Review Article International Ayurvedic Medical Journal ISSN:2320 5091 CROSSROADS IN AYURVEDA Pal Guru Sharan Designation- Associate Professor, NAMCH Muzaffarpur, Bihar, INDIA ABSTRACT Ayurveda is now facing problems of dilemmas regarding education, practice and re- search. Deferent doctors have deferent views on these issues. There is lacking of clear decision on these issues. In these conditions, development of Ayurveda is not possible. So, there is need of today to make clear decisions on various issues of Ayurveda. For this, conferences of Ayur- vedic experts are required on these issues. Keywords: dilemmas, education, practice, research, integrated medicine INTRODUCTION There are so many confusions and so pathway to go ahead. many dilemmas regarding education, prac- REVIEW tice and research in Ayurveda. In the newly Ayurveda was only one and a well- designed syllabus of UG and PG courses of developed medical science in ancient India. Ayurveda, more than 50% part is modern Later on, Muslim invaders attacked India medicine. Some Ayurvedic doctors support and destroyed many Ayurvedic texts and it and some Ayurvedic doctors oppose it. institutions. Then, British government ruled Some states have allowed Ayurvedic doctors over India and promoted modern medical to prescribe modern medicines and some science only, not Ayurveda. After indepen- states have banned it. There is vacancy of dence, govt. of India tried to support and Ayurvedic doctors in health ministry, Ayush revitalize Ayurveda but growth rate was ministry and labor ministry but there is no very slow. Department of Indian Systems of place for Ayurvedic doctors in defense min- Medicine and Homeopathy (ISM & H) was istry. There are so many problems in the created in March 1995 and re-named as De- area of research in Ayurveda. Some wants to partment of Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha prove efficacy and safety of Ayurvedic and Homeopathy (AYUSH) in November drugs on modern parameters and some 2003 and now, Department of AYUSH has wants to prove their efficacy on the basis of been upgraded as Ministry of AYUSH in ancient research methodology. Some wants November 2014. Now, govt. of India is pro- to practice integrated medicine but some viding a huge financial support to propagate doctors oppose it. Thus, there are so many and upgrade Ayush. This is history of Ayur- crossroads in various areas of Ayurveda. veda in brief, from ancient times to present This is need of today to find out the right time. How to cite this URL: Pal Guru Sharan : Crossroads In Ayurveda. International Ayurvedic medical Journal {online} 2016 {cited 2016 July} Available from: http://www.iamj.in/posts/images/upload/2981_2984.pdf Pal Guru Sharan : Crossroads In Ayurveda Now, many Ayurvedic universities and col- mented on this article that research in Ayur- leges are running in India. Many books and veda and its scientific validation in tune with journals are being published for enriching its principles are essential to suit the con- Ayurveda. National and international semi- temporary needs leading to its mainstream- nars and conferences are being conducted to ing2.The author personally agrees with Prof. propagate and exchange various ideas in R.H. Singh’s opinion that scientific valida- Ayurveda. But, I have just felt one thing in tion of Ayurveda should be done in tune these books, journals and seminars that there with its principles and it is essential for are three types of Ayurvedic doctors in In- global acceptance of Ayurveda in present dia. Firstly, those Ayurvedic doctors who time. If scientific validation of Ayurveda is diagnose the disease on the basis of prin- done entirely in tune with modern concepts ciples of Ayurveda and treat the disease on then, Ayurveda will be ruined. the basis of Ayurvedic principles too. In my Many facts have been mentioned in Ayur- opinion, number of such Ayurvedic doctors vedic texts. Acharya Charak has indicated is 5% approximately. Secondly, those Ayur- local application of bakuchi (psoralea cory- vedic doctors who diagnose the disease on lifolia) in the management of vitili- the basis of principles of modern medicine go3.Modern medicine also indicates local and treat the disease on the basis of modern application of psoralen (active ingredient of principles too. Such Ayurvedic doctors are bakuchi) in the management of vitiligo. 