Siddha system of Indian medicine
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The Siddha medicine is a form of south Indian Tamil traditional medicine and part of the trio Indian medicines – ayurveda, siddha and unani.This is nearly 10,000 years old medical system followed by the Tamil people, both in India and abroad. This system of medicine was popular in ancient India,due to the antiquity of this medical system,the siddha system of medicine is believed to be one of the oldest medical system. The system is believed to be developed by the 18 siddhas in the south called siddhar. They are the ancient supernatural spiritual saints of India and the Siddha system is believed to be handed over to the Siddhar by the Hindu God – Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi. So are the siddhars, the followers of Lord Shiva (Shaivaites). Siddhar’s total nos are eighteen, with agathiyar being the first Siddhar. Read More: > HERE <
Siddha system of medicine is one of the oldest medical systems of India existed separately in early times. The system has flourished well in India for many centuries. Although this system has declined in later years, in the wake of changing mode of life and modern medicine, it continues to sustain its influence on the masses because of its incomparable intrinsic merits. Siddha medicine can combat all types of diseases, especially the chronic diseases, which baffles and eludes even the modern sophisticated medicine.
There are two ancient systems of medicine in India, the Siddha which flourished in the south and the Ayurveda prevalent in north. Siddha system is called ‘saiva sampradayam’ (tradition of Lord Shiva) and Ayurveda is called Brahma or ‘Arsha sampradayam’ (the tradition of rishis). The inference to be drawn from these traditions is that, there is no exact point of time to which the beginning of these systems could be traced. They are eternal, without a beginning or end: they began with man and may end with him. The term ‘Siddha’ means ‘everlasting’, ‘Conquering death’, ‘holy immortals’, etc. This system is originated by 18 Siddhars headed by Siddha ‘AGASTHYA’. Siddhars were a Class of popular writers in Tamil in all branches of knowledge and many of their works were written in what is called High Tamil. They were men of high culture, intellectual and spiritual faculties combined with supernatural powers and intuitive intelligence acquired by yogic powers. The prevention and the cure of illness is the basic aims of all systems of medicine.
The Siddha system has, in addition, a transcendental motivation, a concern for what might be called the ‘IMMORTALITY OF THE BODY’. The ‘Siddhars’ were those who had renounced the world after experiencing its instability and uncertainties. They practiced yoga extensively and wrought great miracles, imbued with Devine power. They knew the past, the present and the future, rejuvenated their body, lived for many years, ultimately attained the state of ‘perpetual consciousness’ or ‘Samadhi’ and enjoyed eternal bliss. Big Hindu Temples sprang up over their Samadhi and centers of devout worship even today. They form the most important temples in south India.
Fundamental principles of Siddha – According to siddhars ‘Nature is man and man is nature’, therefore both are essentially one. The universe consists of two essential entities, matter and energy which the Siddhars call ‘Siva’ and ‘Shakthi’. The two co-exist and are inseparable.
The universe consists of five elements and these elements should not be confused with the elements of modern chemistry. They are primordial elements. They are Munn (solid), Neer (fluid), Thee (radiance), Vayu (gas), and Akasam (ether). All created and evolved matter in the world, be it animal, vegetable, or mineral, falls under these categories. The human anatomy and physiology, the causative factor of disease, the materials for the treatment and cure of diseases, the food for the sustenance of the body, all fall within the five elemental categories. This is the working hypothesis.
The human being is made up of the five elements. The various tissues of the body are the combinations of these elements. In one tissue one element may be more predominant than the others. The physiological function in the body is mediated by three substances- Vatham, Pitham, and Kapham. In each cell in the body these three co-exist and function harmoniously. Vatham is formed by the basic elements Akasam and vayu. Pitham is formed by Thee and Kaph is formed by Munn and Neer. If these three functions normally, health is maintained. The body consists of seven ‘dhatus’: Rasa (lymph), Kurudi (blood), Tasai (muscle), Kozhuppu (fat), Elumbu (bone), Majja (marrow) and Sukkilam and Artavam (male and female hormones). In these seven tissues one or other of the three ‘doshas’ predominate. In the tissue blood, Pitham predominates, in bone Vatham and in other tissues Kapham. The doshas should not be pictured as separate entities staying in the body in different places. Though they are treated separately, it is to be understood that they combine in their action to make life go on; they may be compared to three pillars which supports a structure. They conjointly permeate every structure in the body; so much so there is not a single point in the body where all the three doshas are not present. The maintenance of equilibrium of the three doshas is health; the disturbance of the equilibrium is disease. The concept is similar to the theories of cellular mechanism, biochemical changes, enzymes and hormones, of modern medicine- Both Siddha and Ayurveda are based on humoral pathological doctrine- the tridosha theory- the three supports of human body system.
