Yoga and Ayurveda

Author(s): R V Ranade
Publisher: Z_Umravkunvarji_Diksha_Swarna_Jayanti_Smruti_Granth_012035.pdf
Catalog link: https://jainqq.org/explore/250376/1

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Yoga and Ayurveda
Dr. R. V. Ranade, M. D.
Introduction
Vaidya P. L. Lavgankar, the founder of Yoga Vidya Dham, Pune, was a great expert of both Yoga and Ayurveda. He always insisted that knowledge of both these sciences is essential for anybody who wants to practise, preach or teach Yoga. He was a Nádi-Vaidya who could dignose any disorder by Nadi-Pariksā (examination of the pulse). Regarding this, he used to say that one who has studied yoga and especially prādāyāma for a sufficiently long period can venture to master the art of Nādi-Pariksa.
Fortunately, to-day both Yoga and Ayurveda are receiving greater attention as valuable and useful ways of preventing and curing many disorders, especially where the modern medicine fails.
Yoga and Ayurveda are two important branches of ancient Indian science. Science and philosophy have always remained inseperable in the tradition of ancient Indian thinkers. The main object of all this thinking has been to attain a state which is completely free from the clutches of misery and sorrow. Yoga & Ayurveda are two such disciplines which help to fulfil this difficult task in their own ways. It is therefore interesting to note the points of comparison between these two sciences.
History and Origin
According to our traditional belief, all the ancient arts and sciences in this universe have been created by God-the almighty, for the welfare of human beings. The origin of Yoga can be traced to Lord Siva as clearly mentioned in Hathayoga pradipikā.
श्री आदिनाथाय नमोऽस्तु तस्मै येनोपदिष्टा हठयोगविद्या । I salute the primeval God (Siva), who taught (Parvati) the Hathayogavidya.' In Siva-samhita, God Siva states.
अथ भक्तानुरक्तोऽहं वक्ष्ये योगानुशासनम् । 'I am teaching this Yoga to those who love me.'
Yoga also plays important part in the life of God Ramachandra as well as God Krishna. The work Yogavasiştha consists of the yogic teachings by Guru

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Yoga and Ayurveda / 303
Vasistha to Ramachandra, while God Krishna taught the yogic philosophy of life to Arjuna through Bhagvadgita. Vedas are believed to be apouruşeya (i. e. not created by humans), and are said to be created by Gods. Rigveda, the oldest of the Vedas, in its Munivarnanasukta mentions about Munis (sages) who could easily travel anywhere in the universe due to the siddhis (powers) achieved through the practice of pränäyäma. The Upanisads are considered as the Vendanta or the terminal part of the Vedas. Many of them, and mainly twelve out of them are considered as Yoga-Upanisads. Jābāla darṣana, şandilya and Nadabindu are the three prominent once among them.
The history of Ayurveda dates back to God Brahmadeva who created. Ayurveda (the science of life). Carakasambitä mentions that he constructed Ayurveda consisting of one lack slokas (stanzas). Dakṣaprajapati obtained this knowledge and taught it to Aşvinikumars-the two physicians to Gods. God Indra further transferred it to Dhanvantari. Susruta and Bhoja were his disciples who specialized in the Surgical branch, while Bharadvaja or AtreyaPunarvasu handed over the knowledge pertaining to the branch of Medicine to his six disciples. The knowledge regarding the branch of paediatric Medicine (Kaumar-Bhritya-Tantra) was mastered by Käsyapa, Vasistha and others. Rigveda mentions many therapeutic skills of the Agvinikumars. It also includes anatomical descriptions of liver and spleen, and a clear mention about the three dosas viz. Kapha (phlegm), Vata (wind), and Pitta (bile or fire), and some details regarding a few medicinal plants. The period of Rigveda is considered to be 4,000 to 6,000 years B. C. Atharvaveda includes many references to the various aspects of Ayurveda, covering the Tridoșa theory, the physiology of digestion of food, formation of urine, spermatogenesis and others. A detailed account of the signs and symptoms of diseases, of some disease-producing micro-organisms, and different ways of treatment including the use of herbs, chemicals, surgical methods and Bhuta-vidya (Demonology), is to be found in Atharvaveda. It is rightly said, therefore, that Ayurveda is an Upa-veda (branch) of Atharvaveda.
It is a pleasant surprise to find a common link between Yoga and Ayurveda in the history. Agniveşatantra, a basic work on Ayurveda was created in or round about the year 1000 B. C. Based on the study of this work and on his own experiences, Çaraka wrote Çaraka-samahită in later years. The great grammarian panini also belongs to the same period. Patajali is also considered to be a contemporary scholar. He collected the old writings from the Vedic and Upanisadic literature, framed them into Yoga-Sutras and provided them with a background of Samkhya philosophy. All these three persons are believed to be one person by the students of history. The

