathus pure. If the accumulation is too much, it has to be cleared by evacuative treatments, sodhana chikitsa, known as panchakarma. If it is not so much, it can be transformed by medicine, and is be easily eliminated in the natural course of the system by treatments known as samana chikitsa. Samana chikitsa ignites the vital fire, the agni, performing digestion and metabolism. A man with good and natural digestive functions with a correct life style seldom gets diseased, and if by clearance of omissions and commissions, gets diseased, it can be easily corrected and, cured with some simple medication. It is in essence the Ayurvedic approach to health and disease. The virus, bacteria etc. will fail to act in such a constitution, will get digested and eliminated in the course of digestion and metabolism, and in certain persons, they remain to some period, but without being able to do any havoc in the system, such persons are called carriers. They too naturally perish, in course of time, the systemic conditions being unfavorable for their existence.The treatment with medicines is yukthivyapasraya, the rational application of drugs. There is a branch of medicine, with repentance, invoking the blessings of the Gods. Ayurveda considers sin, ‘papa’ as the basic cause for all kinds of sufferings. Primarily sin is the result of certain actions, which we have done previously with faulty intension, causing harm to other people, at times not performing our duties. The papa need not be committed in the present birth; it may be in a previous birth. Ayurveda accepts the theory of rebirth, to sustain the concept that every effect has to have its particular cause. Various kinds of prayer and propitiations of the Gods are presented in the texts to ameliorate sin. Texts elucidated sins as three fold, with deeds, words and thoughts, which are all inclusive of life. Virtue (punya) is the primary cause of all happiness. Sin hinders discretion, as a result of which good and bad are not differentiated, ensuing harmful changes occur in the life style. A perturbed mind disturbs the mechanism of the proper working of the system, which results in disease. The opposite is the case of virtue, (punya), which results in health. To achieve, maintain, and regain happiness in the form of health, one has to be essentially virtuous in all aspects of life. The third aspect of treatment is the control of the mind. Agitated mind agitates all aspects of the whole system. Without a calm and quite mind, the intellect will not function properly, which results in indiscretion, discerning the bad and the good. Association with good and wise people, reading good books, scriptural texts, practicing methods of controlling the mind, meditation, discrimination etc. assist in controlling the mind. We can see that Ayurveda is perhaps the only system of medicine where all these aspects of life are clearly explained and advised in maintaining health and curing diseases. It makes the system of Ayurveda truly holistic, compressing all aspects of practical life and living. The trend in modern medicine, even in modern ayurveda which tries to imitate modern medicine in the name of science usually adhere only to the medicinal aspects of treatment, ignoring perhaps the more important other two aspects. For the medicinal aspects to be essentially successful, the other two aspects have to be thoroughly comprehended and basically applied. Ayurveda is said to eternal because of its holistic approach, which is natural in natural conditions. Against nature nothing will persevere; that is the lesson of history. Strength of Ayurveda: The theories and practices of Ayurveda strictly adhere to the laws of nature. The panchabhootha theory is derived from the laws of nature with regard to the structural aspects of the substance, used as food and medicine. Tridosha theory is mainly derived from the functional aspects of the system in response to the conditions and circumstances of life. The plants from which the drugs are obtained, also germinate grow and perish in their circumstance. The thridoshasiddhantta can be applied to explain these phenomena. The body has its own structure, which has to be explained from the standpoint of the panchabhootha theory. Even the doshas, the basic functional units of the system are explained as constituted of the bhoothas. So we can find that the theories and practices of Ayurveda all pervasive in nature. In spite of many historical reasons and even ceturies of neglect Ayurveda still exists with practitioners of the old generations, like me with no knowledge of the modern methods of diagnosis and practices, curing many a time, even the diseases not cured by the expert treatments of the modern medicine. Advanced researches in ayurveda are being carried out through out the civilized and scientifically advanced countries of the world. Medicines can be mostly from herbs naturally available. The