Perspective-
Siddha System of Medicine, the
oldest Ancestor of Modern Medicine,
Siddhar Agastyar, the Grand Sire
of Medicine for Mankind
&
Need to establish the antiquity
of Siddha System of Medicine and restore national pride in our medical
heritage.
Author Information
By Dr
Hiramalini Seshadri MBBS(Vellore) MD(Gen.Med.)
Independent
Researcher
Conventional View:
The gold
standard as of now among books dealing with the medical history of the world is
the tome by Porter(1) . However, in the words of a
reviewer, it is mainly "a medical history of Europe (but mostly the UK)
and the US from 1750 to the late 90s". One or two chapters deal with medicine
in ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Asia; but the vast majority of the book
focuses on the Western world and Western medicine of the 19th century, when
huge medical advances took place. (2) All medical textbooks and authors
including Porter, consider Hippocrates of Kos, (c. 460 – c. 370 BCE), as the
Father of Modern Medicine.
As for
the first Physician’s title, Western historians credited the title of First
Physician, to Imhotep, chief minister to King Djoser in the 3rd
millennium BCE, who was later regarded as the Egyptian God of medicine and
identified with the Greek God, Asclepius..(3)
Proposed New View:
However,
there is enough evidence to suggest that this world view will have to be
changed. At our present state of knowledge, the system of medicine referred to
as Siddha Medicine, developed by the highly advanced agricultural antediluvian
civiliisation of southern India would deserve to be called the foundation for
modern medicine. There is also evidence building up that the land the ancient
Siddhars walked, ie, southern peninsular India, extended far beyond its present
coastline. There is increasing evidence to suggest that it subsequently went
under the ocean due to rising sea levels. In fact, if Hippocrates be considered
the father of Modern Medicine, I would like to propose that Siddhar Agastyar
should rightfully be venerated as the ‘ Grand Sire of Modern Medicine’.
The
history of Siddha Medicine antedates Hippocrates and Greek medicine by over
5000 years. Imtohep was doubtless an all time great Physician; but the credit
of being the First Physicians of the precursor of modern medicine must go to
the great Siddha Physicians who lived over 4000 years before him.
Clarifying what the term ‘Siddha’
denotes:
Before
we go into Siddha Medicine and Siddhars, a clarification is in order.
The term Siddha is loosely used to denote many
groups. (4)
Maheswara
Siddhas –Siva devotees of the Deccan
Mahasiddha
/ Siddhacharyas Buddhist Tantrikas from West Bengal
Rasa
Siddhas– alchemists of medieval India
Nath Siddhas-
recluse Saints of North India
Siddhars
/ Sitthars / Siddhas– alchemists cum yogis cum physicians who were Masters of
physical existence as well as existence in other dimensions. Tamil speaking,
they lived in the southern Indian peninsula and SriLanka and possibly in now submerged lands off the coast of India
of Tamilnadu. ‘Siddhar’ in this paper refers to these Masters of South India.
They
were Master Physicians, alchemists and Yogis.
Hitherto held view:
Till the
nineteen nineties, despite accurate information regarding the Great Pandya
dynasty that ruled the land mass that extended beyond the present Indian
shoreline, called Kumari Kandam in Tamil, with the names of successive rulers,
as well as exact details about the three historic Great Sangams (Conclaves of
fine arts, literature and knowledge), with details of the participants which
included the Great Siddhar Agastyar, dating as far back as 10,000+ years BP, as there was no archaeological evidence on present
day land, historians tended to dismiss those historical events as ‘myth’; and
Siddhars like Agastyar were considered
‘mythological’ figures. The oldest timeline for human habitation in the
landmass of Tamilnadu at that time, accepted by archaeologists, was 500 BC; and
hence despite the accuracy of the literary evidence, the dates and venues of
the Great ‘Sangams’ ( Conclaves dedicated to literature, fine arts and science)
being available, and despite the accurate geneology and names of all the Great
Pandya Kings being available, even Indian archaeologists and historians
preferred to subscribe to the Western view that all culture and civilization
came to India from central Asia, and that too, only as late as 1500 BC. The
repeated mention of ‘kadal kolls’ ( tsunamis / incursions by the sea) having
swallowed the ancient shoreline of
peninsular India was not accepted and was considered an unreal possibility.
However,
scientific research findings in the 21st century have changed this
view. In fact human history itself stands poised to be rewritten.
New Evidence:
-
Human
habitation has been established to have been present in the southern Indian
peninsula near Chennai in Tamilnadu, as far back as one million years plus BP. Human
activity near Chennai, in Attirampakkam, dating back to over a million years
ago has been found by archaeologists in this 21st century(5)
-
Off the coast of Tamil Nadu, a man-made structure
twenty-three metres beneath the sea, five kilometres off the Tarangambadi-
Poompuhar coast near Nagapattinam in South India dated to be 11,000+ years BP
have been found. According to historian N Parameswaran, ‘ It was the work
of a civilisation that archaeologists had failed to identify as its ruins lie
submerged so deep beneath the sea. As Mr. S. R. Rao, the doyen of Indian marine
archaeology, stated in February 2002, “I do not believe it is an isolated
structure; further exploration is likely to reveal others around it.” ‘.(6)
Unfortunately no
further explorations have been done.
-
But this is evidence enough that over 11000
years ago a great civilization must have flourished in the Poompuhar area. Further,
archaeologists have found at Keeladi in
Tamilnadu the ruins of a highly advanced civilization dating back to 580 BC by
carbon dating; and at Adichanallur, near the erstwhile ancient Pandyan port
city of Korkai, the artifacts were dated to around 2500 to 3000 years BP ( 7)(8)(9) Marine archaeological studies are
sure to throw up more evidence of the Great Pandyan civilization on the ocean
bed.
-
Newer
evidence about sunken lands nearby, with which Kumari Kandam had links, pushes back these dates
to over 20,000+ BP.(10) In the area of present day Indonesia, the
Sundaland ancestors, like the Kumari
people, seem to have had a very advanced
civilization according to the findings of geologist Dr Danny Hilman. (11) (12) The prehistoric
civilization in Sundaland vanished under the sea around 12,000 years ago, So
did most likely, Kumari Kandam.(13) Shanmuganayagam of Sri Lanka states, “According to geo physical research based on
the movement of the continental plates, the Lanka of Ravana was situated in the
continent of Lemuria, also known as Kumari Kandam, which was a land mass,
connecting the Deccan plateau in South India and the island of Ceylon, with
intervening straits to be crossed, with Madagascar in the West, Australia on
the East and Antarctica on the South, until it sank into the Indian ocean in
stages over 3,500 years ago, as mentioned in the writings of the German
geologist Wagner anti the eminent Indologist Sir T.W. Holderness.” (14)
-Much
land went under the sea beginning in the early Holocene, or the end of the
Younger Dryas period, causing a bottle neck of human population. There
were population turnovers from Southeast, East and South Asia to Europe, Near
East and the Caucasus, suggesting that the end of the Younger Dryas period
caused the refugium of those populations to migrate and establish new
civilizations. From the archaeological data, the end of Younger Dryas was also
marked by the emergence of many civilizations around the world. The dispersal
is also detected by the genetic studies..” (15) (16)
-
A
media report from Godavaya, Sri Lanka: 14 March 2009,reported a landmass estimated to be between 450,000 and 475,000
square kilometres, which is about seven times the total land area of Sri Lanka.(17) has been found off the Sri
Lankan cast in the Indian Ocean. The prestigious journal, Nature has published
evidence for a huge landmass under Mauritius which is about the size of a small
continent extending towards India and Madagascar. (18) That this area was prone to high
volcanic activity, earthquakes and therefore to tsunamis is an accepted fact
today.(19)
-
-
Also sunken ridges in both the Arabian Sea and
the Bay of Bengal point to the fact that the coastline of peninsular India
stretched far beyond the present coastline in ancient times. According to Sri
Lankan writer C Shanmuganayagam, Kumari Kandam extended from the present-day
Kanyakumari in the north to Kerguelen island in the south, and from Madagaskar
in the west to Sunda island in the east. Before BC 30,000 Pandiyans ruled this
entire Kumari Kandam.(14) (20)
-
-
Scholar
Dr Mahalingam states, “This is the time to write the correct history of
Tamil Nadu. In “Irayanar Agapporul” (Nakkeerar Urai) it is mentioned that 72
Pandiya Kings had ruled Tamil Nadu (which was inclusive of the destroyed Kumari
Kandam) from 30,000 B.C. to 16,000 B.C. (i.e. for 14,000 years)”. (21)
-
-
Inundation
maps confirm the existence of vast landmasses above sealevel in ancient times
which subsequently went under the waters due to sea level rises. Dr Glen Milne
of the University of Durham’s Department of Geology, through state-of-the art
computerised “inundation maps”. This helps us picturise how the 25 million
square kilometres of land was swallowed up by the rising seas post Ice Age. Of
the Indian subcontinent, the inundation maps reveal that, “Around
India close to a million square miles were lost — mostly in the northwest and
the southeast coasts.”(22)
-
Historian N Parameswaran writes and I quote,”
“The Durham geologists led by Dr. Glen
Milne have shown in their maps that South India between 17,000-7,000 years ago
extended southward below Cape Comorin (Kanya Kumari) incorporating present day
Ilankai/ Sri Lanka. It had an enhanced offshore running all the way to the
Equator. The maps portray the region as no history or culture is supposed to
have known it. The much larger Tamil homeland of thousands of years ago as
described in the Kumari Kandam tradition takes shape.”