Diagnosis and basis of treatment – The words ‘noai nadal, noai mudal nadal’ in the ancient texts denotes the approach to disease and determination of the etiology of the disease. Siddha concept for diagnosis is to investigate the cause of the disease, the signs and symptoms, complications if any, and pathological tissue changes. The Siddhars look at body and disease together to arrive at a conclusion regarding the condition or diagnosis of the case. This condition is an essential pre-requisite for treatment. In addition, eight important factors are to be ruled out. They are pulse, touch, tongue, colour, speech, eyes, faceus and urine. The five elements of the body and their life factors: the five elements of the body (pancha bhootas) and Vatham, Pitham, and Kapham (tridoshas) are widely described by Siddhars who classified the diseases into 4448 varieties. The etiology, signs and symptoms and treatment were explained for all the varieties by Siddhars. Medicines should be prepared according to individual needs separately.
The three ‘humors’ Vatha, Pitha and Kapha represents air, fire and water of the five elements (pancha bhootas), which form the connecting link between microcosm or man and macrocosm or the earth. These three humors maintain the human body through their combined functioning. The normal order of tridosha in a healthy person is 1: ½: ¼ or 4:2:1 respectively. If this equilibrium is disturbed disease sets in. Medicine are prescribed to set right the imbalance in the life factors either by addition, reduction or neutralization, since all matters (herbs, minerals and metals) contain the five elements and hence three factors. The presence of a particular factor in a substance is found by the taste of the latter. The five elements in different combinations form six tastes. Innumerable varieties of herbs are mentioned in Siddha literature. Many of these were described in a manner very difficult to understand. There are 64 types of medicine in Siddha pharmacopoeia, 32 for internal administration and 32 for external applications, besides 11 metals, 64 mercurial and non-mercurial), 120 uparasam (salts and other minerals). Diet and Anupanam (vehicle for administration) plays a very important role in Siddha treatment. A single herb like ’solanum trilobatum‘ is used in 20 different diseases with different Anupanams.
Unique Siddha medicinal preparations – For a medicine to be effective, the inorganic substances have to be brought to their atomic form. Siddhars developed the knowledge of bringing inorganic substances into atomic and ionic form which is easily absorbed by the system, when ground with herbal juices and put on the fire.
The specialized Siddha preparations are ‘parpam’, ‘chendooram’, ‘chunnam’, ‘mezhagu’. These are metallic and mineral preparations by transmutation processes of converting the metal to ashes and waxy constituency which exerts only therapeutic properties and devoid of any metallic traces. These are also the byproducts noticed during Siddhars Alchemical practices.
Muppu: Muppu has a distinct place in Siddha medicine. It is the combination of three rare salts which enhances the efficacy of any Siddha medicine. The preparation and ingredients are a closely guarded secret. It is also believed that ‘muppu’ also engender yogic concentration, a part of Siddha tradition.
Kaya kalpa: This is similar to ‘Rasayana chikitsa’ of Ayurveda and ‘gerontology’ of modern medicine. The word ‘kalpa’ means ‘able’, ‘competent’. When it is connected with ‘kaya’ or body, the term means competency or ability of the body. While in Ayurveda, rasayana is different from ‘vajeekarana’, kaya kalpa does not treat vajeekarana or the science of aphrodisiacs separately. When kayakalpa treatment is undertaken, the vigor of body and mind are restored and so there is no need for separate attention to vajeekarana. Siddhars were more concerned about the ultimate goal of living and less with worldly pursuit of sex. How ever, kayakalpa is very much capable of achieving the ends of both rasayana and vajeekarana.
Present status and scope: There are 6 Siddha medical colleges in Tamil nadu and one in Kerala catering to the needs of those who are interested in leaning siddha medicine course for 5 and half years and post-graduate specialization courses for two years.
