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Re:Danvathri as the Founder of Aayur Vedam

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Sadagopan • February 19, 2002 


Dear BhakthAs:

An astute bhaktha asked the following question. 
I welcome these questions since it helps me
to think about them to assemble the answers for
wider discussions .The response to some questions
might be of wider interest and hence I copy 
the two lists.

I do recieve a lot of questions. Most of them I answer
privately. I wish I have the knowledge to give the correct
answers to them . Some times I copy the public list 
to generate discussions. If I delay in my response 
to questions asked , it is because of time pressures 
or I am seeking the information needed to respond
appropriately . 

The Bhakthi list alone has a huge archives and 
many of the doubts that come again and again have been
addressed before . A google search on the topics , just like
the one being discussed now --Kali Yugam/Kali Purushan/
will  give you links to Kali DhOsham /Kali santharana Upanishad /
importance of Naama sankIrthanam in Kali age et al . you will 
get links to 69 plus postings.

I suggest that you search first and you will be amazed at
the wealth of Information that is housed there thanks to
the sharing of knowledge by so many devotees. 

There are two special BhakthAs that I must refer to
when it comes to the knowledge about the contents of
the Bhakthi and other archives . These precious bhakthAs
are Srimans Malolan Cadambi of Bangalore/Iowa and 
MadhavakkaNNan Of Srirangam/Simhapuri. Many times 
they have helped me out about locating particular 
posting of mine from the past. Please browse the archives
whenever your time permits. It will be beneficial .
The responses by other BhakthAs may already be there.
This observation refers particularly to controversial
topics outside the purview of the Mission of Bhakthi
List. Hope , Sri MaNi VaradarAjan will find some time
to establish the revised guidelines to postings 
in the Bhakthi List that he was preparing prior to 
his recent trip to India. It will be very helpful
to avoid painful controversies regarding 
Goudiya VishNavam et al . Let us stick to
the central theme and mission of Bhakthi List .
There is so much to learn from AzhwAr/AchArya
SrI Sookthis . Running in circles is not essential
in my humble opinion .

BTW , There are number of SadagOpans in the Bhakthi List.
I would like to identify myself as Oppiliappan Koil
Varadachari Sadagopan in my responses to avoid any
confusion .

Now coming to the subject matter of the question
regarding Ayurvedam , here is my response preceded
by the question from my friend :

QUESTION
*********

At 09:08 PM 2/18/02 -0800, you wrote:
>SrI:
>
>Dear Sri Sadagopan mama
>
>adiyEn has a small doubt.  Is Aayur Vedam part of vedas.  If so Vedas
>are considered apourusheya.  Am I missing something here?


RESPONSE:
*********

Ayur Vedam is one of the auxillary Vedams (UPA VEDAMS)
like Dhanur Vedam . It has no svarams and is not learnt 
by adhyayanam . It has no VedAntha VichAram . It has
no Veda Siras like Upanishads. Like Paancha Raathra 
Saasthram , which originated from SrIman NaarAyaNan 
to help us perform His worship, Srimann Vaidhya NaarAyaNan
out of His compassion blessed us with this auxilary 
Vedam to help those suffering from bodily afflictions 
and get back on their feet to worship Him and seek 
the Sadhgathi.The famous saying is:

SarIramAdhyam khalu dharma saadhanam 

The pramANam for Aayur Vedam being one of the four
UpavEdams is:

Aayur vEdhO Dhanur VEdho GhAndharva VEda yEva cha
arTasAsthramithi prOktham UpavEda Chathushtayam

( Aayur Vedam /Science of Medicine and physiology , 
Dhanur Vedam /archery and handling of weapons for 
KshathriyAs for Raajya paripAlanam , Ghandharva Veda/
the Science of Music , dance and other fine arts,
ArTa Saasthram /the subject of Polity and 
Political Economy are the FOUR UpavEdams). 

These are distinct from the six VedAngAs 
( Sikshaa/Phonetics , VyAkaraNam/ Grammar ,
JyOthishA/astronomy and astrology,Chandas/
prosody and Kalpa/practise of rituals).

UpavEdAs have no Vedic svarAs ; Ghandharva Vedam
ofcourse is built on the seven svarAs and their 
combinations.

Ayur Veda is HIndu Vaidhya Saasthram dating back to
the Vedic age. It has links to ATarva Vedam.Several
references to diseases (Jaundice, kidney stones 
Cholera et al)and their treatment thru herbs 
and surgery are referred to in ATarva Vedam .

Susrutha is a great scholar/author of Medical
Science(Aayur Vedam) and his famous samhithA 
has six broad sections. He advocates high moral
standards for physicans and surgeons. Section 1 
of the Susrutha samhithA is general .Sections
2-5 deal with anatomy , pathology, treatmentof
diseases and preparation of medicines from herbs.
Section 6 (Uttara Tantra ) is a research supplement.

Charaka is another distinguished scholar /author of
a "SamhithA " of Indian medicine.He was a royal physician
to King Kanishka , the KushAna King.There are 8 sedtions
in Chaaraka samhithA ( Treatment of disease and diet,
treatment of special diseases, general study of anatomy & 
medical science, prescriptions and general therapy). There 
are six commentaries on Charaka's samhitha starting from 
Dradbala of Kashmir (pre-middle ages to post middle ages).

Charaka's definition of "Aayu" is classic and is based on
Vedic doctrines :

sarIrEndhriya-sathvAth-samyOgO dhAri jeevitham
nithyagascchAnubhandhasccha paryAyairAyuruchyathe

(Meaning): " the Physical body with the senses and
the mind combined with the soul is capable of enjoying
the ruits of karma. This relation of the body with 
the eternal soul is termed as aayuhu".

He talks about the gross physical body,
the subtle soul , transmigration of the soul
to another gross body based on karmAs and 
how that process is not perceptible to the eye.

BhUthaiscchathurthibhi: sahitha: susookshmai:
  manojavO dEham upaithi dEham 
karmAthmakathvAth na thu tasya dhrusyam
 dhivyam vinA darsanamasthi roopam
--Chaaraka samhitha: chapter II.31

I will stop here due to the lengthiness of
this posting. 

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan  


   





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