-
Parameswaran’s
research and that of many others across the world including modern day marine
explorer, Graham Hancock, supports the
opening of the Kumari Kandam flood tradition set in the remote pre-historic
period of 12,000 –10,000 years ago. The inundation specialists confirm that
between 12,000-10,000 years ago Peninsular India’s coastlines would have been
bigger than what they are today before they were swallowed up by the rising
seas at the end of the Ice Age. (6)
-
-
Evidence
is steadily increasing pointing to the fact that after the last Ice Age, a
cosmic impact around 12800 years ago led to global warming and sea level rise.
Extinction of several species event as well as dispersal of man from coastal
areas occurred . This was followed by a cold age and a second global warming
and sea level rise around 11600 years ago, leading again to warming and sea
level rises and human migration from coastal areas to newer lands. (23) (24)
(25) (26)
-
-
The
oceanographic researches have conclusively proven that the sea level in the
Indian peninsula has risen by 100 meters in the last 14500 years.(27) Interestingly, the sea level has
risen more than 60 meters during the period of 4400 or 4440 years of the first
Sangam period (11226-6826 BCE). Science News (December 4, 2010) titled
“Global Sea-Level Rise at the End of the Last Ice Age Interrupted by Rapid
Jumps” supports the idea that sea level rise inundated coastal peninsular
India. More precisely, the study showed that the periods between 13000 BC and
11000 BC, as well as between 9000 BC and 7000 BC, were characterized by
abnormal sea-level rise. (28)
-
-
Ancient
flood stories are present world wide, including the sinking of KumariKandam. It
indicates that they were derived from a common origin.”(29) Over 500 Flood legends are known
worldwide. (30) Noah and the flood being the
most well known story. Though scientists for a long time were apt to dismiss
the Noah story, geological research
shows that it was a real event.(31)
-
Evidence
that these civilisations were highly advanced, comes from Gobeli Teki in Turkey
where a Date Stone( the Vulture stone),as mentioned earlier, records the meteor
showers. That the Tamil tradition from Kumari/ Kumeru taken by survivors to Mesopotamia later
became the Sumeru or Sumerian
civilization is accumulating. Likewise there is evidence that the survivors
from Kumari most probably founded the Saraswathi river civilization In the Gulf
of Cambay area, marine archeology has shown through dating of artifacts and
through deep side sonar scans that while human activity is clearly seen 31,000
years BP, an advanced agricultural civilisation that had granaries, planned cities and knew
pottery making etc lived 13000 years BP. Satellite pictures have shown that the
Saraswathi river did exist in those times and these are considered the
Saraswathi riverine civilization which was the forerunner of the Harappan
civilization. .(32)
-
-
The
Saraswathi civilization preceded the Harappan
and Indus valley civilization. The
research done by Fr. Heras and Sir John Marshall the archaeologist and other
scholars into the archaeological finds at Mohenjodaro and Harappa point to the
existence of an earlier highly developed Dravidian civilization in the deep
South which, had influenced the Indus-Valley Aryan civilization of the North.(20)
-
-
Researcher
J Saranathan and Sanskrit scholar, David Frawley who has
researched the Rig Veda in depth, both state that Kumeru people migrated to the
North of India, via Saraswathy. It was
Vaivasvatha Manu who entered North India, with his people and sages who were already
well versed in Vedic practices. Upon reaching Saraswathy, the Rig Vedas were
given over a period of time. Saranathan states that actually no Vedic scholar
would accept the chronological dating of Vedas done by foreign researchers. The
arrangement of the 4 Vedas was done many millennia earlier, ago by Ved Vyas.
Frawley states that the Rig Veda with over 150 mentions of the sea, was the
product of a great maritime southern civilization and not the product of
nomadic land-lubber central Asians. . (33)(34)(35)(36)
-
-
Mahalingam
continues, “According to N.P.Ramadurai, an astronomy researcher, the cycle of time
referring to 24,320 human years is mentioned in the Rig Veda at about 50
places. But N.P.Ramadurai, with my assistance, has found and established that
the Saptha Rishi Mandala takes only 2,187 years to make one complete circle
through all the 27 asterisms. He was able to establish that Chathur Yuga
comprises only 12,160 years. To get back the history of more than three lakh
years in the past, Saptharishi calendar only will be able to provide proper and
genuine assistance.
-
-
We have been able to fix the
dates of history from 25th Chathur Yuga to 28th Chathur Yuga. Saptharishi
Mandala has played an important role in almost all the ancient civilization of
the world. It is the pivotal point of all astronomical calculations and
observations.”(21)
Traditionally cycles of 12,160 years, according to Indian thought, end with
global flooding and thereafter civilization re-establishes itself.”(21) That in every cycle of time
antediluvian civilisations existed, and deluges occured is corollary to
astronomy as deduced from the Rig Veda.(37)
-
-
-
Evidence
is mounting that the Great Siddhars led the Kumari survivors founding
civilisations in various parts of the globe. As Shanmuganayagam reports, “ Śrī Agastiyar led a migration of Dravidians
to Java and Cambodia and Central and South America. The legends of the Incas,
Mayans and Aztecs of South America regarding the founding of their cultures by
tall beared white-robed teachers confirm the tradititional view that the
Lemurians( the name western researchers used for Kumari people), under the
guidance of their siddhas, colonized North and South America, as well as the
Nile Valley, when they founded the Egyptian civilization”.(38)(39)(40)
-
-
Statues
of Agastyar have been found all over South East Asia and even the Maori of New
Zealand worship an Agastyar figure.(41)(42)
-
-
-
multiple references exist in Tamil and
Sanskrit literature to the existence of the Kumari lands Their traditions refer
to extensive lands submerged in the remote past that had once existed in the
Indian Ocean, south of Kanya Kumari or Cape Comorin. The topography of the lands including its
mountains and rivers and the incursions
by the sea, called ‘kadal koll’ are clearly mentioned in the epics of Tamil of the second and third Sangams.(43)(44)
(45)(46)
-
-
Epigraphic
inscriptions in the Vilvakkudi and Sinnammannur plates have recorded the
geneology of the Great Pandyas and the high
achievements of that ancient
civilization.(47)
-
-
-As
reported in The Hindu, dated 11.02.2011, S.Ramasamy, scholar and
Vice-Chancellor, Gandhigram Rural Institute — Deemed University, Dindigul
revealed that scientific citations found
in Tamil literature can be used as geological time scale to measure the
geographical events of the earth over the past 40,000 years, There are also
references to marine transgressions, tsunami, tectonic movement of earth plate,
sea level change, and earth movement in the Tamil literary works. Satellite
pictures of earth and computer simulation corroborate the scientific citations
found in Tamil Literature, Dr.Ramasamy said.(48)
-
-
One
reason why the Tamil Siddhars were considered mythological figures was because
of the ‘Siddhis’ attributed to them which historians considered unreal and
impossible. Copper plate inscriptions
have been excavated in Tamilnadu which record the names of Pandya kings from
the first Sangam period all the way to through the third Sangam period to the
final invasion of the Pandya kingdom by the Cholas. The copper plates refer to
Agastya being the Kula Guru of the Pandyas. They refer to feats they
accomplished like going around the earth, travelling to other dimensions such
as the realms of the Devas etc These were dismissed by historians who studied
these plates as myth. But today, thanks to researcher, Scudder of NASA, we know
that such things could be possible; we know of portals or x-points where the
earth’s and sun’s magnetic fields meet, which have been hypothesized to have
the ability to transport things or persons across the cosmos. (49)
-
-
Interestingly,
this seems to be knowledge mentioned in the Vedas. Ancient South Indian temples
are allegedly energy centres and their location is linked to portals.(50) We have to be open mnded enough
not to dismiss such possibilities out of hand.
