The Story of Dhanvantari || Project SHIVOHAM || FACTS 010

Summary

This script explores the rich history of Indian astronomy and Ayurveda, particularly focusing on Diwali and its connection to the birth of Lord Dhanvantari, the deity of Ayurveda. It delves into the Sushruta Samhita, one of the oldest scriptures on life sciences and medicine, detailing the eight specializations and five categories of medical procedures. The script also questions why India doesn't celebrate its ancient medical sages as much as it does Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine, reflecting on the importance of honoring one's heritage.

Takeaways

• 🌞 The script discusses the astronomical basis for Hindu festivals, particularly Diwali, which is linked to the sun's position in relation to the 12 constellations.
• 🌟 Diwali is celebrated over five days, each with its own significance, such as the birth of Lord Dhanvantari on Dhanteras and the celebration of Lakshmi Puja on the third day.
• 📚 The Bhagavata Purana and Sri Ramayana provide detailed accounts of the birth of Sri Mahalakshmi and Lord Dhanvantari, which are foundational to Diwali's celebration.
• 🌱 Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine, is deeply rooted in Hindu culture and is associated with the teachings of Lord Dhanvantari, who is considered the 'Aadhi Purusha' or the physician of the gods.
• 📜 The Sushruta Samhita is an ancient scripture that compiles the teachings of Ayurveda, emphasizing its long-standing preservation and significance in the field of life sciences and medicine.
• 🔍 The script outlines eight specializations in Ayurveda, ranging from surgery to pediatrics, each with its own set of instructions and procedures for physicians.
• 📝 There are five categories of instructions in Ayurveda: sutra, nidhana, sharira, chikitsa, and kalpa, which form the comprehensive framework for understanding and practicing Ayurvedic medicine.
• 🐍 The Rod of Asclepius, featuring a snake coiled around a staff, is a globally recognized symbol in healthcare, representing health, healing, and medicine.
• 🤔 The script raises a question about the celebration of Ayurveda and its historical figures like Dhanvantari and Sushruta in India, in comparison to the global adoption of the Rod of Asclepius symbol.
• 🙏 It emphasizes the high ethical standards and reverence for doctors in Ayurveda, where physicians are equated with gods, reflecting the deep cultural respect for the medical profession.
• 🌐 The video encourages viewers to reflect on the importance of celebrating India's rich heritage in medicine and to engage in respectful discussions about the recognition of Ayurveda's contributions.

Q & A

What is the significance of the planetary positions in Hindu astronomy?

In Hindu astronomy, the planetary positions, especially the Sun's position with reference to the 12 constellations, are crucial for computing the months and marking festivals like Diwali.

How is Diwali connected to astronomical events?

Diwali is marked when the Sun transits to the constellation Libra, and it is celebrated in connection with various astronomical events, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness.

What are the five days of Diwali and their significance?

The five days of Diwali are Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdasi, Diwali, Gordhan Puja, and Bhai Dooj. Each day has a specific cultural and religious significance, such as the birth of Lord Dhanvantari and Goddess Lakshmi.

Why is Ayurveda connected to the festival of Dhanteras?

Ayurveda is connected to Dhanteras because it is believed that Lord Dhanvantari, the god of Ayurveda, emerged from the ocean of milk (Kshira Sagar) on this day, bringing the knowledge of life sciences and medicine.

Who is Sushruta and what is his contribution to Ayurveda?

Sushruta was a great physician in ancient India who compiled the teachings of Ayurveda into a scripture known as Sushruta Samhita, which forms the cornerstone of Ayurvedic medicine.

What are the eight specializations in Ayurveda as mentioned in Sushruta Samhita?

The eight specializations in Ayurveda are Salya Chikitsa (surgery), Salakhya Chikitsa (ENT and oral diseases), Kaya Chikitsa (general medicine), Graha Chikitsa (psychological complaints), Visha Chikitsa (poison antidotes), Baji Karuna Chikitsa (infertility and aphrodisiacs), Rasayana Chikitsa (rejuvenation therapies), and Bala Chikitsa (pediatrics).

What are the five categories of instructions and procedures for training physicians in Ayurveda?

The five categories are Sutra (general instructions), Nidhana (diagnosis), Sharira (anatomy), Chikitsa (medicine preparation and administration), and Kalpa (impact analysis of infections).

