Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S
Bheshaja – drugs
Vyakti – particular person
Bheshaja Vyakti are classes of people who find themselves talked about in Sushruta Samhita, who really 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 necessary Ayurveda Para-physicians
गिपकास्तापसा व्याधा ये चान्ये वनचारिणः ।
मूलाहाराश्च ये तेभ्यो भेषजव्यक्तिरिष्यते ॥१०॥
Bheshaja Vyaktis are individuals who have good data of medicinal herbs and crops and are much like physicians on this method. They’re known as as Bheshaja Vyakti and assist to construct the medical system with their immense contribution.
Under talked about is the listing of people who find themselves known as as Bheshaja Vyakti.
1. Gopala – are cowherds, individuals who have a tendency cattle. In olden days (even as we speak in villages), the cowherds used to take cattle to the forests for grazing them. They need to know which crops are good for cattle and which aren’t. In addition they had data of crops, roots and herbs which has descended by means of their familial career.
2. Tapasa – are ascetics. That they had rejected all riches and comforts of life and have been residing within the forests, of their hermitage. They too had exact data of herbs. Many ascetics knew learn how to use them within the type of medicines and put together easy treatments out of herbs and roots out there of their neighborhood and likewise taught folks round them. They too handed on this information to their gen-next. They have been in true sense, the ‘mini docs.
3. Vyadha – are hunters. Hunters too are wanderers. Looking was a career and a royal passion of the traditional instances. Because the hunters roamed quite a bit within the forests searching for their hunt and meals for his or her household, in addition they learnt concerning 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 crops which might are available as fast first-aid for them. These folks additionally had a exact data of the meat and animal merchandise. Lot of animal merchandise have been additionally used for preparation of medicines and therapies and these folks have been the supply of that data. In addition they most likely catered them to the physicians.
4. Vanacharina – are individuals who reside and roam round in forests, as in tribal folks. There’s loads of data of tribal folklore medicines contributing in direction of evolution of medical science, primarily Ayurveda, from time immemorial. Sure tribes have data of sure units of herbs and roots grown of their geography.
This additionally contains individuals who wander within the forests or make a residing there, residing by consuming the roots, crops, fruits and so forth. out there wherever they reside or migrate. These folks had immense data of the herbs and roots together with what is sweet and what not. Some folks additionally roam in forests to gather roots and herbs.
Hypothetical understanding of ‘Bheshaja Vyakti’ and the possible principle of their evolution within the historical past of evolution of Ayurveda drugs
They cope with the medicinal herbs and therefore they’ve ‘bheshaja’ of their title / identify. They aren’t docs, so they aren’t known as Vaidya however in actual fact known as as ‘vyakti’ i.e. an individual. These folks act as a bridge between the pure sources of medicinal crops, forest areas and the doctor who’s in want of these herbs to fabricate medicines. This used to come in 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 data of medicinal crops, coming from many generations and who have been wanderers have been employed by the physicians. These folks turned helpers and used to recurrently 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, despite these folks not being docs, they turned necessary members of the medical system and therefore known as as bheshaja vyakti. In all probability, in later instances, this apply of amassing and conveying the herbs to the physicians turned a household affair and doubtless a job / career or side-job for these forest dwellers. And people folks handed this information to their subsequent era and the following era of dwellers would serve the following era of physicians in the identical method.
Some amongst them, like Tapasa – the ascetics, not solely knew concerning the herbs and roots but additionally learnt utilizing them as medicines and likewise serving folks with easy treatments ready from them. They have been ‘para-physicians’ by all sense they usually served folks within the neighborhood within the absence of docs round or when the folks in that point couldn’t journey to cities to fulfill the physician. They have been folks out there for ‘firsthand or first-aid assist’ and therefore Bheshaja Vyaktis.