Naadi Dosha & Ayurveda

In Indian contemporary life, we have either forgotten some of the concepts or have lost their real and original meaning. 'Nadi' is one such concept. To understand its meaning we have to go to the historic era. The Vedic philosophy enjoys the glory for its magnanimous approach. The vedic concepts were built upon cosmic system and its interlude with the human individual system.

The concept of 'Yathaa Pinde Tathaa Brahmaande' (whats in the cosmos is equally represented in every living body) influences the fundamental rules of Ayurveda, Astrology, Vastu, Spiritual and Religious practices. Ayurveda considers that the five prime elements namely - Fire, Earth, Air, Water and Ether make up a human body. These major elements when combined with each other, create three patterns - combination of Air & Ether makes one constituent called 'Vaata'; Fire & Water makes 'Pitta' and Earth & Water makes Kapha. A healthy body should have balance of these three combinations. However, each body holds an imbalance in favour of one of the combinations. This imbalance is called Dosha. The resultant variants of this imbalances are known as Tri-Dosha. The excess of Vaata is called Vaata Dosha; excess of Kapha creates Kapha Dosha and excess of Pitta creates Pitta Dosha. Depending upon the basic Dosha of a human body, the Prakriti (constitution) of a person was marked as 'Vaata Prakriti, Kapha Prakriti or Pitta Prakriti. 

During old days in India, a Vaidya (an Ayurvedic Physician) could be seen holding the wrist of the patient contemplating upon the pulse, breath and Prana of the patient. Side by side he would ask primary questions about the problems of the patient, its intensity, time when the trouble started, about last meals etc. This preliminary examination was called 'Nadi' examination. Thus Nadi was relavent with the time of consultation and examination of the biological environment of the patient. This happens to be a unique characteristic of Indian system of medical treatment. Through Nadi examination, identification of the basic pattern of the patient's body system was undertaken. The state of Tri-Dosha was to be determined so that medicine can be prescribed to re-instate the internal biological harmony of human body with the universal elements in the environment. 

In those days the Vaidyas were supposed to know Astrology, Mantra Shastra and Karma Kanda besides his own expertise in Ayurveda. This is the reason, the concepts of Astrology and Ayurveda got mingled with each other. This multi-discipline expertise has contributed in formulating Astrological rules for estimating compatibility between would be spouses. While the emotional attributes of the persons are important; the biological characteristics are equally important. Since, the basic purpose of marriage is the regeneration of offspring, a fruitful marriage greatly depends upon biological compatibility.

Here, Ayurveda plays supporting role in astrological assessment of ability of the would be couple to regenerate their offspring. For the purpose of judging matrimonial compatibility; an astrologer, on the basis of horoscope, determines the prakriti of both the candidates. Every Nakshatra/its charan or pada signifies a set of biological constitution of the native. This classification is called Nadi and they are named Adi, Madhya and Antya. 

They represent Vaata, Kapha and Pitta dosha respectively. Thus, when the boy and the Girl have same Nadi, this signifies that both of them have the same dosha, biological imbalance. So when they copulate, the fetus inherits the same Dosha in a great proportion. Needless to say that this would be in great dis-harmony with the nature and the fetus is put to tremendous struggle right at the inception stage. Depending upon the intensity of the Dosha, there is either no conception possible at all, it may result into a miscarriage or it may give birth to a very sickly child. 

If we extend the ayurvedic notion of 'Dosha', we know that the basic prakriti of a person does not remain static throughout. It gets modified with the changes in season, food habits and temperament of the person and his life style as a whole. Any Vaidya will be able to suggest different sets of food etc. to counter the Dosha according to the season. Similarly, with the practice of Pranayama and Yogasanas it is quite possible to bring in desired changes in the body system. This will modify the basic prakriti of a person to a considerable degree. 

It is, therefore, always wise to consult an expert Vaidya when a pair of otherwise very good compatibility factors, is rejected on the basis of Nadi Dosh alone through astrological assessment. The adverse observations provided by an astrologer regarding progeny, should be counter checked through pathological tests like Rh factor etc. Looking to the availability of evolved tools and instruments with finer accuracy, its wise to take help of other tools. If we have binoculars, it would be foolish to stretching our specs to observe stars in the sky. I think its matter of common sense.