-
-
That
the culture that existed in those ancient times was a highly refined and
sensitive one, tuned to human values is apparent from just one line in the
copper plate. It mentions that the Pandya king sacrificed himself for
his master ie Guru; this itself shows
the highly refined culture of the Pandyas. Such a civilization has to be much
more than just a savage hunter gatherer civilization.(47)
More
evidence comes from China and South America. Another great Siddhar and
Physician, Boganathar may have gone as far as south America and China according
to modern archaeological finds. A quote from SV Ramanan’s blog cannot but
trigger curiosity to know more about these wondrous Siddhars of yore. Based
upon the life story of the Siddha Bhoganāthar narrated by Yogi S.A.A. Ramaiah
in his introduction to the third volume of the collected works of
Bhoganathar, Bogar Kandam Yogam: Babaji’s Yoga of Boganathar, and based on
his own notes, Ramanan writes, “In one of his songs Bhoganāthar claims to
have flown to China at one point in a sort of airplane which he built: he held
discussions with Chinese Siddhas before returning to India (Kailasapathy, 1969,
p. 197-211). His visit to South America has been confirmed by accounts left by
the Muycas of Chile:
“Bocha, who gave laws to Muycas, was a white,
bearded man, wearing long robes, who regulated the calendar, established
festivals, and vanished in time like others (other remarkable teachers who had
come across the Pacific according to numerous legends of Incas, Aztecs and
Mayans).” (51)
In
ancient times people from India and the Indian archipelago migrated to America
and developed a great civilization there. In his book, 'A Compact History of Mexico' Mr. Ignacio Bernall states that
people from Asia entered America some thirty-five thousand years before,
whereas Mr. Arcio Nuns, a Brazilian nuclear scientist, mentions about the
Dravidians of Asia with America as old as eleven thousand years. Boganathar
being in South America is indeed possible.
Linguistic links with both Tamil and Sanskrit
exist .I quote a recent online article by Chinchmalatpure, “Both the Hindus and Americans used similar
items in their worship rituals. They both maintained the concept of four Yuga
cycles, or cosmological seasons, extending over thousands of years, and
conceived of twelve constellations with reference to the sun as indicated by
the Incan sun calendar.
Royal insignias, systems of government and
practice of religious dance and temple worship all showed remarkable
similarities, pointing strongly to the idea that the Americas were strongly
influenced by the Aryans. The theory is found in the Vedic literature of India.
The ancient Puranas (literally "histories") and the Mahabharata make
mention of the Americas as lands rich with gold and silver. Argentina, which
means "related to silver", is thought to have been named after Arjuna
(of silver hue)”.
Another
scholar, Ramon Mena, author of Mexican Archaelogy, called the Nahuatl,
Zapoteca, and Mayan languages "of
Hindu origin." He went to say, "A deep mystery enfolds the tribes that inhabited the state of Chiapas in
the district named Palenque... their writing, and the anthropological type, as
well as their personal adornments... their system and style of construction
clearly indicate the remotest antiquity... (they) all speak of India and the
Orient." History itself obviously needs rewriting.
Southern
India in prehistoric times had worldwide connections and migrations consequent
to incursions by the sea took the ancient south Indian vedic culture to many
parts of the globe.
Still
another scholar, Ambassador Miles Poindexter, a former ambassador of the United
States to Mexico, in his two-volume 1930s treatise The Arya-Incas, called the
Mayan civilization "unquestionably
Hindu." He proposed that primitive Aryan words and people came to
America by the island chains of Polynesia. The Mexican name for boat is a South
Indian Tamil word, Catamaran, and Poindexter gives a long list of words of the
Quichua languages and their analogous forms in Sanskrit. Similarities between
the hymns of the Inca rulers of Peru and Vedic hymns have been pointed out.
-
-
Open
minded students of archeology, and earth history globally today agree
that the capabilities of people at
the Paleolithic to Neolithic transition have been underestimated, and a key
influence on the Neolithic revolution might have been over-looked. One is
forced to admit that ancient man in the even in Paleolithic times possibly had
developed civilisations which were very advanced; and that in some aspects like
consciousness research, they were even more advanced than us.
-
Frawley points out that recent findings of
Graham Hancock and others suggest that undoubtedly greater Vedic civilisations
much more advanced in consciousness research must have predated our modern
material civilization.(36) Modern historians need to give
ancient man more credit than being just hunter gatherers. It is my humble
submission that the contribution of the people of the Indian peninsula,
particularly by the Great Siddhars of prninsular India, between 20000 and 5000
years ago must be considered to belong to that category.
- The very fact that Sangams dedicated to
literature, poetry, music, astronomy, philosophy and so on were continuous
events patronized by the rulers and which went on for thousands of years
outliving its patrons speaks about the high thinking and refinement of this
civilization. The Great Siddhars belong to that highly refined civilization
that existed beyond the shores of present day peninsular India.
-Further
evidence for the existence of the Great Siddhars comes from the presence of
multiple ‘Jeeva Samadhis’ all over
Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh even today. Also many of the
great temples of Tamil Nadu are associated with the ‘Jeeva Samadhis’ of the Great Siddhars.
-Palm
Leaf inscriptions, many of which are still with families practicing traditional
Siddha Medicine are proof of the existence of the Great Siddhars and the
astonishing scientific knowledge they had.
A
disturbing commentary is that, as Hancock states, more money is spent on
learning the contours of Venus than our own ocean floors! Geo-political power
games are possibly the real reason. The western powers probably prefer that the
oceans remain international waters which they rule. Finding submerged lands in
the Indian ocean that would extend the maritime boundaries of Madagascar,
Mauritius, Pakistan, India, SriLanka, Malaysia, Indonesia and so on, is perhaps
not something that the establishment of the day wants.
So it is
really up to oceanographers, archaeologists and historians of India and the
other developing countries of Asia to take the lead in this matter. That the
discovery of such ancient lands and artefacts will challenge the conventional
world view of history which even now states that modern civilisation began only
around 3000 years ago is another matter.
The
mental block that makes Indian
historians and archaeologists merely tow the line proposed by western
historians while they are blind to
literary evidence and historical accounts maintained meticulously in the Indian
oral tradition as well as in palm leaf manuscripts in ancient Indian scripts
and in copper plate inscriptions is deplorable. It takes a David Frawley turned
Vama Deva Shastri and a Graham Hancock to bring out the traditional Indian
point of view backed up by solid literary and local historical accounts.
Listening
to an independently organised Ted Talk in Coimbatore.(51) where a comprehensive scientific
argument that proves that Kumari Kandam was real and not a myth was put forward
most elegantly by VS Ramanan is recommended.
So
having presented the evidence that suggests that it is very likely that lands
existed beyond the present shores of India and that a highly advanced
civilization existed there, with the Great Siddhars representing the pinnacle
of evolution of man in that time period, let us look at the Siddha system of
medicine that they espoused and the Great Siddhar Physician, Agastyar.
The Great Siddhas walked the
earth in that distant pre-Ice Age, ante-diluvian past in the great south Indian peninsula
which most likely extended then, far beyond the present coastline..(50)
Basic Concepts of
Ancient Siddhars:
The
traditional eastern systems of medicine, exemplified by the ancient Siddha
physicians laid great importance on physicians developing an expansive sense of
self through meditation and yoga.(‘oga’ in Tamil, which later became ‘yoga’ in
Sanskrit) While western science draws deductions by objective measureable
evidence, the eastern system relied on going inward.(52)
Methods used in
Inward Study:
The ancient Siddha Masters of India drew deductions by observation,
and thereafter by concentrating on, contemplating on, and then by meditating on
nature and on their own selves.. What does meditation mean? Simply put, it is
going inwards to the various levels of existence of our own selves, in
Consciousness. Behind the physical existence, there is a mental existence and
even deeper to it exist subtler levels of existence, till the centre point of
existence which is pure Consciousness, revealed the ancients. Deductions were
made by accessing and functioning from these different levels of existence.
Concept of Food Body:
By
observation these ancient Indian Masters deduced that though food, water and
air were equally important for existence, the more subtle the element the more
crucial its need was; one could live for weeks without food; but only days
without water; and only minutes without air. Energy, that was subtler, was even
more vital; for example, a cardiac arrest could kill one in seconds.
Concept of the Mind:
Thoughts
and feelings which constituted the mind, were even subtler; so powerful was the
mind that a mind gone awry could cause one to self-destruct; even commit
suicide. They studied the mind through observing, contemplating and meditating
on it. While going inward to the self, through meditation they discovered that
the mind was the first thing that one encountered. By contemplating on it, they
deduced that it was just a bundle of thoughts and emotions. We modern humans
tend to identify ourselves with our mind.
However,
the ancients, by witnessing the mind, ie, watching thoughts and feelings pass
by, they realised that one’s identity had to be beyond thoughts and emotions.
As one could observe one’s body and mind as a witness, one obviously had to
have an identity that was in reality beyond the body and mind. Name and form
were thought / ego based identities; just as a ball of wool is only thread
rolled on itself over and over, ego is only thoughts and emotions rolled over;
ego had no real existence. These ancient Siddhars thus knew by experience that
their identity was not the ego mind linked to the physical form with name. In
fact, the great Siddhas, by experience were masters of the ego.