आसनस्थ तम आत्मस्थ मन
तब हो सके आश्वस्त जम

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पंचम खण्ड / ३०४ similarity in the style of writing of these three persons is one of the factors to support this opinion.
Basic principles
There is a great similarity in the basic principles of these two sciences. Both of them aim at the freedom from the clutches of sorrow and misery of this world, by obtaining total physical and mental health. Patanjali in his Yoga sutras defines Yoga as follows
योग: चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः । Yoga is the restraint of mental operations.' Swāmi Vivekānanda has explained this statement in a simple manner. “When the waves die out and the water becomes still, we can clearly peep into its depths. Similarly, when the mind becomes steady due to the resfraint of mental activities, we can clearly visualise our own self. This is nothing but maintaining our mental and physical health.” Patanjali, while discussing every aspect of Yoga, has laid stress on the steadiness of mind. The sutra regarding Asana (posture) reads as follows :
स्थिरसुखंगासनम् । *The posture should be steady and also pleasurable to the mind.' This explains the link between the steadiness of the body and the happiness of the mind.
Ayurveda also does not seperate mind from body. Çaraka-samhita states :
__ शरीरं हि मनः अनुविधीयते मनश्चशरीरम् । The body follows the mind and the mind follows the body.' Naturally, a healthy mind and a healthy body go together. Ayurveda de health in the following manner :
समदोष-समाग्निश्च, समधातू-मलक्तियः ।
प्रसन्नात्मेन्द्रिमनाः स्वस्थ इति अभिधीयते ।। "He is to be called healthy whose three dosas (humours) are in equilibrium, (all the thirteen) agnis (fires) are well balanced, (seven) dhātus (elements are in equilibrium, and the excretory functions are in good harmony, and whose soul, sensory organs and mind are cheerful.'
The section on Maintenance of health' or Swasthavritta from Ayurveda lays stress on dedication to God, wishing welfare to everybody, always performing good deeds and keeping away from violence and theft. Yoga prescribes yamas or the rules of social discipline, viz. Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truthfulness), Asteya (abstaining from stealing), Brahmaçarya (sexual

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continence), Aparigraha (absence of greediness), and Niyamas or the laws of personal behaviour, viz. Souça (purity and cleanliness of body and mind), samtoşa (contentment) Tapa (austerity or penance), Swadhyaya (self study), Iswarapraạidhāna (dedication to God). The similarity in the way for a good mental health as suggested by these two sciences is highly significant.
Anatomy and Physiology
Prāna' is a unique entity which has been given the atmost importance in Yoga and Ayurveda. Surprisingly there is no reference to a similar element in the Modern Western Medicine.
The description of human body and its mechanisms as mentioned in Yoga is rather mystic, is based on experiences of the higher Yogic practices and can not be easily varified by the dissection of human body. In the work Vivekacudāmani, Sri Sankarācārya has described human body to arise from pança mahabhutas (the five principles of the universe) viz. Prithvi (earth), Āpa (water), Teja (fire). Vāyu (air), Ākāşa (sky, ether). The body consists of a sthoola deha (Macro body) and a sukṣma deha (Micro body). The sthoola deha is called Annamaya koşa ( a unit arising from food), while the sukşma deba has three units of koşas, viz. Prānamaya (consisting of the life-force), Manomaya (consisting of the mind), and Vijñanamaya (consisting of knowldege). There are five sensory organs (pança jñanedriya), five motor organs (pança karmendriya), five prānās, and also Mana (mind) and Buddhi (intelligence). Prāna is an invisible force that flows through Nadis and Çakras-Nadis are channels that help the body to perform various functions with the help of prāna. The Nādis are innumerable, but most of the texts mention a figure of seventy two thousand. They arise from a centre near the umbilicus. Fourteen major nadis are described, three out of them are more important, viz. Idā, Pinagalā and suşumnā. According to the modern thought Idā and pingalā represent the autonomic nervous system. The çakras are power-stations or relay-stations situated along the suşumnā or the principal nadi. The modern scientists equate the suşumnā with the spinal cord, and the çakras with different nerve plexuses or endocrine glands. The number of çakras mentioned in different texts is variable. Generally, they are consindered to be seven, viz. Muladhara, Swadhisthāna, Manipura, Anähata, Vişudha, Adya, Sahasrāra, but four more, viz. Lalanā, Manasa or Surya, Soma and Bindu are also described. The Cakras are connected with Prāna and their sensations can be experienced during certain prāvāyāmic procedures by Yogis of a high order. They are supposed to control various physical activities through the agency of mind.
Yoga vasiştha states that the body is made of pança mahabhutas and all the functions are carried out by the Kundalini şakti (power) which is
आसमस्थ तन TAPE AO तब हो सके HRA for

