Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S
Bheshaja – drugs
Vyakti – individual
Bheshaja Vyakti are classes of people who find themselves talked about in Sushruta Samhita, who truly don’t straight 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 worried, 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 necessary 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 manner. They’re known as as Bheshaja Vyakti and assist to construct the medical system with their immense contribution.
Under talked about is the record of people who find themselves known as as Bheshaja Vyakti.
1. Gopala – are cowherds, individuals who have a tendency cattle. In olden days (even right this moment 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. Additionally they had information of vegetation, roots and herbs which has descended via their familial occupation.
2. Tapasa – are ascetics. They’d rejected all riches and comforts of life and have been dwelling 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 cures out of herbs and roots out there of their neighborhood and in addition taught individuals 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. Searching was a occupation and a royal pastime of the traditional instances. Because the hunters roamed quite a bit within the forests seeking their hunt and meals for his or her household, additionally 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 individuals 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 individuals have been the supply of that information. Additionally they in all probability catered them to the physicians.
4. Vanacharina – are individuals who stay and roam round in forests, as in tribal individuals. 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 dwelling there, dwelling by consuming the roots, vegetation, fruits and many others. out there wherever they stay or migrate. These individuals had immense information of the herbs and roots together with what is sweet and what not. Some individuals additionally roam in forests to gather roots and herbs.
Hypothetical understanding of ‘Bheshaja Vyakti’ and the possible principle of their evolution within the historical past of evolution of Ayurveda drugs
They take care of the medicinal herbs and therefore they’ve ‘bheshaja’ of their title / title. They aren’t docs, so they don’t seem to be known as Vaidya however in truth known as as ‘vyakti’ i.e. an individual. These individuals act as a bridge between the pure sources of medicinal vegetation, forest areas and the doctor who’s in want of these herbs to fabricate medicines. This used to come in useful for the reason that physicians couldn’t wander within the forests to gather the medicinal herbs. So, in all probability 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 individuals grew to become helpers and used to frequently gather and ship the medicinal herbs to the physicians, in all probability with a small favor from the doctor within the type of cash, meals grains or free session and remedy for his or her households. So, regardless of these individuals not being docs, they grew to become necessary members of the medical system and therefore known as as bheshaja vyakti. Most likely, in later instances, this follow of accumulating and conveying the herbs to the physicians grew to become a household affair and possibly a job / occupation or side-job for these forest dwellers. And people individuals handed this data to their subsequent era and the following era of dwellers would serve the following era of physicians in the identical manner.
Some amongst them, like Tapasa – the ascetics, not solely knew concerning the herbs and roots but in addition learnt utilizing them as medicines and in addition serving individuals with easy cures ready from them. They have been ‘para-physicians’ by all sense they usually served individuals within the neighborhood within the absence of docs round or when the individuals in that point couldn’t journey to cities to satisfy the physician. They have been individuals out there for ‘firsthand or first-aid assist’ and therefore Bheshaja Vyaktis.
