The entire text is an edited version of article found in the Encyclopedia of Hinduism Volume III to help readers to understand about cancer and its treatment in ancient Hinduism. Cancer is spreading like wildfire and the reason for it is pollution caused by human beings. The other main culprit is the use of pesticide and chemical fertilizer in foods. Hindus need to awaken and fight against this deadly disease which is causing hardships to millions of families. To start with at least make sure that your are not giving your children vegetables and meat that are filled with pesticide and hormones.
Cancer was known as arbuda in ancient Hindu treatment. It is
found in the Sanskrit lexicon, Medinikosha. It is described as “that which has a
fleshy outgrowth.’ Another meaning of the term is ‘a count of one hundred
million.’ Arbuda is also referred to as himsa svabhava meaning of violent
nature, or in this case, damaging nature. The term expresses the cancerous
condition both at the macro and micro-molecular levels.
Arbuda was not considered asadhya (incurable) in Ayurveda.
Ayurvedic treatises do not identify it among the mahavyadhis
(main diseases). In fact, there is not even a separate chapter dealing with it.
This indicates that probably cancers were not as prevalent at that time in
history as today.
Sushruta And Cancer Treatment
Sushruta (6th to 7th century BC),
described arbuda, which also means a mountain, as utsedha pradhana (dominated
by growth) and granthi sadrshya (tumor like) in nature. He also mentions two
conditions adyarbuda and dvirarbuda, which are of immediate relevance.
Adyarbuda refers to the condition where arbuda, even after
undergoing remission, reappears after some time at the same site. This
signifies the invasion of the surrounding tissues and the fact that the malady
is deep rooted.
Dvirarbuda is the condition where secondary growths manifest
along with or as sequel to the initial ones, but at sites far removed.
This description corresponds well with contemporary
understanding of metastasis and the formation of secondaries. Interestingly,
skin cancer, an entity widely believed to be of recent origin, has also been
mentioned in Sushruta Samhita where it is stated that rohin, the sixth of the
seven skin layers, is the substratum of a variety of diseases including arbuda.
Discussion of Cancer In Various Hindu Texts
Major treatises describe arbuda long with granthi (tumor),
apaci (srotule), gulma sopha (cyst), gala ganda (goiter), etc.
By the rule of adhikarana tantrayukti, which insists on
coherence and relevance in the subject-matter of a chapter, and the established
practice of including only germane subjects under one head, the implication is
that arbuda is closely related to the other diseases.
However, in the light of information available now, instead
of equating cancer with arbuda alone, it makes more sense to consider it in terms
of the other diseases classed along with it.
Since arbuda is not listed as a mahavyadhi (great disease)
in Ayurvedic texts, it appears that there was a low rate of prevalence of this
malady in ancient India, and that it was curable.
Prognosis as in all sadhya vyadhis (curable diseases), was
considered favorable depending on a series of factors, including sarva aushadhi
kshama deha (a body capable of withstanding the rigors of medical
intervention), yuvan (youth), puman (being of male gender), jitatman (being a
mentally strong host), and that the site of the growth was not amarmaga (a
vital point).
Further indications of a favorable outcome to treatment
included: alpahetu (weakness of etiological factors), alpa agratrupa (minimal
prodromal symptoms), alpa rupa (that symptoms are not pronounced and anupadrava
(that no complications arise).
Also factors such as ekadoshamarga (that the disease follows
a single pathway) and nava (that the onset was recent) were considered
important.
Other factors considered influential, either to the
progression or to the cure of disease, were dusya (tissue elements), desa
(place), ritu (season) and prakriti (basic constitution). Success also required
that pada chatusraya (the four therapeutic instruments), namely, bhisaka (physician),
dravya (medicine), upasthata (attendant) and rogi (patient) be endowed with
good qualities and that planetary influences favor remission.
Some of the other conditions mentioned in Ayurvedic medicine
in relation to arbuda are:
- Vitiation of saptadhatus (the seven fundamental tissues)
- Especially rakta (blood tissue)
- Mamsa (muscle tissue) and
- Meda (adipose tissue)
- Vatarakta and amavata (certain stages of rheumatism) and
- Dusvisham (certain toxins).
The text also discusses etiological factors for the condition
of arbuda. Among these are
- Viruddhahara (food incompatibility)
- Ama (accumulated food toxins)
- Srotorodha (obstruction of channels)
- Mamsahara parayanata (indulgence in non-vegetarian food)
- Ojo visramasa(immune compromise)
- Vega rodha ((suppression of natural urges)
- Mano vyaha (psychic disturbances)
Study of Cells in Ancient Hindu World
Ayurvedic medicine, though without microscope, understood
the body to be composed of innumerable units that were described as atishukshma
(minute) and atindriya (imperceptible). It was also believed that active
division and combination took place in them.
Vata, the chief among the tridoshas (somatic humors) was
believed to be primarily responsible for this division and combination of
cells.
Vata’s functional integrity was of paramount importance for
balanced body physiology.
Charaka (6th century BC to 7th
century BC) calls it tantrayantraadhara, meaning ‘the upholder of structure and
function.’ The structurally and functionally defective cancer cell, in a way,
is nothing but an expression of vata-vitiation.
Cells And Reason For Cancer
As the body grows from infancy to adulthood, cells divide
and subdivide until no more increase is required except for normal wear and
tear of the body. As long as cells divide only when necessary and stopping when
the job is done, cell-balance is maintained.
When vata becomes vitiated, the balance is disturbed and
cell proliferation in total disregard to the physiological and structural needs
of the body occurs.
The International Union against Cancer defines cancer as a
‘disturbance in growth characterized by excessive proliferation of cells
without apparent relation to the physiological demands of the organs involved.’
This is in consonance with the Ayurvedic understanding.
