Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S
Grasp Charaka, in chapter 28 of Charaka Samhita Sutra Sthana part speaks about numerous sorts of meals and drinks that we take and the importance of following a disciplined routine of meals in order to maintain our bodily, psychological and emotional well being in a state of steadiness. For this to occur, one needs to be sensible in selecting good meals when it comes to high quality, amount and time of consuming. One ought to at all times be indulged in significant consuming following the foundations and laws laid for consumption of meals in Ayurveda texts and likewise by following meals etiquettes with presence of thoughts and utility of consciousness. That is so true as a result of ahara – meals is one among the many three supporting pillars of our life, the traya upastambhas (nidra – sleep and brahmacharya – celibacy or ultimate method of righteous residing, being the opposite two supporting pillars).
Context – Charaka Samhita Sutra Sthana, Chapter 28 – Vividha Ashita Peeteeyam Adhyaya, Verses 36-40
Taking good meals and following good and helpful life-style regimens would assist one to avoid illnesses of all types. We’re from what we eat. Due to this fact, we should always take heed to what and the way and likewise how a lot we eat. One must also have a radical data in regards to the meals and the whole lot associated to it together with what’s appropriate and what’s to not her or him.
Grasp Charaka additional tells that solely an individual endowed with Nava Gunas i.e. 9 qualities (which shall be talked about forward within the article) would take utmost warning about each subtleties of meals (and likewise life-style actions) and attributable to volunteered self-discipline into these could be able to avoiding / stopping many or nearly illnesses, protect himself / herself from them and have an ideal steadiness of psychosomatic well being. Alternatively, an individual who doesn’t have these qualities could be extremely undisciplined attributable to his mind and thoughts being clouded by rajas and tamas qualities, makes unsuitable meals selections, not observe the meals regimens and etiquettes and can change into sufferer of a wide selection of illnesses.
On this article we will see what are these 9 qualities one ought to have, to make ultimate meals selections and hold oneself wholesome and robust. Not directly we focus on the advantages of observing correct meals routine and dangerous results of not observing them.
9 qualities you have to protect your self from illnesses
Grasp Charaka, whereas differentiating a sensible individual from an ignorant individual when it comes to making meals selections says that – a sensible individual at all times choses healthful and good meals as a result of he’s predominant in sattva attribute whereas an ignorant individual, his thoughts being dominated by rajas and tamas qualities would at all times desire making unhealthy selections and therefore are victims of many food-induced and psychosomatic illnesses. Alternatively, the sensible one that is sattvika in nature shall be wholesome as a result of he’s disciplined in not solely making good meals selections but in addition would observe wholesome meals regimens as a behavior, all through his life.
Associated Studying – ‘Rajas and Tamas – Healthful meals selections and prevention of illnesses’
Can an clever and realized individual keep away from illnesses?
Sure and no. Sure, when the realized and clever individual can be bestowed with or has inculcated the 9 qualities (which we are going to focus on forward) in himself shall be devoid of rajas and tamas qualities and therefore can keep away from illnesses of meals origin. Alternatively, it’s not enough for an individual to be clever and realized, it will be important for her or him to overcome their rajas and tamas qualities and inculcate these 9 gunas – qualities. It will allow him to make good meals selections that are additionally wholesome and healthful.
What are these 9 qualities that one ought to have in order to protect himself from illnesses?
श्रुतं बुद्धिः स्मृतिर्दाक्ष्यं धृतिर्हितनिषेवणम्| वाग्विशुद्धिः शमो धैर्यमाश्रयन्ति परीक्षकम्||३७||
लौकिकं नाश्रयन्त्येते गुणा मोहरजःश्रितम् | तन्मूला बहवो यन्ति रोगाः शारीरमानसाः||३८||
A sensible, clever, realized and inquisitive one that is bestowed with or who has inculcated the beneath talked about 9 qualities will make good meals selections and would observe a healthful routine and is therefore resistant to meals induced illnesses and likewise numerous sorts of illnesses of bodily, psychological and emotional origin.
The 9 qualities are as beneath defined –
1. Shrutam
An individual who’s properly realized may have sound data of each subtlety of meals and its selections, in regards to the high quality, amount, etiquettes and time and reasoning behind each meal. He would learn about good and unhealthy selections and likewise their penalties. He would know the results of creating good and unhealthy selections of meals and likewise about faulty and unwholesome meals combos. He would make a apply of significant consuming and observe it day-after-day, all through his life. Shrutam additionally means an obedient individual. These individuals observe the directions given by a sensible individual or doctor religiously and inculcate good practices associated to meals and life-style modifications of their life. If shrutam is an obedient pupil of Ayurveda, he would respect what has been talked about within the shastras – treatises or taught from his trainer, apply and likewise advocate the identical (shruti can be a synonym of aptopadesha i.e. teachings of nice gurus documented within the treatises, so, shruta can be an individual who’s an ardent follower of shastra, and therefore is taken into account sensible and clever).
2. Buddhih
An clever individual can be a properly realized individual. He may have a presence of thoughts in the whole lot, the subtleties of meals selections and their good and unhealthy penalties on this context. Intelligence backed up by an excellent data is a gamechanger in making good meals selections which types a basis and backdrop for complete well being.
