Open Up To Ayurveda
Ayurveda - The Science Of Life
Lord Dhanvantari
Lord Dhanvantari is known as the father of Ayurveda, since he was the first divine incarnation to impart its wisdom amongst humans. He first appeared during the great churning of the cosmic ocean of milk (Samudra manthan) to deliver amrit (ambrosia, or Divine nectar) to the demigods.
The churning of the ocean of milk is a famous episode in the Puranas that represents the spiritual endeavor of a person to achieve Self-realization through concentration of mind, withdrawal of the senses, control of all desires, austerities and asceticism.
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda or the science of life, is a holistic approach to healthcare that helps people live long, healthy and well-balanced lives. The science effectively tackles the causes of illness rather than merely alleviating their symptoms.
This is done by maintaining the natural body-mind-soul balance of the constituents (or prakriti), through the daily regimen (Dinacharya) and seasonal regimen (Ritucharya) for a healthy person, through medication mainly based on herbs, dietary regimen and yogic exercises, which restores the prakriti back to the diseased.
The History of Ayurveda
Ayurveda is an ancient system of healing, which was part of the spiritual tradition of the Sanatana Dharma during the Vedic period. Veda Vyasa the famous sage who is believed to be an avatar of Vishnu, compiled the encyclopedic knowledge of Ayurveda.
The Atharva Veda lists the eight divisions of Ayurveda
- Internal Medicine
- Treatment of Head and Neck
- Ophthalmology and Otorinolaryngology
- Surgery
- Toxicology
- Psychiatry
- Pediatrics
- Gerontology or Science of Rejuvenation and the Science of Fertility
Ayurveda is big on the use or herbs and totally natural ingredients in its preparations. This apart it encompasses in its fold: food, aroma, gems, colours and the practice of yoga, mantras and surgery.
What was birthed and grew into a respected and widely used system of healing in India, attracted people from various countries, who came to Indian Ayurvedic schools to learn about this system of medicine.
Of all the Ayurvedic compilations, three of the most important are still in extensive use today-
- The Charak Samhita
- The Sushrut Samhita
- The Ashtangha Hridaya
These books believed to be over 1,200 years old, contain original and extensive detais of Ayurvedic practices, which make Ayurveda known today as the only holistic medical system in existence.