Yoga and Ayurveda

To a layman the term 'Yoga' connotes 'Asanas' or postures; similarly the word 'Panchakarma' in Ayurveda (Five elimination processes) is also misunderstood for the Kerala system of Ayurvedic treatments like pizhichil (the process of pouring oil over the body for a specified time), Pindasweda (application of warm medicated poultice) etc., Possibly, these misunderstandings are largely due to the fact that both the terms have relationship with 'Asana' and 'Panchakarma' respectively. To quote " YOGADARSANA " , " Prevention of modifications of chitha is Yoga ". According to 'Saddha Siddhantha Paddhathi' the Yoga, is defined as " union ". Hence the " HATHAYOGA " MEANS UNION OF " Ida " and " Pingala " nadies. Literally 'Ha' means 'sun' 'th' means 'moon' and therefore Hathayoga means the uniting process of sun and moon. According to Yogadarsana the body becomes suitable for meditation even by the practice of 'YAMA' and Niyama (processes of self control). In hatha yoga the practice of 'Asanas' (postures) 'Satkarmas' (six yogic elimination processes) and 'Mudras' (transitional state between postures and breathing exercise i.e, Pranayama) are considered to be more important. As far as Ayurveda is concerned the knowledge acquired from both of these are useful for the proper understanding of its doctrines like the panchabhootha and thridosha theories and also to modify the line of treatment in certain chronic conditions like eczema, asthma enlargement of spleen and liver etc. One of the sutras in the Vibhuthi pada of 'yoga-Sutra', describes how the Rishis were able to understand the minute structure of the human body. " Nabhi Chakre Kaya Vyuhajnanam ". It means that the naval stands in the middle of the body and by concentrating there the Yogi can understand the structure of the body. Similarly in 'Hata Yoga Pradeepika' it is decribed that cough, asthma, spleenic enlargement in diseases and 20 types of diseases caused by he vitiation of 'Kapha' humour are cured by the process of " Dhanthi Karma " described in it. There are also similarities between Ayurvedic and yogic conceptions about the fundamental structure of the body. Further, it is also noticed that wherever the obstruction of Prana Vahi srothas (channels of vital force) is found to be a cause of a particular disease, in such cases the Yogic exercises seem to have very beneficial effects. In short, Yoga and Ayurveda, allied disciplines of the Chemistry of Indian Culture have much in common …