3. Smriti
An individual who’s wealthy in sattvika guna of the thoughts and has balanced rajas and tamas qualities may have good reminiscence. This reminiscence backed up with excellent intelligence tapped from good data of the ideas from treatises and teachings of masters will assist her or him to recollect the information and figures about meals and meals selections. If these individuals or anybody nearer to them have suffered from some illness attributable to unsuitable meals selections when it comes to high quality or amount or attributable to untoward combos, they’d positively have these experiences saved of their recollections. Subsequent time they’d not make the identical mistake as a result of they’re cautioned by the reminiscence recordsdata that their system has saved. Good recollections of fine experiences of meals will assist one to make wholesome selections of meals. Reminiscence of unhealthy experiences with sure meals or meals combos will alert the individual from committing the identical errors once more. On this method, she or he won’t commit prajnaparadha – aware errors, which is a vital causative issue for a lot of illnesses.
4. Daksha
A sensible individual is blessed with talent and self-discipline. Daksha additionally means skill, talent, experience or honesty. Once we talk about meals selections, an individual who’s expert in meals sciences may also be self-disciplined within the selections he makes. He shall be an individual who would share his experience with others by teachings and talks or write-ups and would encourage the individuals to eat wholesome meals. Within the fashionable period, we are able to discover many food regimen specialists speaking sense about meals on social media and creating meals consciousness by their write ups, together with meals bloggers and vloggers. On the similar time, these individuals are additionally dedicated to do what they educate and preach as a result of they’re sincere to themselves.
5. Dhruti
Dhriti means dedication or firmness. It additionally means perseverance, endurance, steadiness or advantage. A sensible one that can be decided will overcome temptations associated to meals selections. He shall be cautious, regular and stand agency to his selections of taking solely healthful meals and observe meals regimens since he may have utmost endurance and perseverance to take action. One may have good Dhriti when his rajas and tamas qualities of thoughts are in a state of steadiness and when he has conquered his senses.
6. Hita Nishevana
One needs to be habituated to consuming ‘solely good meals’ and will have the power to do it each time and persist with a healthful routine. Doing something repeatedly and never breaking the foundations of something and abiding to a superb format wants immense data, intelligence, reminiscence, self-discipline, experience, dedication and perseverance. One is endowed with this high quality provided that one has balanced his rajasika and tamasika bhavas.
7. Vak Vishuddhi
Vak Vishuddhi means readability and purity of speech. A sensible and realized individual shall be bestowed with readability of speech, which can be pure. So, this individual is aware of what to talk and when. There shall be no manipulation in what he tells. These individuals inform what they do and do what they inform. Vak Shuddhi displays the sattvika nature of the individual. This attribute is required to observe, educate and preach healthful regimens.
8. Shama
Shama means quietness, tranquillity or psychological steadiness / quietness. It additionally means calmness and peace of thoughts. Sensible individuals are bestowed with the advantage of being quiet, tranquil, calm and composed and would have peace of thoughts. This state is attainable solely when the attributes of the thoughts are in a state of steadiness individually and mutually. These individuals are wealthy in sattva guna and have management over rajas and tamas qualities. In a state of tranquillity, the individual would take correct selections associated to healthful routine and would additionally observe the identical.
9. Dhairya
Dhairya means braveness. Sensible and realized individuals are brave and courteous. Dhairya can be stated to be a superb drugs for the thoughts. Braveness helps one to make robust and steady selections and management oneself from diverting from the selections that are made. It wants braveness to abstain from unwholesome meals and routine and likewise to decide on and observe solely healthful meals and routine.
To Sum up,
The one that is bestowed with the above stated 9 options or qualities is taken into account as a sensible individual. Since he’s sensible, he’ll clearly make aware selections associated to meals and because of this would take pleasure in good well being and longevity.
Placing it the opposite method, to be wholesome one ought to observe a healthful routine in relation to meals and life-style practices. (The above stated 9 qualities will not be restricted to creating good selections of meals however are relevant for selecting something good). To observe a healthful routine, she or he needs to be sensible. Knowledge and intelligence of an individual who’s eligible to make healthful selections is measured on the premise of 9 qualities like shruta and so on that he has.
One needs to be bestowed with the above stated 9 qualities to be sensible. Such an individual would have conquered his rajas and tamas attributes and therefore would observe a healthful routine. It is a basis to take pleasure in good well being and longevity.
Alternatively, an ignorant individual won’t possess these 9 qualities. It’s because his thoughts shall be enveloped by moha (tamas) i.e. illusions and rajas i.e. attraction and attachments. These individuals won’t observe a healthful routine and therefore succumb to numerous issues of physique, thoughts, senses and feelings.
Additional on,
प्रज्ञापराधाद्ध्यहितानर्थान् पञ्च निषेवते| सन्धारयति वेगांश्च सेवते साहसानि च||३९||
तदात्वसुखसञ्ज्ञेषु भावेष्वज्ञोऽनुरज्यते| रज्यते न तु विज्ञाता विज्ञाने ह्यमलीकृते||४०||
An ignorant individual shall be indulged in prajnaparadha i.e. obsessed to do mental errors or sins (mental blasphemy – doing the unsuitable issues knowingly). He additionally indulges himself in ahita arthas i.e. unwholesome gratification of 5 senses and vega dharana i.e. forcibly withholding the pure urges of the physique. He may also take pleasure in extreme sahasa i.e. adventurous actions past his or her capability or in rash behaviours. Doing this stuff would solely yield momentary pleasure. However a sensible individual won’t ever take pleasure in such actions since he has readability of thoughts and consciousness. Due to this fact, he’s at all times wholesome and glad.