Due to the popularity of ‘Siddha’ in India and abroad, the government of India has decided that Allopathic and Indian system of medicine should together contribute towards the development of the National Health Services. In addition, Indian system of medicine has also been recognized for the purpose of reimbursement of medical treatment under the central services.
The central council is executing its research programme in Siddha through Central research institute, regional research institute, mobile clinical research units, medico botanical survey unit etc. For the research in Siddha system, many research units were started at New Delhi, Bengalooru, Chennai, Pondycherry, Palayamkottai and Trivandrum.
“Food is medicine and medicine is food” and “Prevention is better than cure” were the slug lines of Siddhars and their followers. In the past people had the first hand information of the health and toxic effects of various species of flora and they provided the raw materials to the medical man for compilation. Thus Siddha system is a science perfected into an art, coupled with primitive intuitions into nature’s resources and secrets.
A close look at the eating habits of animals and birds reveals they eat food raw and ripe consisting of all the six tastes where as man eats only food stuff of four tastes, leaving bitter and astringent, which are pre-requisites for healthy circulation f blood. Bitterness fights against bacterial infection and astringency maintains the right blood quality and its constituents. Small quantities of agathi grandiflora, bitter gourd, seeds of solanum xanthocarpum, flowers of neem eaten now and then in small quantities, ward of many microbiological and bacterial infections.
It was a common knowledge for many Indian to possess the rare knowledge of various medicinal properties of ingredients in our culinary preparations and thus many an Indian woman trained in the traditional oriental ways of food preparation is an excellent and masterly physician without any master degree…
As a sampler, when excessive smoking causes dizziness, stomach disorders and makes the male suffer from nicotine poison, immediately the lady knows the sure cure for this disorder and gives him agathi grandiflora leaves, deliciously cooked at regular intervals and thus cures him of his malady, similarly she knows the properties of medicinal food recipes out of edible greens, leaves, barks, berries and other vegetables and the value of pepper, mustard, ginger and a host of other household provisions, rarely men of the past generations were perforce compelled to visit the medical experts and specialists who were scarce and few.
The leafy green mentioned above and several other bitter lasting foods and dishes as in margosa leaves and other plants and medicinal herbs, kill or exterminate the nematodes like thread worm, hookworm and tape worms and similar germs infesting the bowels and alimentary canal.
Religion is an indispensable stand in the web of Hindu Indian life that permeates through the daily life and character of Indians. The wise men of old India have deftly fused in their life certain ablutions, ceremonial rights and codes of conducts for normal healthy life. The Hindu Icons or the Pantheons of various Gods and particular modes of worship with leaves, flowers, milk, butter, honey, ghee, betel and nuts are symbolic and of great significance just as an abacus is used to induce children to learn arithmetic; these observations have been designed to promote for living a healthy life of body, mind and spirit. The practices may seem succinct or stupid to the modern civilization, but they were quite significant and sacred in the past.
The ancient wisdom of our ancestors should not be ridiculed because of our ignorance or non realization of their intrinsic worth. Let me present few examples of these rites and rituals and anyone with faithful, sincere interpretations of facts will come to the conclusion as how the medicine, art, culture, rituals and the way to healthy living with longevity were interwoven during prehistoric period.
While worshipping Lord Shiva, during the chanting and pooja, beal leaves (aegle marmelos) are offered to the Deity and after worship, some of these leaves are eaten by the devotees as ‘Prasad’ (blessings from God).this intake of beal leaves when followed regularly ensures good health by proper digestion and assimilation of food. It also removes the toxins in the body and is a blood purifier.
While worshipping mother Durga, the Goddess is being invoked with neem leaves and later consumed by the devotees. This is manna from heaven when consumed regularly in small quantities with its essence, as it proves wonderful disinfectant and germicide. Regular intake of this herb in any kind will be a sure elixir of life.
The foremost Hindu Deity Lord Ganesha, first to be propiated before commencing any important human project as per the belief. The Lord is worshipped with a particular type of grass – ‘Doorva’ (cynodon dactylon), which has been proven scientifically to possess the power of generating electricity in minute degree. When handling it augment one’s personal magnetism. It is of high medicinal value when administered orally. Another instance may seem superstitious but not without truth. Before initiating any auspicious rites, it is customary to make a crude image of Lord Ganesha with a fresh paste of either cow dung or turmeric paste and stick a small tuft of Doorva grass leaves to the person of the Deity. This image is abandoned and left to wither after performing pooja. Normally wet paste of either cow dung or turmeric when left exposed to atmosphere will be infested with bacteria and this does not happen with the sanctimonious Lord Ganesh’s image with the bunch of Doorva grass. It may baffle one’s imagination and one may not believe, but seeing believes!!!
