VAYU - A REIGNING FACTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

SPECIALITY : AYURVEDA SAMHITA AND SIDDHANTA

DEPARTMENT OF BASIC PRINCIPLES

INSTITUTE FOR POST GRADUATE TEACHING & RESEARCH IN AYURVEDA

GUJARAT AYURVEDA UNIVERSITY

JAMNAGAR – 361 008, Year: 2013-2016

: SCHOLAR :

DIKSHA GUPTA

GUIDE

PROF. MAHESH VYAS

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Importance of the Topic

• This presentation mainly focuses on highlightingthe environmental hazards from the perspective ofthe lakshana of Kupita Asharira Chara and AkupitaAsharira Chara Vayu mentioned by AcharyaCharaka.

• Lok Purusha Samya Siddhanta signifies theimportance and co relation of the environment andhuman body.

• Environmental health has a direct impact on humanbody

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Cont…

• In order to fulfill the main motto of Ayurveda

science ,which is both prevention and cure of

diseases it is important to look after the harmony

and equilibrium between human body and the

environment.

• No doubt, Acharya Charaka has enumerated and

correlated the Lakshana of Vayu in Nirdesha

Chatushka.

• With the help of Hetwaarth Tantrayukti we can find

out the implications of these Lakshanas mentioned

by Acharya Charaka in the present scenario.

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Definition Of Environmental Health

According to WHO,

• Environmental health addresses all the physical, chemical,

and biological factors external to a person, and all the related

factors impacting behaviors. It encompasses the assessment

and control of those environmental factors that can

potentially affect health. It is targeted towards preventing

disease and creating health-supportive environments.

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Aim

• To highlight the environmental factors

mentioned in Ayurveda that govern the health of

a person and its importance in present era.

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Materials And Methods

• Subject related materials & specific methodology

has been used through a critical and thorough

review of all available and valuable relevant

Ayurveda classics with valuable commentaries.

• The journals, research papers and related websites

on Inter-net were referred.

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Importance of Vayu

• Acharya Charaka emphasized the importance of

Vayu denoting it as

• ‘Bhagwana’: Eternal cause of Universe

• ‘Vishwakarma’ ; i.e the creator of universe,

• ‘Vishwarupa’ :that which possess innumerable

forms,

• ‘Prajapati’:which is the lord of all creators.

• ‘Sarva tantranam Vidhata’: Responsible for all

actions and thoughts7

Types of Vayu

• Acharya Charaka has described types of Vayu in

Vatakalakaliya Adhyaya. i.e.

1. Kupita Sharira Chara Vayu

2. Akupita Sharira Chara Vayu

3. Kupita Asharira Chara Vayu

4. Akupita Asharira Chara Vayu

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Prakrita karma of Loka Vayu

• प्रकृतिभिूस्य खल्वस्य ऱोके चरि् कमम ाणीममति भवति; िद्यथम- धरणीधमरण,ं ज्वऱिोज्ज्वमऱिम ्, आतित्यचन्द्रिऺत्रग्रहगणमिम ंसिमिगतितवधमि,ं सतृिश्च मघेमिमम ्, अपम ं तवसग ा् , प्रवि ाि ंस्रोिसम,ं पषु्पफऱमिम ंचमतभतिव ाि ािम ्, उद्भिेि ंचौतद्भिमिमम ्, ऋििूम ंप्रतवभमग्, तवभमगो धमििूम,ं धमिमुमिससं्थमिव्यतत्, बीजमतभससं्कमर्,शस्यमतभवध ािमतवके्लिोपशोषण,ेअवकैमतरकतवकमरश्चतेि | Cha. Su 12/8

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Cont..

• Dharani Dharana: Sustenance of Earth

• Jwalanaoujjawalana: kindling of fire

• Aditya Chandra nakshatra grahanam santana gati:-bringing about compactness and movement in thesun moon, stars and planets

• Srishtish cha Meghanam: creation of cloud

• Apa Visarga : Pouring of Rain

• Flowing of rivers

• Bringing about maturity of flowers and fruits,

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Cont…

• Classification of seasons as well as five Mahabhuta

• Manifesting the shape and the size of the products

of the five Mahabhuta.

• Bringing about the power of germination in the

seeds and the growth of plants

• Bringing about hardness and dryness in the grains

• Bringing about transformation everywhere.

