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The Siddha system of medicine owes its origin to the Dravidian culture which is of the Pre-vedic
period. An examination of the ancient literature would reveal that the vedic
Aryans owed allegiance to the cult of Shiva and the worship of the phallus (linga)
which was later on absorbed by, and incorporated into the Vedic culture. The
Shiv Cult is associated with its medical counterpart, the Siddha system of
medicine, which is mainly therapeutic. Mercury, sulphur, iron, copper, gold,
bituman, white, yellow and red arsenic and other materials as well as vegatable
poisons are extensively used in the pharmacopocia of the Siddha tradition. The
Siddha system of medicine is prevalent in the Sourthen States of India, Sri
Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore, where the Dravidian civilization was document.
In the North of India, the Siddhar-Kalpa system (Siddha means one who has
attained immortality. Kalpa means panacea) is known as Tantric Science. Siddha
Science considers nature and man as essentially one. One who knows the anatomy
of nature and its five elements knows well the anatomy of men. Nature is the
foremost physician.
The Tamils who are inhabiting the Southern peninsula of the sub-continent of
India have an impressive and venerable past, as ancient as that of perhaps the
Egyptians. They undertook a systematic study of nature and its elements and from
what they were able to grasp, they had developed a highly systematised medicine
which is now known as Siddha system. It is well founded on the basic principles
of nature and its elements offer a careful and thorough study of the human
system.
The Siddhars
:The ancient Tamils in their quest for knowledge for longevity developed two ways by which man can
achieve mastery over nature. One is the Yogic way and the other is through
medicines. The people who dedicated themselves to this task were themselves
great yogis known as Siddhars. Hence the system of medicine propounded by them
came ot be known as Siddhars system of Medicine. This system can be traced to
the prevedic period.
Siddhar, a Tamil word that is derived from its root ‘chit’ means perfection
in life or heavenly bliss. It generally refers to eight kinds of supernatural
powers attainable to man. The persons who had attained such miraculous powers
attainable to man. The persons who had attained such miraculous powers in life
are known as Siddhars. They are men born with great talents who lived thousands
of years ago in Tamil country, who by their devotion and search for truth,
avhieved perfection in their life time.
Ancient Siddha Medical Works: The
earliest mention the use of medicinal plants is to be found in Thirumular
Thirumantiram-Ennayiram, Tholkappiam and the ancient Tamil works of Sangarm
Literature which are believed to have been written thousands of years before the
Christian era. There are now more than 500 works in Tamil dealing with various
subjects such as science of life, nature of universe, astronomical data, cosmic
dance, atomic theory, space travel, alchemy, ‘Kaya Kalpa’ medicine, etc.
The Neem Tree :
The Neem tree was regarded as sacred in Mohenjo-daro Civilization. In the annals of the ancient
Siddha System of Medicine, the first medicinal plant mentioned as well as found
a place, in ancient Tamil literature is Margosa or Neem. This has been used by
Tamils from time immemorial as a deterrent for smallpox and other infectious
diseases and also considered to possess powers to ward off evil spirits. Perhaps
they were aware of the germicidal action and the medicinal properties of the
Margosa, Tirumular, the great siddha is said to have been in deep penance for
several thousands of years before the Christian Era in eternal bliss under a
sacred pipal tree.
Basis of the Siddha System :
According to Siddha medical science the universe consists of 5 elements. Earth, Water, Fire,
Air and Ether which correspond to the five senses of the human body. Man
consumes water and food, breathes the air and then maintains the heat in the
body. He is alive because of the life force given by ether.
The earth is the first element which gives fine shape to the body, including bones, tissues,
muscles, skin, hair etc.
Water is the second element representing blood,
secretions of the glands, vital fluid etc.
Fire the third element that gives emotion, vigour and vitality to the body. It also helps digestion, circulation
and stimulation besides respiration and the nervous system. Above all others is
the characteristic of man’s mental and spiritual faculties. A suitable
proportion of these five elements in combination with each other produce a
healthy person. These elements are divided into two halves, namely physical and
subtle. And this subtle part is futher sub-divided into two equal parts of which
one is retained as such and the other part is again subdivided into four equal
parts. This is what is known in Siddha system of Medicine as the theory of
Panchikarnam (Fivefold combination).
It is a fact that the functioning of the five
elements in the human body. The ideal of the unification of energy and matter
and the synthesis of the various phenomena of sound, light, heat, etc. which
modern science has been endeavouring to establish were achieved by the ancient
Siddhas, when modern equipements was not available for research. Siddhas also
held that he who knows the secret doctrine of the five elements, could change a
baser metal into gold. And Siddhas alchemy is based on this theory.
Kalpa Treatment : Ancient Siddha devoted time in finding out suitable remedies
rather than describing the causes of a disease in detail. The scope of ‘Kaya
Kalpa’ treatment is two-fold; one is to cure degenerative diseases and the
other is to prolong the life span. Kalpa serves as an anti-degenerative elixir
-- that can cure cancer and heart diseases is itself rejuvenation.1
THE UNANI SYSTEM OF HEALTH AND MEDICINE
Unani Tibbor Graeco-Arab medicine may be traced to that system of Greek medicine which was developed
during the Arab civilization. The Muslims still call it Unani (lonian) medicine
out of adherence of its true historial derivation, whereas European historians
call it Arab medicine. It is now practiced in the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent.