How is the reverence for doctors depicted in Ayurveda?

In Ayurveda, doctors are treated with high regard, equating them to gods, as they are seen as the providers of sacred healing knowledge and treatments.

What is the significance of the Rod of Asclepius and why is it used in medical logos?

The Rod of Asclepius, featuring a snake coiled around a staff, is a symbol of medicine and healing in Greek mythology, representing Asclepius, the god of medicine. It is used in medical logos to represent health care globally.

Why does the speaker suggest celebrating Ayurvedic figures like Dhanvantari and Sushruta?

The speaker suggests celebrating these figures to honor the historical and cultural heritage of Indian medicine, recognizing their contributions to life sciences and medicine, and to instill a sense of national pride and identity.

What is the speaker's stance on the celebration of Western medical figures versus Indian ones?

The speaker is not criticizing the use of Western symbols but is questioning why Indian medical figures and their rich heritage are not celebrated to the same extent within the country.

Outlines

00:00

🌞 Diwali and Astronomical Significance in Hindu Astronomy

This paragraph discusses the astronomical underpinnings of the Hindu festival Diwali, emphasizing its connection to the solar system and the planetary positions relative to the sun. It explains how Hindu astronomy recognizes nine planets and uses a frame of reference based on 12 constellations to compute the sun's position, which is integral to the calculation of the 12 months. The script highlights Diwali's significance as a festival deeply rooted in astronomical events, with the sun's transit into the constellation Libra marking the festival's celebration. The paragraph also touches on the broader cultural richness of India's festivals and the five-day celebration of Diwali, each day holding different cultural and religious significance.

05:00

🌿 Ayurveda: Ancient Indian Medicine and its Historical Roots

The second paragraph delves into the origins of Ayurveda, one of the world's oldest systems of medicine, as narrated in the Bhagavata Purana and Sri Ramayanam. It describes the emergence of Dhanvantari, the deity associated with Ayurveda, from the ocean of milk (Kshira Sagar) and the subsequent teachings of Ayurveda to Sushruta and others. The paragraph outlines the foundational text of Ayurveda, the Sushruta Samhita, which has been meticulously preserved and passed down through generations. It also explains the eight specializations within Ayurveda and the five categories of instructions and procedures for physicians, as taught by Dhanvantari to Sushruta, providing a comprehensive view of the Ayurvedic medical system.

10:01

🐍 The Asclepius Staff and the Call for Celebrating Ayurvedic Heritage

In the final paragraph, the script contrasts the global recognition of the Asclepius staff, a symbol of medicine derived from Greek mythology, with the lesser-known contributions of Indian sages to the field of medicine. It raises a question about the lack of celebration of Indian medical figures like Dhanvantari, Sushruta, Charaka, and Patanjali, despite their significant historical contributions to life sciences and medicine. The paragraph calls for a greater appreciation of the rich heritage of Ayurveda in India, not for its current clinical validity but for its historical and cultural significance. It concludes with a respectful invitation for viewers to share their thoughts on the matter.

Keywords

💡Diwali

Diwali is a major Hindu festival celebrated across India and is considered one of the most auspicious and important occasions. It is typically a five-day festival with various cultural diversities and reasons for celebration across different regions of India. In the video, Diwali is connected to astronomical events and is used as a backdrop to discuss the festival of Dhanteras, which is the first day of Diwali.

💡Dhanteras

Dhanteras is the first day of the Diwali festival and is associated with the birth of Lord Dhanvantari, an incarnation of Vishnu. The video script elaborates on the significance of Dhanteras, its connection to Ayurveda, and how it is celebrated as a part of Diwali festivities. It is highlighted as a day that marks the beginning of the auspicious period of Diwali.

💡Ayurveda

Ayurveda is an ancient Indian system of medicine, described in the video as a branch of life sciences that deals with health and healing. The script explains that Ayurveda is intricately connected to the festival of Dhanteras through the story of Lord Dhanvantari, who is considered the founder of Ayurveda. The video also discusses the historical preservation of Ayurvedic knowledge in the form of scriptures like the Sushruta Samhita.

💡Sushruta Samhita

The Sushruta Samhita is an ancient Indian medical text that forms the cornerstone of Ayurveda. It is mentioned in the script as the compilation of teachings on Ayurveda by Sushruta, a legendary physician, who learned the science from Lord Dhanvantari. The text is highlighted for its well-preserved state and its comprehensive coverage of various medical specializations.

