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Gayatri Pariwar

The comprehensive approach of Ayurveda pays attention to every aspect of life. It gives us practical guidance on the secrets of perfect health, which lie in its principle of living in complete harmony with our natural system.

 

It is amazing to note that the recommendations made in the Ayurvedic scriptures ages ago remain valid and effective even today. The ancient experts of this Vedic science had compiled a volume entitled "Swastha Vratta Sammuchchaya" to give specific guidelines on prevention of sickness and maintenance of health under changing conditions of weather, place, time, etc.

 

The present series of articles on health-tips from Ayurveda gives the excerpts most relevant in today’s context from such scriptures for our ready-reference. If we could adopt even a fraction of these in our daily life, lot of our time and money would be saved from running around the clinics and dispensaries in our hectic and stress-inducing schedules.

The last two articles dealt with health-promoting activities of daily routine. Before we proceed further in the sequence, let us look at the noble purpose of the founders of Ayurveda to realize the majestic strength and grandeur of knowledge this science of healthy life holds in its roots.

 

A hymn in the Shastra says:  

          Dharmartham Narthakamarthamayurvedo Maharsibhih | 

Meaning: The great rishis, the devoted seekers of God, the scientists of ultimate knowledge, the true followers of eternal religion  had developed Ayurveda for pure altruistic purpose (of human welfare) and not for any materialistic gain. 

Today’s scenario is just the opposite. People at large are draining their vitality and vigor due to undisciplined life-style and sensual pleasures and medicine or healthcare has become a costly profession, a means for high earning. The need for a natural, inexpensive mode of preventive care and maintenance of health has become all the more crucial and urgent these days. 

The guidelines on daily routine as per the recommendations of Ayurveda provide practical and efficacious tips in this respect. Along with physical exercise, the daily routine should also have place for some activities to maintain mental and spiritual fitness. Sandhya-upasana1 and certain yoga kriyas with meditation are therefore described in the scriptures as integral parts of ideal daily routine. Doing sandhya-upasana every day with the japa (rhythmic chanting) of Gayatri Mantra is said to bestow longevity, strength, intelligence, success, glory and spiritual light. Upasana provides sublime food for soul. Nurturing the soul is more important than nourishing the body. The "Chanakya Niti" highlights this as

Meaning: Sandhya (upasana) is the root of the tree of (healthy, hearty and enlightened) life. The Vedas (i.e. source of righteous knowledge) constitute its branches and religious activities are its leaves. Blossoming growth of a tree is dependent on the life of its roots. Without the roots there will be no possibility of any branch or leaves. In essence, the above sloka (likewise many guidelines in the Shastra Literature), conveys that sandhya (upasana) is the basis of human life in the truest sense. 

The rituals of satkarmas2 namely, pavitrikarana, achamana, sikhabandhana, pranayam, nyasa and praathvi-pujan are simple but effective practices for psychological boosting of the mind and energizing the body. If possible, one should try to practice sandhya-vandan thrice a day. In any case, one must do it twice  once in the morning and once in the evening  may be, for ten minutes only, if it is difficult to find more time. The best time-slots are (as the word sandhya implies) the junctions (sandhi) between successive phases of the day. These transitional time-periods are defined in the scriptures as

 

          Ahoratrasya Ya Sandhih Suryanaksatra Varjita | Satu Sandhya Samakhyata Munibhistatva Darsibhih ||

Meaning: Around the times of sunrise and sunset when neither sun nor any of the stars are seen even in the clear sky.) These time intervals (sandhya-times) are described as extremely sensitive with respect to the effect on bodily, mental and spiritual wellbeing. We should be very careful about what we do in this period. As per the Ayurvedic treatise "Sahityika Subhashita Vaidyakam”:

 

          Chatvari Ghorarupani Sandhyakale Parityajet | Aharam, Maithunam, Nidra, Swadhyayam Cha Vivarjayet || 

Meaning: Eating, sexual intercourse, sleeping, reading/writing during the sandhya- times are extremely harmful and are strictly prohibited during these time intervals. On the contrary, doing pranayama, devotional meditation, and prayers in these time-phases of the day induce intensive positive (healthy) effects. Reemphasizing this point, the Garud Purana says ”If God Vishnu is found asleep during the sandhya times (around sunrise and sunset times); Lakshmi (His divine consort, the Goddess of prosperity and progress) would leave Him". These timings are of crucial significance in the practice of Gayatri Mantra japa, as the brilliance of rising sun happens to be the focus of meditation in this upasana. The more intense the emotional engrossment of the devotee, the greater would be the spiritual and mental enlightenment. 

Awakening of discerning intellect is the immediate benefit of this practice. One may chant other prayers and mantras as per his/her faith, but the science of yoga and spirituality, as also the Ayurveda, affirm the pre-eminent impact of the Gayatri Mantra japa during sandhya-upasana. About a century ago, Maharshi Dayanand had revived the Vedic tradition of Gayatri-sandhya in day-to-day life with the foundation of Arya Samaj. Vedmurty Taponishtha Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya had further spread it in a scientific way amongst the masses through Gayatri Pariwar. Along with Gayatri Upasana, the comprehensive compilation of easy and effective yogasanas and kriyas taught by him under "Pragya Yoga" provide practical guidelines for harmonizing the mind-body functions by enhanced flow of vital energy together with inner purification. The sequence of physical exercises and postures in Pragya Yoga is coupled with specific deep breathing practices, which are found to give instant relaxation and rejuvenation. 