They
researched the mind thoroughly; and conceived the idea of broadly four kinds of
mental processes. Firstly, the intellect which dissects- which modern culture
emphasizes too much to its peril; secondly, the emotional mind which is linked
to memory, and keeps one in turmoil; thirdly, memory. Besides immediate, short
and long term memory, they spoke of past life memory, genetic memory, species
memory, karmic memory… In fact they spoke of a ‘mind body’ linked to memory,
which again, they deduced, was a vestiture of the self..
They
realised that the mind could go in two directions. Like water flows from higher
to lower, the mind too tended to move outward to the lower physical realm
rather than higher intelligence realm. But it could be trained to go inward to
the subtle realm of supreme intelligence too! A fundamental discovery the
ancient Masters made was that the ego-mind was not one’s identity. The mind was essentially a tool to be used to
go outward or inward; and not one’s identity.
Concept of Supreme
Intelligence Body:
The
ancients also discovered that through deep meditation, they could go past the
mind, and tap into a supreme intelligence that permeates the body; This
vestiture of pure highest intelligence, which was beyond the mind-body, they
discovered, was in fact, the omniscience facet of Consciousness. This was an
intelligence far superior to brain intellect, permeates all of creation and is
therefore, present in every cell of the body. In simple terms, it is the
intelligence that turns cheese and toast into a human body; the intelligence
that creates the wonders of nature.; the intelligence which leaves scientists
awestruck at the perfection of creation.
Does such a cosmic intelligence exist? What are
modern medical views? To quote Dr.Robert Lanza, “It is as if everything (the universe) contains — from atoms to stars —
was tailor-made just for us. If the Big Bang had been one part in a million
more powerful, it would have rushed out too fast for the galaxies and life to
develop. Result: no us. If the strong nuclear force were decreased two percent,
atomic nuclei wouldn’t hold together, and plain-vanilla hydrogen would be the
only kind of atom in the universe. If the gravitational force were decreased by
a hair, stars — including the sun — would not ignite. In fact, all of the
universe's forces and constants are just perfectly set up for atomic
interactions, the existence of atoms and elements, planets, liquid water and
life. Tweak any of them and you never existed.”(53)
In fact, this finding has been referred to as the
“Goldilocks Principle”. Hundreds of parameters of the cosmos, near
miraculously, combined to make conditions, which like in the final Goldilocks’
choice, was not “too this” or “too that,” but rather “just right” - for life!
Only a highest intelligence could have worked it
out; ordinary folk call it God; scientists are forced to admit that there must
be Consciousness with supreme intelligence behind it. The old theory of the
universe - that such perfect conditions occurred randomly - seems not quite
plausible. Lanza says that in order for science to move forward, it needs to
venture into new territory. “Science
hasn’t confronted the one thing that’s most familiar and most mysterious, and
that is, of course, Consciousness,”.(53)
This
meditative ability to tap into supreme intelligence or wisdom, enabled the
ancient Masters to make, what in retrospect, seem to be fairly flawless
conclusions. The methods they employed were the following. The National Institute of Siddha states, “Meditation, yoga and awakening the
‘kundalini shakthi’ – all of which helped the Siddha physicians tap into and be
guided by supreme intelligence, was part of the training of ancient Siddha
physicians . The clarified intellect and heightened intuition of the Siddhars,
resulting from their yogic powers, enabled them to explore the world around
them and exploit its natural resources for the sake of humanity.”(54)
Concept of Siddhis:
By using the tantric techniques of activating
‘kundalini’, they were able to access
the omniscience vestiture which is the repository of all awareness, knowledge
and wisdom. The transfer of knowledge was telepathic to put it in modern terms.
By using the mind right, ie by shining one’s awareness in a totally focused
manner, on the omniscient intelligence aspect, one could make discoveries,
sharpen intuition and achieve perception beyond the ordinary. This ability to
achieve perception and other abilities beyond the ordinary, in fact gave the
name ‘Siddhars’ to these physicians; a ‘Siddhar’ was one who attained ‘powers
or Siddhis’ through meditation.
Going into the details of the various Siddhis
attainable is beyond the purview of this article. But it is also appropriate at this moment, to
mention that researchers in noetic sciences have revealed in a 2018 youtube
video of a medical conference at the University of Virginia, that in their
studies meditators have been found to experience these same paranormal powers.
There are also books and articles on the same by the Chief Scientist at the
Institute of Noetic Sciences, Prof Radin, in this 21st century. (55) (56) (57)(58) Dr Greer who heads C-SETI (
Centre for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) reports about such ‘Siddhis’ being
studied and possibly used, by military agencies of the west.(59)
A very
important meditative insight and experience of the ancient Indian Masters, was
that that this wisdom body or supreme intelligence body/vestiture was a
singularity. All of creation shared this higher humane vestiture of supreme
intelligence,( supreme intelligence/ wisdom body) Therefore, on reaching this
wisdom body plane, meditatively, the
ancient Indian Masters experienced a oneness with all of creation.
Besides this unitary experience which helped
them experience an identity far more expansive than constricted body identity,
through the supreme intelligence vestiture, they also developed a greater
understanding of the physical body and the energies that sustained it. They
realised that the evanescent physical vestiture / body was a conglomeration of
the basic five elements of nature so transformed by the supreme intelligence.
The physical body was also composed of space, air, fire, water, and earth
elements. It was held together by energy, which was in the final analysis, sun
dependant. The physical body resulted in
perception of ‘separateness’ in time and space; and it had an expiry date in
time and space. Wisely, these Masters chose to identify themselves with the
subtler, more permanent parts of themselves rather than the evanescent body
which was subject to decay and death.
They
nevertheless recognized that the value of the body; for it provided a physical
vehicle for existence in the physical plane. Thanks to their ability to tap
into the omniscient supreme intelligence vestiture, meditatively, and tap into
all knowledge telepathically, even without modern day electron microscopes etc,
the Siddhars demonstrate an amazing scientific understanding of the human body,
health and wellness, besides knowing much more than modern doctors about the
secrets of anti-ageing and longevity. They also researched ways of making the
physical body last longer in a healthy state for much longer than modern man is
able to. Like the Masters in the Old Testament, the ancient Siddhars seem to
have had physical lives lasting centuries and millennia.
From
the medical point of view, the ability to tap into the omniscient supreme
intelligence vestiture, enabled them develop the most scientific methods of
history taking, physical examination, diagnostic testing, diagnosing
methodology, pharmacopeia, and even surgery 10,000 years ago.(CCRAS 2008). By
the same process, the ancient Siddhars tapped and received knowledge about the
healing properties of herbs, and various other therapies such as varmam etc.
Practically, in the course of treating patients, ancient Siddha physicians used
to advantage the ability to tap into the omniscience vestiture of
Consciousness. Through deep meditation, they sought intuitive guidance from
supreme intelligence within, to choose lines of therapy.
Concept of Love-Bliss Vestiture:
By
focused intention, a mind could be trained to go beyond the supreme
intelligence omniscience vestiture, to the vestiture of love-bliss. The final envelope of love-bliss was again a
singularity-( the bliss body). One felt overwhelming love for all; as all was
part of one. Compassion was second nature to these Masters. Sacrificing one’s
body-mind for others needed no second thought. All the great Masters of mankind
are examples of this living in love. Once they reached this subtlest love-bliss
body of existence, they had absolutely no attachment to their own physical
vestitures which fuelled the false separate identity. The physical vestiture
was clearly given only the importance given to, say, a car, in modern times.It
was a vehicle to get about in the physical world.
The
love-bliss envelope of Consciousness represented omnipotence. Modern medicine
also attests to the supreme, as yet untapped power of love-bliss. Love is all powerful as world famous
cardiologist Dean Ornish writes, "I am not aware of any other factor in
medicine that has a greater impact on our survival than the healing power of
love and intimacy. Not diet, not smoking, not exercise, not stress, not
genetics, not drugs, not surgery. Being loved and cared for,
itself is the most therapeutic energy…… and the contrary is true too; people
who feel lonely and isolated, have a
300 to 500 percent greater risk of premature death from physical illness".
(60)The ancient physicians who could tap into the omnipotence aspect of Consciousness,
ie, love-bliss envelope, found that they could become healers just
through the power of love. This explains how the great Masters like Buddha,
Jesus, and saints of the various religious traditions, who were literally
embodiments of this absolute pure, selfless love, could heal people with just a touch or
glance. The original Siddha physicians like Agastyar, Boganathar, Thirumoolar
and so on had such love and compassion which itself conferred the ability to
heal, on them.
