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...Continued
Sages were also great
divine scientists. They were men of high culture intellectual and spiritual
faculties combined with super natural powers. The paramount aim and object of
Siddha medial science is to assure the full span of healthy life to enable man
to acquire knowledge, cultivate good character and conduct with which they could
enjoy their legitimate worldly pleasures and ultimately attain salvation.
It is based on humoural
pathology, which supports the body. It is a fact that, without these humours,
the individual cannot exist, and if they are not in proper balance death will be
he result.
The human body is a
miniature of the cosmos. Nature is man and man is nature and therefore both are
essentially one. Man is said to be the microcosm and the universe is macrocosm,
because what exits in the universe exists in the man. Man is nothing but the
universe in divine miniature containing the mega elements, and the various
principles that constitute the mineral, vegetable, animal kingdoms. Hence the
universe consists of two essential entities-master and energy, which we call
divine spirit or divine energy. Everything seen and unseen, experienced and
inexperienced, all fall within the elements categories.
Siddha medical science is
very vast and is based on natural laws, herbs, oxides, minerals, and animal
products, spiritual, occult etc. Siddha medicines are in the form of food that
ultimately rejuvenate and revitalize the defence mechanism of the body and hence
proved safe, pure and effective. This is the only perfect medical science
of the past, present and future.
Siddha medical science
has been drawing global attention in recent times since they offer treatment
possibilities for certain degenerative disorders for which modern medicine does
not have a satisfactory solution yet it is common place to say that traditional
medicine is holistic and treats the complete individual and not merely the
disease.
The treatment can be
varied for different individuals based on their constitution and similarly
guidelines for dietary regime are also given.
The three physical
elements of the external world that is air, fire and water form the three
fundamental principles on which the constitution of the human being has been
based. The three elements are known as humours as they enter the body. These
three humours represent respectively five elements that form the connecting link
between man and the world (macro). The three humours maintain the human body
through their combined functioning. If all the factors work properly, the body
will be healthy. Imbalance due to astral influence, poisonous substances and
psychological and spiritual factors may also be important in causing imbalance.
Medicine are prescribed
to set right the imbalance in the life factors either by addition, reduction or
neutralization since all matter contain the mega elements.
To diagnose, the
physician investigates the cause of the disease, the signs and symptoms. The
conclusion is an essential prerequisite for treatment. Diseases are diagnosed
mainly with the help of signs and symptoms. In addition these are a number of
factors, which help in finding out the disease and imbalanced life factors. For
instance pulse recording the science of pulse is peculiar to the Siddha
medicine. Traditionally the science of pulse was taught by the guru to his
disciples.
Diagnosis of the disease
by the pulse requires great skill and experience. According to them the pulse is
the manifestation of prana in living beings prana being the cosmic energy
responsible for the evolution of the universe. It penetrates, surrounds and
seeps through everything.
Siddha physiology, bone
setting surgery, mode of injection, materia media, siddha chemistry, varma
treatment, application of siddha science in other modern fields etc. and more
will be taught during the practical course study. It is said by the sages to the
disciples that: -
·
There is no yoga without
concentration
·
There are no miraculous
powers without rousing the kundalini
·
There is no wisdom
without mind.
·
There is no body without
repression of respiration.
A
characteristic feature of this is that they consider the individual as a whole
rather than just the disease. Treatment is fine-tuned taking into consideration
the individual’s constitution, susceptibility to diseases, mental make up, life
style and other factors. This has been refined to a very high degree in siddha
with its powerful concept of prakruti-constitution of the human body. All
material in the universe, animate or inanimate is composed of five basic
elements namely akash, vaayu, jal, and prithvi, space is omnipresent and all
pervading, a substructure to the other four elements and due to its presence one
can separate or differentiate material. Air is responsible for the existence of
all types and is vital for the existence of all creatures. The qualities of
three basic functions are manifested in the individual’s personality. Dietary
requirement should be modified according t the constitution of the individual.
Human beings constantly
struggle against the changing environmental conditions to maintain optimum
health and vigour throughout the day and in all seasons. The human body depends
on the continuous holistic interaction between internal and external factors.
When this interaction is in a state of equilibrium, man enjoys health and when
this fails, either due to internal deficiency or hostile environmental factors,
the disturbed balance leads to disease and disharmony. Environmental factors
include the nature of the land-water and various atmospheric phenomena such as
temperature, humidity, wind, rain and snow.
The examination of the
constitution is an important subject and is an expert’s work.
Mode of determination?
Sages revealed the truth
that all the living and nonliving things are a combination of panchbhoota.
To regulate the living
body easily, the sages’ concised the panchbhootas into tridosha. These tridoshas
are the basic pavement for all theories. Well-being is the condition when the
tridoshas are in their natural rhythm. When this rhythm is lost it is called
disease. The former means order. The latter disorder the purpose of treatment of
all diseases the purpose of treatment of all diseases is to keep the doshas in
equilibrium.
A medical science that
denies and denounces the divine energy is found to be anaemic and ill, it has to
be lackluster -such a medical science is going to be as pale and lifeless as a
dry leaf fallen from a tree. People who follow such a misery and allow
themselves to be influenced and conditioned by it will be as anaemic and prone
to death as these leaves are. It is this paradox that makes siddha medical
science more and more difficult to understand. Medial transcendence is not
possible so long as we are in conflict, so long as we choose one part and reject
the other. It is only possible when we accept both parts together, when we
accept the whole. Siddha medical science has great significance for the future
and its significance will continue to grow with the passage of time. It is not a
material science so it exhorts people over and over again that the universe
originally consisted of atoms which contributed to the five basic mega elements.
END of Glimpses of Siddha medicine-
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