Ayur means ‘life’ & veda means ‘science’ . So Ayurveda is a science of life & well balanced medical science. Ayurveda is the knowledge or science of life. “Life” in the preview of Ayueveda connotes a combination of Sharira(body) , Indriya(percoptory organs) , Satwa(mind) , and Athma(soul) .
Ayurveda thus deals with every aspect of life and not only with curing of diseases. It teaches how to maintain a perfect healthy condition. It is also teaching the ways and means to prevent various diseases. Them it turns to the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. The Ayurvedic treatment consist of three things ;
Ahara - foods
Aushadha - medicine
Vihara - mental & physical behaviours
While diagnosing the constitution, mental make up are also taken into account with the signs and symptoms of a disease. Disease may be the same but the drugs vary according to the constutional & mental characteristics of the patient.
Ayurveda is the first medical science in the world which knew the importance of mind in maintaining perfect health.
Ayurveda is also known as “ASHTANGAVEDA” the word literaly means ‘eight branches of knowledge’ as it is divided into eight specialized branches. They are as follows ;
Kaya chikithsa - General medicine
Kaumara Bhrithya - Pediactrics
Graha chikithsa(Bhutha vidya) - Psychiatry and Psycho somatic diseases.
Shalakya Thantra - Diseases of Eye, Ear, Head, Nose, Throat and its surgery
Shalya Thantra - General surgery
Agada Thantra - Toxicology
Rasayana Chikithsa - Rejuvenation Therapy
Vajeekarana Chikithsa - Aphrodisiac Therapy
According to Ayurveda , all matter is composed of five elements ;
| Five elements | Meaning | Creating | Sensary organ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apo | Liquid | Taste sensation (rasa) | Tongue |
| Thejo | Heat | visual impute of colour (rupa) | Eyes |
| Vayu | Air | Physical sensation of touch (sparsha) | Skin |
| Pruthvi | Earth | Sensation of smell or odour (gandha) | Nose |
| Akasha | Space | Auditory sensation of sound (shabdha) | Ear |