Page 16 - NAMAH-Jul-2021
P. 16

Namah                                     Vol. 29, Issue 2, 15th July 2021





        figure who emerged during the churning
        of the ocean, Dhanvantari is supposed to
        have incarnated as the son of King Dhanwa,
        and learnt Ayurveda from the great sage
        Bharadwaja. That is way before Hippocrates.
        The point however is not who is greater but
        the approaches the two different fathers of
        medicine in two different contexts adopted.
        We know that Hippocrates initiated the
        science of modern medicine through body-
        types and a study of the sick and the diseased.  But this has come with a heavy cost. This
        This process has continued till now. Most of  disease-oriented approach has focused us
        modern medicine and its theories are based  almost exclusively on the sick part while
        on a study of the sick.                  missing out on the totality of the person who
                                                 is sick. It has led to a one-sided exclusivist
        For example, during this current pandemic,  approach to healing, as if we were children
        everyone seems to be focused on the virus,  solving piecemeal without looking at the
        by studying those who have developed  larger picture of the cosmic puzzle. Even
        the illness. But the large population that  children intuitively understand that they
        has remained asymptomatic has been left  must have at least the feel of the total picture
        aside taking it all for granted. But it may  before they go about putting the pieces in
        be interesting to note why and how some  place. We seem to have forgotten even this
        (or rather most) have been able to avoid the  basic lesson of the most elementary puzzle
        illness?                                 solving strategy we learn as children.

        Ayurveda, on the other hand, took the approach  We are just too busy looking at the virus, the
          A
        to discover ways and means through which  immediate cause and managing the immediate
        man can remain healthy, delay ageing, stay full  effects while forgetting the man himself who
        of vigour and natural vitality, avoid diseases  has fallen sick. The ancient Wisdom knew
        and even remain young much longer. The  that man is not just a body alone, lesser still
        western science-based modern approach  an organ or a piece of organically developed
        thereby led to a multiplication of drugs and  flesh and meat. Man is much more and
        diseases and hospitals with a focus on cure.  he carries within him powerful resources
        A lot of money and other interests naturally  that can aid his healing processes. But they
        got involved, leading to a steady decline  work best if we have lived a certain kind of
        in the natural health of the human being  lifestyle. When few medicines are available,
        even though his average life-expectancy  man naturally turns towards a healthier
        supported by modern pharmacopeia may  lifestyle but when we live in the illusion of a
        have increased, though of this too there is  ready over-the-counter cure then we become
        little evidence except from the time of the  negligent about developing natural means
        Black Plague downwards.                  of health and healing, which we seem to
                                                 have lost due to an over dependence upon


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