💡Dhanvantari

Lord Dhanvantari is a deity in Hindu mythology, revered as the divine physician and the incarnation of Vishnu who brought Ayurveda to humanity. The video script narrates the story of Dhanvantari's emergence from the ocean of milk (Kshira Sagar) and his role in narrating Ayurveda to Sushruta, thus establishing him as a central figure in the history of Indian medicine.

💡Asclepius

Asclepius is a figure from Greek mythology, the god of medicine and healing, often represented with a staff with a coiled snake. The video script discusses the global adoption of the Asclepius staff as a symbol of healthcare, comparing it with the Indian tradition's reverence for Dhanvantari and questioning why the latter is not as celebrated in modern India.

💡Medical Ethics

Medical ethics in the context of the video refers to the high ethical standards and values attributed to the practice of medicine, especially in Ayurveda. The script quotes a verse from the Sushruta Samhita that likens medicine to the sacred water of the Ganges and doctors to gods, emphasizing the deep respect for medical practitioners in Indian culture.

💡Specializations in Ayurveda

The video script outlines eight specializations in Ayurveda, including surgery (Salia Chikitsa), ENT and dental issues (Salah Kichikitsa), general medicine (Kaya Chikitsa), psychological medicine (Grahacik), toxicology (Visha Chikitsa), aphrodisiac and infertility treatments (Baji Karuna Chikitsa), rejuvenation therapies (Rasay Ajikitsu), and pediatrics (Bala Chikitsa). These specializations reflect the comprehensive nature of Ayurvedic medicine.

💡Instructions and Procedures in Ayurveda

The script describes five categories of instructions and procedures for training physicians in Ayurveda: Sutra, Nidhana, Sharira, Chikitsa, and Kalpa. These categories encompass general medical procedures, diagnosis, anatomy, medicine preparation and administration, and the analysis of infections, respectively, and are essential for a holistic understanding of Ayurvedic medicine.

💡Cultural Heritage

Cultural heritage in the video refers to the rich history and traditions associated with Indian medicine, particularly Ayurveda. The script calls for a celebration of this heritage by recognizing the contributions of ancient sages and physicians like Dhanvantari, Sushruta, Charaka, and Vagbhata, and questions the lack of visibility of these figures in contemporary Indian medical culture.

Highlights

Observation of planetary orbits around the sun and their sequence as per Hindu astronomy.

Nine planets and 12 constellations are considered in Hindu astronomy for theological and astronomical purposes.

Diwali is marked when the sun transits to the constellation Libra, signifying the beginning of the festival.

Hindu festivals are inherently connected to astronomical events and the time of the year.

Diwali is celebrated over five days, each with a different cultural significance.

Dhanteras marks the birth of Lord Dhanvantari and is deeply connected to Ayurveda.

The Bhagavata Purana details the event of 'Shira Sagaramathanam', tracing the roots of Diwali.

Dhanvantari is recognized as the divine physician in both Bhagavata Purana and Sri Ramayana.

Dhanvantari is considered the progenitor of Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine.

Sushruta Samhita, an ancient scripture, compiles the teachings of Ayurveda as narrated by Dhanvantari.

Ayurveda consists of eight specializations in life sciences and medicine.

Each specialization in Ayurveda has five categories of instructions and procedures for physicians.

Sushruta Samhita provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the human body and treating ailments.

Ayurveda is highly regarded for its ethical considerations, with doctors equated to gods.

The Rod of Asclepius, a symbol of medicine in Western tradition, is globally adopted but lacks representation of Indian medical heritage.

A call to celebrate and acknowledge the contributions of Indian sages and physicians to the field of medicine.

Ayurveda's rich heritage and history should be celebrated alongside its clinical validity.

The importance of recognizing and respecting the historical figures who contributed to Ayurveda.

A plea for the Indian medical community to celebrate its own heritage and history in medicine.