Ayurveda is holistic in practice, based on an understanding
of reality in terms of integrated wholes whose properties cannot be reduced to
those of the constituent units. It discerns the human person in totality,
believes in harmony with the macrocosm, and echoes the Vedic incantation
proclaiming the oneness of the parts of the whole with the whole. Harmony
signifies health and well-being. Disharmony is disease, death, and decay,
Cancer is quintessentially, disharmony, disequilibria and dysfunction.
While normal cells, partaking required nourishment form the
bloodstream, discharge their duties of division, growth and metabolism well
within the limits prescribed by the body, cancer cells behave erratically. They
betray the concept of holism in that they disregard the tenets of “oneness with
the whole”. They assume an autonomy of sorts and grow at the expense of the
whole body. Ironically, the unprincipled growth works in favor of the cytotoxic
drugs used to kill them. Due to their perpetual state of hunger, they ingest
these drugs more, while normal cells, with their much lower metabolic rate, are
spared.
Treatment Methods Of Cancer In Ayurveda
Arbuda is classified in Ayurvedic texts under the category
of diseases that are krchrasadhya vyadhis (curable but with difficulty).
Treatment measures required are mentioned as Sastra (surgery), ksara (chemical
cautery) or agni (thermal cautery).
The first line of treatment for all diseases, according to
Ayurveda, is called nidana parivarjana (forsaking the causes), mainly
unwholesome habits and practices that lead to a disease.
Its mention reflects
the influence of the various darshanas (schools of Indian philosophy) which
dealt extensively with karya karana siddhanta (the cause effect theory) in
ancient Indian medicine. By implication, nidana parivarjana is the avoidance of
unwholesome ahara (food), vihara (activities) and acara (practices).
In this context, nidana parivarjana for cancer could mean
avoidance of spicy foods, alcohol, smoking, pan-chewing and all such things
with proven carcinogenic properties. Arbuda also calls for disease-specific
measures including sadhana (purificatory techniques) and samana (palliative
measures) at various stages.
Ayurveda also offers a tangential approach focusing on the
mental faculty to harness its powers of healing. Ayurveda holds that the mind
and the body are proximate principles related to each other like hot ghee
(clarified or melted butter) and its container. The analogy suggests that just
as hot ghee transfers its heat to its container and a hot container heats the
ghee in it, the afflictions of the mind affect the body and vice versa.
Daivavyapasraya chikitsa advocates measures like mantra
(chanting), anusadha dharana (wearing of potent substances), mani dharana
(wearing pearls, gems etc), mangala karma (performing auspicious deeds), bali
(performing ceremonies), homa (performing ritual offerings) niyama (observing
moral codes), prayaschitta (atonement), upavasa (fasting), svastyayana
(righteous living), pranipata (respect for elders) tirthagamana (going on
pilgrimage), etc.
These measures often extend beyond the mundane physical
plane and enter the province of metaphysics, reflecting the influence of astika
darshanas (the theistic schools) in Ayurvedic treatment. There is the strong
assertion of forces beyond human comprehension on the one hand and on the
other, there is the attempt to encourage righteous living by laying down moral
and ethical codes. Both of these constitute an attempt to bring about an
attitudinal shift through positive assertions and suggestions to get the
patient to belief in himself/herself and in his/her eventual cure. In the
chapter on vranitopasanya (management of surgical patients), in his Samhita,
Sushruta, the sage, unequivocally asserts, “one who has hope, gets well soon.”
This cannot be truer than in diseases like cancer.
In contrast to western systems of medicine, the Indian
system had the advantage of never being divorced from Indian philosophical
thought. In fact, none of the Indian sciences, be it Jyotisha (Astronomy and
Astrology), Vasuvidya (Architecture), Dhanurvidya (Archery), Natyashastra
(Dramaturgy), or Samudrikasastra (interpretation of physical signs) ever existed in isolation
from one another. In fact, Ayurveda was considered an upaveda (a part) of
Atharvaveda.
Philosophical speculation drawn literally from the major
philosophical schools of Nyaya – Vaisheshika, Samkhya and Mimamsa form part and
parcel of Ayurveda.
Sushruta even goes so far as to state that at time the
physician would be required to work in tandem with the priest to protect the life
of the patient. This would be of immense value to patients, suffering from
chronic illnesses such as cancer, where love, care and positive suggestions
harnessing the healing powers of supernatural forces could be as important as
prescribed medicines in reinforcing the healing mechanisms of the body.
Source -
Sushruta Samhita (1981) Edited by Atridev – Motilal
Banarsidass
Ashtanga Hridaya with Sarvangasundari and Ayurvedarasayana
Commentaries (1982) H.S. Bhisagacarya – Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office
Varanasi.
Cancer (1992) S.M.Bose – National Book Trust New Delhi
Ayurveda Unravelled (1996) S. Dhanukar by National Book
Trust New Delhi
Ashtanga Hridaya of Vagbhata (2005) translated by K. R.
Shrikantha Murthy – Chaukhambha Academy.
Sushruta Samhita (2005) Translation – Chaukambha Orientalia
Varanasi
Caraka Samhita (2000) Translation – P.V. Sharma, Chaukambha
Orientalia Varanasi
Tridosa Theory (1996) V.V.S Sastri – Kottakal Aya Vaidya
Shala
Muscular Dystrophy – An Ayurvedic Perspective In Aryavaidyan
Vol XII (1999) by K Srikumar
Arbudavum Cikitsayum. In Ayurveda Prabhandavali (Malayalam)
Volume IV (1972) by R Thirumulpad - Kottakal Aya Vaidya Shala
Charaka Samhita With Tantrarthadipika Commentry (1975) by J
Vidyalankar – Motilal Banarsidass Delhi
Encyclopedia of Hinduism Volume III page 45 – 47 published
by IHRF