Review Article International Ayurvedic Medical Journal ISSN:2320 5091

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS TO SMRITI

1Nambiar Sruthi Surendran 2Jadhav Lakshmiprasad, 3 Chiplunkar Shivaprasad 1Research Scholar, Dept of Kriya Shareera, 2 HOD, Dept of Kayachikiltsa, 3Associate Professor, Dept of Kriya Shareera, Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College of Ayurveda and Hospital, Hassan, Karnataka, India ABSTRACT The concept of Smriti has been vividly explained in the classical text but not much work has been done to understand it. The paper will discuss the characteristics of memory and relate it with concept of Smriti as explained in the classical texts. The power of the mind to retain and reproduce what is learnt is called memory. Memory revolves around the concept of mind and other perspectives which is the karya (cause) to bring about the karana(karana) that is attainment of a good memory. Body and mind constantly interact with eachother. Thus an approach to understand smriti has to be done in two angles – the psychological and physical aspects. The psychological aspects like Atma, mana, buddhi and moksha. The physical aspects like the concepts on dosha, sara, prakruti, onset of diseases and in the treatment point of view. The paper attempts to explain the psychological and physical aspects of Smriti. Key words: smriti, memory, atma, manas, buddhi, dosas, prakruti.

INTRODUCTION physical aspect. The concept of smriti has been discussed in various classical texts in While contemplating the objects of many different ways.Smriti is described as senses a person develops attachment for one among the eight aishwaryas which is them and from such attachments lust possible only through the concentration of develops and from lust anger arises. From pure mind2.Smriti is remembrance of things anger complete delusion arises and from which are directly perceived, heard or delusion bewilderment of memory. When experienced earlier3. memory is bewildered intelligence is lost and when intelligence is lost one falls down PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH TO again into the materialistic pool. The SMRITI importance given to smriti in the ancient scripture is evident from the above lines1. The methodology applied to attain the Acharyas have differentiated the body and knowledge is as follows4 supreme soul mind as two independent entities with conjugates with mind ; mind with respective significant interaction between them. Not sense organs ultimately attaining the only they associate with each other but also objective of acquiring knowledge. The mutually contribute and complement the other’s cause. Approach of Ayurveda from knowledge thus acquainted can be the evolution to the dissolution exhibits what reproduced only if one has the ability to can be conveniently termed as a recollect the piece of information acquired. psychosomatic or psychophysical approach. The Atma transmigrates from one Smriti can be well understood by analysing body to another along with the four subtle these two phenomena –psychological and bhutas with the help of mana. This being guided by the associated past actions5.Atma gets rid of miseries14.The power of is beyond any sensory perceptions. Atma metaphysical memory constitutes the best after entering into the body by its way of liberation as shown by the liberated association with buddhi gets involved in ones. Persons following this way do not attachment6.The dissimilarity in the shape come back to worldly traps. This again is the and intellectual faculties is caused by the best way to the attainment of moksha15. rajas, tamas and the nature of the past PHYSICAL APPROACH TO SMRITI actions7.The four factors which are Doshas are the functional responsible for the mental faculty of the representatives of our body. Vata is the main progeny are the mental faculty of parents, dosha that gives stimulation to mind for its the sounds repeatedly heard by the pregnant normal functioning and also controls its mother, actions performed by the embryo in activities. The main dosha involved for the his previous life and frequent desires for a process of attaining smriti is udana vata particular type of mental faculty by the residing in the moordha and ura 16.The other progeny in his previous life. These are types of dosha contributing to this cause - mentioned as the reasons for the variability Prana vata residing in the ura maintains the in the psychic temperaments among the proper activity of buddhi, mana and individuals8. indriya17.Sadhaka pitta residing in hrdaya is The factors responsible for procreation as in responsible for the