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ard onder

पंचम खण्ड / ३०६
situated in the Susumna nadi, and which is characterised by Spanda (vibrations), Sparsa (touch), and Sambit (consciousness). It vibrates through the five pranas and manifests in various Kalas (phases) viz. Çitta, Jiva, Manasa, Samkalpa, Abamkära, and Buddhi.
The anatomy of Ayurveda is more definite as it is based on observations made during the dissections of human body and the various surgical procedures. This science also considers the body to be arising from the pança mahabhutas, from which Sapta dhatus (seven elements), viz. Rasa, (lymph), Rakta (blood), Mansa (muscle), Meda (fat), Asthi (bone), Majja (marrow), and Sukra (sperm), are formed, from which the body is constructed. The five pranas, viz. prānā, apāna, udāna, samāna and vyāna. help the circulation and digestion of food, and it is transformed into the seven elemThe humours Kapha. Vata and Pitta are instrumental in this metabolic process. Thus th anatomy and physiology of Ayurveda is on a simpler plane.
Pathogenesis or origin of disease
The modern medicine is laying greater stress on the mind as an important factor in the causation of disease, and to-day more and more disorders are being included under the heading 'Pschycho-somatic. They include High blood pressure, Heart disease, Diabetes, Asthma, sleeplessness, constipation, spondylosis and many others. In fact, it is now realised, that most of the disorders arise from the increasing stress and strain of modern life, which hasten the process of ageing. Yoga and Ayurveda are the only therapeutic sciences that can delay ageing and can keep you young in mind and body.
Yogavasistha states, that the loss of tranquility of mind (fitta-vaidhurya) leads to the unsteadyness of body mechanisms (Deha-samkṣobha). This disturbs the equilibrium of prānas (prana-vaişamya). It affects the function of Nadis and creates a defect in the process of digestion or metabolism (Annadusta). This results into the imbalance of the three dosas (Dosa-duști) and it culminates into a disease.
ans.
The pathogenesis in Ayurveda as stated by Caraka is similar. Atatvadnyana (loss of real knowledge) leads to the lack of control of the sense orgThus, one is likely to fall a pray to Moha (temptation), and pramäda. (mistakes). This leads to the loss of natural lightness (Laghutra of the body), and the loss of ease in the usual mechanisms of the body. This causes disturbance in the function of nadis, which adversely affects the direction of flow of pranäs. This results into the loss of balance of the three dosas, which leads to a disease.

