Rationale of Ayurvedic Psychiatry (Foundational Concepts, Traditional Practices and Recent Advances)

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Dr. A. R. V. Murthy currently working as Principal and Superintendent of G.J. Pate! Ayurveda College and S.GJ.Patel Ayurveda Hospital, New Vidyanagar, Anand, Gujarat, since June 2006 was born in 1961, in Karnataka. He worked earlier as Principal Superintendent of Gomantak Ayurveda College and Hospital Shiroda, Goa from March 2003 to June 2006 and atT. T. D. run S. V. Ayurveda College, Tirupati as Assistant Professor of Kayachikitsa from 1987 to 2003. He was graduated from Udupi Ayurveda College, Udupi, in 1983, got his Postgraduate degree, M.D. in Kayachikitsa, from the prestigious Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi in 1987 and Ph.D. from Rashtriya SanskritVidyapeetha, Tirupati in 1999. He worked as Ayurveda consultant to SVIMS-Tirupati, a modem Super Specialty Hospital to take up collaborative research work from 1995 2002. He was also involved in literary research on Vedic sciences in relation to Ayurveda atRashtriya SanskritVidyapeetha,Tirupati. Dr. Murthy visited Japan in Oct. 2000 as an invited speaker in the International conference on Ayurveda held at Tokyo and delivered a series of guest lectures in different cities of Japan. He also has extensively traveled in India and delivered over 200 guest lecturers in different parts of the country. He has published around 60 Research Papers in listed Journals and participated in about 65 Seminars--both national and International. He was amember of C.C.I.M, Chairman, B.O.S., Goa University and Member B.O.S, B.H.U. and R.S.V. Tirupati. Dr. Murthy secured First Rank in Final B.A.M.S. Examinations and won Gold medal and a state Award for his meritorious performance. He is the recipient of Nambiar Memorial award and MV. Shastry memorial award. The book Rationale of Avurvedjc Psychiatry is authors third book on Ancient Indian Psychology series. The second book Mind in Ayurveda and other Indian Traditions’ in 2004. His first work Sanskrit “Ayurvede Monovijnanasya sameeksh nakamadhyayanm’ published in 2002.

Psychiatry as a branch of specialty has been accepted by Ayurveda. Most of the Ayurvedic psychiatry is dealt under the head “Bhautavidya” or Gratia cikitsa that is counted among the eight branches of Ayurveda. The expression Bhutavidya refers to abnormal behavior of an individual and has nothing to do with demonology as commonly believed Carakas concept of kaya” deals adequately with physio pathological states of mind prevailing in the society at large. A virtual scan through the Ayurvedic and allied literature depicts that there are rich descriptions regarding mental ailments, their etio pathological considerations and therapeutic procedures.

The book RATIONAL.E OF AVJJRVEDIC PSYCHIATRY dwells in to psycho philosophical concepts. Traditional psychiatric therapeutic practices and current scientific advances under three distinct parts as the title suggests.

Sattvamãtmã arirarn Ca Trayametat Triijarnawat; Lokastisthati Sarnyogat Tatra Sarva Pratishitam.

The Book Rationale of Ayurvedic Psychiatry” produced by the well known author Professor A.R.V. Murthy is a comprehensive contemporary treatise on Ayurvedic Psychiatry dealing with the fundamental concepts, traditional practices and recent advances in this important specialty of Ayurvedic Medicine. The book is divided in three parts. Part I deals with the basic concepts of Ayurvedic Psychiatry including the curative therapeutics, magic religious practices, rational psychotherapy of Sattwãvajaya, concepts of Ahita Manorthas and Prajnãparãdha as psychological stressors, concepts of Kãla Pariizãma or ecological stressors and Astmyendriyãrtha Saiyiyoga i.e. sensorial stressors besides the principles and techniques of psychic healing viz. Sattwävajaya, Manonigraha, Indriya Nigraha, Agwãsana, Pratidwandibhãwa, Manoviksobha and Sadvtta. It also deals with the Daivavyapãsraya and Yuktivypãsraya methods of treatment including Satyiodhana thrapy by Pañcakarma and Sa.famana by Medhya Rasãyana and Medhya drugs.

Part II of the book deals in detail the rationale of Ayurvedic therapeutics in the field of Psychiatry. Part III reviews the recent advances in Ayurvedic Psychiatry including recent researches on Ayurvedic drugs of green Pharmacy currently used for treatment of psychic and psychiatric diseases and disorders. The book provides a rich authentic reading on Ayurvedic psychiatry useful for students, practitioners and researchers in this field.

The author professor A.R.V. Murthy deserves our applause for this comprehensive scholarly work.

Ayurveda is the most ancient system of the conduct of life and care of health and disease based on its unique holistic principles. Ayu, the life is the Four-dimensional composite entity comprising of arira, Indriya, Sattva and Atmã— “ arirendriya Sattvãrma Sainyogo Dhãri Jivita??i” (Caraka Su. 1). Ayu. is the miniature replica of the universe where Atman (the individual consciousness) and Brahman (the cosmic consciousness) are a continuum. The same is described as the doctrine of LokaPurusa Sãmya (Macrocosm- Microcosm continuum)-.. “Yathã Loke Tarhä Pinde”.