A wise person would take advantage of all the wisdom available to him. One should not reject a nice pair of prospective candidates for marriage only on the basis of Nadi Dosha. Instead, services of an Ayurveda expert be taken to ascertain whether there is acute incompatibility in terms of Prakriti or physician be consulted to determine problems related with the Rh factor etc. The couples who are childless and if they find their Nadi to be the same, they may draft recommendation on diet, etc., through an Ayurveda expert.

By India Divine

Interesting health information

MUSHROOM  ??? EAR  Slice a mushroom in  half and it resembles the shape of the human ear. And guess what? Adding it to your cooking  could actually improve your hearing. That???s  because mushrooms are one of the few foods in our  diet that contain vitamin D. This particular  vitamin is important for healthy bones, even the  tiny ones in the ear that transmit sound to the  brain. BANANA  (SMILE) ??? DEPRESSION  Cheer yourself up  and put a smile on your face by eating a banana. The popular fruit contains a protein called  tryptophan. Once it has been digested,  tryptophan then gets converted in a chemical  neurotransmitter called serotonin. This is one  of the most important mood-regulating chemicals in  the brain and most anti-depressant drugs work by  adjusting levels of serotonin production. Higher levels are associated with better  moods.        BROCCOLI  ??? CANCER  Close-up, the tiny  green tips on a broccoli head look like hundreds  of cancer cells. Now scientists know this  disease-busting veg can play a crucial role in  preventing the disease. Last year, a team of  researchers at the US National Cancer Institute  found just a weekly serving of broccoli was enough  to reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 45 per  cent. In Britain , prostate cancer kills one  man every hour. GINGER  ??? STOMACH  Root ginger,  commonly sold in supermarkets, often looks just  like the stomach. So it???s interesting that one  of its biggest benefits is aiding digestion. The Chinese have been using it for over 2,000  years to calm the stomach and cure nausea, while  it is also a popular remedy for motion sickness. But the benefits could go much further. Tests on mice at the University of Minnesota  found injecting the chemical that gives ginger its  flavour slowed down the growth rate of bowel  tumours. CHEESE ??? BONES   A nice ???holey??? cheese, like  Emmenthal, is not just good for your bones, it  even resembles their internal structure. And  like most cheeses, it is a rich source of calcium,  a vital ingredient for strong bones and reducing  the risk ofosteoporosis later in life. Together with another mineral called  phosphate, it provides the main strength in bones  but also helps to ???power???muscles. Getting  enough calcium in the diet during childhood is  crucial for strong bones. A study at Columbia   University in New York showed teens who increased  calcium intake from 800mg a day to 1200mg??? equal  to an extra two slices of cheddar - boosted their  bone density by six per cent. GRAPES  ??? LUNGS  OUR lungs are made  up of branches of ever-smaller airways that finish  up with tiny bunches of tissue called alveoli. These structures, which resemble bunches of  grapes, allow oxygen to pass from the lungs to the  blood stream. One reason that very premature  babies struggle to survive is that these alveoli  do not begin to form until week 23 or 24 of  pregnancy. A diet high in fresh fruit, such as  grapes, has been shown to reduce the risk of lung  cancer and emphysema. Grape seeds also contain  a chemical called proanthocyanidin, which appears  to reduce the severity of asthma triggered by  allergy. TOMATO  ??? HEART  A TOMATO is red and  usually has four chambers, just like our heart. Tomatoes are also a great source of lycopene,  a plant chemical that reduces the risk of heart  disease and several cancers. The Women???s  Health Study ??? an American research programme  which tracks the health of 40,000 women ???found  women with the highest blood levels of lycopene  had 30 per cent less heart disease than women who  had very little lycopene. Lab experiments have  also shown that lycopene helps counter the effect  of unhealthy LDL cholesterol. One Canadian  study, published in the journal Experimental  Biology and Medicine, said there was ???convincing  evidence??? that lycopene prevented coronary heart  disease. WALNUT  ??? BRAIN  THE gnarled folds  of a walnut mimic the appearance of a human brain  - and provide a clue to the benefits. Walnuts  are the only nuts which contain significant  amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. They may also  help head off dementia. An American study found  that walnut extract broke down the protein-based  plaques associated with Alzheimer???s disease. Researchers at Tufts University in Boston  found walnuts reversed some signs of brain ageing  in rats.