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Treatment and cure
The aim of both the sciences is a Mukti (complete freedom) from Adbi (mental disorder) and Vyâdhi (physical disoder), According to Yoga, the surest way of preventing such disorders lies in the observance of Yama and Niyama (the rules of moral behaviour and discipline). This leads to the path of Rajayoga which would keep the mind tranquil and healthy. As this path is not easy for the common man, Hathayoga comes to our help in the form of various Asanās, different types of prānāyama, Mudras and Bandhas, and six type of sudbikriyās, viz. Kapalbhāti, Dhauti, Nauli, Neti, Basti, and Trătaka. They help to keep the body and mind steady, tranquil and healthy. Hathoyogapradipika states ;
वपुः कृशत्वं वदने प्रसन्नता नाद स्फुटत्वं नयने सुनिर्मले । प्ररोगता बिन्दुजयोऽग्निदीपनं
नाडीविशुद्धिर्हठयोगलक्षणम् ॥ The signs of perfection in Hathayoga are, slimness of body, brightness in the face, manifestation of inner sound (nāda). very clear eyes, freedom from disease, control over the seminal fuid, stimulation of the (metabolic or digestive) fire, and complete purification of the pädis,' Is there anything better that one desires to achieve than these signs of a good physical and mental health ?
How Asanās help to cure various disorders can be seen from this stanza :
हरति सकलरोगानाशु गुल्मोदरादीन भिभवति च दोषानासनं श्रीमयूरम् । बहुकदशन भुक्तं भस्मकुर्यादशेषम्
जनयति जठराग्नि जारयेत् कानकूटम् ॥ *The Mayurāsana cures quickly all diseases like enlarged glands, gastro-intestinal disorders, etc, and overcomes the imbalance of humours. It reduces to ashes (e.i. enables digestion of) all foods indiscriminately taken, stimulates the gastric fire and can help to digest even kālakuta (the most terrible poison.)'
Regarding prāņāyāma, it is stated.
प्राणायामेन युक्तेन सर्वरोगक्षयो भवेत । A proper practice of prānāyāma can control all the diseases.'
Referring to the Sudbikriya (cleansing procedure) Dhauti, it is mentioned.
आसमस्थ तम 3VTCAP A तब हो सके आश्वस्त जन

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पंचम खण्ड | ३०८
darda
कासश्वासप्लीहकुष्ठ कफरोगाश्च विशतिः
धौतिकर्मप्रभावेण प्रयान्त्येव न संशयः । By the efficacy of Dhauti, bronchial diseases, asthma, splinic disorders leprosy and other skin diseases, and twenty other disorders brought on by phlegm disappear. There is no doubt about this.'
To-day the modern medical world has realised that many disorders can be controlled by Dhyāna (meditation), as can be seen from numerous reports on Transcendental Meditation in the medical literature. In short, almost all disorders can be prevented or controlled by various yogic practices performed under proper expert guidance.
The preventive aspect in Ayurveda is comparable to that in Yoga. In Swasthavritta, the rules of Ābāra (food) and Vibāra (behaviour), and detailed suggestions on Dina-carya (daily routine) and Ritu-çarya (restrictions to be observed in different seasons) are described, the pancakarmas (five cleansing procedures), viz. Basti (enema), Vireçana (purgation), Vamana (induced vomiting), Nasya (nasal irrigation), Raktamoçan (blood letting), are compar. able to the Suddhikriyas of yoga.
Ayurveda considers Pathya or the behaviour on the correct path (patha) more important than the use of drugs. It is clearly mentioned.
किं प्रौषधं निरूपणम् । Why the prescription of drug is needed,' if the proper mode of behaviour (pathya) is followed by an individual, however, whereever necessary, Ayurveda prescribes drugs to suit the disorder, and also to suit the type (Prakruti) of the particular person.
If we follow the principles of Yoga and Ayurveda in our life, it will be easy to ensure total health for all.
'सर्वेऽसुखिना सन्तु सर्वेऽसन्तु निरामय
References
1.
2.
Hathayogapradipika of Swatmarama. Published by the Adyar Library & Research Centre, Adyar, Madras. (1972) Yogic and Tantric Medicine. by O. P. Jaggi. Published by Atmaram & Sons, Delhi. (1973) Indian Systems of Medicine. by O. P. Jaggi Published by Atmaram & Sons, Delbi (1973)

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Yoga and Ayurveda / 309 4. शिव संहिता, प्रकाशक : संस्कृति संस्थान, बरेली. तृतीय संस्करण, (1980) 5. ऋग्वेदसंहिता संपादक : पं. श्री. दा. सातवलेकर प्रकाशक : स्वाध्याय मण्डल, पारडी (बलसाड) 6. अथर्ववेद संहिता, संपादक : पं. श्री. दा. सातवलेकर प्रकाशक : स्वाध्याय मण्डल, पारडी (बलसाड) 7. भारतीय मानसशास्त्र अथवा पातंजल योगदर्शन लेखक : डॉ. कृ. के. कोल्हटकर प्रकाशक : के. भि. ढवल, बम्बई, तृतीय संस्करण (1973) 8. योगवसिष्ठ : प्रकाशक : निर्णयसागर प्रेस (1911) 9. चरकसंहिता -~-Yoga Vidyadham 500, Narayan Pe th Pune : 411030 CO. आसमस्थ तम आत्मस्थ मम तब हो सके आश्वस्त जम