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Ayurveda
: Ancient Heritage in the Age of Globalisation
the science. This is mainly lifestyle related. Ayurveda
advocates regimens that modify the lifestyle according to
the natural diurnal, nocturnal and seasonal changes.
Concept of Disease and its Management:
Diseases are essentially caused by a disturbance of
the
dosha-dhatu-mala
triad. The nature of the disease
and the suitable treatment for that are all understood and
decided based on the understanding of the state of the
dosha
. Three
dosha
are the tools to understand any
disease named or unnamed, explained or unexplained in
Ayurveda. It is said that “a physician need not be shy if he/
she cannot name a disease; what is essential is to know
the
dosha
(s) involved and the pattern of its/their
involvement”
5
Diseases are broadly classified in to three – that
which are caused by our environment, like pollution;
that which are caused by “unseen” factors, like para-
psychological and spiritual implications; and that which
are caused by one’s own physical and mental factors.
Treatments are mainly of three types –
yukti
vyapaasraya
(that which depends just on physician’s
logic),
sattvaavajaya
(that which is meant to gain control
over the mind) and
daiva vyapasraya
(that which
depends on divine intervention).
5
Ashtangahridaya. Sutrasthaana. 12.64