Selection of purified herbs for compound Siddha preparations – Mango leaves are used in the worship of the Goddess of rivers- Ganga devi. Festoons of mango leave adorn temples and houses during festivals. A tuft of mango leaves dipped in the sacred water after worship Ganga is sprinkled over all the places of the premises and on the devotees. This serves as purificatory process. A decoction of mango leaves taken at regular intervals will cure many bodily illnesses.
The people of ‘Vishnu cult’ perform pooja of the Lord with ‘Tulsi leaves’ (ocimum sanctum). After the pooja 3-5 leaves are consumed as ‘Prasad’… these leaves consumed at regular intervals will build strong muscles and bones. It is also a wonderful prophylactic drug for many ailments.
Likewise ‘Lord Brahma’, the Creator is worshipped with country fig leaves and fruits. The intake of these leaves and fruits will restore the correct blood constituents due to its astringent properties. These few narrations give a glimpse into the astounding possibilities of simple herbal preparations with no intricate knowledge of orthodox Siddha compounds with elaborative preparation processes. With a primary knowledge of hundreds of species in vegetable kingdom and the knowledge of physical body, its physiology and anatomy and simple rules of health and hygiene, any layman can lead a healthy life free from diseases.
Similarly periodic oil-bath promotes real rejuvenation of the physical body, though the modern medical conception put it that the diet we take orally contain oily matter which could suffice for a healthy body. Folds and wrinkles disappear in due course, when taken regular oil bath, giving the person youth, glow and luster. There are many illustrations of Siddhars stating by proper physical exercise and perfect breathing, food habits, evacuation of bowels, many undesirable conditions get eliminated. Siddhars have also propounded many prescriptions for rejuvenating the body and this bulk is called ‘Kayakalpa’, literally meaning a body like stone. The most intriguing, perplexing and unique phenomenon of Siddha system of medicine is the ‘Kayakalpa group of herbs’ which is not found in any other systems of medicine in the world. These ensure physiotherapy, psychotherapy, preventive and curative aspects of diseases and pave the way for longevity. There are 108 kayakalpa herbs; many among them in daily use are onion, garlic, ginger, lemon, jequirity and turmeric etc.
On close scrutiny one will struck with much wonder as in how those days where there was not even a microscope, the ancient Siddhars were capable of describing the use of such things rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins, hormones, electrolytes and other nutrients grouped them as disease preventives for promoting longevity.
To conclude these scriptures and sciences embody all that was required for human advancements in the world and a study of these ancient literatures will be really productive of lasting benefits. We may confess that we are still ignorant of many things connected with the ancient thoughts and beliefs and it is our ignorance that belittles their greatness.
The revival of ancient systems, be they in medicine or moral code, requires a faithful interpretation of the views of the originators of these sciences and such a movement will be useful and indeed found necessary since modern discoveries still are incomplete and look forward to the ancient works for the ‘MISSING LINKS’.
The Siddha system of medicine deserves careful and faithful examination since it has in itself many principles which may go a long way to supply the defects and deficiencies of modern conceptions and that may save Indian society and generally the world from many a besetting peril…..
Exciting possibilities ahead: In conclusion, it must be said that Siddha medicine offers exciting avenues for investigations in the light of modern science and technology. Such investigations can lead to significant breakthroughs not just in herbal pharmaceuticals, but in conceptual and practical knowledge as well, with far-reaching benefits for the existing system of healthcare as a whole. But such investigative studies must necessarily be multidisciplinary, with full involvement of scholars in ancient Tamil scriptures, veteran Siddha Vaidyas, and tribal folks with knowledge of field work, historians and several other members of Siddha medical community at the local level. Exploration of the goldmine of Siddha knowledge and wisdom is certainly worth substantial investments of human and financial resources.
– Authored by Siddha vaidya P.S.Narasimha swamy,
Director- Agasthya Siddha literature research centre,
#1495, Dr. Ambedkar Road,
Krishna murthy puram, Mysore-5700 04 Cell: 09845167119
e-mail: swamy_siddha@yahoo.com , agasthyaswamy@gmail.com
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