Transcripts

[Music]

if we take earth as the point of

reference and try to observe the planets

rotating around the sun this would be

the sequence of the orbits that would be

encountering and as for hindu astronomy

these are the nine planets that are

considered as part of the solar system

for various theological purposes and

with the 12 constellations in the outer

space as the frame of reference the

planetary positions are computed and

specially the sun's position with

reference to these 12 constellations in

the outer space are the reason why 12

months are computed end of these 12 when

sun transits to the constellation libra

that's when diwali is marked not just

this one almost every hindu festival

that is celebrated in bharat has a

reference to an astronomical event and

is inherently connected to the time of

the year that we are living in one of

the most beautiful aspect of the culture

of bharat is the festivals that we have

there are a lot of them and diwali is

one of the most auspicious and important

festival it's generally marked in five

days and of course there are a lot of

cultural diversities with respect to

diwali different parts of india

celebrate different reasons but broadly

these are the five days the first day is

dhanteras marking the birth of lord

dhanvantari the second day is narika

chaturdasi celebrating the death of

narakasura third day is diwali

celebrated with lakshmi puja on the

occasion of the birth of srimahalakshmi

the fourth day is gordhan puja

celebrated in the name of lord sri

krishna and the fifth day is bhaiduj a

very special celebration of a morning

between a brother and a sister this is a

very vibrant time of the year in parith

today i'd like to tell you a short story

about the first festival of these five

dhanteras

according to bhagavata purana a very

important event the shira sagaramathanam

is elaborated with great detail and to

this event is where the roots of diwali

will be traced the birth of sri

mahalakshmi out of kshira sagar and then

eventually the birth of bhagavan

dhanvantari as well in bhuvatuparanam

quite a great detail about dhanvantri is

quoted it is not just bhagavata puranam

but also in sri ramayanam we have this

event of shira sagar madram and the

birth of dhanvanthari is detailed

allowed by valmiki maharishi to rama and

lakshmana and this is one of the

earliest references where dhanvanthari

is quoted as the aadhi purish for

ayurveda the branch of science that

deals with life sciences and medicine

and if we get to the crux of the topic

bhagavan siri maha vishnu picking up the

incarnation as dhanvantari narrates

ayurvedam to sushruta mahashi and few

others and sushruta mahashik compiles

all the teachings of the inventory to

him in a very ancient scripture which we

call today as sushruta samhita and the

best thing with this one is it is

extremely well preserved since

generations this sushruta samhita is

intact and is being passed down since

many millennia sushruta samhita forms

the cornerstone for ayurveda and this is

the main reason why dhanteras has a very

strong and inherent connection with

ayurveda as the humanity got to explore

a very important branch of science the

life sciences and medicine

ayurveda is a very complex branch of

knowledge but if we try to take a big

picture of the highly condensed view of

ayurvedam this is how it looks like and

this is how dhanmantari narrated to

sushruta there are eight specializations

in life sciences and medicine balaji

kitsarasana chickens

these are the specializations which are

stacked up vertically and for each of

the specialization there are

instructions and procedures so basically

training them training the physicians in

these eight specializations there are

five categories of instructions and

procedures they are sutra nidhana

sharira chikitsa and kalpa so this

matrix what you're seeing here

completely forms the big picture of

ayurveda in fact it is one of the oldest

if not the oldest scripture available on

life sciences and medicine across the

world so well structured and so will

preserve

if we try to take a deeper look into the

specializations the eight of them

starting with the top salia chikitsa

these are methods and procedures on

surgery and design of the surgical tools

the second one is salah kichikitsa deals

with the ear nose throat and oral and

dental related ailments

the third one is kaya chikitsa deals

with treating in general and seasonal

ailments and the fourth one is grahacik

deals with treating traumatic and

psychological complaints

and the next one is visha chikitsa

administering antidotal treatment for

poison inflictions

and the sixth one is baji karuna

chikitsa treating infertility and other

aphrodisiac complaints

the last but one is rasay ajikitsu deals

with preparing and administering

rejuvenating therapies the massage and

all that stuff

and the last one is bala chikitsa it's

the pediatrics treating infants and

children in their ailments so these are

different specializations as per

ayurveda and as per sushruta samhita in

fact

almost all the ayurvedic scriptures

aligned to this framework because that's

how it was narrated by dhanwan three to

sushruta and eventually it was passed

down

and then if we take a deeper look into

the instructions and procedures for each

of those eight specializations there are

five corresponding training methods and

procedures and other instructions how it

needs to be practiced starting from the

bottom the first set of instructions are

sutra these are the general instructions

on common procedures for physicians in

training and the second one is nidana