Kodi Swamigal - The 300 Years Old Saint of Puravi palayam

Sri Kodi Swami lived for over 300 years, before attaining Mahasamadhi in 1993. Some families had been visiting him for generations. He was spoken of as belonging to the saints of the highest order by spiritually acclaimed people and other saints who came to seek His darshan. As a playful child spirituality was unknown to me but in my little mind was instilled the fact that He was a Godly figure by my parents and elders of the family. Little did I realize the greatness of this spiritual giant Kodi Swamy who spent the last thirty years of His life at our residence, Puravipalayam, a small village near Pollachi in Coimbatore district of Tamilnadu.

Swamy had lived in Naikarapatti Zamin house in Coimbatore before He came to our house. Our elders were frequent visitors of the Swamy. Once when my mother was asked by my grandparents to accompany them to meet Swamy, she expressed her desire to have coffee before they left. But however she had to leave without coffee. This was her first visit to Swami and as soon as He saw her He called out to the cook of the house to fetch her some coffee. My mother was of course dumb founded.

On one of those visits to Swami by my elders, He got into the car of our family members and settled Himself comfortably in the upper portion of our palatial old house where He remained until His Mahasamadhi. The story about Him coming to our house was told and retold by our elders with immense pleasure and we children of a joint family listened with great fascination.

House where Kodi Swami resided
for the last 30 years of his life.

As a child I accompanied my mother who was blessed with the privilege of serving Him coffee every morning, which she did faithfully after the above-mentioned coffee episode. He was an old, bearded, fair man who wore more than four long coats one on top of the other at the same time. This was His attire during hot summers and cold winters. The only worthy thing that I followed in serving this great saint was to massage His feet occasionally imitating my elders. As a restless child always wanting to run out to play, I always tried to draw my head off from His lap in the course of His blessing (He did so by touching the heads of the devotees).

The Saint's Disposition
Swami's disposition was not always the same. At times He was jubilant and hearty like a child but sometimes He was pensive and did not entertain the company of visitors. At some other times He even resorted to shouting at visitors. He at times resorted to throwing things from upstairs. During one of my visits with my mom to Swami, we found Him conversing with someone invisible to our eyes. Neither could we hear Him talk nor could we see to whom He was talking. All that we could see were His lip movements and gestures. Suddenly He asked us to sit aside stating that the place was crowded. We were surprised at this, because there was no one else except us, the two silent spectators apart from Swami!

Devotees' Experiences
Numerous are the experiences of devotees with this Great Saint. A devotee's life was in danger when he met with a fatal accident. He was admitted to the hospital in a critical condition. The doctors gave up hope and an astrologer predicted his death. However Swami gave him a new lease of life. The devotee later said that he had a vision of Swami putting a stick into his nose.

A Spanish couple who are ardent devotees of Swami and our family friends too, were informed about the Mahasamadhi(shedding the body) of Swami by my mother. The husband who is an artist then started painting His picture. When we saw the completed portrait on a later date, we realized that he had painted Swami exactly in the posture in which He shed His mortal coil.

My Mother who went to seek His blessings during her pregnancies was given pictures of baby girls both the times (we are two sisters). My father who was once summoned by the saint, to sleep by His side chose an airy corner in the room. In the middle of the night he woke up astounded, to find Swami, fanning him. My father rolled over and clutched the saint's feet. Was it a lesson, preaching humility to the world?

The spiritual lessons imparted by the saint through His own activities will be discussed in the next part.

My Experiences With a Great Saint (Part Two)
Swami did not utter even once what His name or place of birth was. In those days with absolutely no spiritual exposure and out of curiosity we used to ask for His name. No amount of cajoling or hours of waiting could make Him disclose His name. He was so steeped in the 'true self' that He did not disclose His details pertaining to His body, thereby teaching the highest truth that one is not the body or the mind, but the ultimate reality, which is the 'Self'.

Most of the times we could see Swami silently starring into the space. During those moments He did not entertain any conversation. Probably He was immersed in subjectivity. Once some devotees mustered the courage to ask Him what were His activities during midnight. Swami answered in His own childish way "Where is night and day?" He thereby confirmed the truth that night and day was only for those who identified themselves with the body and the mind and not for the one who has lost himself in the divine union.

His all pervasiveness and His oneness with the divine were revealed in many occasions. A devotee once approached Him seeking His permission to go on a pilgrimage to Palani, one of the six abodes of Lord Muruga or Skanda. Promptly came the reply, " This is Palani".

