Ayurveda is an ancient health
science coming from the East. This mystical and exotic Indian system for
healthy, happy and long life is gaining more and more popularity in the Western
world. Many people turn to her for prevention of their general health, and
others – for the treatment of diseases. Unknown and distant to most of us, Ayurveda
may cause initial confusion among those who want to make it a part of their
lives.
Еvery human being’s desire for
a long life is the reason for the Ayurveda’s emergence. Its knowledge, passed
down from generation to generation, is derived from the universal consciousness
that created the visible world. Hindu mythology calls this higher intellect
Brahma. Ayurveda is a complete system that was created to help people achieve
the long-awaited longevity and life in health and happiness. It is believed that
the great value that underlies the desire to prolong life is the human being to
be able to achieve all the set goals.
According to Hindu philosophy,
the human being has four natural inclinations that influence its behavior
throughout his life. Following these innate inclinations, people enjoy life in
the best way and according to their personal imagination. The definition of
happiness is something personal, as it is due to differences in the views of
individuals – we know from experience that people are different, have different
goals and enjoy different achievements.
Ayurveda and the
purushartis
Hinduism defines four key
goals in human life (purushartis), which are inherent in every person, but
characterize it to varying degrees.
Dharma
Dharma is a leading goal of
people who follow the path of righteousness and duty. In India, it is the caste
of kshatriya, or the military units that are supposed to protect society in
war, or the rulers in peacetime.
Artha
Artha is a leading goal of
people engaged in financial activities and striving for economic prosperity.
This goal is decisive for the caste of vaishya- entrepreneurs, merchants,
landowners, ie. people who develop commercial and / or financial activities.
Kama
Kama is the goal of people who
are devoted to pleasures, love thrills and other emotional experiences. They
form the caste of employees with the performance of various types of services.
Moksha
Moksha is the leading goal of
people seeking the spiritual manifestations of life, including those who are
engaged in scientific activity. They form the Brahmin caste.
Regardless of which of the
four groups you recognize, the main role of Ayurveda is to provide you with a
healthy and happy life for at least 120 years.
Ayurveda through the centuries
Ayurveda combines historical
facts and mythology in a unique way. The mythological story refers to the
origin of the doctrine of the god Brahma. The sages in India were afflicted
with disease and premature death, although they lived in the Himalayas. They
faced a serious problem to maintain their health, as there were too many
restrictions that prevented them from practicing their spiritual and physical
practices and achieving the basic goals in their lives, described as
purushartis.
This led them to seek help
from the god Indra, also called the King of the gods. When he was found and
asked for help, he turned for help to the god Brahma, who passed on the
knowledge of Ayurveda to the god Prajapathi, who was responsible for protecting
people. Prajapathi, on the other hand, passed on the knowledge to the healers
of the gods, the Kumaras twins (Ashwini Kumaras). They passed it to the god
Indra, and he to the sage Atreya Punarvasu, the leader of the Himalayan sages.
In turn, Atreus passed it on to Agnivesa, who in turn passed it on to the other
sages. Thus Ayurveda gradually began its spread throughout India.
Ayurvedic literature provides
information on sutras. Sutra is a term for a short law written in a few words.
These are texts that are united with each other and create the basic concept of
Eastern science.
During the centuries of
Ayurveda, many sages recorded their own theories in sutras with interpretations
of the original texts. The most famous of these are: Charaka Saṃhitā,
Suśruta-saṃhitā, Aṣṭāṅga-hṛdayam written by Vagbhata. These works were created
by the people who laid the foundations of Ayurvedic philosophy.
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