instructions on decoding the symptoms

and diagnosing the cause of ailments and

the third one is sharira instructions on

explaining the anatomy of the human body

to the mind in this level and the fourth

one is chickets instructions on

identifying the plants formulas of

preparing medicine and storage of the

medicine and administering them and the

fifth one is gulper these are the

instructions on analyzing the impact of

the infected poison and other infections

on human body and according to sushruta

samhita and many other ancient ayurvedic

scriptures it's not a matter of choice

every physician who practices high

rhythm should be well-versed and

excelled in all these eight

specializations going through all these

five set of instructions so the complete

compendium of these instructions have to

be well mastered by anybody who was

practicing or advancing oil very

treatments so that's what sushi with

samhita says giving a complete and

holistic understanding of the human body

condition and treating and administering

the ayurvedic medicines and treatments

the translation is when the human body

is suffering with diseases medicine is

like the sacred water of the river ganga

and the doctor is narayana or the god

himself the reason i'm quoting this

verse is besides the fact that ayurveda

is one of the oldest well-structured and

well-preserved form of understanding the

life sciences and medicine it is also

very high in ethics and models and

values i don't know if any other

civilization has this level of reverence

and respect and regard towards the

doctors because in this culture a doctor

is treated as equal as the god and there

is a very important reason why i'm

bringing this up

take a very good look at this symbol

does it ring any bell do you remember

seeing the symbol somewhere take a pause

and try to

recollect that is the logo of the world

medical association and this logo is the

one of world health organization and the

third one is the logo of indian medical

association

if you see one thing very common all

these three logos of these medical

bodies is a snake coiled to a staff you

know what it represents it's about

asclepius in the greek pantheon

asclepius is a greek god responsible for

health healing and medicine and the last

time that you would have seen the symbol

was probably on an ambulance or on the

prescription head of your physician or

anywhere in a hospital so this symbol is

globally adopted as a symbol of health

care and from this point onwards do

watch this video only if you can put

aside your religious and political

biases if not then this video is no

longer for you you can stop watching

right here

now let me put forward my thoughts very

clearly without absolutely no room for

perception whatsoever i am not at all

criticizing anything here neither am

disrespecting any of the bodies which i

was just mentioning about especially the

indian medical association and we have

very high regards for them the reason

why you and me are happy and healthy

today is because of the frontline

workers and the healthcare workers right

from an ambulance driver up until the

chief specialist of a hospital and

that's the reason i quoted vaidya

narayan that is the culture of bharat

i'm not qualified to criticize anybody

but i'm curious to question now let me

put my thoughts forward first and very

important thing there is absolutely no

criticism towards escalators or use of

the rod of asclepius here you see in the

statue there is a staff a staff with a

coiled snake so that's what our that's

where actually the logo is derived from

so which is very good we are aligning

with the global friends and we would

like to celebrate that's absolutely fine

but my only question is why don't we

celebrate ayurveda dhanvantari sushruta

vagpatha patanjali there are a lot of

rishis and sages and saints who gave a

lot of scriptures on ayurveda yet we

don't hear anything about these great

personalities anywhere in india

especially in the medical communities

and at the same time let me put forward

a very important element to my thought

as well not talking about algorithm from

a clinical validity standpoint

absolutely not it's purely from a

historical and heritage standpoint it is

something to celebrate right that's what

gives the real identity of bharat let me

tell you one very important thing as

well neither is klepius nor sushruta nor

patanjali none of these people invented

the medicines that we're using today so

there is no sense of attribution of the

current scientific advancements to these

personalities the reason escalators are

celebrated is only because of the

heritage and that is the main source

that the western world had to adopt so

they adopted which is totally fine but

then why don't we celebrate our great

personalities who contributed greatly to

the life sciences and medicine and for

thousands of years oil rhythm has been

the main source of life sciences and

medicine here in this country so the

bottom line is india celebrates

asclepius which is good by adopting the

symbol of the rod of escalators into our

medical community logo but then why not

celebrate dhanvantari sushuruta charaka

vagabata patanjali and centuries old and

rich heritage of ayurveda not for its

clinical validities but for its history

and heritage

by the doctors and the healthcare

workers in india let me know what do you

think in the comments below but while

doing so please do it respectfully

because we are talking about the doctors

because of which we are happy and

healthy today end of the day vaidya

narayan

wishing you a happy and healthy

dhanteras and as always thanks for

watching

[Music]