Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S
Bheshaja – drugs
Vyakti – individual
Bheshaja Vyakti are classes of people who find themselves talked about in Sushruta Samhita, who truly don’t immediately belong to the medical system however have lent a really helpful hand in evolution of Ayurveda system of drugs as a science, over generations. So far as Ayurveda is worried, their contribution is immense.
They are often thought of as ‘para-physicians of Ayurveda system of drugs’.
Allow us to see who these persons are whereas exploring the reference from Sushruta Samhita.
Ref – Sushruta Sutra Sthana, Chapter 37, verse 10 (Su.Su.37/10)
Bheshaja Vyakti: 5 essential Ayurveda Para-physicians
गिपकास्तापसा व्याधा ये चान्ये वनचारिणः ।
मूलाहाराश्च ये तेभ्यो भेषजव्यक्तिरिष्यते ॥१०॥
Bheshaja Vyaktis are individuals who have good information of medicinal herbs and vegetation and are just like physicians on this method. They’re referred to as as Bheshaja Vyakti and assist to construct the medical system with their immense contribution.
Beneath talked about is the record of people who find themselves referred to as as Bheshaja Vyakti.
1. Gopala – are cowherds, individuals who have a tendency cattle. In olden days (even right this moment in villages), the cowherds used to take cattle to the forests for grazing them. They need to know which vegetation are good for cattle and which aren’t. In addition they had information of vegetation, roots and herbs which has descended by their familial career.
2. Tapasa – are ascetics. That they had rejected all riches and comforts of life and had been dwelling within the forests, of their hermitage. They too had exact information of herbs. Many ascetics knew how you can use them within the type of medicines and put together easy treatments out of herbs and roots accessible of their neighborhood and likewise taught individuals round them. They too handed on this data to their gen-next. They had been in true sense, the ‘mini docs.
3. Vyadha – are hunters. Hunters too are wanderers. Searching was a career and a royal pastime of the traditional occasions. Because the hunters roamed rather a lot within the forests seeking their hunt and meals for his or her household, in addition they learnt in regards to the flora to which they’re uncovered to. There have been possibilities and dangers that they get injured or attacked by animals very often after which wanted to know the vegetation which might are available as fast first-aid for them. These individuals additionally had a exact information of the meat and animal merchandise. Lot of animal merchandise had been additionally used for preparation of medicines and therapies and these individuals had been the supply of that information. In addition they most likely catered them to the physicians.
4. Vanacharina – are individuals who stay and roam round in forests, as in tribal individuals. There may be loads of information of tribal folklore medicines contributing in direction of evolution of medical science, primarily Ayurveda, from time immemorial. Sure tribes have information of sure units of herbs and roots grown of their geography.
This additionally consists of individuals who wander within the forests or make a dwelling there, dwelling by consuming the roots, vegetation, fruits and so forth. accessible wherever they stay or migrate. These individuals had immense information of the herbs and roots together with what is sweet and what not. Some individuals additionally roam in forests to gather roots and herbs.
Hypothetical understanding of ‘Bheshaja Vyakti’ and the possible concept of their evolution within the historical past of evolution of Ayurveda drugs
They take care of the medicinal herbs and therefore they’ve ‘bheshaja’ of their title / identify. They aren’t docs, so they aren’t referred to as Vaidya however in truth referred to as as ‘vyakti’ i.e. an individual. These individuals act as a bridge between the pure sources of medicinal vegetation, forest areas and the doctor who’s in want of these herbs to fabricate medicines. This used to turn out to be useful for the reason that physicians couldn’t wander within the forests to gather the medicinal herbs. So, most likely there was an association that some people who find themselves related to the forests, who had exact information of medicinal vegetation, coming from many generations and who had been wanderers had been employed by the physicians. These individuals grew to become helpers and used to frequently acquire and ship the medicinal herbs to the physicians, most likely with a small favor from the doctor within the type of cash, meals grains or free session and remedy for his or her households. So, regardless of these individuals not being docs, they grew to become essential members of the medical system and therefore referred to as as bheshaja vyakti. Most likely, in later occasions, this observe of gathering and conveying the herbs to the physicians grew to become a household affair and possibly a job / career or side-job for these forest dwellers. And people individuals handed this data to their subsequent era and the subsequent era of dwellers would serve the subsequent era of physicians in the identical method.
Some amongst them, like Tapasa – the ascetics, not solely knew in regards to the herbs and roots but in addition learnt utilizing them as medicines and likewise serving individuals with easy treatments ready from them. They had been ‘para-physicians’ by all sense they usually served individuals within the neighborhood within the absence of docs round or when the individuals in that point couldn’t journey to cities to satisfy the physician. They had been individuals accessible for ‘firsthand or first-aid assist’ and therefore Bheshaja Vyaktis.
