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Ayurvedic
Treatment
Ashtang-Ayurved:
Rasayana-Chikitsa
By Dr.
Satish Kulkarni
Rasayana-chikitsa
means rejuvenation. This branch of ashtang
ayurved aims at achieving a long
and healthy life. The philosophy of ayurved
is to establish good health rather
than just curing diseases. Rasayana
is an active step towards achieving
this. It prescribes treatment for
repairing wear and tear of the body
due to aging or diseases. Rasayana
means that physical, mental and
spiritual aid to the human body which
brings the body out of its condition
of natural or man made loss. It
claims that it retards the process of
aging.
Rasayana-chikitsa
basically boosts the ojas
(vital force of life) and the immune
system. It helps a person to maintain
good health or to establish impaired
or lost physical or mental health.
The adjective ojaswi is used
to describe those people who keep
good health in all seasons and all
stages of life. It is like obtaining
a high rank in a physical or mental
fitness exam throughout one’s
life span. Ojas gives a bright
look, sharp memory, high performance
and every expected pleasure. To
achieve this state of health,
intermittent regeneration of dhatu
(body tissues) is recommended by ayurved.
Rasayana- chikitsa is the
optimal way to achieve this. Rasayana-chikitsa
provides a long, disease free and
vigorous life to the person who
undergoes this therapy seriously. Rasayana-chikitsa
helps to bring life back to
normal.
There are two
types of rasayana-chikitsa.
The first type is given to a patient
who is short of time, labor and
enthusiasm or one who cannot undergo
the full length of the treatment for
some valid reason. This patient
receives a short package of rasayana-chikitsa
and he or she is allowed to continue
his or her routine simultaneously.
This patient is advised dietary
changes and changes in life style in
addition to possible rasayana
medicines. These medicines are
carefully chosen considering the
patient’s age, sex, prakruti (constitution),
habits, living conditions and
diseases acquired in the past and
present status of the body.
The second
type, kaya kalpa (total
renovation of the body) is more
complicated. The patient is
segregated from his or her daily
activities for a certain period of
time and is kept in a kuti
(hut) which is specially designed for
rasayana-chikitsa. He or she
is kept here under the observation of
an ayurvedic specialist. A
complete regime of rasayana is
given to the patient one by one in
addition to specially cooked food and
monitored lifestyle in the kuti.
It is believed that when he or she
comes out of the kuti after
completion of the treatment, his or
her body is completely rejuvenated.
All the old dhatu (body
tissues) are replaced by new,
energetic and lively dhatu
thus aiming to lead a new and
reinvigorated life.
Before starting
the rasayana schedule, the
patient is advised to undergo panchkarma
(cleansing.) This helps in the
initial detoxification of the body
and prepares it for the rasayana regime.
The rasayana regime includes
several physical, mental and
spiritual disciplinary activities
along with medicines. Rasayana
is supposed to supervise the
individual in all respects of life
for the period of treatment. It
bestows upon a person, youth and
energy. It enhances memory and
brilliance. It improves the
functioning of the special senses in
addition to improving the longevity
of life.
Rasayana-chikitsa
comprises of a very strict diet,
upside down changes in life style and
a group of rasayana medicines.
Amalaki, haritaki, trifala,
brungaraj, ashwagandha, punarnava,
chitraka are some examples of
herbs that are called rasayanakar.
Bhasma (calyxes) of various
metals like gold, silver etc., bhasma
of jewels like hiraka
(diamond), manikya (ruby), moti
(pearl), etc. are precious
components in the group of rasayana
medicines. They are believed to
have aphrodisiac qualities.
To summarize, rasayana-chikitsa
is rejuvenation and it gives vital
energy. It compensates for wear and
tear due to age and diseases. It
bequeaths the gift of health wrapped
in longevity to a person who opts for
it.
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