Vedic Prescriptions

Vedic Prescriptions Chapter 2: Lessons from Vaidya Sushena A medical doctor is accorded a status next to God as he or she has a duty to heal the sick irrespective of their caste, creed, race or financial status. The classical description of the duty of a doctor was depicted in the Hindi movie ‘Achanak’ starring Vinod Khanna made by Gulzar in 1973. In the movie, Vinod Khanna enacted the character of an army man who loves his wife intensely. He returns home after the 1971 war to find his wife, actress Lily Chakravarti, involved with his close friend. In a fit of emotion, he kills them both. He is sentenced to death but is wounded in an attempt to escape the police. At the hospital, he is looked after by a team of doctors (Om Shivpuri, Asrani) and a nurse (Farida Jalal). They work hard day in and day out to save him from the lethal injury only to hand him over to the police chief (Iftekhar) for the due capital punishment. The story ends with the message that the duty of a doctor is to save the dying man and the duty of a policeman is to award the due deserved capital punishment. Historically, the first known example of medical ethics comes from the epic Ramayana (5000-7500 BC). During the war between Lord Rama and Ravana, Meghnath (brother of Ravana) shot a Brahmastra shakti baan (arrow) that hit Laxmana (brother of Rama) and he became unconscious. Vibhishana informed Sri Rama about the physician, Sushena, who lived in Lanka. Hanumana was asked to bring him. He brought Vaidya Sushena, together with his house. Vaidya Sushena, well aware that he was a physician attached to the kingdom of Ravana, and that treating Lakshmana could end up annoying Ravana, took a conscious ethical decision of treating the wounded Lakshmana. He said that only the ‘Sanjivani Booti’ (an herb found only on Sumeru Hill) could save Laxmana. But that herb grew on Himalayas at a great height and needed to be brought before day break. Then Jambavanta reminded Hanumana that only he could bring back the ‘booti’ before sunrise. He said, “Fly across the ocean to Himalaya Mountains and bring back herbs Mritha Sanjivani, Vishalya karani, Savamakarani and Sandhanakarani.” Hanuman went to Sumeru Hill, which was far, far away from the battlefield. There he found several herbs that looked similar to the ‘Sanjivani Booti’. Confused, Hanumana immediately lifted the Sumeru Hill in his right hand and flew back to the battlefield in Lanka. Thus, Laxmana was saved by Vaidya Sushena who waited by Lakshaman’s side till Hanuman returned with the remedy. Both the above depictions relate to the true message later described in the classical Hippocratic Oath, traditionally taken by physicians pertaining to the ethical practice of medicine. But today many doctors in many countries are ruining the image of the medical profession. They indulge in indiscriminate sex determination, carry out illegal abortions, illegal organ trade etc. We should take lessons from the movie ‘Achanak’ and from Vaidya Sushena who stood by his professional duty and act according to what was right and ethical. Dr KK Aggarwal National President IMA & HCFI