proper functioning of the shad garbhakara bhavas ; Smriti is a buddhi and mana. Tarpaka kapha residing factor derived from both atma 9 and satva 10. in head provides nourishment and protection The statement that ‘manifestation of manas to centres of sense organs in the brain and it occurs during 5th month of pregnancy in the keeps the control of vata in the brain18. foetal body’ indicates the coexistent nature Among the eight sara described , of mind and body11. Smriti is an attribute twak sara purusha is said to have a high destined to atma 12 or smriti is one among intellect and sattva sara purusha is endowed the 16 qualities that are told as the proof for with good memory19. According to the existence of atma 13. But the atma Sarangadhara Balyam ,Vrdhi, Chavi, relevant to this context is known as the Medha, Twak, Drusti, Sukra, Buddhi Jivatma. ,Karmaindriya, spiritual life-these get For attaining the ultimate goal of an deteriorated in successive decades20.Which individual that is moksha ,the regimens like explains that Medha gets hampered after due devotion to noble souls , shunning of the 40yrs and buddhi gets hampered after company of the wicked, observing sacred 80yr.Acharyas have quoted that during the vows and fast, pursuit of the rules of good old age there is diminution in conduct, compliance with scriptural Grahana(power of understanding), prescriptions, scriptural knowledge, liking Dharana(power of retention), for lonely living, detachment from the Smarana(power of memorising) and objects of senses , striving for moksha and Vachana (power of speech) 21. With respect absolute mental control are highlighted to smriti in different deha prakruthi which serves as an aid to good memory. If Acharyas have mentioned different one remembers the real nature of things he variations. As in vata prakruthi they are alpa smruta and sruta grahi 22 and have object of vision pathway had mostly chala smriti23.Pitta prakruthi individuals are transient response to stimuli, indicating their considered to be medhavi24. In kapha predominant role in perceptual processing. 25 Probably may be due to these reasons prakruthi individuals, they are chiragrahi 26 Acharyas made stress upon these two and smrutiman . With respect to manasa perceptions i.e.visual and auditory prakruit it is told that those possessing specifically. In modern science if we are satwika prakruti is endowed with good considering sensory cortical areas of brain it memory27. performs mainly on the basis of three One among the three principal and perceptions as our Acharyas have told. fundamental causative agents in the Smriti as a mental faulty: Chakrapani while explaining the proof for manifestation of diseases in general as 28 existence of Atma states that chetana, dhrti, postulated in Ayurveda is prajnaparadha . smriti and ahamkara are the types of budhi. In such circumstances, the memory will For the Atma to get the perception after have to be nullified by diverting the mind entering the body it should have the with the desirable , variegated and surprising association of budhi. This in turn highlights incidents. The memory goes astray due to that smriti is also a component to bring the person being overcome by Rajas and about the attachment. Also Cakrapani in another context states uhapohavicara and Tamas, the two factors responsible for smriti have been termed as buddhi. So, it is psychological disorders. Smriti is implicated obvious that without Smriti, the function of specifically in two major psychological Buddhi is impossible. Function of Buddhi disorders like insanity (unmada) and cannot occur without uhapoha and vichara, epilepsy (apasmara).In unmada, it is which comes through smriti or past perverted smriti (smritibhramsa) 29 while in experiences. Acharyas have explained about the apasmara there is momentary departure of 30 methodology to attain knowledge. In the smriti (smritinasa) contemporary science, memory is the Memory is counted among the four qualities processes by which information is encoded, to be possessed by the patient which serve as stored, and retrieved. Encoding allows an aid to a successful treatment31.True to its information that is from the outside world to tradition, Ayurveda has applied the concept reach our senses in the forms of chemical of smriti in the management of diseased and physical stimuli. In this first stage we must change the information so that we may states. It is considered one among the major put the memory into the encoding process. therapeutic approaches in psychological Storage is the second memory stage or 32 disturbances .Smriti is also implicated in process. This entails that