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MPPSC

DAILY
CLASS NOTES
Science & Tech

Lecture – 33
Yoga Part-1
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Yoga Part-1

AYUSH system of medicine

❖ AYUSH is a non-allopathic medical system of India, which includes Naturopathy

along with Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy.

❖ In the year 2010, the Sowa Rigpa method was included in the AYUSH system of
medicine. These systems are one of the oldest systems in the world, which
undoubtedly fulfill the health needs of the citizens of the country.

Ayurveda

❖ Ayurveda is the world's oldest medical science based on natural principles.

❖ It is a mixture of medical science, art and philosophy.

❖ The name Ayurveda means knowledge related to life.

❖ Ayurveda is Indian medical science.

❖ Medical science is that branch of science, which is concerned with keeping the human
body healthy.

❖ One gets relief from diseases and life span increases.

❖ Dhanavatari is considered the father of Ayurveda.

❖ The texts of Ayurveda are based on three physical doshas (Tridosha) Vata, Pitta and
Kapha.

❖ When these three doshas are in an even state in a person's body, he remains healthy,
whereas when these doshas are in an odd state, the person becomes unhealthy.

❖ Ayurveda is also called Triskandha (three shouldered) or Trisutra. These three sutras
are Hetu (cause of the disease), Linga (specific symptom of the disease) and Aushadhi
(a special medicine used in the disease).

❖ Charak Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, Ashtanga Hridaya are prominent among the
oldest texts of Ayurveda.

The parts of Ayurveda treatment (Ashtanga Vaidya) are considered -

1. General Medicine

2. Surgical Techniques
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3. Ear, Nose, Throat

4. Pediatrics

5. Toxicology

6. Psycho-Therapy

7. Renjunvention & Geriatrics

8. Virilification & Sexology

Ayurveda process of diagnosis in

In Ayurveda the following methods of diagnosing the disease have been mentioned, the

main ones being -

❖ Pulse test

❖ Tongue, nail and eye examination

❖ Urine test

❖ General physical examination

❖ Touch test

Benefits of Ayurvedic treatment system

❖ Health facilities in remote areas at low cost.

❖ Due to the wide scope of the Allopathy medical system,there is a shortage of doctors,

hence Ayurveda is the best as an alternative system.

❖ The Ayurveda treatment system has been used since ancient times, hence it is an

accessible and effective and reliable method.

❖ The problem of tobacco and drug abuse can be solved by AYUSH through Ayurveda.

❖ The Ayurveda system is playing an important role in lifestyle related diseases like

diabetes and high blood pressure.

❖ AYUSH methodology is natural and cost friendly with minimal side effects.

Challenges of Ayurveda medical system

❖ Standard quality medicines are not available everywhere.

❖ AYUSH does not have scientific recognition in many countries.

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❖ Shortage of human resources and non-availability of better opportunities for doctors.

❖ Ineffective treatment in extreme circumstances.

❖ Lack of uniformity means that the medical methods in Ayurveda are not uniform.

Yoga

❖ The word Yoga originates from the Sanskrit root ‘Yuj’, which means ‘to join or unite’.

❖ Yoga is basically a spiritual discipline based on very subtle science, which emphasizes

on establishing harmony between mind and body.

❖ Yoga, apart from being a way of life, is also an old tradition of India.

❖ It is both spiritual and material.

❖ Yoga uses breathing techniques, exercise and meditation.

❖ It also helps in improving health and happiness.

❖ According to Patanjali Yoga Darshan, 'Yogaschittavrittinirodha' i.e. control over the

instincts of the mind is the disease.

❖ According to Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, 'Yoga: Karmasu Kaushalam', that is, the skill of

doing things, is yoga.

❖ Maharishi Patanjali is called the ‘Pioneer of Classical Yoga’.

❖ Maharishi Patanjali had propounded the principle of Ashtanga Yoga for the complete

development of any Mana. This Ashtanga Yoga is as follows-

1. Yama – Positive rules for meditation

2. Niyam - Prohibitions for meditation

3. Asanas – Body postures and movements

4. Pranayama – Technique of inhaling and exhaling

5. Pratyahara – Method of controlling the mind

6. Dharana – Looking inward

7. Dhyan - Meditate

8. Samadhi - Samadhi
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Types of Yoga

A. Based on mind and body

a. Rajyoga – Rajyoga focuses on meditation and contemplation to fully realize

oneself. It is called the king of all yogas.

b. Hatha Yoga - Hatha Yoga is the practice of asanas, which involves turning the

flow of the mind inwards. In Hatha Yoga, the body is used as a vehicle for self-

transformation.

B. Based on spiritual way of life

a. Jnana Yoga – Jnana Yoga is a way of attaining knowledge in which one becomes

free from natural bondages and recognizes oneself, the divine form and the real

truth.

b. Karma Yoga- Karma Yoga is described in the Srimad Bhagavad Gita (Yoga:

Karmasu kaushalam), meaning the way of doing things or skill in actions is yoga

c. Bhakti Yoga – a way of worship, recitation.

