The Fundamental Principles of Ayurveda (3 Volumes in One Bound)

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Volume I

Foreword

I am painfully aware that my competence to write a foreword to a book on the Fundamental Principles of Ayurveda does not keep pace with my enthusiasm for the subject. My plea is that I am imbued with a genuinely reverent approach to the Vaisesika system of Natural Philosophy, which forms part of the subject matter of this book. Whether the conclusions of the Indian philosophical systems are final in themselves or whether they mark a certain stage of development in the evolution of scientific thought are points on which opinion seems to differ. Attempts have, however, been made from time to time to examine the ‘Paramanuvada’ of the Vaisesika system from the stand point of modem science. While the view points of modem science are changing from day to day as new discoveries come to light, it would be futile to correlate with the changing present with the conclusions of the ancient seers, if the same are to be considered as true for all times. On the other hand, if Indian science had been in a stage of evolution up to a time and later, ceasing to grow, came to be looked upon as of divine origin, any attempt at correlation is likely to result in “much of text-torturing and forced interpretations ..... to prove that every modem discovery had either already existed in the old doctrines or were anticipated by them.” Inspite of this dilemma, the author is intutively correct in assuming Sri Rajagopalachari’s dictum that “Truth and science are one. There can be no competetion between truth and truth, but only between truth and error. Truth runs in a single course, and prejudice firm ignorance should vanish to a minimum point. ‘In this firm belief, Sri C. Dwarakanath has put his shoulders to the gigantic task of making’ “a critical, dispassionate and scientific study of the doctrines basic to Ayurveda, so that they may be understood in a proper perspective with a view to apply the same intelligently and with advantage in practice” Such earnest efforts are bound to reveal in due course the true significance of our ancient heritage, regarding which Prof. J.B.S. Haldane has recently expressed his unbounded admiration.

The ancient Indian concepts of space, time and matter look complete and self-consistent in themselves but generally elude all attempts at identification with their modern counter- parts. A perusal of the Arambhavada and the Parinamavada will not fail to remind one of some of the basic modern concepts regarding the evolution of the Universe. The concepts of time and space as expressed in Vyasa Bhasya may, in some places, recall to us some fundamental ideas underlying the theory of relativity. Even the every idea of invoking a “Saksi’ to perceive the concepts-

“Atha Sarvepadarthasca Saksigocaram”

seems to correspond to the postulate of an “observer” in modem scientific thought. With all these resemblances between the ancient and the modem concepts, I must confess that the ancient picture eludes exact quantitative formulation on modern lines. Imbued with the zeal of a researcher, Sri Dwarkanath makes a bold attempt to elucidate the age old ideas and to consider them in the light of modem developments.

Contents

Volume II

Foreword

I consider it a great privilege to introduce this volume to the world of Seekers of Truth. To explain the origin of the Universe and the course of its evolution has been the subject of diligent enquiry and research by Man. From time immemorial it was felt that real happiness or bliss can be attained only by securing a correct knowledge of this problem. Possibly the nearest approach to the unravelling of this mystery was made in India, earlier than in any other part of the world. Naturally, an early approach was purely materialistic-led by Kapila Muni, his teachings being later maintained by Iswara Krsna. But it was replaced by the teachings of Patanjali Rsi and others who gave a sounder explanation of the Universe on a Theistic basis. Thousands of years later, the western philosophers followed practically the same trends of thought, and among them Haecked had such immense faith in his own reasoning that he could assert that “If given water, chemicals and time, he could create a Man.” The western scientists have outlived a Haeckel in the present twentieth century and are approaching the findings of ancient India through advanced research in Physiology, Biology and Physics. They are finding that’ ‘all attempts to explain the ultimate nature of non-vital phenomenon do not lead to mechanical conceptions, but to ideas which the science of the nineteenth century would have called mystical. “The most advanced mecanistic physiological explanations fail to explain the origin of Life. Only through Samkhya Patanjala System that one may get a glimpse of an explanation of how the gulf between the inanimate and the animate may be bridged.