However, the above mentioned continuum is ordinarily masked by ignorance and illusion due to Mãyã. Practice of yoga and spirituality helps in unveiling the eternal reality of the unified field of united consciousness resolving the veils of Mãyã. Ayurveda believes in this fundamental concept of unified field of consciousness but develops its own applied philosophy of life, health, disease ad cure based on its own applied biological theories of Pañcamahãbhiuta, Tridosa, Triguta, Saptadhãtus, Mala, Sroras, Agni, Ojas etc. Ayurveda has its own approach to the anatomy and physiology of Mind-Body system, its own concept of health and disease, diagnostics and therapeutics including a comprehensive materia medica encompassing plant kingdom, minerals, metals and biological products lashed with comprehensive holistic pharmaceutical technology and dosage forms. Healthy diet, safe nutraceutical medications and life-style management form the total health care package of Ayurveda.

Thus Ayurveda is an integrative body-mind-spirit system of life and health care with greater emphasis on mental health.

This integrative approach to life and health involving body- mind-spirit as a composite life unit puts Ayurveda on a pedestal of distinction from other systems of medicare, which is proving more and more relevant to the present day health needs of the people world over. Ayurveda defines health as Swãsthya (Swa+stha) which is a comprehensive four-dimensional state of biobalance and psychospiritual well being and blissful state.

Samadosah Samagnica Samadhãtu Malakriyah, Prasannãtmendriya Manãh Swastha ityabhidhiyate.

While health is a state of balance, ill health is a state of imbalance. Such an imbalance is the product of two-fold phenomena: I. Karmaja and Sahaja, 2. Apathya Nimittaja i.e. due to break down of the positive continuum of the Macrocosm and Microcosm i.e. Man and his Environment. The same is called Loka-Purusa Vai.amya. These two are the fundamental causes of disease. Rest of other causes of disease such as infection and immne disorder are secondary to the above two basic causal factors. The Loka-Puruja Vaicamya ordinarily operates through Ayoga-Atiyoga-Mi:hyã Yoga of Kãla-Buddhi-Indriyãrtha classically known as Kãla-Parinãma, Prajnãparãdha and Asãtmyendriyãrtha Sarnyoga respectively. These three are the basic errors of Ecological, Intellectual and Sensorial inputs and are the principal stressors. These three categories of erroneous informational inputs continue bombarding the organism leading to an unwholesome stressful state which if overrides a limit leads in turn to stress-disorder and disease, both mental and physical.

KäIa- Buddhi-Indriyarthãnãm Yogo Mithya Na Cãti Ca; Dwayafrayaiam Vyãdhinãm Tn vidho Hetu S angral.

When the organism is exposed to above mentioned aetiological factors in an individual of Alpa-Sattwa (weak psyche) the Samprãpti i.e. disease process begins vitiating the Hrdaya i.e. brain and psyche passing further to Manovaha Sroras or psychic centers rendering the victim in a state of Sammoha or mental confusion leading further to altered behavior. The different sets of behavioral alterations manifest as different kinds of Unmãda, Apasrnãra, Atattväbhinivesã and other Mãnas Rogas.

The great moment that I wished to cherish has finally been met. The arrival of the book Rationale of Ayurvedic Psychiatry is far more gratifying than many of my endeavours. My first book Ayurvede Monovijnanasya sameekshatrnakamadhyayanm (Sanskrit) was published in 2002 and the second book, The Mind in Ayurveda and other Indian Traditions. In 2004. In fact by 2005 June, The publisher had already sent me the proof material. Fortunately or unfortunately it was at that juncture that I took a crucial decision o leave Gomantak Ayurveda College Goa, where I was Principal and Superintendent since March 2003 and Joined a similar post at new Vallabh Vidyanagar, Anand, Gujarat. The enormous workload, diversified activities, my own desire to establish a model Ayurveda College and Hospital allowed me no time to look at the proof. The dust gathered and gathered which I could ultimately wipe off in Dec. 2007. I wish the book shall be published by June 2008.

The book Rationale of Psychiatry is conveniently divided in the three parts. The First part elaborates on the fundamental concepts of Ayurveda as available in Ayurvda with suitable examples. Psychotherapy concepts in allied ancient literature like Upanishads, Darshanas and Brihathrayee have also been brought to fore front to clarify the Ayurveda concepts wherever necessary. A systematic classification of Psychotherapeutics is presented in this part. The concept of Sattvavajaya is highlighted.

The second part gives a detailed account of Psychotherapeutics. Therapeutic practices that were in vogue (which continue to be practiced even today) and the drugs that are being used to treat various psychological disorders are discussed. The concept of Medhya Rasayana has been put forth lucidly with a briefing on its scientific footings.

The recent advances in the field of Psychiatry, Ayurveda Psychiatry in particular, are precisely dealt in part three. Mode of action of Psychotropic drugs mentioned in Ayurveda, in terms of modern scientific parameters, list of various research works: rnuititudes of institutions across the country and abroad, titles of theses submitted on Mansarogas in various teaching institutions all over India, abstracts or research works and also own articles on Mind and related topics constitute the contents of this part.