Unique Perspective through Ayurveda: Are Epidemics and Pandemics mere a Germ Theory?

Ayurvedic Sage Charak has mentioned in his ‘Jana-pado-dhwansa’ chapter in ‘Viman Sthana’ that four main factors which are responsible for epidemics are Air, Water, Time and Place. All these factors he relates with unrighteousness (mistake of intellect) on human part which furthermore effect conditions of stars, planets, moon, sun, air, fire and the environment which then effect adversely on seasonal cycles too.

Charak has mentioned after these occurrences, the mother earth will not provide suitable rasa (taste-strength), virya (potency), vipaka (digestive properties) and prabhava (special god blessed properties to herbs, food, water etc. Therefore, due to the absence of these vital possessions, spread of diseases like epidemics/pandemics is certain.

He further stated that before the devastation and loss of nutrients or vital power of the mother earth, collect the herbs (foods, plants, grains). If we well collect, harvest, process and store and take care of natural plants and herbs, then there will not be any difficulty or problems in counteracting the epidemics/pandemics disorders.

Let’s go in deep for each factor which Charak mentioned above:

Air Element: Before and during pandemics, air element causes infection and infestation, not in harmony with the season. Air element or wind blows harshly, cold, hot, or both- irregular, obstructive, inappropriate smell, gassy, and many times covers with dust and smoke.

Water Element: Water element (rasa) loose its natural strength, smell, color, taste and it becomes oily. Aquatic birds stop visiting water resources or stay away. Aquatic life gets diseases and ocean gets vitiated.

Place or lands: Lands and farms always gets affected badly before and during pandemics. The lands losses its natural taste, touch, color and smell. We find more moisture in the land. It gets effected by mosquitos and other vicious germs, fierce animals, rats and their behavior changes. Farms will have fallen, dried and bad crops. Land gets furrows of grasses and lots of dispersing plants. Birds and animals are not happy. They suffer, cry and goes through painful time. River changes its proper path and gets over flooded with vicious flow. We can see regular earthquakes, fires, meteor showers, thunders, hurricanes, etc. The sun, moon, clouds, atmosphere become rough, looks smoky and dusty.

Time: We can see un-proper stars or planet alignments. In the country or place where epidemic or pandemic will strike, we can see uneven and sad changes in weather pattern like excessive cold in winter and draught in rainy season.

As per Vaidya Prabhuram Jivanram, we can see uneven changes in all five elements of mother nature (ether, air, water, space, and fire) and through that all five Bhutagni (elemental fire) in humans, birds and all animals.

Hence, to recover the land to its original state, every farmer should pray, do holy fire ceremony, mantra chanting and meditation on their farms along with fumigation first using Guggulu (Commiphora mukul), Guduchi (Commiphora mukul) and Dashmool (ten roots). After that Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) plant fumigation should be done to improve and revive crops, grains Farmers should regularly pray to rivers, or ocean nearby. Everyone should pray any tree with Gayatri Mantra in their premises like Holy Basil, Neem, Mesquite, Cedar, Pine, or whichever tree or shrub you have.

Charak and Sushrut also mentions that past life karma and present life deeds are connected to the cause of diseases and its cure. 

Sushrut believes that unrighteousness and sinful behavior of humans is a major cause of “Bhuta-Bhishangatwa” (infection and infestation) and strongly believes that virus, bacteria or fungus are not the only causes of infections and infestation, but many other factors like energies, planetary system etc. are related with epidemics and pandemics.

When we study every epidemics or pandemics, we find war, sadness, uneasiness, greediness, lust, power struggle, false egos, jealousy, hate and extreme selfishness in the world. Those mental and physical disturbances play important role in the creation of such phenomena on disequilibrium in the mother nature.

In every primary analysis of pandemic studies, three things are most important, and we can compare them with current COVID-19 pandemic following conclusion we reach.

1. To establish clear definition of disease
2. To formulate initial hypotheses as to the nature of the agent and the cause of outbreak
3. To formulate the objective and strategy of the epidemiological investigation.

The above three listed items are not yet fully established for COVID-19.

From last 2000 years, there are more than 20 serious epidemics or pandemics are being spread throughout the world and when we look closer for the reason, Charak and Sushrut views seem to be so more logical but modern public health is lacking on this pathway and to recognize the changes these epidemics make on our water, food, and our psyche or Manas of humans, animals, birds insects or even mold in our houses.

Below are three interesting observations from history which we can use as examples:

Black Death (Black Plague): When we study the Black Death (plague) in Europe from 1347 to 1351, we can see so many wars, like religious wars, mutiny etc.; anger, power greed and chaos flowing all around in Europe before Black Death strikes. In 1330, gunpowder was used for the first time in the west. In 1337, the Hundred’s Years of War started. In 1345, the first apothecary shop opened in London. Just after almost a year, Black Plague spread in Constantinople and then to Greece, Italy and then to whole Europe. Where and how it started still mystery and finger pointing.

Spanish Flu – 1918 Pandemic: At its worse, the Spanish Flu infected 500 million people worldwide, which at the time was about a third of the earth’s population. More than 50 million people died of the disease, with 675,000 in America. Some calculation suggests 17.4 million, while some even suggest 100 million. The World War I just took place from 1914 to 1918. How and from where virus was generated is still a mystery and finger pointing.

Cholera Outbreak, 2010: Recent Cholera epidemic in Haiti stroke after major earthquake and then everyone knows how it was handled.

All great scholar or sages of Ayurveda has put emphasis on the prevention of diseases than the cure by using herbs, holy fire, mantras, etc. They also mentioned that we shall not only cure the epidemics by medications but we also need society which follows honesty, compassion, noble behavior, serenity, self-preservation, cleanliness, celibacy and company of wise, discourse of religious scriptures, and paying respect to mother nature, animals, parents, elders and teachers.

We need proper research on epidemics and pandemics through Ayurveda if we really want to solve these repetitive unbalances. In present time, no one is talking about impact of COVID-19 on food, water, environment, manas (psyche), animals, birds, plants and its global view. Our modern research and view on epidemics and pandemics are very narrow and restrictive.

I strongly believe, epidemics or pandemics are not a mere germ theory but the result of the loss of equilibrium of the universal counterparts of disturbed energies. More we play with nature; nature play with us. All the times vaccination cannot be the answer for the diseases, otherwise the time will come when average person will have to take 500 vaccines mandatorily. We need to go to the root of diseases. We are talking about global economy all the time, but what about global health? No one wants to concentrate to improve quality of health, plasma or blood. No one wants to ask these questions to nature, but more interested to ask it to pharmaceutical companies and doctors. If field is strong, the seed of disease cannot grow on it.

References:

• Charak Samhita
• Sushrut Samhita
• Old archives Prabhuram Ayurvedic College, Mumbai, India,
• History of Medicine by Hunter, 1910, Kings Library, U.K.
• Mahedra lal Sircar, Calcutta Journal of Medicine,1863

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