But the study of these Darsanas was, even in the earlier centuries beset with enormous difficulties-one such being subtelties of the Grammarian and the Logician who interpreted the texts just as they pleased. Later when the original concept was getting obscure, there was no limit to misinterpretation. Later stilt, when the country became a subject of invading hordes, the texts had to be stored in the memory of certain chosen people, as it was common for the invaders to set fire to libraries. This was followed by jealous hiding of the knowledge by a few gifted families, who gradually lost the real idea of the original Rsis and who could not correct their ideas by comparing notes with others who happened to have parts of the texts. Thus in diverse ways, the true knowledge of the texts and the correct interpretation was mostly lost leading to all sorts of fanciful interpretations being given. No wonder our Darsanas which form the fundamentals of Ayurveda became objects of derision by the allopaths, who had the support of the Governments in India, and who had not even heard of such Darsanas.

I am extremely grateful to the gifted author of this volume for his perseverant and enterprising effort to make a feast of these intellectual feats, where the main dish is the gift of the great Darsanacaryas, the side dishes are selected from authors like Alexis Carrel, the author of’ “Man-the Unknown”, R. W. Moncrieff, the author of ‘ ‘Chemical Senses’ , ; Whitehead, the author of’ ‘Science and the Modern World” ;James Jeans, the author of “The New Background of Science”; Margaret Knight, the author of’ ‘Consciousness and the Brain”; Adrian C. Moulyn, the author of “Functions of Point and Line in Time measurement” and others.

Further, he has written the book in a language most widely known at present, so that he can bring the ancient message to the largest public possible. He has the gift of using Key-words when he has to help the student to get over obstacles offered by new conceptions in Modern Sciences, which are parallel to or identical with old conceptions of ancient India, which without such aid would have baffled him. His apt quotations to maintain the postulate of the Samkhyas that “the Purusa not only starts the process of evolution, but also continues to be present unchanged throughout the process, both “in the evolvent and the evolute”, go a great way in making the student realise that there cannot be an un bridgeable gulf between the living and the so-called non-living. His chapter on “Tanmatras and the Quantum Theory” must make the un-enlightened critic, very often the practising allopath, to pause before he scoffs at the Fundamentals of Ayurveda.

There is inspiration in every page and matter for careful meditation throughout the book and I hope great good will flow from the publication of this book.

Contents

Volume III

Foreword

The present book is a serious attempt at explaining the Fundamental principles of Ayurveda to students of Modern Medical Science and as such worthy of consideration and respect for the efforts by the author.

Such a book has been badly wanted by such of those who cannot understand Sanskrit or Hindi and find it difficult to follow the Text from the original Sanskrit Literature. The subject has been well divided in a continuous series of sections which follow each other as a link in its part of a difficult subject.

It is no easy job to explain the deep meanings of some of the Ayurvedic terms which when translated into English practically destroy the sense of what originally had been meant. The temptation to do so is often very great and difficult to avoid and requires great tact and patience for the author to give the exact rendering of the sense in which the term had been used.

The author has attempted in some places to find equivalent renderings in Modern Medical Science of the Biological, Chemical and Pathological processes so cryptically explained in Ayurveda, and which the Sanskrit Commentators had found difficult to expound.

Vata, Pitta and Kapha whether they be called Dhatus or Dosas, are practically the Soul or the pivot, round which the whole sense of Ayurveda turns.

The Author has taken pains to impress on the readers that Ayurveda is more a book for the exposition of health rather than of diseases.

Special attention has been given to Dravyas and the properties which ought to make it easy for one to understand what they are, and the great part they play both in the Physiology and Pathology of the body.

I consider the book worthy of a place on the Library Shelf for such of those students of Modern Medical Science who desire to delve into Ancient Literature and pick out from it such gems as would form the basis for a future investigation. The literature often contains plenty of Confirmative evidence and is easily available to those who care to read it with sympathy and desire for knowledge.

I congratulate the Author on satisfying this desire and pointing out the place where such information might lie.

Contents