Yoga And Ayurveda-Part I

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The Vedanta Kesari, p. 381-385, October 2005, Ramakrishna Mission

Understanding The Basics

Yoga and Ayurveda are sister sciences. Both have inseparable relationships. Yoga clubbed together with Ayurveda will produce positive effects on health. Both belong to the ancient Indian tradition. Both comprehensively illuminate the basic laws and principles governing life on earth. To understand both is to understand the forces that engender our well-being, as well as those that lie at the root of existence.

Ayurveda encompasses not only science but religion and philosophy as well. In Ayurveda the whole of life-journey is considered to be sacred. Ayurveda is a science of truth as it is expressed in life. All Ayurvedic science and literature is based on the Sankhya philosophy of creation. This system was evolved from the Rishis who perceived that there is a close relationship between man and the universe. According to them the source of all existence is cosmic consciousness, which manifests as male and female energy-Shiva and Shakti-like Yin and Yang in Chinese philosophy.

The Rishi Kapila discovered twenty-four principles or elements of the universe, of which Prakriti or creativity is the most basic. Purusha is the male energy while Prakriti is the female energy. Purusha is formless, colourless and beyond attributes and takes no active part in the manifestation of the universe. Prakriti has form, colour and attributes. It is awareness with choice. It is divine will. Prakriti creates all forms in the universe, while Purusha is the witness to this creation. It is primordial physical energy containing the three attributes or guëas: sattva (essence), rajas (movement) and tamas (inertia), which are the foundation for all existence.

What is Ayurveda

Ayurveda is a Sanskrit term meaning 'science of life'-'Ayu' means 'life' or 'daily living', and 'veda' is 'knowing'. It was first recorded in the Vedas. It is considered to be the Upaveda of Atharva-veda, and thus has its origins from the Vedas. It has survived through two sets of original authentic texts each consisting of three books, namely Vriddhattrayi, the three big books: Charaka Samhita (500 BC), Sushruta Samhita (500 BC) and Samhitas of Vagbhatta (600 AD); and Laghuttrayi, the three small books: Madhav Nidana (900 AD), Sarangdhara Samhita (1300 AD) and Bhava Prakasa (1600 AD). All these are in Sanskrit, in the form of reference manuals dealing with all aspects of life, health, disease and treatment. The approach is essentially philosophic, holistic and humanistic.

Read more on the definition of Ayurveda on the Next Page