Padmashree Dr.
PR Krishna Kumar, Managing Director, Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, Coimbatore visited
as chief guest to SDM college of Ayurveda and Hospital, Hassan for the Shishyopananya (Induction Ceremony)
program held on 17th Nov. 2014. There was an interaction with
students and staff of the institute on the eve of this program. A gist of this
interaction has been depicted here in the form of question and answers.
Can an Ayurvedic student be
successful without a familial Ayurveda back ground?
There
is a thought process in Ayurveda graduates that without a familial back ground,
it is difficult to establish himself as a successful vaidya. It is not true.
You have already investing your valuable five and half years for obtaining a
degree in Ayurveda and this should become a background for you. During this
period, dedicate yourself completely in acquiring knowledge through teachers
from texts and from the observation in patients. You need to contemplate on
whatever little is taught every day and convert into wisdom. Also ask your
teachers with real interest to explain more whenever you find any topic
unclear.
What should be taken when differences
of opinions of Acharyas on the same issue?
At
times you may be confused to follow when you see different author’s opinion on
same issue is different. In such
conditions, you need to go the exact context where this difference is observed.
There are different meanings a single word in Ayurveda and ensure yourselves
that you have taken the right meaning. There is revision in Ayurveda from time
to time and that difference may be part of revision that took place. However,
traditionally in Kerala, Astanga Hridayam was only the main text of reference
and other texts were studied as it needs. It is always good to study one
Brihattrayi thoroughly and you will be able understand the differences if any
in other texts very carefully.
What is scope for career of Ayurveda
graduates?
Of
course, career has been the matter of concern for Ayurveda graduates. But
remember your first focus should be to imbibe the exact knowledge explained in
Shastras. Once you have the asset of true knowledge, people and money flow
towards you. It is not fair to aspire for luxuries in the initial period of
career. You must be ready to go and serve in villages or even to tribal people
in the forest and serve them. Initially, your earnings may be less, but once
you are established as a faithful physician, it is not so. For example, there was
an astrologist to me who was taking few rupees for seeing horoscope. Once a
patient from abroad came and shown his horoscope and he was given with all
details and that foreigner gave him fifty thousand rupees and he also promised
to send the same amount every year. See, the difference. All that he served to
general public has been paid back by a single person. These miracles can happen
to any Ayurveda vaidya who is dedicated and do his duties sincerely. Good news
I can share with you. There are about fifty four thousand schools in the
country and there is a planning to set up an Ayurveda clinic in every school in
a new health project and I am sure there is huge requirement for Ayurveda
doctors. But sad part is that there is very less quality doctors in Ayurveda.
If you compare Ayurveda and Modern doctors in a locality, for every ten modern
doctors, there are at least five good doctors, three may be mediocre and
remaining two may be substandard. But if you take ten Ayurveda doctors in a
locality, hardly we get one good doctor and remaining remain substandard. This
has to be changed. There is an urgency to improvise the quality of efficiency
of Ayurveda doctors.
How astrology helps in Ayurvedic clinical
practice?
Ayurveda
clinical practice can well be aided with modern technologies such as modern
diagnostics. But one thing that can Ayurveda clinical practice is astrology. I
strongly believe there is a close connection between disease manifestation and
our Karma not only of present life, but also of previous births, ancestral one.
Otherwise, what is the logic for a two year baby to carcinoma or other deadly diseases?
This has to be elicited through horoscope and proper pujas or ritual should be
carried out to get over from that for the treatment to become effective.
Horoscope is modern MRI for an Ayurveda practitioner. Many skin diseases,
spinal diseases and many other conditions have their karmic root. Without
setting it right, sometimes even the effective treatments will not give any
results.
What is need of standardization of medicines?
Standardization
in pharmaceutical preparation is a need, that’s true. But we must take care
that any shortcut in the name of standardization should not harm the quality of
the medicine. Let me tell you an example. For the preparation of Ksheerabala
taila, since earlier times we were taking 108 days, means only three batches in
a year. Once I tried in a different way, by boiling the oil with medicines day
and night and the time period was reduced to 54 days. As soon as it went to
markets, doctors started calling me, that there is some problem with the taila
of present batch, it is not with quality of earlier days. Immediately, I
realized the difference and shifted back to the original practice of
preparation. But I am against the application of modern technologies. Modern
packaging system and vessels and heating technology have reduced a lot of human
efforts and hours. Modern dosage forms like capsules etc. too can be prepared.
But remember, many medicines which are freshly prepared are most effective. As
far possible try to use freshly prepared medicines to the maximum extent to get
better results. If patient is not cooperating with you for this, you can use
prepared Kahayas and capsules etc. But with results get compromised.
Standardization is not only the issue, ethics is more important. Certain wrong
practices like reusing oil which is already used is not acceptable.
What is the focus of research in
Ayurveda?
The
main focus of research in Ayurveda should be systematically documenting the
clinical cases. This is what we tried at our hospital with new software we
developed and it was well received by scientific community. It will show
whether the results can be replicated or not. Recently a scientist from abroad
just asked us Ayurvedic management of acne and we downloaded all the acne cases
we treated and he was surprised to know how systematically it was documented.
Then he showed interest to carry out a research on a single herb which is
acting effectively on skin conditions.
What is your opinion on heavy metal
issue?
Heavy
metal issue of Ayurvedic drugs has to be seen in both the angles. If proper
purification of metals used in Ayurveda is done, there is no risk at all. But
out of commercialization, if industries compromise with this process, there is
definitely risk involved. The current permissible limit of heavy metals is
questionable. Many of Rasa formulations do contain more than that, but are
safe, provided prepared properly. The author who has published the articles
in JAMA on heavy metals issue in Ayurvedic drugs has now wished to revisit his
statements and experiments carried out.
How to build trust on Ayurveda among
the general public?
There
is a need to educate the people about Ayurveda. This has to begin with
childhood studies. There was a demand from CBSE include basic knowledge about
Ayurveda in their syllabus. Our research director worked out on it and
submitted a syllabus to CBSE and this is being taught now. Even HRD minister
has asked us to prepare syllabus to create awareness that can be included from
lower primary itself. I hope we will be able to do that too in due course.
Advice to students
Now
let me brief you certain rules to become a good student of Ayurveda. It is
better to study in the early morning than at late nights. Whole day activities
in the day make you tied and with that tired mind very less can be grasped if
you opt for late night studies. Instead, wake early in the morning at Brāhmī Mūhūrta around 4.30am. There is no much freshness and grasping rate
will be very high at that period. One hour study at the early morning would be
equivalent to three to four of study in the evening or late night. You work
hard for five and half years of Ayurveda graduation and you can enjoy whole of
your life.
- Dr. Naveen Kodlady
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