Bhagavan Kodiswamy's traits of enlightenment were portrayed in different occasions to different people. I once tried to shoo away a crow that perched on the nearby table cawing loudly. Swami in a gentle tone said that the crow was also a jnani (an enlightened being). I guess that was the last day I ever shooed a crow or other birds in his precincts or at His Samadhi (Tomb) later!

Swami at times exhibited immense anger. It was impossible for anyone to figure out the reason. At times His anger was such that he threw things down from upstairs and broke them into pieces. At other times He was accustomed to asking for a person's belongings and handing it to a devotee who is totally unrelated. One can discern from the above two instances that he was demonstrating the importance of non-attachment to material things or His dealings with different people and beyond the comprehension of the human mind.

The saint even after shedding His mortal coil is still very active or is more active in taking care of those who appealed to him their afflictions and uplifting those on the spiritual path.

One can still feel peace percolating in the mind at His Samadhi to this day. This subtle yet a very powerful truth finds expression in the increasing number of devotees flocking at His Samadhi.

I humbly place my head at His Holy Feet for having given me the opportunity to pen down about Him. What can be told about the highest truth that is beyond the grasp of the very mind employed to brief about it, let alone words? Its nature is silence; it is silence, the silent substratum or the base of all that is created.

Symbolic Meaning of Lord Shiva to Me

When I look at an image of Lord Shiva, it seems to reveal something to my inner self, as it does to all living beings, blessed to know about him, blessed to be able to worship him. To begin with, he is the only powerful deity, who does not adorn jewels, clothes, or surround himself with luxuries. He dresses in just a tiger skin, just bare-basic clothing for survival, no ornaments, gold, gems or crowns. His first outright message is to disengage the mind from distractions of wealth, temporary beauty image, and luxury that maya traps us into and we so willingly stay chained into, and we waste our time running after.His message is to refrain from getting too materialistic and to understand that simplicity is a sign of power. He is so powerful, yet so humble and simple in his persona.

His half open and tied tresses, show how he does let his hair-down, stay calm, enjoy surroundings, and he wants us to live each day as it comes, enjoying the moment, yet his half tied tresses, indicate, we should continue to do our duty, at our pace. His tied hair, continuously saves the Earth from the powerful flow of the river Ganga. If he gives up his dharma, the entire earth will submerge. So, it indicates a middle path of doing one's duty continuously, inside us, the quest to seek the divine should never die. Keep the thirst and quest on, keep doing your duties to others, yet, enjoying the beauty and joys that surround us.

The Moon on his head, might indicate that he lives on the highest point, on Earth, Mt. Kailash, that he lives close to us, and every night the moon transiting the night sky, is worn by the head of the almighty who is also watching over us, every second. He saved the moon from the curse of Daksha and thus gave the Moon a place to stay.

The nilakanth, or his blue neck, with the story of his drinking hala-hal vrish from the samudra manthan, could tell a human, that vaani/speech can be like vrish or poison, and should always be under check. So many karmas turn bad, just due to bad words emitted in the heat-of-a-moment and the snake in his neck is a motivation for us to arouse our kundalini shakti. The three and a half coiled snake, we see so many times, is that bhujangini shakti- kundalini shakti, that can activate the sleeping parts of the brain, elevating us from the current level and helping us reach our divine God.

Vanmalaa or garland in his neck, indicates his love for nature, his love for Dance, Music, drama and beauty, which show his artistic sides. It also indicates, his soft side within.

His trident or Trishul with three spears, could be an indicator or symbol of destroying all three gunas, the Rajo, Tamo and Sattva Guna. He is motivating us to try and rise above the ebb and flow of the three gunas. The Trishul can also mean he wants us to reach for moksha, by killing the present, past and future, which are symbolised by the three spears of trishul.

His third eye, or activated Ajna chakra, sends the message to meditate, and with the opening of this pineal gland chakra, shall all our karmas, moha, lobh, krodh, and kaam , be destroyed.

His Damru (hand drum), is like a wake up call, asking us to wake up from this muddle of maya, that it is high time, we humans utilize this yoni, yog, opportunity and get out of this endless cycle of sufferings, to go back home to Ananda state and start working towards the real goal of life.

The bells on his waist, are a reassuring sign, that when we will walk through the dark jungle of tapas, of mediation we will not walk alone, through the sides, by our side, he will walk us through it. His presence will be felt deep in the state of samadhi, he will make us feel it.