processes of preparing medicine are mostly like that of food items. In Ayurveda, health is natural food is natural, disease is natural, and medicine also is natural in their given conditions. The natural life style naturally promotes health, while unnatural life style also naturally promotes disease. So to cure disease and regain health, the main thing to do is mainly to correct the life style, medicine is just a helping hand or hasthalamba as the word is used in the texts. This is perhaps a common sense view of the whole problem. Bereft of commonsense, the explanations will not be easily and correctly comprehended. And it is perhaps the traditional view. In addition it is actually the outcome of the experiences and experiments of centuries. So if properly understood and applied, for times yet to come it will serve its purpose of sustaining and maintaining health. Any system of treatment, entirely ignoring these fundamental aspects of life and nature, cannot succeed in its fundamentals purpose, as is evident from the conditions of modern society, which is said to be with less mortality but with more morbidity. Mortality is less because of advances made in emergency management with advances made in surgery particularly. Morbidity is more are to the neglect in respect to life style--eating, exercising, resting, sexual matters, moral aspects, reacting, thinking, sense pleasures, controlling emotion etc.. Particularly in indulging in bad habits like drinking, smoking, using narcotics, with paying scant attention to these matters with highly powerful medicines applied weakening the immune system. In modern medicine, it seems, more stress is given to medicine, without much importance to these kinds of harmful habits, which actually is the basis of disease, making the system as whole, vulnerable to disease. It is said that many modern diseases are iatrogenic in origin, caused by medicine. With a little common sense most of problems of health can be avoided and solved. The strength of Ayurveda which has a common sense view of treatment, is the emphasis given to avoid all these bad habits of life, to ensure good habits, as prescribed regimen as a part of treatment (pathya). Pathya is avoiding habits inimical to the system ensuring habits conducive to health. Then medicines logically selected and applied; work properly and easily, correcting the metabolic and other aberrations of the system. In ayurveda cure is not enforced by treatment, but induced from inside, endogenic. Weakness of ayuveda: The weakness of modern Ayurveda is that in its study and application, it seems its holistic approach is neglected Ayurveda has shrank as just a kind of medication like allopathy, homeopathy etc.. Modern science is considered the science and modern medicine, the medicine, In trying to adjust to the standards of modern science and modern medicine, the philosophic content is lost, man as such is ignored, and considered as a group of organs, heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys etc. They are thought to work independently, without any coordination. The coordinating factor the soul is not understood, not considered in judging health or disease. That may be the result of modern education, modern concept of existence. The parts collected together do not make the whole. If we adhere to the fundamental aspects, the particular aspects will be automatically taken care of. By taking care of the system as a whole, the parts will be taken care of automatically. The weakness of modern ayurveda is that it is trying to imitate modern medicine. Original Ayurveda, with its holistic, wholesome approach is being lost. Perhaps that may be the result of modern education, modern concepts of existence, I think, in spite of all these problem understood and beneficently practiced, if the fundamental aspects are properly imbibed, adjusted to the prevailing conditions of existence.Conclusion: It is recorded history that even up to surgery according to Ayurveda, was being practiced in various parts of India. During the period of about two hundred years of British rule, Ayurveda was neglected and modern medicine was encouraged in every way. But something of the original, Ayurveda, still remains in practices, because of its benefits, and even that works wonders, many a time. In the course of history, many good practices vanished in the current of change, but at times, nothing better does take shape. In the case of Ayurveda there is a chance of resurrection, as it has not thoroughly vanished, and as a thoroughly better system has not emerged. So from what has remained, with proper understanding and application, a revival is possible now, we see a general change in the attitude of the people. There is a trend in the higher level of scientists to turn to traditional systems as alternative medicine. The thought of alternative arises when the prevalent system fails to meet the challenges