Basic Concept of health and disease: The basic framework
consists of the four-humour theory of Hippocrates, which pre-supposes the
presence in the body of four-humours : blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black
bile. The body is regarded as comprising the following :
- Arkan (elements) comprising the different states of
matter and materials entering into and forming a part of everything in the
universe;
- Mizaj -- the bodily temperament;
- Akhlat -- the structural components;
- A’da -- the fully developed and mature organs;
- Ruh -- the vital forceor life force;
- Quwa’ -- the bodily power;
- Af’al -- the corporeal functions.
It will be seen that these seven working principles are comprehensive in that
the arkan includes the elementary constituents of the body; the mizaj; the
physiochemical aspects of the body; the akhlat, the bodily humours, A’da, the
anatomy of the body; ruh, the life force or vital force; quwa’, energy, and
af’al the physiology of the body including the biochemical processes.
In addition to these natural principles, there are 9 non natural principles such
as (1) foods, (2) drinks, (3) movement, (4) repose, (5) sleep, (6) wakefulness,
(7) excretion, (8) retention and (9) passions. These could be classified into
six categories (1) atmospheric air, (2) food and drink, (3) physical movement
and repose, (4) psychic movement of repose. (5) sleep and wakefulness, and (6)
evacuation and retention. The natural principles which constitute the human
body, were also considered responsible for the maintenance of health. The loss
of any one of these components could cause even death.
In Unani medicine, great emphasis is laid on human nature, and the physician is
advised to activate and follow this power and not to antagonize it. According to
Hippocrates (480-377 B.C.) "Nature heals; the physician is only nature’s
assistant. "Sohl Masilu (died 999) the teacher of great Ibn Sina states
"the word physics (tabiat) occurs in two senses (1) the faculty which
administers the body involuntarily and (2) the power which performs actions
suitable to the body... when a disease is chronic, them in most of the cases,
physics removes it little, or it becomes perplexed and powerless against
it".
The Greeks, however, were not content with borrowing the Indian drugs only, and
they subjected new therapeutic measures, such as applications of leeches and
antidotes for snake bite that were current in India, to their own tests before
they adopted them as useful therapies. Celsus (25 BC 50 AD) has given as
excellent account of lithotomy and cataract operation, as developed and
practised by the ancient Hindus and described in the Sushmita Samhita. Following
the decline of the Greco-Roman Empire, the torch of science was kept aglow
mainly by the Muslims.
The names of several Indian products like Indian sword, camphor, sandal and
aloes are found in the poetry of pre-Islamic period. During the Abbasid
Caliphate, Ayurvedic medicine was introduced with new vigor in Arab countires. A
number of renowed Indian vaidyas were invited ot Baghdad and several Ayurvedic
treatises were translated into Arabic, for example, the Sushruta Samhita was
translated into Arabic as Kitab-Shawasoon-al-Hind, and the Arabs developed great
respect and love for Indian culture as well as Indian medicine. With the advent
of Muslim rule, the Greco-Arabian medicine also came to India and was enriched
by addition of many therapeutic measures of Ayurveda, in particular the use of
plentiful herbal products.
There were physicians in the Alai period (1296-1216) whose genius and
accomplishments in the treatment and cure of diseases could be compared with
those of Galen and Hippocrates. Barani mentions, in particular, the "master
physician" (Ustad-ul-Atibba) Maulana Badr-ul-Dindimeshiqi who occupied an
asteemed position during the entire Alai period. The physicians of Delhi learnt
the Tibbi medicine from him. He could treat the patient only through pulse
reading. He had such proficiency in medicine that if the urine of different
animals mixed together was brought before him he could recognize it and
smilingly state the urine of various animals was intermixed in the bottle!
The basic philosophy of Tibb is that the body, composed of matter and spirit, is
taken as a whole because harmonious life is possible only when there is a proper
balance between the bodily and spiritual functions. Unani Tibb seeks the
restoration of the body as a whole to its original state.
Unani practitioners hold a respectable place in society, particularly in rural
communities. In urban areas, Tabibs are often consulted for treatment of
diseases and in matters relating to the protection of health. The Tabibs adhere
to the traditional moral and social values while treating their patients. The
pharmacopoeia consists of an extremely rich armamentarium of natural drugs,
mainly herbal, but also including animal, mineral, and marine drugs. The drugs
can be used singly or as polypharmaceuticals, in the form of decoctions,
infusions, tablets, powders, confections, syrups and aquas. It is true that the
Unani pharmacopoeia is lacking in detailed experimental, physiochemical and
biomathematical data, but, it is nearly always safe. One keynote of Unani
medicine is that the drug should not serve as a quick curative and in the end
generate serious side effects such as those sometimes observed with synthetic
drugs. Another aspect is that the physical faculties (temperament) should be
allowed to function according to their own nature and their own speed under the
operation of the operation of the natural laws, and their functioning should be
given help in every possible way.2
1 Dr.V. Shanmugavelan. Siddhar’s Science of Longevity and Kalpa Medicine of India. Part I. Antiquity of
Siddha system. (Madras: Pub: by Sakthi Nilayam, 8 Umayal St. Alagappa Nagar,1963), pp.17-19, 23, 28, 31-32.
2 Robert H. Bannerman and associates (Ed.) Traditional Medicine and Health Care Coverage,Chapter 5 : Unani System of
Health and Medicare, World Health Organisation. (Geneva : 1983)
UP
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