Suryanamskara is a well-known yoga exercise, which is given great importance in therapeutic applications of yoga under Ayurveda. The scriptures also stress its importance. For instance, the Matsya Puran says:

 

          Adityasya Manaskaram Ye Kurvanti Dine Dine | 

Meaning: Those who practice Suryanamskara every morning are relieved from all infirmities and sickness in this life and in the lives to follow. Pragya Yoga is a modified version of Suryanamskara and is more suited for the modern life-style. It is taught as an integral part of the sadhana courses and personality development training programs at Shantikunj, Hardwar and in many of the centers (Shakti Peeths) of the Gayatri Pariwar3 in India and abroad.

 

Having discussed the different activities that should be the integral part of an ideal daily routine, let us now look at the most common and important routine of our lives, i.e. food. Whatever one eats or drinks, or rather, whatever goes inside the body via the food pipe (G.I. tract), falls in the category of food, which, upon being processed by the metabolic system, becomes a source of energy for the different organs and parts of the body. We all eat (or keep eating!) every day and are generally aware of the importance of its purity, freshness, calorie-contents, etc. as per the modern views on diet control.

 

But, how many of us pay attention to its subtle properties? Apart from recommending suitable food-choices for different seasons for persons of different age groups, the Ayurvedic scriptures also focus at the intrinsic properties of food, which affect the subtle (mental) body. The food, which is worth taking in terms of its physical and subtle qualities, if taken at right timings in correct mode of eating, is described here as nectar. On the contrary, the wrong eating habits or method of preparation could make the food unsuitable or even toxic to one’s health. It is therefore equally important to know not only what to eat but also when and how to eat it.

 

          Brahadyogiyagyavalkya Smriti states  Amraatam Kalpayitwa Ca Yadannam Samupagatam | 

Meaning: Having food should be treated like a ‘yagya’ in which (holy) sacrifices are made in the sacred fire of prana (vital, spiritual energy). Such a food becomes a source of elimination of all sickness and weakness of the body and mind. 

The Gita says: 

          Ayuh Satva Balarogya Sukha Pritivivardhana | 

Meaning: A person of Sattwika nature likes to eat foods that prolong life, purify ones inner being, give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Such foods are juicy, fatty, wholesome and pleasing to the heart. The Gita further mentions about the foods liked by persons of Rajsika and Tamsika natures: 

          Katva-amla-lavanati-usna-tiksna-ruksa-vidahina |

Meaning: Foods that are bitter, too sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry and burning are dear to a person of Rajsik nature. Such foods cause distress, misery and disease.

 

          Yatu yamam gata-rasam puti paryusitam ca yat | 

Meaning: Stale, tasteless, decomposed, putrid and leftover foods are dear to a person of Tamsik nature. Jatayus conversation with Ravana as scripted in the Ramayana also has some reference to the quality of food. Talking of moral principles, Jatayu says”Eatable food is that which is completely digested in a natural way, without producing any harmful effect inside the body". Some scriptures also comment on the best quantity of food intakes. For example, the Vishnu Purana suggests:

  

          Jatharam Purayedardharmannairbhagam Jalena Cha |

Meaning: The portion of solid food should be about half the capacity of the stomach, one-fourth of the latter should be filled with liquid diet and water and the remaining one-fourth should be left empty for free movement of air and fluids inside the stomach. 

According to Ayurvedic insights, most of the diseases have their roots in over-eating and improper cleansing of the digestive system. This is true in case of urbanized life-style of cities of today. Excessive eating or consumption of lavish, gravy foodstuffs or fast foods, processed and canned foods, non-vegetarian dishes, etc. do not suit the biomechanics and natural process of metabolism of the human body.

 

Unless assimilated and digested by exerting physical labor and some cleansing methods of yoga, these unnatural foods eventually result in constipation, acidity or other problems of indigestion. Defective metabolism leads to weakening of the body-system.

 

The undigested heavy molecules and other kinds of un-excreted dirt inside the body cause varieties of untoward reactions. Germs and other infections also get extra support in such a host system. If there isn’t sufficient space for airflow within and out of the stomach, it may cause unnatural pressure on the heart, often leading to angina, which is a common heart-problem these days.

 

The suggestion of keeping one-fourth of the stomach free for airflow as advised in the above sloka further reflects the remarkable insight of the rishis in deciphering the intricacies of the nature and functions of the mind-body system so minutely without using any instrument or external help. Their instructions in the scriptures on "Why to eat? What to eat? When to eat? How much to eat? And, how to eat?" provide us the key to a happy, healthy and hearty life. We shall touch upon these points in continuation of our discussions on health- tips of Ayurveda pertaining to food.

 

We close this article with a short quote that conveys an invaluable advice, which could be adopted forthwith:

          Jirnabhojinam Vyadhirnopasarpati |   - Chanakya Sutra 

Meaning: He/she, who eats only when the food consumed earlier has been properly digested, remains free from all diseases. 

Notes: 

1. Sandhya-upasana or sandhya-vandan: Upasana means devotional practice of sitting near God i.e. with an

    emotional proximity with divinity. This, if practiced at specific time intervals (sandhya-times) with japa of Gayatri

    Mantra preceded by pranayama and certain purificatory rituals (see next point), is called sandhya-upasana or

    sandhya-vandan. 

2. Detailed information on each of these rituals is given in the booklet entitled " Gayatri Sadhana: Why and How?"

    published by Shantikunj, Hardwar (Uttaranchal, India).

3. Practical training and informative booklets/audio-visual CDs on Pragya Yoga are available at Shantikunj, Hardwar

    (Uttaranchal, India). (To be continued in the next issue)