What is Ayurveda?

Ayus and Veda

The flow of life is longevity; Āyus in Sanskrit. To ensure life’s steady flow, two things should happen continuously. One is preservation of health and the other is the correction of illnesses. These two happen round the clock within our body, but to make it happen our body and mind have to keep working in tandem.

The very purpose of communication is to pass on knowledge. Ever since we began communicating effectively the human race has been learning and compiling vital information. This was crucial for our survival. Eventually, these compilations of knowledge, practices and principles formed the axis of a civilization. In India, these collections of science, philosophy and culture are called the Vedas. That ‘Veda’ which has observations, advices, guidelines and remedies on how to preserve our health and cure our illnesses became the Veda of Ayus– Ayurveda.

Ayurveda and the World

Even though Vedas are accepted as the most ancient scriptures, the origin of Ayurveda precedes the Vedas itself. It seems that it was only after centuries of application, testing and improvisation that this know-how on well-being, treatment and medicines eventually got written down. Also, this wisdom of Ayurveda did not get confined to the Indian subcontinent. The civilizations there were arguably the most advanced in the ages during which the Vedas were compiled. Scholars from all corners of the civilized world would flock to India, learn Ayurveda and go back to their homelands to establish a new medical system or to enhance the pervious one, using the Ayurvedic principles as the foundation. The proof for this can be found in the ancient medical books from all these places. The ‘Hippocratic Theory’, translation of classical Ayurvedic texts to several languages like Greek, Arabic and Chinese, the discovery of cosmetic surgery by modern medicine etc. are examples of how Ayurveda influenced world medicine. Travelers, traders, pilgrims and missionaries like the Buddhist monks from India carried the legacy of Ayurveda to far off lands of China, Tibet, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Korea and even all the way up to the Mediterranean.

However, as the civilizations around the globe evolved so did their medical systems and consequentially gained separate identities. This continued until recent history, when the modern medical system aka allopathy, with a standardized and disease-centric view, was established throughout the world. The globalization of modern medicine was achieved in a rather short span of time; thanks to the aggressive expansion of the British Empire, causing many rudimentary medical traditions to perish. On the other hand, many were abandoned by its own people. At some places traditional healing systems were suppressed and abolished by colonial rulers, however in India, Ayurveda not only survived, but thrived during the most adverse of times, simply because it is an unparalleled and superlative medical system, both in its principles and practice. Perhaps the only mistake that the vanguards of Ayurveda made was their reluctance in sharing Ayurveda wisdom and healing prowess on a global level, which deprived a lot of people around the world from bettering their health through Ayurveda.

The Future is Directed Towards Ayurveda

The modern world, threatened by lifestyle diseases and complications of current medical practices, is slowly recollecting the prospects and potential of Ayurveda. With the help of the internet and a global economy, Ayurveda is gaining better visibility and recognition than ever before. Today, students of Ayurveda also learn the modern medical and diagnostic methods which enable them to convey the methodologies of Ayurveda in a language of modern science. This is opening up new avenues in healthcare where a holistic and complementary approach is used to incorporate the concepts of Ayurveda into healthcare needs of different nations and cultures. Interestingly, like in the days of yore, Ayurveda is gradually becoming a household name across the world.

The Way of Ayurveda

For Ayurveda, you are the priority. All the fundamental principles and treatments are based on nature and its interaction with the individual. So, instead of addressing a disease or a body part, the way of Ayurveda is to heal the person holistically. Ayurveda works by adhering to the basic laws of nature, identifying its normalcy and abnormalities and closely observing the effect of nature on a person’s body, mind and soul. Ayurveda never takes credit for improving health or curing an illness. That is always done by a person’s innate energy, an instinct to stay healthy and live a full life. What Ayurveda does is support and strengthen this healing power within us, therefore its first goal is to safeguard this healing power within and thus maintain health. There is a dedicated section in Ayurveda, called the svasthavṛtta (preventive medicine) that elaborates on how health can be maintained. It is only when we lose the balance due to innate or external causes that we fall sick. At this juncture, Ayurveda steps into fight mode, where the priority is to pacify or eliminate the disease-causing factors and restore health… the Balance & Harmony.

Dive Deeper into the Foundations of Ayurveda

Ayurveda, a Gift from India, for Global Well-being

The ancient Indian culture and beliefs were the original pillars of this science. It was well apprehended by the sages, skillfully practiced by the doctors (vaidyas) and respectfully believed and followed by the people. In fact, a lot of Ayurvedic principles are already a part of the daily routine of Indians. Just because Ayurveda originated and flourished in India, that doesn’t mean it is an Indian system of medicine. Ayurveda has always maintained a global outlook, which is evident from the fact that it does not limit its wisdom to a specific region, culture or religion. The foundational concepts of Ayurveda are universal and are applicable to all living and sentient beings. Thus, through a trained physician, the benefits of Ayurveda can be enjoyed by each and every one of us. Ayurveda upholds the motto “wellness to the entire world: lokāḥ samasthāḥ sukhino bhavantu”.

You can read more: the Clinical Departments of Ayurveda