C. On other grounds

a. Swara Yoga – method of inhaling and exhaling

b. Kriya Yoga – It is a combination of Karmayoga, Gyan Yoga and Bhakti Yoga.

Need of Yoga

❖ From the birth of a human being till his natural death, he remains surrounded by

many types of problems and bondages and even if he wants to, he is not able to free

himself from these bondages.

❖ Yoga is a means to be free from all these problems and bondages because, through

yoga, many physical and mental disorders can be cured.

❖ In 2014, the Prime Minister of India suggested to the United Nations to celebrate 21

June as International Yoga Day. The first International Yoga Day was organized on

21 June 2015, creating many records around the world.

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Importance of YOGA

1. Physical Importance of Yoga - Physical strength can be developed through yoga

asanas, in which yoga practice has more importance in making the body strong,
increasing the efficiency of its organs and keeping the body healthy, vigorous and
stunning.

2. Mental Importance of Yoga -In the modern era, due to excessive stress, pollution,
excessive running around, the mind and body have become diseased. This creates
mental problems, aggression, worries and fights. Yoga helps in achieving not only
physical but also mental health. Yoga develops thinking ability, decision making ability
and creative ability and also increases the power of self-control.

3. Spiritual Progress:With the methodical activities of Yoga, Asana and Pranayama, a

person's body and mind remain balanced, which helps the person to move towards
spiritual progress.

4. Control over mind and emotions – It is very important to have positive thoughts in
life. Pessimistic thoughts lead to failure. Yoga infuses positive energy into the mind
and provides spiritual strength, which removes worries, contradictions and feelings of
despair.

5. Development of immunity - Practicing yoga daily helps in developing immunity, due

to which unnecessary expenditure on medical treatment can be avoided and the
person also gets financial benefits.

Panchkosha Theory

❖ In Taittireeya Upanishad we get information about Panchkoshas and their evolution.

According to Upanishads there are five sheaths of our being from Annamaya Kosha
to Anandamaya Kosha which are called 'koshas'. A brief introduction of these koshas
is as follows -

➢ Annamaya Kosha

➢ Pranamaya Kosha

➢ Manomaya Kosha

➢ Vijnanamaya Kosha

➢ Anandamaya Kosha
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1. Annamaya Kosha - Our gross or physical body which is visible to us and is the

outermost part of our being is called Annamaya Kosha or food sheath. It is nourished

in the womb with the food taken by the father and with the essence of the food

taken by the mother. Its existence is maintained by the intake of food and finally

after death it goes back to the manure and food of the earth. The essence of the

bodily structure grows with food, remains present in the food and then gets

transformed into food. That is why it is called Annamaya Kosha.

2. Pranamaya Kosha - The five bodily systems described in Ayurveda are called the

Pranamaya Kosha. These activities support the body as a result of the air inhaled.

This Kosha consists of the following 5 Pranas:-

➢ Prana (perception capacity): Control over environmental stimuli through the

senses.

➢ Apana (excretion capacity): Expression of all things emitted by the body.

➢ Samaana (digestive capacity): Digestion of food collected in the stomach.

➢ Vyana (circulation capacity): Transport of nutrients produced after food is

digested to various parts of the body through the blood.

➢ Udana (thinking capacity): Ability to raise one's thoughts above the present level.

3. Manomaya Kosha - The mind controls the Pranamaya Kosha. The mind interprets

the senses. It stores good and bad memories of the past. The power of the mind can

be increased by regularly praying, taking Sankalpas and fulfilling them. There is a

deep connection between the mind, intellect and body.

4. Vijnanamaya Kosha - The mind receives external stimuli through the senses and

transmits responses to the motor organs. Although the stimuli received through the

five senses are separate and distinct from each other, they are experienced by the

mind as a unified whole. Buddhi is the process of differentiation and discrimination

that informs the mind about the responses to be executed.

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5. Anandamaya Kosha - This is the innermost of the koshas and contains the vasanas.

They are located in the subconscious, i.e. this is how we exist even when we are in a

state of deep sleep. Anandamaya Kosha controls the Vijnanamaya Kosha, while

Buddhi works in the control and supervision of the vasanas. When all the other

koshas are well developed, we experience harmony between the inner and outer

world. This harmony makes us feel happy and blissful.

Unani

❖ The Unani system originated and developed in Greece.

❖ This system was brought to India by the Arabs.

❖ Evidence of the Unani medical system is found in 460-377 AD.

❖ A philosopher named ‘Hippocrates’ is considered ‘the father of the Unani medical

system’.

❖ Hippocrates had closely observed the civilization, culture and medical practices of

Egypt and Mesopotamia and tried to revive all these medical practices.

❖ Hakim Ajmal Khan (1868- 1927), a great doctor and supporter of this method in

India, made an important contribution in its propagation.

❖ The Unani system of medicine is similar to the ancient Indian medical system

Ayurveda.

