THIS was the exact purpose of this series titled ‘The Realm of Ayurved’ -- to bring to fore for people’s benefit the scientific dimensions of the ancient science of wellness or longevity. The effort was directed to emphasise the scientific manner in which Ayurved evolved over countless thousands of years -- from Divine roots to the painstakingly-conducted research by lakhs of scholars over enormous timeline of history. The purpose was never to propose or oppose any side of the current socio-legal battles underway between different lobbies. But the purpose clearly is to tell the larger society the fact of Ayurved as a complete, research-based, evidence-supported science having been handed down to countless generations from their forefathers. The purpose was to bring to fore the presence of countless ancient texts like Charak Samhita, Sushrut Samhita, Asthang Hridayam, to name only a few. The purpose was to demonstrate to modern-day doubters that Ayurved is a world apart from modern medicine. The purpose also was to tell how fine and detailed anatomical study of human body was available in different texts of Ayurved. The purpose was to bring to light how Ayurved had evolved through several branches of inquiry. Unfortunately, a lobby is operating in the country to malign Ayurved.

 

There are reasons to suspect that this lobby may have been supported by financially strong lobby of different pharmaceutical manufacturers. This scribe has arrived at this suggested inference out of his own experience of having been told by practitioners of modern medicine never to resort to Ayurvedic medicine. When this scribe closely questioned those ladies and gentlemen practitioners of modern medicine, none of them had proper answers to prove that Ayurved caused damage to human organs. This scribe did not indulge in debating acrimoniously on the issue, but resolved to explain to average readers the immense potential Ayurved has built in itself over countless thousands of years of research and well-meditated practice of various approaches to human wellness -- including surgery of most complicated nature. The series was devoted to explaining how ancient scholars and scientists had conducted massive, global-level research on medicinal plants and how they arrived at a complete and very deep thought on human wellness through the process of preserving the human body as the gift from the divine, rather than correcting illness. The series focused on telling that the emphasis of Ayurved is on maintenance of wellness and not correction of illness.

 

True, correction gets a very major emphasis in Ayurved all right, but the core value is the maintenance of human body/life through life-style management through good food culture, good sleep culture and good conduct culture. Ayurved gives deep thought to method and manner of consumption of water as well. True, Ayurvedic pharmacology is a very extensive and intensive subject whose details are simply amazing. It shows the depth to which ayurvedic thought goes while handling challenges of keeping human wellness intact -- through maintenance and correction. The series can never claim to be a complete explanation of how Ayurved thinks and operates in different conditions -- since it is a media-literature. But this scribe has received countless positive responses from discerning readers and knowledgeable persons about the correctness of approach to increasing awareness about Ayurved in common people’s minds. Many knowledgeable persons even wondered if this scribe possessed any degree or certificate of ayurvedic studies. This scribe lays no claim to any such certification.

 

But it is important to assert here that the series was not based on any source material from any digital platform or similar domains. Each reference was drawn from physical books in personal possession of the scribe collected over time. However, it is necessary here to share with the readers an important input -- that this scribes belongs to a family of medical practitioners, both ayurvedic and allopathic. From that ancestral background, he did happen to acquire a sensible approach to inquiry into any scientific domain as regards human health and medicare. As this series comes to its conclusion, the expectation is simple -- that the readers will take up cudgels in favour of Ayurved as a complete science of human wellness and longevity -- if they happen to run into doubters. As India’s gift to the world, Ayurved deserves at least that much care and concern from all of us. Cheers! (Concluded)