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Alokgata Vayu

• प्रकुतपिस्य खल्वस्य ऱोकेष ु चरि् कमम ाणीममति भवति; िद्यथम- तशखतरतशखरमवमथिम ्, उन्मथिमिोकहमिमम ्, उत्पीडि ं समगरमणमम ्, उद्वि ाि ं सरसम,ं प्रतिसरणममपगमिमम ्, आकम्पि ं च भमू े् , आधमिमम्बिुमिमिंीहमरतिर्ह्म ािपमशंतुसकिममत्स्यभकेोरगऺमररुतधरमश्ममशतितवसग ा् , व्यमपमिि ं च षण्णममिृिूम,ं शस्यमिममसङ्घमि्, भिूमिम ंचोपसग ा् , भमवमिम ं चमभमवकरण,ं चियु ुागमिकरमणम ंमघेसयूम ािऱमतिऱमिम ंतवसग ा् Cha Su 12/8

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Cont..

• Breaking through the peak of mountains,

• Uprooting of trees,

• Disturbance of oceans

• Overflow of lakes

• Changing the course of rivers

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• Bringing about earthquakes

• Thunders in the clouds

• Release of dew

• Thunder storm

• Disturbance of the six seasons

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• Non-productivity of plants

• Spread of epidemics, etc. amongst living beings;

• Doing away with the positive factors of creation

• Bringing about cloud, sun, fire and wind which

could destroy all the four ages.

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Devastating Effect of Vitiated Loka Vayu

EARTHQUAKE:

• If sustenance of earth is disturbed it results into massive

earthquakes.

• The after effects of earthquakes:

Shaking and ground rupture

• Shaking and ground rupture are the main effects created

by earthquakes, principally resulting in more or less

severe damage to buildings and other rigid structures.16

Cont..

• Tsunami

• Tsunamis are long-wavelength, long-period sea

waves produced by the sudden or abrupt

movement of large volumes of water. Earthquakes,

Volcanic eruptions, glaciers and other disturbances

above or below water generate tsunami

• Floods

• Floods are secondary effects of earthquakes, if

dams are damaged. earthquakes may cause

landslips to dam rivers, which collapse and cause

floods

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Cont…

Landslides and avalanches :

• Earthquakes, along with severe storms, volcanic

activity, and coastal wave attack, and wildfires, can

produce slope instability leading to landslides, a

major geological hazard.

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Global Warming

• Global warming is the term used to describe a

gradual increase in the average temperature of the

Earth's atmosphere and its oceans, a change that is

believed to be permanently changing the Earth’s

climate.

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How Global Warming Works

Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas)

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

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Causes of Global Warming

• Release of green house gases

• Burning of Fuels

• Gaseous Emissions

• Air pollution

• Land clearing21

Burning of Fossil Fuels

Pollution from coal,

natural gas, and oil

Pollution from coal,

natural gas, and oil

Pollution from coal,

natural gas, and oil22

Consequences of Global Warming

• Warming global temperature

• Rising sea levels

• Expansion of deserts

• Extreme weather events including heat waves, droughts,

heavy rainfall with floods and heavy snowfall

• Ocean acidification

• Species extinction

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Effects of Global Warming

Increased Temperature

Habitat Damage and Species Affected Changes in Water Supply

Rising Sea Level

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Disharmony of Environmental Health

• वमय्वमिीिम ंयद्वगैणु्यमतु्पद्यि ेिस्य मऱूमधमा् , िन्मऱंू वमऽसत्कमा पवू ाकृि;ं ियोयोति् प्रऻमपरमध एव……….

Cha . Vi 3/20

• The root cause of environmental hazards isAdharma(Unethical Practices).

• Pradnyaparadha is also mentioned as the maincause of environmental hazards.

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Lok Purush Samya Siddhanta

‘परुुषोऽय ंऱोकसतिि्According to Loka Purusha Sama Siddhanta what is

going on in nature the same is happening in one’s own

body. The changes in environment has a direct impact

on human body. Today one of the major challenge in

front of humanity is Environmental changes.

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Conclusion

• Vayu is referred to as Bhagwan that means the supreme power

that reigns the entire universe.

• Environmental health is rooted in the Vatakalakaliya chapter in

the Sutrasthana and then in the Janopadodhwansa Adhyaya.

• The grave problems like Global Warming, Pollution are

detrimental and create nuisance to human health and should be

overcome by the ethical conduct and the implementation of

Sadvritta and Achara Rasayana. 27

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