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 stability. For this to occur, one must be sensible in selecting good meals when it comes to high quality, amount and time of consuming. One ought to all the time be indulged in significant consuming following the foundations 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 best manner 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 helpful way of life 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 also needs to have a radical information in regards to the meals and every little thing 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 will likely be talked about forward within the article) would take utmost warning about each subtleties of meals (and likewise way of life actions) and because of volunteered self-discipline into these could be able to avoiding / stopping many or nearly illnesses, protect himself / herself from them and have an ideal stability of psychosomatic well being. Alternatively, an individual who doesn’t have these qualities could be extremely undisciplined because of his mind and thoughts being clouded by rajas and tamas qualities, makes incorrect meals decisions, not observe the meals regimens and etiquettes and can turn 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 best meals decisions and preserve 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 it’s essential to protect your self from illnesses
Grasp Charaka, whereas differentiating a sensible particular person from an ignorant particular person when it comes to making meals decisions says that – a sensible 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 desire making unhealthy decisions and therefore are victims of many food-induced and psychosomatic illnesses. Alternatively, the sensible one who is sattvika in nature will likely be wholesome as a result of he’s disciplined in not solely making good meals decisions but additionally would observe wholesome meals regimens as a behavior, all through his life.
Associated Studying – ‘Rajas and Tamas – Healthful meals decisions and prevention of illnesses’
Can an clever and realized particular person keep away from illnesses?
Sure and no. Sure, when the realized and clever particular person can also be bestowed with or has inculcated the 9 qualities (which we are going to talk about forward) in himself will likely be devoid of rajas and tamas qualities and therefore can keep away from illnesses of meals origin. Alternatively, it’s not adequate for an individual to be clever and realized, it will be important for her or him to beat their rajas and tamas qualities and inculcate these 9 gunas – qualities. This may allow him to make sensible meals decisions 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 who is bestowed with or who has inculcated the beneath talked about 9 qualities will make sensible meals decisions and would observe a healthful routine and is therefore proof against 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 effectively realized could have sound information of each subtlety of meals and its decisions, in regards to the high quality, amount, etiquettes and time and reasoning behind each meal. He would find out about good and unhealthy decisions and likewise their penalties. He would know the implications of constructing good and unhealthy decisions of meals and likewise about inaccurate and unwholesome meals combos. He would make a observe of significant consuming and observe it each day, all through his life. Shrutam additionally means an obedient particular person. These individuals observe the directions given by a sensible particular person or doctor religiously and inculcate good practices associated to meals and way of life 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 instructor, observe and likewise advocate the identical (shruti can also be a synonym of aptopadesha i.e. teachings of nice gurus documented within the treatises, so, shruta can also be an individual who’s an ardent follower of shastra, and therefore is taken into account sensible and clever).
2. Buddhih
An clever particular person can also be a effectively realized particular person. He could have a presence of thoughts in every little thing, the subtleties of meals decisions and their good and unhealthy penalties on this context. Intelligence backed up by an excellent information is a gamechanger in making good meals decisions which kinds 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 info and figures about meals and meals decisions. If these individuals or anybody nearer to them have suffered from some illness because of incorrect meals decisions when it comes to high quality or amount or because of untoward combos, they might positively have these experiences saved of their recollections. Subsequent time they might not make the identical mistake as a result of they’re cautioned by the reminiscence recordsdata that their system has saved. Good recollections of excellent experiences of meals will assist one to make wholesome decisions of meals. Reminiscence of unhealthy experiences with sure meals or meals combos will alert the particular person from committing the identical errors once more. On this manner, she or he is not going to commit prajnaparadha – acutely aware errors, which is a crucial causative issue for a lot of illnesses.
4. Daksha
A sensible particular person is blessed with ability and self-discipline. Daksha additionally means capability, ability, experience or honesty. After we talk about meals decisions, an individual who’s expert in meals sciences will even be self-disciplined within the decisions he makes. He will likely 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 fashionable period, we are able to discover many food 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 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 who can also be decided will overcome temptations associated to meals decisions. He will likely be cautious, regular and stand agency to his choices of taking solely healthful meals and observe meals regimens since he could have utmost endurance 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 may have the flexibility 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 information, 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 particular person will likely be bestowed with readability of speech, which can also be pure. So, this particular person is aware of what to talk and when. There will likely 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, educate and preach healthful regimens.
8. Shama
Shama means quietness, tranquillity or psychological stability / quietness. It additionally means calmness and peace of thoughts. Smart 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 choices associated to healthful routine and would additionally observe the identical.
9. Dhairya
Dhairya means braveness. Smart and realized persons are brave and courteous. Dhairya can also be mentioned to be a superb medication for the thoughts. Braveness helps one to make robust and secure choices and management oneself from diverting from the choices 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 mentioned 9 options or qualities is taken into account as a sensible particular person. Since he’s sensible, he’ll clearly make acutely aware decisions associated to meals and because of this would get pleasure from good well being and longevity.
Placing it the opposite manner, to be wholesome one ought to observe a healthful routine in relation to meals and way of life practices. (The above mentioned 9 qualities will not be restricted to creating good decisions of meals however are relevant for selecting something good). To observe a healthful routine, she or he must be sensible. Knowledge and intelligence of an individual who’s eligible to make healthful decisions is measured on the premise of 9 qualities like shruta and so on that he has.
One must be bestowed with the above mentioned 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 get pleasure from good well being and longevity.
Alternatively, an ignorant particular person is not going to possess these 9 qualities. It is because his thoughts will likely 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 problems 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 will likely be indulged in prajnaparadha i.e. obsessed to do mental errors or sins (mental blasphemy – doing the incorrect 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 will even take pleasure in extreme sahasa i.e. adventurous actions past his or her capability or in rash behaviours. Doing this stuff would solely yield non permanent pleasure. However a sensible particular person won’t ever take pleasure in such actions since he has readability of thoughts and consciousness. Due to this fact, he’s all the time wholesome and comfortable.