To the Siddha physicians, therefore, the
ability to heal spontaneously, was another ‘Siddhi’; that could be attained
through deep meditation. The fact that it is in truth the
omnipotence aspect of Consciousness that truly heals a patient was taught to
Siddha students. Hence, as a rule, Siddha physicians were taught to offer,
humble, sincere, loving prayers to universal Consciousness to heal the patient
and only then was any kind of treatment, begun. . The patient was also urged to
pray and then consume the medicines. It was very clear to both the healers and
patients- it was Consciousness that healed; the physician or surgeon only
treated.
Due to
their identification with fellow beings and their intense compassion, like the
Bodhisattwas, the great Siddhas chose to go into meditative ‘jeeva samadhi’ and
continue to exist in the subtle. To this day the Great Siddhars are believed to
be in the earthly sphere to help fellow beings. . Indeed as modern day
Professor of Siddha Medicine, Dr JP Narayanan says, “The Great Siddhar Physicians
are living Gods who continue to exist even now and help through their Siddhis,
troubled human beings who seek their help for challenges that affect their well
being”
Concept of the Self:
Even
beyond the love-bliss vestiture, said the meditative Masters of India, was the
Self, or Consciousness. It was beyond description and eternal over time and
present everywhere over space and unchanging over time and space. As it was
changeless over time and space, it qualified to be called the ‘Truth’;
as by definition, truth is what remains changeless over time and space. The
concept that Consciousness was ‘Truth’ arose thus. You and I are in reality part of
that one truth or Consciousness, they declared; separate existence as a body
was an illusion, they said. ‘The truth will set you free’, is an echo of this
momentous finding! Quantum physicists say much the same thing; all matter is
energy and energy exists as possibility waves until an observer effect
collapses then into particulate matter. All things- including this solid world
or or solid bodies- are really no-thing declare the quantum scientists, echoing
the ancient Masters.
In the
words of modern master, Ingvar Villido, a
Siddhar is defined as “one who has
progressed from the standard liberation (jivan
mukti) to ultimate liberty with complete control over death (para mukti).” This state is also
referred to as soruba mukti or soruba Samadhi( Swarupa
Samadhi in Sanskrit). “ The 18 great Siddha physicians were saints who had whole mastery of their consciousness, and who realized its hidden
qualities, manifested as super-powers,
or siddhis, on the mental, vital, and physical levels. True masters of yoga, as a result of their
practice, they attain perfection and uninterrupted identity with the Source, or
the Primordial consciousness, while continuing their most ordinary life and
activities.” The original Siddha physicians were such Master Yogis. Besides the regular ‘Siddhis’ they also are
said to have the power of converting their mass to energy and thereby
travelling to different universes. (61)(62)
Interestingly,
the founder of the over 25 years old C-SETI the Centre for Study of Extra
Terrestrial Intelligence, Dr Steven Greer states that this is exactly how Extra
Terrestrials from other galaxies with civilisations aeons more advanced than
ours, travel across space to planet earth. (58) They were also experts on the
use of portals that enable instantaneous transport across galaxies, as revealed
by recent NASA studies. The science of temple building mastered by the Siddhas,
seems to have incorporated the creation of portals. Many Indian temples today
have been claimed to be portals.(50)
Knowledge Siddhars had,of the
process of death:
The
Siddhars were also adepts at the dimensions of existence and could exist in the
physical and non physical dimensions for as long as they desired. They were in
that sense, ‘immortal’. According to researcher, C Shanmuganayagam of SriLanka,
they were adepts in controlling the process of ‘death’. As opposed to modern
man who is fairly helpless when faced with the dying process, like the Yogis
and Tibetan Masters, they could consciously control their exit from the
physical.
Their
understanding of the process of death itself was far beyond that of modern day
medicine. They viewed death as the disengagement of the energy body from the
foodbody leading to destruction of the food body while the ‘personality’, ie,
the mindbody, wisdom body bliss body and beyond description and understanding Athman, survived death. The physical
body is just the ‘Hardware’; an accumulation of food; Vedas call it the ‘Food
Body’ (Annamaya Kosha). The
‘Software’ is far more important;– the
memory was one important software. Memory was not just immediate, short term
and long term, as taught in medical school. The ancients spoke of past life memory, ancestral memory, species
specific memory, evolutionary memory
etc. What modern science is yet to understand is that the software
survives our physical death!
But even hardware and software is not enough
for a computer to work. One needs a power source or energy. That in the case of
the human body, is the ‘Prana’. The
ancients had far more knowledge about the process of death than modern doctors.
Addressing the Conference of Orthopedic Surgeons, at their request, Sadhguru of Isha explained
thus.(63) At death the ‘Prana’
leaves. The “Prana’ is closely
connected to the breath and to the mind which is in the ultimate analysis, a
bundle of thoughts. Breathing and thinking stops- signifying exit of ‘Prana’.
However there are five subtypes of ‘Prana’; they are Prana, Samana, Apana, Udana
and Vyana. Samana energy keeps the body warm; with stoppage of the boy’s
thermostat and circulation, the body becoming cold at death pointing to loss of Samana vayu
Apana refers
to perception of sensations which leaves next; the body’s electrical nervous
system stops; the flat EEG is due to loss of Apaana Vayu
Udana refers to the buoyancy we feel
while alive and when that leaves the body is dead and heavy like a log of wood.
Finally Vyana, which keeps the body fresh
leaves; and it begins to rot. Loss of freshness and decomposing of tissues is
due to loss of Vyana vayu
. So at
death the person becomes disembodied; the power source disengages rendering the
hardware nonfunctional. The software or ‘mind body’ and other subtler bodies
and the Athman exist in a disembodied
state.
Modern
man is at a total loss at death for the only instrument of intelligence he has
used while alive, is his brain; and that is gone at death.
The
Siddhars however through Yoga consciously trained the conscious mind to go
inward into the higher intelligence that pervades every cell of the body- the Wisdom body. We must all agree that the
intelligence that keeps the body systems and cells going without our conscious
awareness is infinitely more than the intelligence of our puny minds. A mind
body trained to access the infinite intelligence of the wisdom body, has no problems
at death. It happily lives on in a more expansive unbounded realm.
Death-
or the loss of the physical body however did not worry the Siddhars for through
Yoga they had learnt to consciously control their Mind bodies and move on to
continue life in the wisdom and bliss bodies and the imperishable Athman.
The
secret was the correct use of the mind body.
Firstly,
to move away from identification with name and form; to move away from ego and
separateness ideas which foster only body survival instincts.
Secondly,
to train the Mind body to move on to an expansive self view. This enabled it in
some manner to access
a)- the omniscience of the wisdom body,
b)- the omnipotence
of selfless love and of a heart led Bliss body
c)- and
move on to omnipresence since time and space restrict only the physical.
Concept of Yoga & Meditation:
Yoga was
all about training the Food body, the Energy body and Mind body right. Good
health was a natural corollary.
All the
Siddha Masters were adept at Yoga which involved primarily
1-
mastery
over body movements and flexibility
2-
understanding
the continuity of life and law of action and reaction and therefore training the Mind body right; abiding by
right conduct; right thinking, emotions, words and actions
3-
The science of breathing; breath is
linked to the Energy body.
The Tirumandiram
by Siddhar Tirumoolar is being researched and used to improve health among
Alzheimers patients, the elderly and others in the USA today. (64)
4-.going inward with emphasis on
meditation and understanding of energy vortices(Chakras), and breathing techniques . Meditative techniques endowed
the Siddha practitioners with uncanny intuition. I must point out that modern
doctors like Dr Steven Greer have pointed out the value of regular meditation
as it improves intuition when it comes to diagnosis and it can indeed help save
lives.(65) In the past two decades modern
medicine has begun to understand at least a little bit about the value of
meditation, which the ancient Siddhas knew over 10,000 years ago. A recent comprehensive book titled, ‘TOWARDS
EXCELLENCE IN HEALTH CARE- a human values based perspective with practical
guidelines”, traces the history of research on meditative practices by western
scientists as follows:
”Since the late seventies interest in
meditation as a tool for stress reduction has interested Western doctors. In
1979, an MIT-trained molecular
biologist, Jon Kabat-Zinn, decided “to turn a transformative meditation
retreat experience into a field of study”. Kabat-Zinn worked with the
Department of Medicine and the hospital administration at the University of
Massachusetts (UMass) Medical Center. He created a revolutionary new program called, “Mindfulness-Based
Stress Reduction (MBSR)” that helped in
a number chronic health
conditions and particularly
chronic pain. When Kabat-Zinn’s first research article on mindfulness
and the treatment of pain came out in 1982 the results grabbed
attention across the medical world.