of life. So I think, there is real hope for the revival of ayurveda, in a better shape to meet the challenges of modern life.VEDA AND AYURVEDAK. Raghavan ThirumulpadThe word 'Veda' can be translated as the source of knowledge. It is traditionally believed that the primary source of all knowledge in India is the Veda. So it is only natural to seek the roots of Ayurveda, the traditional system of Indian medicine, in the Veda. It is generally accepted that the Vedic period is beyond at least five thousand years. There is an opinion that of the four Vedas, Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda, Rigveda is earlier and Atharvaveda is later. This cannot be true for various reasons. It is generally accepted that Veda Vyasa, as the name indicates, edited and arranged the manthras and the result is the four Vedas, as we have now. What he might have done was to codify systematically the wide range of knowledge prevalent at the time, compiling something like an encyclopedia. He broadly divided the matter as four volumes, the first three pertaining more or less to ritualistic matters (thrayee) and the last one to matters mostly mundane which make the chathushtayee. A particular veda was taught to a particular disciple leading to traditional geneology of disciples (sishyaparampara). It is said in the Vedas that all particulars could not be collected in the chathushtayee, that the Vedas are endless. Any difference in language and diction can be attributed to the difference in the subject, and the difference in the seers (rshis) who found the manthras. If we see some vacuum somewhere, it can be attributed that something is left uncodified.   Matters regarding health and disease, medicine and treatment, the physical and the psychic, conditions and circumstances of life, and the principles pertaining to them, form the subject matter of Ayurveda. Though references to these subjects are seen scattered in the other Vedas also, Atharvaveda contains much of the knowledge on these particulars. So Ayurveda is said to be an upaveda of Atharvaveda. Upaveda means a condensation of the particulars of a particular subject from the Vedas. Some acharyas are of opinion that Ayurveda is the upaveda of Rigveda. Some say, more appropriately, that Ayurveda is condensed from all the Vedas and as such the fifth veda. As it deals with matters of the body, which is the instrument of action to acquire virtue, it has equal importance as a veda. The term Ayurveda is not seen mentioned anywhere in the Vedas. It can be presumed that the term Ayurveda was used, when medicine became a separate subject of study, condensed from the Vedas. Ayurveda denotes the ideas in the veda which deals with Ayus, health and life.Vedamanthras have many spheres of knowledge, denoting the subject of thinking. The manthras which contain mathematics have some other meaning in the first impression. Sankaracharya of puri, after a hard labour for years, discerned mathematics from the manthras of Atharvaveda. It is acclaimed that the method of calculation according to the Vedas is easier and clearer, than the most modern methods. The manthras denoting Ayurveda seem to be plainer in meaning. It is possible that they contain some other meanings, and can be explained from some other points of view also. The vedic language is different from classic language in grammar and structure. Without understanding and appreciating the conditions and customs of life of the time, it will be difficult to arrive at correct conclusions. Perhaps many of the modern researchers fail in this respect, and viewed from the angle of some particular ideology, they sometimes come to erroneous conclusions. We have to approach the Vedas directly with devotion to get at the correct meaning. A joint effort of a scholar who can explain the vedic terms and dictums and an Ayurvedic physician, who has attained an insight in the subject with proficiency in Charaka and Susrutha, the classic texts of Ayurveda, and a doctor of modern medicine should be made to elucidate the areas of medicine contained in the Vedas. The help of the modern doctor is necessary to ascertain and explain anatomical, physiological and clinical points. He can compare the vedic knowledge with the modern findings in the subject, The brahmanas and Upanishads and even puranas can be used for such a study. The Sanskrit Academy can take the initiative for such a research study. This will be actual research delving once again into the old and neglected store house of knowledge. Such a study will clearly demonstrate that knowledge is eternal in fundamentals, though in explanations and applications there is scope for progress as a result of experiences and exigencies. Ayurvedic knowledge is eternal as Charaka puts it.   