Nandi ji - the Bull - can indicate the male energy. The cow is the most precious possession for mankind and the Bull is thus the male other half of this nurturing cow. Milk, butter, ghee and so much more comes from cows, but the Bull is the silent father who does contribute. He also ploughs the land, that then becomes ready for seeds for farming. Again, the seeds are sown, but earth is made ready by the Bull.

Finally - the lingam , to me, is the matter part of a deepak jyoti. Mata Shakti can be the ghee/oil that will nourish the jyoti, but unless the cotton lump takes the form of linga, or a conical upright form, the creation of heat and light to nourish, nurture, and guide humans cannot be created. We stare at it, create the essence of the universe everyday, in our puja, yet we do not grasp the secrets it is showing us. Every linga of Shiv Ji tells us, how matter and energy have combined, to create light - knowledge - which should help us free ourselves from this Maya and provide heat - which is nurturing and nourishing us.

om namah shivaya!
om aem hrim kleem chamundayae vicchaye!

Ayurvedic Tips to Protect Your Eyes

• Ayurvedic Tips to Protect Your  Eyes
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Eyes are the most precious parts of our body. They need good care and attention to prevent different infections and diseases. Here are some useful tips that can be adopted very easily in order to protect the eyes.
  
  Do not use cold water immediately after getting exposed to heat or sunlight. Do not wash the face immediately, allow the sweat to dry and let the body come back to normal temperature. Then take bath and wash the face.
  
  Do not gaze at objects situated at a very long distance. Give rest to the eyes in case of continuous eye work and sleep on time.
  
  Sleeping late at night and waking up after sunrise affects the eyesight. The eyelids become heavy, it causes reddishness and reduces the natural beauty of the eyes.
  
  Protect the eyes from dust, smoke, poisonous gas and bright light. Do not stay for long hours at such places. Keep a safe distance from television and do not watch it for long time. In case of pain or burning sensation in the eyes, pour a few drops of rose water and rinse the eyes. Make sure the rose water is pure and not synthetic, as most commercial versions are.
  
  Reading, writing or doing any work in dim light affects the eyesight. Take rest in between and close the eyes. Rub the palms and keep them on the eyes to relax the eye muscles.
  
  Any kind of head injury, driving at very high speed, exposing eyes to heavy winds, crying continuously for many days, controlling the urge to urinate, pass stools, sneeze, pass gas, anger, mental stress or trauma, being very depressed, over indulgence in sex, or adopting a life style contrary to the seasons affect the organs of the body and the eyes are very delicate and sensitive, therefore they are the most quickly affected.
  
  Methods of Nutrition for Healthy Eyes:
  Besides following the tips for protection, the following nutritional elements should be taken for benefit. It is also important to note that using nutritional tips without efforts to protect the eyes is like filling water in a cracked pot.
  
  Vitamin A is extremely beneficial and effective in protecting the eyes. Vitamin A is available in the form of capsules and tablets at chemist shop but natural production of this vitamin in the body has a long-term advantage. Consumption of vegetables like cabbage, carrot, radish, myrobalan, green peas, coriander, soybean, green leafy vegetables, fruits like ripe tomatoes, papaya, banana, dates, oranges, ripe mango, milk, butter, cream, etc. are a natural source of vitamin A. Ripe yellow fruits and green vegetables are rich sources of Carotene, which produces vitamin A in the body and improves eyesight.
  
  Mix half a spoonful each of butter and powdered sugar candy and one-fourth a spoon of black pepper powder and eat it, followed by two or three pieces of raw coconut and aniseed. Use this remedy on an empty stomach for 90 days to improve eyesight.
  
  Pour two drops of rose water in the eyes at bedtime once or twice a week. Burn a lamp with clarified butter (ghee) made with cow milk and prepare kajal from the flame using a bronze plate. Apply the kajal in the eyes at bedtime; and wipe it with a damp cloth the next morning. This kajal enhances the beauty of the eyes and also keeps them healthy.
  
  Soak around 10 grams of Triphala churna in water in an earthen pot. Squeeze this water the next morning with a cloth and wash the eyes with this water. Keep a wet cloth on the eyes for five to 10 minutes.
  
  Red chilly, fried food, sour and hot foods are harmful for the eyes. Therefore avoid to use them in food or use as little as possible.
  
  Walk on wet grass in the morning and watch the greenery around. Massage the soles with pure clarified butter to improve eyesight. Also apply mehndi on the feet soles during the summer season.