MEDICINE EXPLAINED

In this chapter, we will explore the inner meaning of each of the ten couplets given in the previous chapter. By knowing the full inner meaning, it should be possible for all to understand and can make sincere efforts to follow them.

The Tamilians are of Dravidian origin. They have a great traditional system of medicine called 'Siddha' medicine. This has been in vogue for several thousand years. Ayurveda also follows similar system. These two systems are similar with subtle differences in their approach.

Since Thiruvalluvar is of Dravidian origin, he is referring to 'Siddha' system of medicine. The word 'siddhar' refers to one who has realised the eight siddhis and have overcome its temptation and proceeded further towards the realisation of GOD. The eight siddhis are as follow.

1. Anima: reducing one's body even to the size of an atom
2. Mahima: expanding one's body to an infinitely large size
3. Garima: becoming infinitely heavy
4. Laghima: becoming almost weightless
5. Prapti: having unrestricted access to all places
6. Prakamya: realizing whatever one desires
7. Istva: possessing absolute lordship
8. Vastva: the power to subjugate all

Siddhas are supposed to have realised GOD and from their realisation they gave the knowledge of medicine to the common people. The knowledge is comprehensive and complete. A detailed knowledge of diseases, a complete system of herbal remedies were gifted by these Siddhas to the world. Their knowledge is so vast, that without the aid of any modern medical equipments, they have given a detailed description of the growth of child in the womb of its mother.

The Siddha system uses a comprehensive system of diagnosis after analysing the general physical and mental condition of the patient, feeling the pulse and recommending a complete cure for the body and mind.

Though initially the body was neglected, later on it was realised that only through the body one can continue to worship GOD. Hence, they started developing systems to maintain good health and a long life. Towards this end, 'Kayakalpams' were developed which will prolong the life beyond the 100 years. Thirumoolar, one of the 18 Siddhars is supposed to have lived for thousands of years and migrated from his body to that of another body of a cowherd called Moolan.

In Indian yoga system, more than one body has been identified and the functions of each body has been clearly explained. Some diseases like cancer are manifestations of mental problems over a period of time.

Though food is for nourishing the body, food alone cannot support the body or cure any disease. There is an external energy called 'Prana' that sustains and rejuvenates the body. Food is required to fulfill the laws of nature on earth. With these preliminaries, let us go to the detailed meaning of the ten couplets.

1. In the first couplet, the reference is to three humours (dosha) in the body i.e. wind, bile and phlegm which should be in balance to maintain a good health. There can be eight possible combinations i.e wind, bile, phlegm, wind/bile, wind/phlegm, bile/phlegm, wind/bile/phlegm may be either less or more. The eighth combination is that all three are in balance and good health is achieved. The diagnosis is mainly through feeling the pulse in the hand and additionally, tongue, eyes, stomach are checked to arrive at the exact cause. Through questions, the mental condition and family life are ascertained.

   Usually, people have one humour predominant in the body and the characteristics of the person follows the predominant humour. Any imbalance results in disease or health problems.

   Phlegm helps in the lubrication of muscles, bile in digestion and the wind for all other activities. Hence, any problem in the bodily humour results in health problem or disease.

2. In the second couplet, the thrust is on digestion. One should ensure that food taken previously is well digested before taking any more food. Digestion is a function of time, constitution of the individual and nature of food. Hence, before taking any further food, one should ensure that food taken earlier is digested properly. By eating after digesting the food, there will be no need for any medicine as there is no chance of disease.

   One should feel hungry, there should be belching out of hunger and stomach should feel light are the general symptoms of need for further food. Only then one should think of further food. Without digesting properly, if further food is taken, the system will get overloaded resulting in indigestion. Though indigestion may be present, it takes few months or years to manifest itself by which time other problems will also become obvious.

   The present trend and life-style are such that people take food at any time without considering the body's problems and hence, there is a general increase in killer diseases like BP, diabetics etc.

3. After digesting the earlier meal, one should take the food in moderation to ensure a long life. The objective is to maintain a sound body which will help in contemplation and meditation on GOD. Only humans have the capacity to meditate on the GOD and this body is very much essential for meditation. Disease and ill health will hinder in meditation.