We can understand from the Vedas, that the science of Ayurveda is based on the principle of svabhava, instinct or nature. Perhaps that is the reason why it is essentially eternal. It is said that animals, birds and other creatures know and use herbs and by observation and experimentation we can understand their properties and utility. The animals, without any training, select and use them by instinct. So we can assume that the basic instinct which prompts one to pursue safety, well-being and preservation formed the beginning of medicine. Desire, expectation and faith in fulfillment based on one’s own and others’ experience, with knowledge of own limitations, which have roots in instinct, naturally take the form of prayer. So it is quite natural that prayer and belief formed a part of medicine. This attitude helps the system to have a positive reaction to treatment, whatever be its form.In the Vedas, medicine has two parts, bheshaja and oushadha. Bheshaja is mainly prayer in the form of Japa, Homa, Bali, Prayaschitta etc. The usage of herbs is oushadha, to promote digestion etc.God is referred and prayed to as the best of the physicians. Even the herbs are used in a precatory attitude, requesting them to cure the diseases and conditions for which they are used. We can see a kind of suggestive psychological treatment in this, making the system receptive to the treatment. Positive attitudes always ensure positive responses. Thus it can be said that the vedic method of treatment is psychosomatic. The mind has a control over physiological functions. It is difficult to completely separate the mental and physical aspects of the system. The Ayurvedic idea that disease originates from raga (passion), turbulance of mind, can be seen in the Vedas. There are conditions that bheshaja (prayer) can cure and diseases that oushadha (drugs) cures, but most diseases require bheshaja and oushadha. Surely one assists the other in bringing forth the desired effects, when both the physician and the patient, have belief in the system. This is the case with health also, where food takes the place of medicine. The food has to be taken in a precative attitude. The physician in general is called bhishak. There are hundreds of physicians and thousands of herbs. A physician surrounded by medicines is projected as a king in the midst of his courtiers. The opinion of some people that the vedic physicians were mere sorcerers shows their ignorance. One of the branches of Atharva veda is charanavyooha. It describes about wandering physicians, ministering the needs of the people and identifying drugs throughout the country. Charaka is said to belong to such a class of physicians. Though physicians were respected and Brahma, Prajapathy, Indra, Varuna, Agni, Vayu and others occupying positions of importance in controlling and maintaining the universe were physicians and teachers of medicine also, physicians as a class had a status inferior to those who attended to vedic rites and rituals, perhaps because the physicians engrossed in medicine tended to show lapses in disciplines of vedic regimen. But as in the case of Aswinidevas, the physicians were elevated to an equal position of honour in recognition of excellence. physicians had a good knowledge of an atomy and physiology. One hundred and twenty one anatomical terms (denoting organs, tissues etc.) are mentioned in the Vedas, many of these in the order of existence in the body. Sira, dhamani, nadi and others are mentioned. Ideas of surgery are also seen in the Vedas. Instances of transplanting bones of the thigh, teeth, eyes and even the head are mentioned in the Vedas, as anecdotes. We have to examine whether such statements can be taken in the literal sense. It can be assumed that the vedic blackish (syama) in colour denoting veins, and dhamani reddish (aruna) denoting arteries. The siras are described as going upwards (avacheena) downwards (paracheena) and crosswise (thirascheena). Mention is made of satam sirah and sahasram dhamaniah (hundreds of veins and thousands of arteries). They had at least a vague idea of the circulation of blood. It is said that the blood flows though the siras and dhamanis, just like a river flowing through its tributaries and branches. The description of the secretion of urine is objective and describes how it is collected through the gaveenis (ureters), in the vasti (bladder) and passed through the mehna (urethra). The word gaveenis is used to denote the fallopian tubes also. A more or les correct view of fertilization and conception and the process of the growth of the foetus (garbha) is explained (garphopanishad). There is description of treating infertility both in man and woman and even in cow, and for making it yield more milk. The description and structure of the framework of the bones also is very objective. Diseases like thakma (fever), kushta (leprosy), valasa (cough and congestion of the chest), apachit (goiter), Jayanya, harima (jaundice), moothra rodha (retention of urine), kshethreeya (hereditary diseases), kilasa (white patches of the