Similar positive
results were posted by others too. Down under in Australia, Dr.Meares treated
terminally ill cancer patients with these simple Eastern methods and to
everyone’s amazement they lived much longer than their oncologists expected
them to! Conservative Oncologists did not pay much attention to the findings of
Dr.Meares. In the USA, conventional Oncosurgeon Dr.Spiegel, used to get
irritated as his name used to be confused with that of Dr.Bernie Siegel, who
believed in “new-fangled ideas such as love heals”. To disprove such notions
Spiegel started a prospective study where post-surgery patients were randomly
allotted to just conventional treatment or conventional treatment plus group
therapy, prayer and the like. Five years down the line when the results were
studied, Spiegel says, he almost fell out of his chair for the patients who
received group therapy and participated in prayers and the like had a 50%
higher survival rate!
Today, even
Oncologists acknowledge research findings that show that meditation causes
changes at the cellular level that can prevent cancer recurrence. A 2015 issue
of the highly respected journal CANCER,
carries results of a breakthrough Canadian study conducted by researchers at
the University of Calgary, (Alberta) and Alberta Health services concluded that
meditation may be a powerful complement to treatment plans aimed at altering
the cellular activity of cancer survivors.
The study, was one
of the first to suggest scientifically, that a mind-body connection does exist.
The study included 88 breast cancer survivors who, after they completed
treatments for at least three months, met weekly for 12 weeks of
mindfulness-based activities. The participants attended group discussions along
with meditation and Yoga sessions and committed to practicing meditation and
Yoga at home for 45 minutes daily.
Following the study
of this group, researchers found that the telomeres that determine how quickly
a cell ages – stayed the same length in cancer survivors who meditated or took
part in support groups over the three-month period. On the other hand,
the telomeres of a control group of cancer survivors who didn’t participate in
these groups, shortened during the three-month study. Shortened telomeres are
associated with several disease states, as well as cell aging, while longer
telomeres are thought to be protective against disease.
What excited
researchers most, was that they were able to demonstrate over a relatively
short period of time, that a consistent mindfulness practice could influence
cell behavior in such a potentially powerful way. In fact, today, Roswell Park
Cancer Centre, Sloan Kettering and other leading centres offer MBSR to their
patients to improve quality of life and prevent recurrence of cancer. Besides
cancer, MBSR benefits have been reported
in an array of clinical conditions such as
depression, recovery after brain
injury, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, diabetes, psoriasis, irritable
bowel syndrome, post-organ transplantation, Parkinson’s disease and so on. An
interesting Italian study correlated measurable increase in brain grey matter,
and improvement in distressing psychological parameters with mindful meditation
even in the short term! The paper states, “Here we
analyzed several morphometric indexes at both cortical and subcortical brain
level, as well as multiple psychological dimensions, before and after a brief
-8 weeks- Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training program, in a
group of 23 meditation naïve-subjects compared to age-gender matched subjects.
We found a significant cortical thickness increase in the right insula and the
somatosensory cortex of MBSR trainees, coupled with a significant reduction of
several psychological indices related to worry, state anxiety, depression and
alexithymia. Most importantly, an interesting correlation between the increase
in right insula thickness and the decrease in alexithymia levels during the
MBSR training were observed.” .
A
Roswell Cancer Centre website write up states, “More than 3,000 scientific studies have been conducted on the benefits
of meditation, and include positive outcomes for the treatment of depression,
anxiety, lack of concentration, high blood pressure, inflammatory disorders,
asthma, PMS, Arthritis, Fibromyalgia and more.” .
“In 2009 the Journal of the American Medical
Association published the results of a study examining
the effects of a year-long course for primary care physicians on mindfulness,
that ability to be in the zone and present in the moment purposefully and
without judgment. According to Dr.Krasner, lead author and a teacher of Medicine
at the University of Rochester, seventy physicians enrolled and participated in
the four components of the course — mindfulness meditation; writing sessions;
discussions; and lectures on topics like managing conflict, setting boundaries
and self-care.)
The effects of the
sessions were dramatic. The participating doctors became more mindful, less
burned out and less emotionally exhausted. But two additional findings
surprised the investigators. Several of the improvements persisted even after
the yearlong course ended. And, those changes correlated with a significant
increase in attributes that contribute to patient-centered care, such as
empathy and valuing the psychosocial factors that might affect a patient’s
illness experience.”
(50) To sum up, training in mindfulness and meditation sensitizes doctors to be
more empathetic and mindful of the psychosocial factors that could affect a
patient’s illness.
The writing on
the wall is very clear; we would do well to follow in the footsteps of ancient
Siddha physicians like Agastyra and Thirumoolar and make meditation an integral
part of the medical syllabus, for it will perhaps do good for the health of
both doctors and patients. That there will be little backing for such a move
from big pharma and insurance companies as there is no money to be made, is
sure to be one challenge. That it is not
likely to be welcomed by the physicality based medical establishment,
entrenched in Newtonian physics, augurs to be another challenge. “A
total paradigm shift in perception to a quantum view; to recognising the
importance of non pharmacological methods in both preventive medicine and
therapeutics is necessary. Only then will there be a willingness to explore and
invest in non pharmacological methods such as meditation, by makers of medical
syllabi and health care policy. Doctors will have to patiently wait for more
evidence based medical proof to build up.”
Modern
evidence of brain changes with meditation:
Sara Lazar, who began as a sceptic, but is now
a long time meditator, is a neuroscientist at Massachusetts General Hospital
and Harvard Medical School. She was one of the first scientists to take the
anecdotal claims about the benefits of meditation and mindfulness and test them
in brain scans. “What she found surprised
her — that meditating can literally change your brain.”, says the
Washington Post. Lazar says they found differences in brain volume after eight
weeks in five different regions in the brains of the two groups.
In the group that learned meditation, they found thickening
in four regions:
1. The primary difference, we found in the posterior cingulate, which is involved
in mind wandering, and self relevance.
2. The
left hippocampus, which assists in learning, cognition, memory and emotional
regulation.
3. The
temporo parietal junction, or TPJ, which is associated with perspective taking,
empathy and compassion.
4. An area of the brain stem called the Pons, where a lot of regulatory
neurotransmitters are produced.
The amygdala,
the fight or flight part of the brain which is important for anxiety, fear and
stress in general. That area got smaller in the group that went
through the mindfulness-based stress reduction program.
The change in the amygdala was also
correlated to a reduction in stress levels.
Progressing from Siddha
Physicians to full fledged Siddhars:
Meditation
was an integral part of training of Siddha physicians. It led to their
mastering Siddhis and reaching a state of equanimity ready to sacrifice worldly
pursuits for the well being of fellowmen.
Ultimately some who started as Siddha
physicians became full fledged Siddhars ( spiritual Masters) who realised the
ephemeral nature of the world and chose to live on beyond the embodied state by
taking ‘Samadhi’. Interestingly, in the course of research ito the history and
traditional practices of the Siddha system of medicine, I came across on young
( 1993 born) Siddha physician, Dr Siva, from a traditional family Siddha
physicians, trained in a modern Siddha
medicine college, who nevertheless had been meditatively connecting to Great
Siddha Agastya from childhood. While he practices Siddha medicine his real
interest now is to move on from being a Siddha physician to being a Realised
Siddhar.
This
mastery of existence in all dimensions and thereby becoming ‘immortal’ as it
were, is possibly their greatest
contribution. It deserves to be studied in depth and presented. This paper will restrict itself to the medical contributions and practices of
the Siddha system of medicine perfected many millennia before any other system
of medicine of this age.
When
did they walk the earth? The National
Institute of Siddha. Medicine states,” (54)The Siddha System of Medicine (Traditional
Tamil System of medicine), which has been prevalent in the ancient Tamil land,
is the foremost of all other medical systems in the world. Its origin goes back
to B.C 10,000 to B.C 4,000. The Siddha system of medicine is said to have
emerged in antiquity, from the highly evolved consciousness of the Siddhars. (54)
Concept
of guidance from Siddhars in Samadhi while treating patients:
Interestingly, even in the present day, some
Siddha physicians, who are adept in meditation, are guided by these ancient
Master Siddhars. Some modern day
Siddhars consider one of the Great Siddhars of yore, as their Guru and God.
Through meditation, they are able to trans-dimensionally seek the help of the
Great Siddhars and achieve many otherwise impossible cures for the patients who
go to them in trust.
Contemporary Siddha physicians trained in the traditional manner who believe in
trans-dimensionally connecting with the Great Siddhars in meditation, find
their abilities improve and gain therapeutic guidance from the Masters by
meditating at the ‘Jeeva Samadhis’;
the Great Siddhars are believed to exist possibly in a state similar to
sustended animation at ‘energy centres’
in subterraenean vaults called ‘Jeeva
Samadhis’; and at these ‘energy centres’ it is apparently easier to connect
with them, and receive their blessings / solutions to problems and so on. (66)
(67) Meditation improves intuition and the Siddha Physician who takes to the
practice is able to better diagnose problems and choose lines of treatment.