   Also, food in moderation, apart from keeping a good health gives a long life. A machine that runs always gets worn out soon. Similarly, by overeating, digestive system gets overloaded and the energy in the body is spent in digesting food only leaving very little for other things. Food is for living only not the other way round.

4. Once the previous food is digested, one should ensure proper hunger before the next meal is contemplated. Even then, the food should be suitable for the place, season and the person. People take foods that are native to their place of living. Earlier, when only natural preservation systems were available, few selective foods were preserved for use during winter, famine or scarcity. Also, food from one region was restricted to that region due to practical difficulties in moving them fast before they rot or become stale.

   Now, because of various cooling technique, radiation and other chemical means, food can be preserved for a long time. Also, faster transport enables one to procure from any region of the world. Such food is consumed for taste and not for satisfying the hunger.

   The idea is to take next meal after digesting the earlier meal and to be taken only after proper hunger and not to whet the appetite. One should take good food which has life. Many foods are not live i.e. they do not add anything except to satisfy the taste buds and such food does not aid in growth of body. They just add calorie and fat and contribute to disease in the long run.

5. One should take the food that is live, suits the person, season and place of living. Here, not only proper food but the stress is on quantity as well. We again come to the quality of food that suits one.

   In Indian food, there six types of tastes i.e. sweet, bitter, acidic, pungent, saltish and astringent. In Tamil tradition, all guests should be served food consisting of all six tastes.

   A detailed book called 'Padartha guna cintamani' is available which gives the detailed quality of each food. Unlike the West, the thrust is on the quality from a health point of view rather than how much calories it gives or the vitamin and other constituents.

   There are restrictions on some foods being served on certain days or month and foods that are seasonal should be taken during that season only. Also, food is natural to any given place and such food suits the people living in that place. So, it is preferable to take food after considering all the above aspects. The food should not be reheated. It should have life in it so that one who eats it gets life force from the food rather than some calorie and taste. Most of the so called 'pasteurized' and other chemical and irradiated food has no life giving force and will only lead to chronic health problems.

   So, one should after digesting the previous meal, eat life giving food in limited quantity when hungry. This will ensure a healthy, long life.

6. Here the thrust is again on taking limited quantity of food to satisfy the hunger. One who eats when hungry only to satisfy the hunger and not the appetite or craving for food leads a healthy life. Eating in excess, leads to disease and suffering.

   In general, the advances in technology etc. have resulted in more food being available. The rich can procure food from every part of the world just to satisfy their cravings for exotic food. Though procured at an exorbitant cost, these are usually not fit for consumption though they have artificial taste and chemical additives to enhance their desirability. Also, it may not suit the climes of the consumer of such exotic food.

   In most of the parties, the host is showing off his wealth and capacity to spend lavishly. A variety of food is served. The guests are tempted to eat all the courses being served. This naturally leads to excess eating. Additionally, alcoholic drinks add to the misery. After drinking, one loses control and eats recklessly. The result is like a deflated balloon in the morrow with hangover and other discomforts wasting the entire day.

   Excess eating leads to disease and suffering and limited eating to satisfy the hunger gives a long and healthy life. While eating, 50% of the stomach should be full with food, 25% with water and the rest with air so that the system is able to accept the food and digest it. Also, the food should be chewed properly to aid in easy digestion.

7. Once again, the stress is on eating knowing one's digestive power. Eating in excess of digestive power leads to unlimited disease.

   Even in their old age, many people continue to eat the same quantity and quality of food when they were young. Many sportsmen and athletes, continue with similar schedule of food even after they stop participating in sports. Parties and get together naturally leads to overeating due to the many courses and the rich food served.

   The stomach gets overloaded and for some time, it will try to go through the digestive process. If repeatedly abused, over a period of time, the body loses the power to digest and leads to indigestion. The symptoms of indigestion are not immediately visible. After a few months or years, other diseases will be visible. And treatment becomes difficult and costly. Also, to regain the original vitality is impossible.

   Hence, eat live food just sufficient to satisfy the hunger to lead a healthy and long life.

   Indigestion can be easily identified by blakened lips and lines on the finger nails in addition to heaviness in the stomach and a lack of hunger.

8. Thiruvlluvar, starting with three humours that control the body, in the next six couplets, explains the means of avoiding disease. Since, people tend to ignore the advice till there is trouble, he explains how to go about the treatment of disease.