skin), asrava (dysentery), vishoochi (cholera), visalya, vidradhi (abcess), alaji (boils), apva (diarrhoea), Hridroga (heart disease), unmade (lunacy), grahi (epilepsy) are described and prescriptions are given. Without giving the names, treatment of diseases of the eyes, nose, ears, chin, head, brain, tongue, neck, tender bones and back bones is mentioned. The treatment of Ajnatha yakshma i.e., disease of unknown nature is also mentioned. Diseases caused by change of seasons are also spoken of. Medicine is prescribed to nourish the hair and to make it black. Three causes of diseases are given; (1) Internal toxins, caused by faulty diet etc. and external toxins as by snake bite, (2) Worms (krimi) visible and invisible, mostly coming from outside. There is a description of the origin of the krimi, from decayed animal and vegetable matter. The krimis are sometimes referred as rakshas, rakshasa, bhootha, graha, apsaras, gandharva, ameeva etc. The word ameeva in the veda, brings to mind the modern amoeba. The wound is to be safeguarded from the rakshasas which are found of blood. Fire (heat), sun, air and water and some drugs are mentioned to combat krimis, (3) The third cause of diseases is vatha, pitha and valasa (kapha) which upset the balance of biological functions, indicating the three doshas of Ayurveda, though the term dosha is not seen mentioned in the Vedas. The life span of human beings is given as hundred years, but it is said that it can be lengthened by bheshaja and oushadha. Detoxification of circulating blood is mentioned. Mostly single drug remedies are prescribed. In kousika soothra, which is more or less an appendix to Atharva veda, multidrug therapy is prescribed. Importance is given to ethics in medical treatment. All are required to follow the path of righteousness, so that the world is free from diseases. Eighty nine advices on ethics (sadachara) are given. The seven fold path of restriction (saptha maryadas) is explained. Happiness is wished to the two-footed and the four-footed (sam dvipada, sam chathushpada) and all creatures of the world. This attitude in daily life is the essence of righteousness. Just like drugs prescribed for curing infertility, drugs are also prescribed for causing infertility. The aim may perhaps have been to annihilate the families of enemies, but the knowledge can be utilized for family planning in the modern context. Drugs were collected, kept and sold for the needy. It is said that the tribal people (kirathas etc.) who inhabit forests collect herbs and have a knowledge about them. The five fold treatment of Ayurveda (panchakarma) are mentioned through not in the correct order. The eight fold specialization of Ayurveda (Ashtangas) are topically touched here and there in the Vedas, but not in a systematic manner. In various diseases wearing of amulets is prescribed as treatment, and for warding off krimis and other causative agents. The amulets are made of herbs, anjana and other minerals. Seventysix acharyas of medicine are mentioned by name. Sixtysix diseases are enumerated. One hundred and sixty eight herbal, eight mineral and eleven animal drugs are given with therapeutic indications. The drugs are classified according to their various characteristics like colour, availability and distribution. The fundamentals of Ayurveda, the three doshas and the five bhoothas are also referred to in some manthras, in a casual manner. But the words dosha or bhootha are not mentioned in the sense in which they are used in Ayurveda.It can be presumed that Charaka, Susrutha and other acharyas codified and elaborated as Ayurveda, the ideas and advices scattered in the Vedas with reference to bheshaja and oushadha. The psychosomatic concept of diseases and the holistic approach of treatment which we consider most modern are the basic principles of vedic medicine. A cure is impossible without taking into consideration the emotional and intellectual aspects as well as the cause and course of the disease. One of the classifications of treatment in later Ayurveda is yukthi vyapasraya, daivavyapasraya and sathwavajaya, Yukthivyapasraya is rational application of medicine and treatment. Daivavyapasraya is various forms of prayers and rites to propitiate the supernatural powers and maintain the emotional and optimistic balance of mind. And sathwavajaya is correcting and controlling the thoughts with discrimination. All the three together form the truly holistic approach to medicine. In prayer and other rites, there is sankalpa or suggestion and faith that the treatment given is correct and will surely cure the malady. Everything harmful in life is warded off and everything beneficial is enjoined. This, in essence, is the spirit and substance of Ayurveda, evolved from the Vedas and cherished through centuries of our history. The aim of this paper is only to create some curiosity in vedic medicine, which is the basis of Ayurveda.