❖ In India it has been adopted as an alternative medicine system.

❖ It was due to the efforts of Hakim Afzal Khan that Tiberia College was established in

Delhi for the education of Unani medicine.

❖ Recognizing the efforts of Hakim Afzal Khan, the Government of India decided to

celebrate his birthday, 11 February, as 'National Unani Day'.

❖ This system is a form of Indian medical system and according to its basic principles,

disease is a natural process of the body, when disease occurs in the body, symptoms

of the disease arise as a result of the body's reaction. Symptoms of the disease are

detected on the basis of predominance of phlegm, mucus, yellow bile and black bile.
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Diagnosis of disease in Unani system of medicine

❖ In this system the medical procedure depends on physical inspection and physical

examination.

❖ After knowing the nature and cause of the disease, treatment is prescribed taking

into account all the relevant factors.

❖ The main thing to find out the cause of the disease is to examine the pulse, stool and

urine.

Unani medicine methods

1. Regimental Therapy (Ilaj Bil Tadbeer) – It is a group of various types of procedures,

the main objective of which is to flush out the toxic and harmful substances hidden in

the body so as to keep the body alive and disease free.

2. Pharmacotherapy (treatment bill medicine) - In Unani medical systems, the main

three sources of medicines are herbs, mineral salts and natural elements obtained

from animals. Diseases are treated with medicines obtained from these sources.

3. Diet therapy (Ilaaj Bil Geeza) – Food has great importance in Unani treatment, it is

used to maintain health and cure diseases.

4. Surgery (Ilaj Bil Yad) – The use of this method in the Unani system of medicine is

very limited. However, the Unani system is credited with being a pioneer in this field

and developing its own equipment and techniques. It has been described in detail in

Abul-Qasim al-Zahradi's book 'Kitab-al-Tasrif'.

Siddha

❖ The word Siddha means achievements or divine grace.

❖ Siddhas are saintly men. Siddha medicine is a traditional medical system of Tamil

Nadu, India.

❖ It is believed that this method was developed by 18 Siddhas in South India. These

Siddhas had received this knowledge from Shiva and Parvati.

❖ This system was developed by 9 Naths and 84 Siddhas in North India.

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❖ The origin of the tradition of Siddha medical system is attributed to the great

Siddha Agasthir.

❖ This medical system is one of the oldest medical systems not only in India but also in

the world.

❖ The principles and teachings of the Siddha system are both fundamental and

practical. It is almost similar to Ayurveda.

Diagnosis of diseases

❖ In Siddha system of medicine, 8 things are tested for the diagnosis of disease -

1. Na (Tongue)

2. Varna (Color)

3. Kura (Sound)

4. Kan (Eyes)

5. Todd (Touch)

6. Mala (Stool)

7. Neer (Urine)

8. Nadi (Pulse)

Homeopathy

❖ Homeopathy medical system was started by a German Dr. Samuel Friedrich

Hahnemann in the year 1796.

❖ Homeopathy is an alternative medicine system based on micro therapies.

❖ Homeopathy practitioners believe that a substance that causes disease symptoms in

healthy people can cure the same symptoms in sick people.

❖ This principle is called similia similibus curentur.

Principles and rules of homeopathy

1. Law of Similarity – This is the basic principle of homeopathy promoted by

Hahnemann. According to this rule, a medicine which in large quantities causes

disease in a healthy body, a small quantity of the same medicine also destroys the

natural symptoms having similar symptoms.

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2. One medicine - Hahnemann had once prescribed the prescription of only one
medicine, but currently there has been a significant change in this opinion. Two or
three medicines are used at a time.

3. Small quantity of medicine – On the basis of analogy, the quantity of medicine

selected for the patient should be very small, so that side effects of the medicine are
not seen. Firstly, it works as a component in making the body's immunity successful.

4. Individualistic and holistic medicine – This is the basic principle of homeopathy,

homeopathy is not treated in the name of diseases. In fact, it treats the mental,
emotional and physical aspects of the person suffering from the disease.

5. Biography Life Force - Hahnemann recognized the life force in the human body and

propounded the theory that life force protects the body from diseases that attack
externally.

6. Miasm (Disease Seed) –The root cause of all chronic diseases are Psora, Sycosis and
Syphilis. Hahnemann gave them the word miasm, which means to pollute.

7. Drug Certification - Drug certification is a process in homeopathy, in which the basic

characteristics of medicines are known by experimenting on healthy humans and

based on the information about the symptoms caused by them, diseases are treated
with the help of homeopathy.

Homeopathic Preparations and Treatments

❖ Homeopathic preparations are known as 'homeopathic remedies'. In this method, the

physician relies on two types of references while prescribing –

1. Materia Medica - It is a collection of illustrations of medicines, arranged

alphabetically, forming a pattern of symptoms associated with different remedies.

2. Repertory - It is a catalog of symptoms, providing a list of remedies associated

with symptoms. Homeopathy uses animal, plant, mineral and synthetic

substances in its preparations.

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