20% as per my assessment. Thirdly, those Acharya Sushrut has explained very minute Ayurvedic doctors who diagnose the disease structures of our body without any micro- on the basis of principles of modern medi- scopes in those times. He has depicted about cine and prescribe Ayurvedic medicines to 7 layers of skin, their thickness and diseas- fit them on modern concepts and number of es4, which are supported by modern medi- such Ayurvedic doctors is maximum i.e. cine today.Acharya Vagbhat has mentioned 75%. The Himalaya Drug Company pre- the symptoms of anhydrosis and hyperhidro- pares literatures to keep view of these third sis in kusth5, and modern medicine also ac- types of Ayurvedic doctors e.g. Gokshura is cepts the condition of anhydrosis and com- diuretic and Bhumyamalaki is hepatoprotec- pensatory hyperhidrosis in leprosy. Thus, we tive, etc. Maximum articles in journalsare find that many facts which have been men- written by third type of Ayurvedic doctors. tioned long ago in our classical texts are also An article entitled “Ayurpathy: A modern supported by modern medicine today. But perspective of Ayurveda” was published in scientific reason of so many facts of classic- AYU, 2011July-Sept issue in which it was al texts is not known till now. Acharya Cha- mentioned that rasa, guna, virya, vipak and rak has indicated that curd should not be prabhav of medicinal plants is debatable in taken at night6.Its scientific reason on the present time and pharmacokinetics, pharma- basis of modern view is not known. Acharya codynamics, efficacy, safety profile and Sushrut has described that if the patient of chemical compositions of medicinal plants kusth (skin problems) dies then, he gets kus- should be established1. In the same issue of thagain in the next birth also7.The scientific the same journal, Prof. R.H. Singh com- reason and mechanism of transmission of www.iamj.in IAMJ: Volume 4; Issue 09; September- 2016 2982 Pal Guru Sharan : Crossroads In Ayurveda kusth from one birth to another birth is not graph” Calcutta edition on 16 August 20169. known till now. Similarly, Acharya Vagbhat In this article, it was mentioned that CCIM has described that one who condemns or has decided to offer a two year postgraduate kills a gentleman, gets kusth8.Mechanism of diploma course in Ayurveda to doctors of origin of kusth after condemning or killing a modern medicine. Many Ayurvedic doctors gentleman is not known. Researches should support cross practice- Ayurvedic doctors be done to explore unknown facts mentioned prescribing modern medicine or allopathic in classical texts. When modern scientists doctors prescribing ayurvedic medicine. But prove any fact then we say that it has been many Ayurvedic doctors oppose this cross mentioned in our texts long ago. We should practice keeping Ayurveda pure. Like that, prove these unknown facts to globalize and many allopathic doctors support cross prac- mainstream Ayurveda. tice and many oppose this. In my opinion, CCIM has stopped practical/oral examina- patients are free to choose whatever stream tions in Ashtang Hridaya and CharakSamhi- they want to be treated through- Allopathy, ta minimizing the importance of these clas- Ayurveda or homeopathy, but doctors sical texts. In the new syllabus of BAMS, should prescribe medicines from their field CCIM included modern medicine more than of training only. Ayurveda which has been opposed by some In a written reply to Rajya Sabha, Defense ayurvedic doctors. There is lacking of ar- Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar said that ticles which emphasize on elaboration and Ayurveda treatment was not approved as a scientific validation of fundamental prin- mode of treatment for defense services per- ciples of Ayurveda i.e. panchmahabhut, tri- sonnel and integration of entire complement dosh, saptadhatu, mala, agni, samprapti of Indian systems of medicine with Armed (Ayurvedic pathogenesis of diseases), sro- Forces Medical Services was not feasible. tas, ojas,etc. No initiatives have been taken However, a 10 bed Ayurvedic hospital was to explore these fundamental principles of inaugurated by the defense secretary at the Ayurveda and current researches in Ayurve- Army Base Hospital in Delhi Cantonment. da are not beneficial for Ayurvedic practi- Health ministry of India has recognized qua- tioners. What is the relevance of these fun- lifications of all streams as equivalent and damental principles of Ayurveda in the di- stressed the need for integrated medicines. agnosis and management of diseases, where In June 2016, Union health minister inaugu- should Ayurveda move and where is Ayur- rated a Center for Integrative Medicine & veda moving towards- these are debatable Research at AIIMS, New Delhi which will questions in present time. The author has explore the use Ayurveda and yoga in treat- heard about some Ayurvedic diagnostic ing various diseases. tools such as electrotridoshgram (ETG) and CONCLUSION nadi examination machine. If these instru- In the syllabus of UG and PG courses, basic ments are really functioning properly then, principles of Ayurveda should be explored. these should be upgraded and propagated. Only some basic knowledge of modern An article titled “Spat over Ayurveda Primer science should be included in the syllabus. for Doctors” was published in “The Tele- There is no importance of any ayurvedic www.iamj.in IAMJ: Volume 4; Issue 09; September- 2016 2983 Pal Guru Sharan : Crossroads In Ayurveda course for allopathic doctors. There is no REFERENCES need of integration of different streams in 1. Katiyar CK. Ayurpathy: A modern pers- education and practice. Training and prac- pective of Ayurveda. AYU 2011;32:304.