we maintain the prevention of exogenous diseases33. information over periods of time. Finally the DISCUSSION third process is retrieval of information that Smriti is the remembrance of events we have stored. We must locate it and return that is directly perceived, heard or it to our consciousness. This whole process experienced earlier. Out of all sense organs can be related to the attainment of for knowledge perception most important knowledge or jnana. are visual and auditory knowledge. Without Budhi is an instrument for the atma having either of these perceptions normally for attachment. In the contemporary science, one couldn’t acquire proper knowledge. there is substantial evidence that foetal Three occipito temporal areas in the ventral memory exists within the first and second trimester after conception when the pus; it processes new memories for long- egg is fertilized. Evidence of this has been term storage. Brain areas involved in found as early as 30 weeks after conception. the neuroanatomy of memory such as Foetal memory is important for parental the hippocampus, the amygdala, recognition, and facilitates the bond between the striatum, or the mammillary bodies are child and parents. This form of memory is thought to be involved in specific types of important for a type of development known memory. The Dharana and Smarana are as attachment. Foetal memory is thus critical both functions of basal ganglia cells (hippo- to the survival of the foetus both prenatally campus) and many researches support the and after birth as an infant. role of acetylcholine in the memory func- It is worth considering the relation of tions. The term Vachana may not simply Mana, Buddhi, Dhi, Dhriti and Smriti with refer articular speech here but rather the ca- each other. In the process of knowledge, pacity for power of expression of mental these are interrelated with each other. Mana concepts and seems to relate with memory. is the entity that associates with Atma for the CONCLUSION proper cognition. Budhi decides and bifur- Smriti is sort of imprints of previous experi- cates the hita and ahita. Dhi is the capacity ence of a person which helps the individual or power of retention. Dhriti is the power to recollect or remember the facts experi- that controls the orientation of attitude. enced. At the psychological level ,smriti is While Smriti helps the mind in recollecting well understood through the concepts like the entire percept or experimented objects atma , manas and indriyas as a means to at- on the basis of the concept formed by past tain knowledge and for liberation. Smriti experiences. If anyone of these is hampered helps the mind in recollecting the entire per- the ultimate objective of attaining knowl- cept or experimented objects on the basis of edge cannot be reached. the concept formed by past experiences. At Smriti and the relation with foetus: the physical level, Smriti is well understood Acharys have quoted that in the formation of through the concepts like dosha, sara, prak- garbha, mana is formed in the fifth month. ruti, deterioration of smriti, onset of diseases In the contemporary view, the Central Nerv- and in its treatment aspect. The entities like ous System (CNS) and memory in the foetus dosha, sara and prakruti can be related to develop from the ectoderm follow- physiological aspects and as the cause for ing fertilization via a process disease can be related to the pathological called neurulation. The ectoderm is the out- aspect. These psychological and physical ermost layer of the embryo. This happens faculties are interlinked with each other and towards the end of the third week derangement of any of these will reflect on of gestation and ends with the start of the other. development of the neural tube, an impor- REFERENCES tant structure crucial to development of the 1. Prabhupada ACB Swami.Bhagavat central nervous system. Some evidence sug- Gita As it is.Bhaktivedanta book gests memory is actually responsible for car- trust;2011.p.136-7. rying out the development of the CNS dur- 2. Acharya YT. Caraka samhita with ing neurulation. Ayurveda Dipika commentary of With respect to relation between Cakrapanidatta. Reprint dosa and smriti with its contemporary view, ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit Udana vata is mainly responsible for the Samsthan;2011.p.300 smriti along with the involvement of all 3. Acharya YT. Caraka samhita with other doshas.In the contemporary science, Ayurveda Dipika commentary of the main centres in the brain is hippocam- Cakrapanidatta. Reprint ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit Samsthan;2011.p.300 Samsthan;2011.p. 300 4. Acharya YT. Caraka samhita with 15. Ibid Ayurveda Dipika commentary of 16. Paradakara HSB. Astanga Hrudaya Cakrapanidatta. Reprint with Sarvanga Sundaram commen- ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit tary of Arunadatta and Ayurveda Samsthan;2011.p.300 Rasayana of Hemadri. 