AYURVEDIC RASAYANAS: Therapy for those who aren’t unwell

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AYURVEDIC RASAYANAS: Therapy for those who aren't unwell

 

Ayurvedic medicines are divided into two groups – those which

increase the strength and promote the health of a healthy persons,

and those which are used to cure the disease of the sick. Rasayanas

belong to the first category and fall under the less discussed

preventive side of the science of life.

 

Rasayana is defined as a therapeutic measure which promotes

longevity, prevents undue and untimely aging, sharpens mental

faculties and impart resistance and immunity against disease.

Rasayana therapy is best suited to middle age group people and its

timely use may prevent the degeneration processes so badly wed with

modern stressful lifestyle.

 

The literal meaning of rasayana is `to obtain the optimum nourishment

to the dhatus or body tissues, seven in number. Rasayana therapy

provides a support and improves the functional quality of dhatus,

agnis – the metabolic fires, 13 in number – and srotas or the body

transport channels present in the whole body.

 

In India, rasayana therapy is normally administered by Ayurvedic

doctors to in-patient subjects (kuti pravesika), though it can be

administered to out-patient (vatatapika) subjects too. For best

results shodhana therapy or purification process, which is one of

many panchakarma therapies, is undertaken before rasayana

administration.

 

Taking different views described by ancient Ayurvedic texts, rasayana

may broadly be classified into four groups, i.e., kamya rasayana,

naimittika rasayana, medhya rasayana, and achara rasayana.

 

1) KAMYA RASAYANA

 

The drugs which improve the health and vigor of a healthy person are

known as kamya rasayana. Chyvanprasha belongs to this category.

 

2) NAIMITTIKA RASAYANA

 

The drugs used to increase the strength of an indisposed person are

known as naimittika rasayana. This may be used as an adjunct to the

specific medical treatment of a particular disease, so as to speed up

the recovery.

 

3) MEDHYA RASAYANA

 

While all the rasayana drugs improve the mental faculties in addition

to exerting a beneficial effect on the body, medhya rasayanas are

those drugs that have specific effect on mental performance.

Shankhapushpi, brahmi etc belong to this group. Self-prescription of

these, however, may prove counter-productive.

 

4) ACHARA RASAYANA

 

These do not necessarily involve medications. What falls under this

category is the established rules of conduct, practice, usage, and

precept. Truthfulness, cleanliness, good logic, balanced actions,

proper sleeping, wholesome and proper eating, some level of spiritual

involvement, nonviolence, and many other good vices. Ayurvedic texts

have described of achara rasayana as the best form of rasayana since

if you are good and you practice good, you will beget good.