   The physician should examine the patient through feeling his pulse, physical and mental condition and other symptoms in the body and ascertain the disease and the cause for the disease. Then, he should choose a course of treatment to do away the disease successfully.

   The Siddha system of diagnosis involves feeling the pulse, verbal questioning about diet, hunger, urine, motion, sleep and mental condition of the patient, life style and then the actual reason for the disease is judged. It is quite possible that disease may not be physical but due to mental problems arising out of day to day difficulties in life. So after ascertaining the actual cause for disease, the physician should prescribe a course of treatment for successful treatment of the disease.

   The present system of diagnosis in allopathy involves analysing the blood, urine etc. without giving sufficient time for the patient to explain his problems. Any successful physician is attending to several patients and delegates the diagnosis to either juniors or depending entirely on various analysis reports. Majority of the tests do not show any negative results. This only increases the cost of treatment for patient, adds to his already miserable condition and in general makes the doctor and pharmaceutical companies rich. Many diseases like BP, diabetes etc. are never treated but kept in some condition with regular medication. Even rich people lose a considerable amount. Employees of the hospital or nursing home ascertain the wealth of the patient and his paying capacity and prescribe treatment in such way that the patient spends his entire saving and takes some loans to get cured. The whole process makes the rich poor and the poor beggers. Medical tourism is becoming popular because of such expensive treatment even for simple health problems which do not need any medication at all.

   For example, mumps is treated by wearing a golden chain for a few days. No medicine is prescribed. But, other than Indian system, all other systems run for a medicine for its cure.

9. The learned 'Siddha' physician should judge the patient's condition, intensity of the disease, time and through his knowledge of medical system should prescribe a course of treatment.

   Here, the physician should consider the physical and mental condition of the patient, his bodily condition to undergo the treatment, age, whether the disease is chronic or in the initial stages, the effect of season on the patient and after evaluating everything, apply his knowledge to successfully give the treatment to the patient.

   In Siddha system of medicine, restrictions are imposed on the diet, several dos and don'ts, rigid discipline along with few exercises are prescribed to treat the patient. Unlike allopathy, where even a bedridden patient is given a lot of food without any regard to the patient's system to cope with the input. Even for simple fevers, high powered antibiotics are prescribed to enhance self reputation thereby increasing the cost and making the medicine useless for real emergencies.

   The number of medicines prescribed is also high and there is no option for optimum dose for the patient as standard medicines are made to cover a general group of patients based on a study in a country where the cultural habits and physical characteristics are totally different from the place of end use. The entire approach has undergone a radical change and the patient has been forced to think a doctor as a service provider instead of revered person contributing to the well being of the society.

10. Lastly, Thiruvalluvar defines that ultimate treatment depends on four aspects i.e. the patient, physician, medicine, helper or compounder / nurse.

    The patient's duty is to follow the advice of the physician, pay for the medicines, bear with the pain, difficulties of disease or treatment. The physician is distinguished by his knowledge of medical system, patience and sympathy with the patient, determination to cure the disease, common sense, lack of greed. The medicine or medical system of treatment forms the third aspect. The fourth aspect is the one who helps the patient in taking the medicine and taking care of his requirement.

    We have observed that there is no mention about any medicine in any of the couplets. Rather, the path is one of avoidance of disease and hence medicine. This augers well with the wishes of majority of people who really want a disease free healthy life but are caught in MAYA and the web of life and fall into endless suffering.

    The individual is responsible for himself. One should reap what he sows. So, there is no excuse in blaming other for his misery. Greed, lust, intense desire for pleasure, gluttony, worry etc. contribute to bad health.

    Thiruvalluvar has shown the path for healthy and a long life. Either follow it or come to grief. There is no avoidance.

EXPERIENCES

Experience 1:

The author was suffering with stomach problems for a few years. The problem started with acute pain followed by loose motion. The treatment consisted of allopathy medicine. This was repeated several times over a period of time. It became so troublesome that eating anything without stomach problem particularly in the office became a torture.

The consulting physician diagnosed the problem as indigestion and peptic ulcer and he offered no permanent cure except to continue to take medicine as and when the problem occurs.

The problem had its origin to the hostel mess in the college days. The lips had become black due to indigestion because of overeating and the author's mother had thought it was due to smoking.

