History of
Ayurveda
The Vedic
Scriptures comprised of four volumes: Rg Veda, Yajur
Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda were
passed down through the millennia through song and
scripture. They were written in Sanskrit prose in specific
repetitive sounds known as mantras, which are vibrational
sounds that embody the laws and energies of the universe.
The Rg
Veda is the oldest of the four Vedic scriptures and
contains the main concepts regarding Ayurveda. It speaks
about three cosmic powers associated with Wind, Fire and
Earth and how these primal forces relate to the three
psycho-physiologic constitutions of man known as Vata,
Pitta and Kapha.
The
Yajur Veda contains the Vedic rituals and practices
that aim to improve health and longevity. It is in the
scriptures of the Yajur Veda that the concept of organs and
tissues (dhatus) are introduced.
The
Sama Veda contains musical chants that are said to
bring health, harmony and well-being to body, mind and
soul. Ayurveda stresses the importance of mantra, music and
sound therapies for healing at the deepest level.
The
Atharva Veda contains references to specific herbs,
the treatment of particular diseases and other systematic
knowledge about Ayurveda and deals with the daily routines
of man.
Other
secondary texts known as the Upavedas contain other
knowledge useful to healing.
Dhanur Veda
- contains intricate knowledge of the marma points
(acupressure points on the body) that promote healing in
specific organs.
Sthapatya
Veda
- shows the healing forces inherent in directions and how to
use these in building houses, temples and hospitals. These
forces called “Vastu” help generate more healing prana
(life force) in the proper environment.
Gandharva
Veda
- shows how music and movement can heal the body and mind.
Vedic music is used to balance and harmonize the elements
within us that change with the days and seasons.
Ayurveda is
also connected to the six limbs (Vedangas) of the Vedas:
Jyotish
(Vedic Astrology), Kalpa
(Vedic Ritual), Shiksha (Pronunciation),
Vyakarana (Grammar), Nirukta
(Etymology), Chandras (Metrics).
According to
Ayurveda, Vedic astrology, ritual and mantras are all
important in healing. By delineating the movement of our
past, present and future (karma), Vedic
astrology is said to aid in disease diagnosis, showing us
which diseases are likely to occur as well as treatment
remedies and prognosis.
Later Vedic
texts such as the Brahmanas outline the
five pranas (vital life forces) and
the seven dhatus (body tissues)
in detail. The Upanishads teach the spiritual
and psychological background of Ayurveda and its dedication
to self-knowledge and the elevation of consciousness. The
Bhagavad Gita contains specific sections on
Ayurveda, explaining the doshas
(individual bodily constitutions) and their effects for
health and disease.
From 2000 –
300 BCE, Ayurvedic knowledge was reformulated and
supplemented by observations and experimentation from
subsequent generations of Ayurvedic scholars. Still
maintaining the spiritual roots of the system, the medical
material was collected and tested for efficacy and
systematically arranged into compilations known as
Samhitas – which literally mean “collections”.
Over the last 2000 years, only three Samhitas remain:
Charaka Samhita
Sushruta Samhita
Ashtanga Samhita
Together they
are called Brihattrayi or “great trio”. They
constitute the oldest and possibly the longest medical texts
in the world. All are written in the Sanskrit language and
thoroughly cover such topics as diet, behavior, herbs,
health and disease.
During the
Buddhist period of 300 BCE – 1000 AD, the knowledge of
Ayurveda spread beyond the bounds of India. Medicinal herbs
were planted along the sides of the public streets to be
used freely by all. During this time, India was considered
the pinnacle of learning and medical glory was at its
zenith. Ayurvedic physicians were invited to the Middle East
for consultation and were put in charge of hospitals there.
The cultural influence of India expanded to Tibet,
Indochina/Indonesia, Afghanistan and Persia, through the
dedication of monks and yogis, who carried the sacred
knowledge and means of healing to all who were open to it.
Around 600 AD, Vagbhatta of Sindh who came
from the lower Indus valley, introduced a new number of
herbs and made valuable contributions to surgery. His
treatise called Ashtanga Hridaya presents a
summary of Charaka and Sushruta Samhitas. The
book is written in prose making it easy for students to
memorize. During this time, the Ayurvedic texts were
translated to Arabic. The Unani or Islamic system of
medicine never lost touch with its parental source and even
today works with many Ayurvedic herbs and principles.
From 1000 AD
– 1750 AD, the Muslim Invasion caused a great decline in the
classical culture of India and Ayurveda. Many universities,
monasteries and temples were destroyed. Ayurvedic teachers
and practitioners retreated to the south of the country to
rural areas or to the mountains of the Himalayas. From 1750
– 1950 the British invasion saw a further decline of
Ayurveda. The British not only denied state patronage to
Ayurveda, they regarded it as backward or superstitious.
All the schools on the Indian subcontinent were closed. Yet
in spite of suppression, Ayurveda remained popular with the
masses still serving much of the general population.
Through apprenticeships, Ayurveda maintained its integrity.
With the
independence of India in the early 20th century,
Ayurveda has been revived with new schools being built all
over the country. This ancient system of healing is being
taught along with allopathic medicine in many of the
universities and colleges throughout India and the rest of
the world. Some well known institutes in the United States
include The Ayurveda Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico
and the California College of Ayurveda in Grass Valley,
California.
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