9th edi. Vara- 5. Acharya YT. Caraka samhita with nasi: Chaukamba Sanskrit Ayurveda Dipika commentary of Samsthan;2005.p. 192 Cakrapanidatta. Reprint 17. ibid ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit 18. Paradakara HSB. Astanga Hrudaya Samsthan;2011.p.305 with Sarvanga Sundaram commen- 6. Ibid tary of Arunadatta and Ayurveda 7. Ibid Rasayana of Hemadri. 9th edi. Vara- 8. Acharya YT. Caraka samhita with nasi: Chaukamba Sanskrit Ayurveda Dipika commentary of Samsthan;2005.p. 195 Cakrapanidatta. Reprint 19. Acharya YT. Caraka samhita with ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit Ayurveda Dipika commentary of Samsthan;2011.p. 342 Cakrapanidatta. Reprint 9. Acharya YT. Caraka samhita with ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit Ayurveda Dipika commentary of Samsthan;2011.p. 278 Cakrapanidatta. Reprint 20. Sarangdhar samhita by Saranghdhar ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit with commentary by adhamalas Samsthan;2011.p. 312 dipika and Karirama gundhante 10. Acharya YT. Caraka samhita with dipika,published by Chaukhambha Ayurveda Dipika commentary of Sanskrit sansthan, Cakrapanidatta. Reprint Varanasi,edition2000.p.72, 73. ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit 21. Acharya YT. Caraka samhita with Samsthan;2011.p. 312 Ayurveda Dipika commentary of 11. Acharya YT. Caraka samhita with Cakrapanidatta. Reprint Ayurveda Dipika commentary of ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit Cakrapanidatta. Reprint Samsthan;2011.p. 280 ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit 22. Acharya YT. Caraka samhita with Samsthan;2011.p. 305 Ayurveda Dipika commentary of 12. Acharya YT. Caraka samhita with Cakrapanidatta. Reprint Ayurveda Dipika commentary of ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit Cakrapanidatta. Reprint Samsthan;2011.p. 277 ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit 23. Paradakara HSB. Astanga Hrudaya Samsthan;2011.p. 294 with Sarvanga Sundaram 13. Acharya YT. Sushruta Samhit with commentary of Arunadatta and Nibandhasangraha commentary of Ayurveda Rasayana of Hemadri. 9th Sri Dalhanacharya. Reprint edi. Varanasi: Chaukamba Sanskrit ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit Samsthan;2005.p. 404 Samsthan;2010.p. 342 24. Acharya YT. Sushruta Samhit with 14. Acharya YT. Caraka samhita with Nibandhasangraha commentary of Ayurveda Dipika commentary of Sri Dalhanacharya. Reprint Cakrapanidatta. Reprint ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit Samsthan;2010.p. 342 25. Paradakara HSB. Astanga Hrudaya Cakrapanidatta. Reprint with Sarvanga Sundaram ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit commentary of Arunadatta and Samsthan;2011.p. 467 Ayurveda Rasayana of Hemadri. 9th 31. Acharya YT. Caraka samhita with edi. Varanasi: Chaukamba Sanskrit Ayurveda Dipika commentary of Samsthan;2005.p. 403 Cakrapanidatta. Reprint 26. Acharya YT. Caraka samhita with ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit Ayurveda Dipika commentary of Samsthan;2011.p. 16 Cakrapanidatta. Reprint 32. Acharya YT. Caraka samhita with ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit Ayurveda Dipika commentary of Samsthan;2011.p. 323 Cakrapanidatta. Reprint 27. Paradakara HSB. Astanga Hrudaya ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit with Sarvanga Sundaram Samsthan;2011.p. 63 commentary of Arunadatta and 33. Acharya YT. Caraka samhita with Ayurveda Rasayana of Hemadri. 9th Ayurveda Dipika commentary of edi. Varanasi: Chaukamba Sanskrit Cakrapanidatta. Reprint Samsthan;2005.p. 404 ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit 28. Acharya YT. Caraka samhita with Samsthan;2011.p. 54 Ayurveda Dipika commentary of Cakrapanidatta. Reprint CORRESPONDING AUTHOR ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit Dr Sruthi Nambiar Samsthan;2011.p. 323 Research Scholar, Dept of Kriya 29. Acharya YT. Caraka samhita with Shareera, Dept of Kriya Shareera, Sri Ayurveda Dipika commentary of Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College Cakrapanidatta. Reprint of Ayurveda and Hospital, Hassan, ed.Varanasi:Chaukamba Sanskrit Karnataka, India Samsthan;2011.p. 297 Email: [email protected] 30. Acharya YT. Caraka samhita with Ayurveda Dipika commentary of

Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: None Declared