The problem which started in the teens came to the fore only in the forties. So far almost 20 years, body was trying to cope with overloading and ultimately it started showing symptoms of distress. Even then treatment was not proper leading to aggravation.

Ultimately, skipping the breakfast, taking 'Druba' grass juice, chewing few tender leaves of BEL, TULSI and NEEM brought about total cure. This solved the problem of indigestion, acidity and peptic ulcer. The total cost is a 0 (a big zero).

Experience 2:

My colleague, Shri Raibat Chowdhury had a real pot belly with smooth curves and contour. While joking about it in the office, he explained that because of his daughter's studies, he was forced to take late dinner (after 11.00 pm) in the night. He wanted some advice to solve the problem.

He was advised to prepone his dinner timings and also to take six glasses of H2O (water) on empty stomach in the morning. When the author met him after a week, he was holding his trousers with his hand and told him that he vomited daily after taking water and only that day there was no problem. Also, he said, he has to alter all his trousers because the pot belly has melted and even his belt had to be changed. Again , the cost is a 0 (a big zero).

Experience 3:

The teenage daughter of a subordinate had a boil at the end of the tail bone. Once, it was removed through minor surgery. Some antibiotics were prescribed. After a week, the boil appeared again. It was painful and highly uncomfortable as sitting and walking were difficult. It was suggested that the patient fast for at least one day only with fruit juice and tender coconut. Also, skipping dinner and replacing it with acidic fruit was suggested. The problem vanished after a week and has not recurred since.

In another case, one subordinate had few big and painful boils on the forehead and chin. Antibiotics and creams for external application were prescribed. But, the problem continued. When he asked for help, he was asked to fast for a day with fruit juice every three days. After the first fasting, the pain had come down considerably and the huge boils had reduced in size and new skin had grown showing signs of recovery. Now the face has recovered its former attractive features.

Experience 4:

While gossiping with a lady colleague in the corridor, another lady approached the first lady for antacid tablets. The first lady said she did not have any and pointed the fingers at the author and told her to ask him. So, the second lady was advised to take a glass of warm water.

In the evening, after office hours she was waiting outside the office to thank the author and also asked for a permanent cure for her problem. She did some fasting, followed a few days of treatment with grass juice and other things as mentioned under 'Experience 1', and overcame constipation through natural food resulting in a shining and clear face. Only insomnia could not be overcome as the lady was accustomed to think of problems of her sisters and lie awake and worry about the problems. She could not understand that she is neither responsible nor can she solve their problems.

Experience 5:

This is really a comic experience. A friend of the author had fasted for three days on fruit juice without any solid food. His wife like any dutiful Indian house-wife complained to her mother and her husband's uncle. When they visited their home town, the uncle turned to his nephew and asked for a confirmation whether he had really done it and the effect of his fasting. The nephew replied that it is true and he felt comfortable and really liked it.

The uncle said that he will also try it and turned to the daughter-in-law and said 'You should also try it and overcome your health problems'.

The lady was suffering from high BP and diabetes. The net outcome of the complaint was the lady had to undergo a fast for three days. The result was that her blood pressure had come to normal and her sugar level had fallen considerably calling for chocolates to make it up.

As can be seen, all the five cases illustrate the principles of nature cure. The treatment involved no cost or medicine except natural remedies without any special preparations to overcome the problem.

The case studies were included because all these cases were cured by following the principles enumerated in couplets 2 to 7 given in the the second chapter.

I would like to stress that I was not even aware of these couplets till I came across a reference about them in a book on nature cure. Only recently, I had a thorough reading and tried to understand their full meaning and apply them to day to day life. So, anyone can use this knowledge and come out of health problems.

CONCLUSION

Health is wealth:

In India, many families live with a monthly income of below Rs.1,000 (about $20). If such families have disease or sickness, they have little chance of proper treatment. They hardly get one proper meal a day. Still, many such people live happily free of disease.

At the other end, we have families with a large income in excess of their requirement. Such families spend a lot on food. They consume a variety of food far in excess of their daily requirement.

Between the above two groups, the first group has less deaths out of hunger and the second group has more deaths dying of disease as a result of overeating.

