Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S
Bheshaja – medication
Vyakti – individual
Bheshaja Vyakti are classes of people who find themselves talked about in Sushruta Samhita, who truly don’t instantly belong to the medical system however have lent a really helpful hand in evolution of Ayurveda system of medication as a science, over generations. So far as Ayurveda is anxious, their contribution is immense.
They are often thought of as ‘para-physicians of Ayurveda system of medication’.
Allow us to see who these individuals are whereas exploring the reference from Sushruta Samhita.
Ref – Sushruta Sutra Sthana, Chapter 37, verse 10 (Su.Su.37/10)
Bheshaja Vyakti: 5 essential Ayurveda Para-physicians
गिपकास्तापसा व्याधा ये चान्ये वनचारिणः ।
मूलाहाराश्च ये तेभ्यो भेषजव्यक्तिरिष्यते ॥१०॥
Bheshaja Vyaktis are individuals who have good information of medicinal herbs and vegetation and are just like physicians on this approach. They’re referred to as as Bheshaja Vyakti and assist to construct the medical system with their immense contribution.
Under talked about is the checklist of people who find themselves referred to as as Bheshaja Vyakti.
1. Gopala – are cowherds, individuals who have a tendency cattle. In olden days (even as we speak in villages), the cowherds used to take cattle to the forests for grazing them. They need to know which vegetation are good for cattle and which aren’t. In addition they had information of vegetation, roots and herbs which has descended by their familial career.
2. Tapasa – are ascetics. They’d rejected all riches and comforts of life and have been residing within the forests, of their hermitage. They too had exact information of herbs. Many ascetics knew the right way to use them within the type of medicines and put together easy treatments out of herbs and roots accessible of their neighborhood and likewise taught folks round them. They too handed on this data to their gen-next. They have been in true sense, the ‘mini docs.
3. Vyadha – are hunters. Hunters too are wanderers. Looking was a career and a royal passion of the traditional instances. For the reason that hunters roamed rather a lot within the forests in quest of their hunt and meals for his or her household, in addition they learnt concerning the flora to which they’re uncovered to. There have been possibilities and dangers that they get injured or attacked by animals very often after which wanted to know the vegetation which might are available in as fast first-aid for them. These folks additionally had a exact information of the meat and animal merchandise. Lot of animal merchandise have been additionally used for preparation of medicines and therapies and these folks have been the supply of that information. In addition they most likely catered them to the physicians.
4. Vanacharina – are individuals who dwell and roam round in forests, as in tribal folks. There’s loads of information of tribal folklore medicines contributing in the direction of evolution of medical science, primarily Ayurveda, from time immemorial. Sure tribes have information of sure units of herbs and roots grown of their geography.
This additionally consists of individuals who wander within the forests or make a residing there, residing by consuming the roots, vegetation, fruits and so on. accessible wherever they dwell or migrate. These folks had immense information of the herbs and roots together with what is nice and what not. Some folks additionally roam in forests to gather roots and herbs.
Hypothetical understanding of ‘Bheshaja Vyakti’ and the possible idea of their evolution within the historical past of evolution of Ayurveda medication
They cope with the medicinal herbs and therefore they’ve ‘bheshaja’ of their title / title. They aren’t docs, so they aren’t referred to as Vaidya however in reality referred to as as ‘vyakti’ i.e. an individual. These folks act as a bridge between the pure assets of medicinal vegetation, forest areas and the doctor who’s in want of these herbs to fabricate medicines. This used to turn out to be useful for the reason that physicians couldn’t wander within the forests to gather the medicinal herbs. So, most likely there was an association that some people who find themselves related to the forests, who had exact information of medicinal vegetation, coming from many generations and who have been wanderers have been employed by the physicians. These folks grew to become helpers and used to usually accumulate and ship the medicinal herbs to the physicians, most likely with a small favor from the doctor within the type of cash, meals grains or free session and therapy for his or her households. So, despite these folks not being docs, they grew to become essential members of the medical system and therefore referred to as as bheshaja vyakti. In all probability, in later instances, this apply of amassing and conveying the herbs to the physicians grew to become a household affair and doubtless a job / career or side-job for these forest dwellers. And people folks handed this data to their subsequent technology and the subsequent technology of dwellers would serve the subsequent technology of physicians in the identical approach.
Some amongst them, like Tapasa – the ascetics, not solely knew concerning the herbs and roots but in addition learnt utilizing them as medicines and likewise serving folks with easy treatments ready from them. They have been ‘para-physicians’ by all sense and so they served folks within the neighborhood within the absence of docs round or when the folks in that point couldn’t journey to cities to fulfill the physician. They have been folks accessible for ‘firsthand or first-aid assist’ and therefore Bheshaja Vyaktis.