Modern science has discovered many benefits of meditation from improving
intuition to helping in stress reduction to preventing heart disease.(68) (69)(70)
The internet is replete with examples of cures
effected for trusting patients by Siddha physicians who consider Agastyar as
their omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient Guru and meditatively seek Agastyar’s
help in healing the patient. It seems unbelievable to matter based modern
medical men; but in terms of quantum physics and quantum mechanics, such cures
worked out by the process of entanglement, are very much possible.
Logical
Tenets followed by the Siddha System of Medicine(SSM):
From the perspective of modern
medicine, let us see whether the ancient system of siddha medicine followed the
logical tenets followed by modern medicine. Modern medical doctors will be astounded to know
that, even 10,000 years ago, Siddha physicians demonstrated an amazing
scientific understanding of the human body, health and wellness, besides
knowing much more than modern doctors about the secrets of anti-ageing and
longevity. They also had the most scientific methods of history taking,
physical examination, diagnostic testing, diagnosing methodology, pharmacopeia,
and even surgery millennia ago.
SSM on
Anatomy and Physiology:
Palm leaf manuscripts reveal how the
ancient Siddhars viewed the human body.(71)
Palm
leaf texts talks of ‘ooneer’ ie
plasma. Ooneer (plasma)
responsible for growth, development and nourishment. Modern medicine found out
details about plasma only in the nineteenth century.
Ancient Siddha physicians spoke of’ cheneer’ (the red liquid, ie,
blood) responsible for nourishing muscles, imparting colour and improving
intellect. Western medicine discovered red blood cells only recently! Red cells
were first described in the 17th century,
Thirdly
they spoke of ‘oon’ (muscle)
responsible for shape of the body.
Fourthly even millennia ago they recognised
‘koluppu / Kozhuppu’ (fatty
tissue) responsible for oil balance and lubricating joints.
Fifthly they spoke of ‘elumbu’ (bone) responsible for body
structure and posture and movement.
Sixthly, even millennia ago they knew that ‘elumbu majjai’ (bone marrow), was
responsible for formation of blood corpuscles. In fact this the ancient
Siddhars, knew over ten thousand years ago! A detailed article on the western
understanding of the role of the marrow from antiquity to Osler’s time, by
Barrow, says that some clear understanding of the role of bone narrow was only
first experimentally defined during the latter 19th century. Hippocrates
(460–375 bc), who used observation and reasoning rather than mysticism to reach
his conclusions, considered the marrow the nutrient source for bone, an opinion
shared by Galen (130–200). Aristotle (384–322 bc) took the opposite view and
considered the marrow to be an osseous waste product (excrementum ossium).
Finally, western medicine realised the connection between bone marrow and blood
corpuscles only two centuries ago!
Seventh, they mention that ‘sukkilam’ (semen), is responsible
for reproduction.
In the
case of modern western medicine, Hippocrates and his colleagues are credited
with declaring that the practice of medicine had a rational basis and for
outlining a proper professional role for physicians in society, and for laying
down some basic rules to be followed by physicians. In contrast, millennia ago,
the Siddha system of medicine had clear rational basis. They also had a code of
ethics that is strikingly similar to the code of ethics propogated millennia
later by Hippocrates. In modern western medicine, only over the past 400 years
or so, did a proper technique of physical examination, diagnostic tests and so
on evolve.According to Walker, “ Hippocrates and his colleagues laid the
foundations by establishing medicine as a profession and by declaring that it
has a rational basis. The second development was the resumption of the
dissection of human bodies for educational purposes, beginning in the
thirteenth century in Italy. Vesalius was thereby able to publish an accurate
human anatomy text in 1543, and Morgagni to establish morbid anatomy, or
pathology, as a discipline in 1761. The third development was Sydenham's
definition of disease between 1666 and 1683, leading to the nosological concept
of disease. The actual beginnings of physical diagnosis occurred with the
discovery of percussion by Auenbrugger in 1760, and its dissemination by
Corvisart in 1808.” (72) However the ancient Siddha system laid a
rational basis to the practice of medicine and had a thorough system of
physical examination and investigative tests, millennia ago.
Physical Examination techniques and
Investigations used by SSM:
Pulse
reading, (Tamil: Naadi - Vatha, Pitha and
Kabha)
(Pulse
examination is also the most prominent diagnostic procedure in SSM. In other
words, it performs the job of present day inventions like the stethoscope and
sphygmomanometers (Wujastyk, 1995).
Examination
of eyes, (Tamil: ‘Kangal’)
Study of
voice, (Tamil: ‘Mozhi – Kural’)
Color of
body, (Tamil: ‘Niram’)
Examination
of the tongue (Tamil: ‘Naa’) and
Status
of the sensation of human body (Tamil: ‘Sparisum’).
INVESTIGATIONS:
Urine
examination, (Tamil: ‘Neer kuri &
Neikuri’)
Stool
Examination, (Tamil: ‘Malam’)
Examination
of the urine was done almost in as much detail as in modern medicine
today;Urine- Examination was a major diagnostic method.
The color
smell,
density,
quantity
and
froth
of urine
wre noted.
In
addition, surface tension is studied. (Tamil: Neerkuri )
The
pattern of gingelly oil (Tamil: Nallennai)
spreading on the surface of the urine also provide valuable information in
diagnosing the diseases (Krishnamurthy and Chandramouli,1984; Saroja and
Veluchamy, 1983).
Meditative methods of
investigation and deciding on treatment modalities, in SSM::
In
addition to the above, as meditative practices were used to access the supreme
intelligence vestiture to intuitively help understand what exactly was the
diagnosis and what line of treatment would help. In modern times some Siddha
physicians with expertise in meditative techniques, who have total faith in the
Great Siddhars of yore, meditatively seek the counsel of the Great Siddhars when
ever they need help with a patient. For example, in the course of research in
this area I had the opportunity to meet and interview 1993 born young Siddha
physician, Dr Siva, who meditatively accesses the Great Siddhar Agastyar and is
able to help many patients. Through meditation and dreams Siva has been taught
about various herbs and their uses by Agastyar. His Professors at the Siddha
Medical College where he trained, since they knew he had access to Agastyar,
often went to him to clarify their own knowledge.
That the
treating Siddha physician has access to a Great Siddhar, gives the patient and
the treating physician far more confidence and the expectation to get better
would obviously be the much higher. The success rates of treatment are bound to
be helped by such positive expectation, not to mention the effect of grace of
the Great Siddhars prayed to.
Though
intuition has no place in modern medical diagnostics, individual doctors in the
modern medical tradition will neverthles testify to the effectiveness of
meditative insights and a sharpened intuition in guiding one to the correct
diagnosis. Dr Steven Greer, a former Chairman of Emergency Medicine and head of
the Centre for study of Extra Terrestrial intelligence for over 25 years will
testify to this . This author also can testify to it. But in general, this is
one area that modern scientific medicine sorely lacks experience or studies
in.. It is heartening though, individual physicians, of late, are employing
positive thinking, yoga, meditation and prayer in their medical practice,
though modern medical education in and main stream modern medicine, that is
totally matter based, is yet to have an open mind on this subtle dimension.
SSM concepts of Health and
Wellness :
According
to Siddhas matter and energy are the two interconvertible entities, which have
great influence in shaping the nature of the universe. They are called Siva and
Sakthi in the siddha system. Matter cannot exist without energy and vice-versa.
Thus both are inseparable (Narayanaswamy, 1975)
The
Siddha system of medicine considered man as the microcosm and the universe, as
the macrocosm. It is believed by many historians that Grantha, the more ancient
script was the ancestor script for Tamil
and Sanskrit. Since Devanagari also shares Grantha as the ancestor script,
there is a tendency for people to assume that Siddha system and Ayurveda are
the same; only expressed in different languages. But this is a very superficial
approach. Both are products of the
Indian subcontinent but the two are distinct systems of healing with distinct
identities. They are very different in their very approach.
The great Acharyas of Ayurveda, Susruta and
Charaka were grounded to the three dimensional world in their practice of
medicine and surgery. The Siddha System of Medicine, besides using logical
methods employable in the three dimensional world, seems to have researched and
discovered meditative methods that helped them connect to the Great Siddhars in
other dimensions. Thus using knowledge from other dimensions accessed by
transdimensional techniques to decide on diagnosis and therapy in difficult
cases appears to be an established practice in the traditional Siddha System of
Medicine. Traditional Siddha physicians
to this day use meditative insights gained at Jeeva Samadhis of the Great
Siddhars; a practice exclusive to Siddha System of Medicine. Using
transdimensional competence to diagnose and treat diseases is a unique Siddha
practice.
In the present time, however, a deplorable
tendency is the attempt to reduce this grand ancient system grounded in quantum
mechanics to a ‘poor relationn’ of Modern Medicine which is grounded in
Newtonian physicality. Like Modern Medical education, Siddha Medicine
‘graduates’ receive five years of training but the soul of the Siddha System of
Medicine, ie meditation and
transdimensional competence is unfortunately not taught. So young Siddha System
of Medicine graduates churned out today, unfortunately do not get the training
or exposure to these transdimensional access techniques. Training in Siddha
System of Medicine has a lot to gain if it includes the age old teachings of
meditation, yoga and the development of faculties of intuition and so on by
going inward, as the andcient Siddha physicians did.
