Abstract:

How might the Benefits of Ayurveda be combined with Modern Medicine?
Prof. Padma Bhushan Shri B. M. Hegde, India

Ayurveda, the science of life, (Ayu=life; vid=science) is a part of the ageless Vedic heritage of India. Speculations about its origin go back thousands of years before Christ. Extensive literature on this subject, dating back to the fourth century BC, has one thing in common that the essence of Ayurveda is to preserve good health, which is every human being’s birthright. Ayurveda prescribes life style changes with emphasis on tranquility of mind that is filled with universal compassion, as an insurance against an occasional illness. In this system disease is only an accident. Just as road accidents are rare if one follows traffic rules, disease would an exception if one follows the life style prescribed in Ayurveda, which is not hard to comply with.

Human body has an inbuilt powerful immune system that could correct most, if not all, ills that man is heir to. In the unlikely event of this mechanism failing, and only then, should doctors interfere to help the system, when possible. In fact, the concept of immune deficiency syndromes had been prevalent there.