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WORLD January 17, 1999 VNN2866 See Related VNN Stories Is Ayurveda "New Age"? BY MURARI CHAITANYA DASA HEALTH, Jan 17 (VNN) — by Murari Chaitanya dasa, ND(Ay), MPH Dhanvantari Academy of Shuddha Ayurveda In a recent article published in VNN, HH Swami Parivrajak refers to Ayurveda as "New Age." While we agree with most of his conclusions regarding the current plethora of apasiddhanta in the Western branches of the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya (including certain astrological excesses and tantric exorcism practices), we must respectfully take exception to lumping together authorized Vedic sciences with modern nonsense. Ayurveda is Lord Krishna's sacred medicine, revealed to Lord Brahma at the dawn of creation, and transmitted in disciplic succession for countless eons. In the Rig Veda (ii. 7, 16), the Lord is praised with these words: bhishak-tamam tva bhishaja (You are the best among physicians), and the Yajur speaks of Him as prathamo daivo bhishak (first divine physician). Lord Brahma received the knowledge of healing in his heart, and composed the Ayurveda, consisting of 100 adhyayas (sections) of 100 slokas each. Sri Brahma taught Ayurveda to Daksha Prajapati, who conveyed this sacred medical science to the Ashvini-kumaras, famed physicians to the devas, whose many wonderful ministrations to the demigods and munis earned them high praise in the Rig Veda. The Ashvinis taught Ayurveda to Indra, who instructed his disciple Atreya Rishi, who in turn wrote the Atreya-samhita in five adhyayas, consisting of 46,500 slokas. This samhita later became the basis of the works of Harita and Charaka, which still exist today, albeit in much corrupted versions. Atreya Rishi imparted the Ayurveda to his disciples, among the most noted are Agniveshya, Parashara, and, of course, Harita. However, the Lord Himself revealed Ayurveda to the souls of the material world in His Dhanvantari incarnation, as explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.7.22): The Lord in His incarnation of Dhanvantari very quickly cures the diseases of the ever-diseased living entities simply by his fame personified, and only because of him do the demigods achieve long lives. Thus the Personality of Godhead becomes ever glorified. He also exacted a share from the sacrifices, and it is he only who inaugurated the medical science or the knowledge of medicine in the universe. In his purport to this verse, Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada states: "everything emanates from the ultimate source of the Personality of Godhead; it is therefore understood in this verse that medical science or knowledge in medicine was also inaugurated by the Personality of Godhead in His incarnation Dhanvantari, and thus the knowledge is recorded in the Vedas. The Vedas are the source of all knowledge, and thus knowledge in medical science is also there for the perfect cure of the diseases of the living entity." In SB 9.3.11, Srila Prabhupada explains that Ayurveda is perfect because it is an intrinsic part of the Vedas: "In every department of material science, there is a perfection to be achieved, and to achieve it one must consult the Vedic literature." Ayurveda's importance in devotional service has been clearly accepted and established by the Vaishnava acharyas Šnot because of its material benefits, but for its uncompromising dependence on Sri Krishna. In his purport to SB 10.6.27-29, Srila Prabhupada explains how Ayurveda reaffirms the constitutional position of the living entities. "The Ayurveda-shastra recommends, aushadhi cintayet vishnum: even while taking medicine, one should remember Vishnu, because the medicine is not all and all and Lord Vishnu is the real protector." Lord Gauranga Sundara Himself, in His manifest pastimes, associated intimately and received service from Ayurvedic physicians, such as Srila Murari Gupta Thakura, author of Sri Caitanya Carita, and Srila Mukunda Prabhu. Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami has stated in His purports to Sri Caitanya Caritamrta that modern physicians should follow the example of Srila Murari Gupta Thakura. We are endeavoring for many years to fulfil that sacred recommendation. Our Guru Maharaja, Srila BG Narasingha Maharaja, Whom His Holiness Swami Parivrajak affirms to respect as a stalwart member of the sampradaya, has ordered His humble servant to "serve the devotees through Ayurveda and preach to the non-devotees via Ayurveda." Thus, we respectfully ask the community of devotees to consider these facts before unduly lumping Ayurveda, Lord Krsna's Medicine, with questionable practices. About the Author | Other VNN Stories by this Author See Related VNN Stories | Comment on this Story This story URL: http://vaishnava-news-network.org/world/WD9901/WD17-2866.html
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