Many families spend about Rs.1,000/- to Rs.2,000/- every month on medicines. It is a real burden and many have to curtail the expenditure on food to meet such expenses. Such families, if they fall in the low income group, remain for ever poor. There is no cure offered for many chronic disease like BP. Asthma etc. Such families earn for the doctors, nursing homes and clinics and the pharmaceutical companies. In poor families, if the bread winner falls prey to any chronic or major ailment, the entire savings and properties are not sufficient to treat the patient. Later they come to such a state that even young children are forced to discontinue their studies and work to support the family and some families have no option than to beg or go into unsavory occupations.

We observe that 'Health is wealth' and a 'paise saved is a paise earned'. So care for health with proper meals and controlled eating will go a long way maintaining good health and saves a lot of trouble and money.

Sound mind in a sound body:

The body is likened to a temple in the Indian culture. A body free of disease is like a well maintained temple or church. A diseased body lacks physical and mental strength and is like a dilapidated building. Once disease sets in, the mind constantly thinks about the disease and slowly the mind also becomes sick. Over a period of time, other disease occupy the body and living becomes survival with medicines.

In general, dealing with such chronic patients tests the patience of other family members. Slowly the family wants to avoid dealing with patients. This compounds the problem and adds to the misery of the patient. The family is sick of the sickness and disease. So, it is necessary to maintain good health to have a sound mind. Only then, the entire family leads a normal life. Just remember that Indian Yoga system considers cancer arising out of mental problems.

Prevention is better that cure:

Tiruvalluvar, insists on controlling the eating habits and also on the quality and quantity of food one eats. This definitely will prevent the disease from attacking people. All the examples in the previous chapter vindicate the effect of fasting on the body and contributing to good health and cure the diseas.

One who over eats or indulges in eating for satisfying his taste buds is inviting diseases and making his or her body a host to diseases. By preventing, one need not lose peace of mind or blow his wealth or earn for paying the doctors. It is obvious that preventing disease is definitely better than falling sick and trying to find a cure.

The path ahead:

We have seen the ten couplets from a layman's point of view. The wisdom of Thiruvalluvar has been discovered by the nature cure pioneers of 19th and 20th century. The learning points are as follows.

Prevention is better than cure. This saves a lot of money and troubles.

Food forms an important part of healthy living. This has been stressed by all pioneers of nature cure. Food is a primarily decided by place, season, availability in the locality. Exotic and expensive foods may not contribute to one's good health.

Food should have life so that it can make the person eating come alive.

Moderate eating of natural food after digestion and proper hunger is essential for healthy living.

Many movies depict scenes in which the main characters drink or eat while staying in a bath tub or in bed. Some advertisements encourage other eating habits particularly to catch the young children. By inducing the children, the parents are forced to pamper to the demands of their children. Business has developed a lot of devious ways of making money without bothering about the means or end result. It is for everyone to think and act for self and his family.

Several books on nature cure are available freely in the internet. Gutenberg.org is one such source. With abundance of food, we are becoming gluttons thereby losing our health and a prey to disease. Coupled with it, too much chemicals at every stage of food cycle, polluted rivers and air and environmental degradation is making our youngsters victims of diseases like juvenile diabetes, asthma and blood pressure etc. Epidemic proportions of diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer etc. have a very high cost to the society.

The Science of Being Well, a book by late Mr.Wallace D.Wattles written in the early twenties of the 20th century, advocates the points stressed by Thiruvalluvar. He gives a very good and detailed description of what to eat, when to eat and how to eat. The book is available for free download at www.manybooks.net. The book gives exact and practical advice which has been in vogue in India for several thousand years. Readers will benefit a lot by reading the book and following the instructions and also keeping in mind the principle enumerated in the ten couplets of Thiruvalluvar.

Before winding up, it is necessary to say something about sex. One can see ads on 72 hour protection from pregnancy if certain tablets are taken. Also, most of the ads, have a semi clad ladies in revealing dresses to promote the product though the product has nothing in common with ladies or they are not the consumers. Some of the ads are atrocious and generally excite the imagination and kindle (not Amazon kindle) the sexual desire. With nucleus families and such excitement, sex at odd hours without any restraint cannot be ruled out.

One should have sex preferably in the night after the meal is digested or at least four hours after the meals. Also, frequent sex weakens the body and makes the body susceptible to disease. So, the readers should exercise proper restraint and avoid sex at odd hours and on a full stomach not only to maintain good health but also to avoid problems to the off-springs.