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 varied 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 stability. For this to occur, one must be clever in selecting good meals by way of high quality, amount and time of consuming. One ought to all the time be indulged in significant consuming following the principles and rules laid for consumption of meals in Ayurveda texts and likewise by following meals etiquettes with presence of thoughts and software 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 excellent approach of righteous dwelling, 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 useful life-style regimens would assist one to avoid ailments of all kinds. We’re from what we eat. Subsequently, we must always take heed to what and the way and likewise how a lot we eat. One must also have an intensive information in regards to the meals and all the pieces 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 can be talked about forward within the article) would take utmost warning about each subtleties of meals (and likewise life-style actions) and as a consequence of volunteered self-discipline into these can be able to avoiding / stopping many or virtually ailments, defend himself / herself from them and have an ideal stability of psychosomatic well being. Alternatively, an individual who doesn’t have these qualities can be extremely undisciplined as a consequence of his mind and thoughts being clouded by rajas and tamas qualities, makes unsuitable meals selections, not observe the meals regimens and etiquettes and can turn out to be sufferer of a wide selection of ailments.
On this article we will see what are these 9 qualities one ought to have, to make excellent meals selections and maintain oneself wholesome and robust. Not directly we talk about the advantages of observing correct meals routine and dangerous results of not observing them.
9 qualities you’ll want to defend your self from ailments
Grasp Charaka, whereas differentiating a clever particular person from an ignorant particular person by way of making meals selections says that – a clever particular person all the time choses healthful and good meals as a result of he’s predominant in sattva attribute whereas an ignorant particular person, his thoughts being dominated by rajas and tamas qualities would all the time choose making unhealthy selections and therefore are victims of many food-induced and psychosomatic ailments. Alternatively, the clever one who is sattvika in nature can be wholesome as a result of he’s disciplined in not solely making good meals selections but additionally would observe wholesome meals regimens as a behavior, all through his life.
Associated Studying – ‘Rajas and Tamas – Healthful meals selections and prevention of ailments’
Can an clever and realized particular person keep away from ailments?
Sure and no. Sure, when the realized and clever particular person can be bestowed with or has inculcated the 9 qualities (which we are going to talk about forward) in himself can be devoid of rajas and tamas qualities and therefore can keep away from ailments 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. This may allow him to make sensible meals selections that are additionally wholesome and healthful.
What are these 9 qualities that one ought to have in order to defend himself from ailments?
श्रुतं बुद्धिः स्मृतिर्दाक्ष्यं धृतिर्हितनिषेवणम्| वाग्विशुद्धिः शमो धैर्यमाश्रयन्ति परीक्षकम्||३७||
लौकिकं नाश्रयन्त्येते गुणा मोहरजःश्रितम् | तन्मूला बहवो यन्ति रोगाः शारीरमानसाः||३८||
A clever, clever, realized and inquisitive one who is bestowed with or who has inculcated the beneath talked about 9 qualities will make sensible meals selections and would observe a healthful routine and is therefore resistant to meals induced ailments and likewise varied sorts of ailments of bodily, psychological and emotional origin.
The 9 qualities are as beneath defined –
1. Shrutam
An individual who’s nicely realized could have sound information 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 find out about good and unhealthy selections and likewise their penalties. He would know the implications of creating good and unhealthy selections of meals and likewise about misguided and unwholesome meals mixtures. He would make a apply of significant consuming and observe it day-after-day, all through his life. Shrutam additionally means an obedient particular person. These individuals observe the directions given by a clever particular person or doctor religiously and inculcate good practices associated to meals and life-style adjustments 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 instructor, 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 clever and clever).
2. Buddhih
An clever particular person can be a nicely realized particular person. He could have a presence of thoughts in all the pieces, the subtleties of meals selections and their good and unhealthy penalties on this context. Intelligence backed up by an excellent information 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 could have good reminiscence. This reminiscence backed up with superb intelligence tapped from good information of the ideas from treatises and teachings of masters will assist her or him to recollect the details and figures about meals and meals selections. If these individuals or anybody nearer to them have suffered from some illness as a consequence of unsuitable meals selections by way of high quality or amount or as a consequence of untoward mixtures, 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 information 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 mixtures will alert the particular person from committing the identical errors once more. On this approach, she or he is not going to commit prajnaparadha – acutely aware errors, which is a vital causative issue for a lot of ailments.
4. Daksha
A clever particular person is blessed with talent and self-discipline. Daksha additionally means skill, talent, experience or honesty. Once we discuss meals selections, an individual who’s expert in meals sciences may also be self-disciplined within the selections he makes. He can be an individual who would share his experience with others by means of teachings and talks or write-ups and would encourage the individuals to eat wholesome meals. Within the trendy period, we will discover many weight-reduction plan consultants speaking sense about meals on social media and creating meals consciousness by means of their write ups, together with meals bloggers and vloggers. On the identical time, these persons are additionally dedicated to do what they train and preach as a result of they’re trustworthy to themselves.
5. Dhruti
Dhriti means willpower or firmness. It additionally means perseverance, persistence, steadiness or advantage. A clever one who can be decided will overcome temptations associated to meals selections. He can be cautious, regular and stand agency to his selections of taking solely healthful meals and observe meals regimens since he could have utmost persistence and perseverance to take action. One could have good Dhriti when his rajas and tamas qualities of thoughts are in a state of stability and when he has conquered his senses.
6. Hita Nishevana
One must be habituated to consuming ‘solely good meals’ and will have the flexibility to do it each time and stick with a healthful routine. Doing something repeatedly and never breaking the principles of something and abiding to format wants immense information, intelligence, reminiscence, self-discipline, experience, willpower 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 clever and realized particular person can be bestowed with readability of speech, which can be pure. So, this particular person is aware of what to talk and when. There can 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 particular person. This attribute is required to observe, train and preach healthful regimens.
8. Shama
Shama means quietness, tranquillity or psychological stability / quietness. It additionally means calmness and peace of thoughts. Sensible persons 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 stability individually and mutually. These persons are wealthy in sattva guna and have management over rajas and tamas qualities. In a state of tranquillity, the particular person would take correct selections associated to healthful routine and would additionally observe the identical.
9. Dhairya
Dhairya means braveness. Sensible and realized persons are brave and courteous. Dhairya can be stated to be drugs for the thoughts. Braveness helps one to make robust and secure 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 clever particular person. Since he’s clever, he’ll clearly make acutely aware selections associated to meals and consequently would take pleasure in good well being and longevity.
Placing it the opposite approach, to be wholesome one ought to observe a healthful routine in relation to meals and life-style practices. (The above stated 9 qualities should not restricted to creating good selections of meals however are relevant for selecting something good). To observe a healthful routine, she or he must be clever. Knowledge and intelligence of an individual who’s eligible to make healthful selections is measured on the idea of 9 qualities like shruta and so on that he has.
One must be bestowed with the above stated 9 qualities to be clever. Such an individual would have conquered his rajas and tamas attributes and therefore would observe a healthful routine. This can be a basis to take pleasure in good well being and longevity.
Alternatively, an ignorant particular person is not going to possess these 9 qualities. It is because his thoughts can be enveloped by moha (tamas) i.e. illusions and rajas i.e. attraction and attachments. These individuals is not going to 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 particular person can 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 bask 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 clever particular person won’t ever bask in such actions since he has readability of thoughts and consciousness. Subsequently, he’s all the time wholesome and comfortable.