Vedic Prescriptions

Vedic Prescriptions Chapter 1 - Know your dharma [Dharma the foundation of bioethics] Dharma is the path of righteousness and living one’s life as per the codes of conduct described in Vedas. Its western equivalents might include morality, ethics, virtue, righteousness and purity. The term dharma can best be explained as the “law of being” without which things cannot exist. The word dharma is derived from dhri, which means “to hold”. It literally means “that which holds” the people of this world and the whole creation. The same is described in the Vedic Text, in Atharva Veda as: Prithivim dharmana dhritam, that is, “this world is upheld by dharma”. In Hinduism Dharma is the very foundation of life. Tulsidas the author of Ramcharitmanas, defined the root of dharma as compassion. Buddha also used this principle in his book Dhammapada. According to Hindu philosophy, it’s the GOD which holds us through “Truth” and or “LOVE”. “Dharma prevails” or “truth prevails” is the essence of Hinduism. To achieve good karma, Vedas teaches us that one should live according to dharma (the right action). This involves doing what is right for the individual, the family, the class or caste and for the universe. As per Bhagavat Purana, righteous living or life on a dharmic path has four pillars: Truthfulness (satya), austerity (tap), purity (shauch) and compassion (daya). It further adds that the adharmic or unrighteous life has three vices: Pride (ahankar), contact (sangh), and intoxication (madya). Manusmriti, prescribes ten essential rules for the observance of dharma: Patience (dhriti), forgiveness (kshama), piety or self control (dama), honesty (asteya), sanctity (shauch), control of senses (indraiya-nigrah), reason (dhi), knowledge or learning (vidya), truthfulness (satya) and absence of anger (krodha). Manu further writes, “Non-violence, truth, non-coveting, purity of body and mind, control of senses are the essence of dharma”. In Bhagavad Gita Lord Krishna says that in the society dharma is likely to fall from time to time and to bring dharma back; a GOD representative is born from time to time. The shlokas (parithraanaaya saadhoonaam vinaasaaya cha dhushkr.thaam|dharma-samsthaapanaarthaaya sambhavaami yuge’ yuge’ (Chapter IV - 8) says that “For the protection of the virtuous, for the destruction of evil-doers, and for establishing the rule of righteousness (Dharma), I am born from age to age [in every age]”. Another Shloka “ yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata abhyutthanam adharmasya tadatmanam srjamy aham” means that “Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion - at that time I descend Myself”. Deepak Chopra in his book Seven Spiritual Laws of Success talks about the “Law of “Dharma” or Purpose in Life’”. According to Dr Chopra everybody should discover his or her divinity, find the unique talent and serve humanity with it. With this one can generate all the wealth that one wants. According to him when your creative expressions match the needs of your fellow humans, then wealth will spontaneously flow from the un-manifest into the manifest, from the realm of spirit to the world of form. In spiritual terms this is an attempt to find out whether his life is progressing as per the Laws of Dharma (Dharma in Sanskrit means ‘purpose in life’) which, according to the scriptures, is said to be the sole purpose for a human being to manifest in this physical form. To achieve one’ DHARMA Dr Chopra suggests the following exercises: 1. Today I will lovingly nurture the god or goddess in embryo that lies deep within my soul. I will pay attention to the spirit within me that animates both my body and my mind. I will awaken myself to this deep stillness within my heart. I will carry this consciousness of timeless, eternal being in the midst of time-bound experience. 2. I will make a list of my unique talents. Then I will list all of the things I love to do while expressing my unique talents. When I express my unique talents and use them in the service of humanity, I lose track of time and create abundance in my life as well as in the lives of others. 3. I will ask myself daily, “How can I serve?” and “How can I help?” The answers to these questions will allow me to help and serve my fellow human beings with love. Karma, dharma and samsara are three fundamental aspects of the Hinduism. Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism are all built on this. Dharma is one’s appropriate role or attributes. Karma, measures of how well one performs one’s dharma, explains why one is born where he or she is, why there is suffering and seeming injustices. Samsara, is the continuous round of birth, death and rebirth, and the context for all experience. Dharma sutras from Dharma Shãstras are the basic texts which talks about the morality of individuals and he society. Most India laws are made from these Shãstras. In Jainism, also the wheel of Dharma (Chakra) with 24 spokes represents the religion preached by the 24 Tirthankaras consisting of nonviolence (Ahimsa) and other virtues. The very first word of the Gita is “Dharma”. The Gita concludes with the word “Mama”. The whole of Bhagavad Gita is contained in the two words Mama and Dharma. When you join these two last words it becomes mamadharma, meaning your true Dharma. This is what the Gita teaches. What is your Dharma? How to achieve your dharma 1. Do unto others what you do unto yourself. Satisfy your conscience. That is your Dharma. 2. The word Living Dharma signifies the right action in every moment of the life. 3. Do not follow the dictates of body and do not indiscriminately follow the mind, for the mind is like a mad monkey. Follow the conscience. 4. Practice Random acts of kindness to inculcate the spirit of Dharma. 5. According to many Saints, to do dharma, includes eight-fold path and these are 1. Nonviolence; Control over the Senses; Compassion or daya; Forbearance or Khsma; Peace; Meditation; Penance or Tapas and Truth. 6. The Bhagavad Gita also starts with the phrase, “Dharmakshetre Kuruksetra” which means the battle of dharma and adharma. 7. In Mahabharata, when Duryodhana went to Gandhari, his mother, on the eve of the war, for her benediction. She blessed Duryodhana saying, “Victory will be there, where dharma is.”