Because
of the Siddhis attained by them due to their high attainments in the inward
path, we have empirical evidence today, as we shall see, for the existence of
the Great Siddhars. Siddhars like
Agastyar are accessed even today by practicing Siddha physicians who
have trained themselves to have transdimensional competence. Siddha lore says
there were great Siddhar physicians preceding Agastyar too; like Roma Rishi,
Kaka Bhujandar and others. In fact the Siddha System traces its origin to Siva,
venerated in temples as Marundeeswaran- the Great Healer and Lord of Medicine. In
fact if one goes by all the ancient texts written by various Siddhars, Siva is
universally acknowledged as the first Siddha physician.
Since we
do not have evidence based knowledge of the time period when Siva walked the
earth, this article takes up the history of Siddhar Agastyar, who , as palm
leaf manuscripts state, set up an institution for the Siddha System of Medicine
at PothigaiMalai as we shall see later. However, the truth is, that the
antiquity of the system most likely, goes back to the even more remote past.
David
Frawley, Vedic scholar, historian, linguist and critical evaluator of
archaeological studies. says, “ I have proposed that Vedic culture
originally derived from the South, from an older maritime culture that may have
developed during the Ice Age. I would place that earlier culture throughout
southeast Asia, of which Tamil Nadu was a part. This corresponds to the Kanya Kumari
continent story of Tamil thought.
Is it possible that both Sanskrit
and Tamil, two very distinct languages, are products of the same greater people
or culture? As rishis are seers of cosmic sound, this cannot be rejected as a
possibility; and Rishis like Agastyar contributed both to Tamil and Sanskrit.
The two languages developed script from the Grantha script and are possibly
more closely related than was earlier considered. Likewise the ancient systems
of Siddha medicine and Ayurveda can also be considered brothers.”
To quote
researcher, Saraf, “Siddha System of
Medicine is as old as mankind and dominated the civilization of the southern
peninsula of India.”(73)
Siddhas
described seven basic tissues (Tamil:
Sapthadathukkal, already described)
The Siddhas identified Five primordial
elements viz., (Tamil:Panchabhootham)
–
1)-earth
(Tamil: Mann),
2)-
water (Tamil: Neer),
3)-fire
(Tamil: Thee),
4)-air
(Tamil: Katru) and
5)-space
(Tamil:Aahayam).
A
suitable proportion of these five elements, in
combination
with one another are responsible for the different structures and functions of
the tissues ie ‘dathukkal’body
matrix. This is known as the theory of “five-fold combination” (Tamil: Pancheekaranam)
(Uthamaroyan,
1983).
The
Siddha system believed that energy needed for life, or the ‘Uyir’ or Life Force / Life Energy of a living man was the
conglomeration of three energes or humours (Tamil: Three thodam/mukkutram)
By Vatham, Siddhas referred to ‘movement’
of body and mind; movement was essential for life. All motor and sesory
activities of the nervous system, cardio vascular system and lungs were
governed by ‘vatham’.
‘Pitham’ referred to the fire element or
metabolic energy. Maintenance of body heat and homeostasis was dependent of ‘pitham’.
‘Kapham’ referred to elements of the body
made of earth and water and was responsible for body build, strength, stamina,
endurance ( ? immunity) and joint movements.
In
modern medicine these would correspond to
1)- VATHAM = Nervous system, cardio vascular
and pulmonary system
2)-PITHAM = Metabolism and homeostasis and
functions of musculoskeletal system
3) KAPHAM= Musculoskeletal system and
connective tissue including blood and lymphatic systems.
According
to the Siddha system of medicine,to be in a state of equilibrium / health, they
had to be active in the right proportion. Vatham
had to be four times as active as kapham
and twice as active as pitham.
(CSIR–AYUSH,
2012);
Pillars of heath as per SSM:
To
maintain this healthy life balance, Siddhas gave great importance to four
parameters.
1)-
Diet- food itself is medicine was the
adage; Unavey Marundu in Tamil.
2)-
Exercise
3)-
Moral / Right living so that stress was avoided
4)-
Having a right Routine for activities of daily life
The day
was divided into 4 parts of 4 hours.
4am to
8am for rejuvenation of the body and mind; for meditation and exercise
8am to
12 noon and 12 noon to 4pm for worldly work with a short break for light food
and offer gratitude to God
4pm to
8pm again for de-stressing, prayers, singing, meditation
8pm to
4am for sleep and rest.
Medical Ethics in SSM:
The ancient Siddhars were truly the founders
of Ethical Medicine. A slide show by Siddha Medicine students compares the
Siddha Ethical code with Hippocratic code. (74) Theraiyar’s view.
— The
first part of the oath taken by both Siddha physicians upon graduating, and the
Hippocratic oath refer to faith in God, the Real Healer; Shiva and others in
the Siddha system and Apollo and others in the Greek system. When going
through both Hippocrates oath and Siddha literatures, one can find the
following similarities:
- Respect for Teachers
- Pledging life to the service of patients
- Placing Patient’s interest before his own.
- Protecting Patient from harm & injustice.
- Respecting Patient’s right to make decisions.
- Improving the care for Patient’s wellbeing.
- Not to become intimate with Patients.
- Trying to Prevent as well as cure disease.
- Protecting Patient’s confidentiality.
- Imparting Medical knowledge to others.
The Siddha system follows the principles of modern
medicine to a T! It logically and scrupulously states, “At first a Physician should completely examine the patient. After
diagnosing, he must prescribe them with right medications. The Siddha system treatment regimen, even 10,000 years
ago, followed the modern medical
principles of using the simplernon invasive
treatments first and going on to surgery and invasive treatments only if
non invasive methods do not work or if invasive methods are absolutely
indicated; for example, it states,
- To start with Herbal products (extract or Powder form of root, leaf
or the whole plant).
- When not
responding, switch over to Metal & Mineral formulations.
- Finally to Aruvai Maruthuvam (Essentials of
Surgery)
- He should not have any bias and conflict of interest when planning
the treatment regimen.”(74)
The Siddha system, even 10,000
years ago, laid special emphasis on non commercialization of treatment regime
and non commercialization of the medical profession.(74)
The selection of medical
students, further had to be by eligibility criteria and not by economic or such
wrong considerations.(74)
Guru sishya
parampara being the ideal way of learning.(74) Today, millennia
later, we are rediscovering this truth.
Research into the ‘informal curriculum’ and ‘hidden curriculum’ only underscores the significant influence of
teachers on students and the importance of having the right role models.
In Siddha system of medicine a physician
should be spiritual and have an in-depth knowledge. Agasthiyar Sillaraikkovai further adds generosity, patience,
untiring hard work, capability of overcoming greed, anger, knowledge about
astrology and numerology as the qualities of a physician. He says that a
physician should protect his patient like an eyelid, which protects the eyes
and care as a mother who cares for her sick child.
A
physician should not wear colorful dress, nor use silk, leather rope, cosmetics
and should always move around in white dress, using only sandal paste as
cosmetics. Theraiyar in his Thylavarka
churukkam insists that “a physician
should clean his hands many times and have bath after examining a patient.”
SSM
spoke of Hand Washing Millennia ago:
Moving on to
basic principles of hygiene and therapy, we find that millennia before modern
medicine knew the value of hand washing, the Siddhars were practicing it.
The concept of HAND
WASHING for ASEPSIS, was introduced into western medicine only two centuries
ago,(75) but it was was well known to the
Siddhas millennia ago!
Possibly the
earliest ever Medical College:
It
is appropriate to study the historical elements of how Siddha System of
Medicine was set up. (76). Late Dr Mandayamkumar’s
lifetime work was searching out ancient palm leaf manuscripts and collating
information about the ancient Siddha System of Medicine and the ancient
Siddhars. He writes and I quote him,
“ Under the guidance of Muruga ( worshipped as
a deity today), a Hospital and Research
Institution was formed near the main waterfalls at Courtalam adjacent to
the Temple. The institution was started with the help of the great
philosopher-scientist of China, the well-known Bhogar, and an eminent scholar
from Malaysia by name Nandi Devar (subsequently named as Theraiyar). Besides,
Yugimuni, Pulappani, Pambatti Siddhar, Pulasthya and Kappiyan also joined them.
With the help of these scholars, Sage Agastyar conducted a conference at
Courtalam and founded this hospital and research institute, known as Thorana
Malai Institute for the propagation of medical science. In commemoration of
this conference of eminent Siddhas, the year has been named as
SidhaarthiSamvatsara, the 53rd year of Kali Yuga ie 5805 years ago.”
SSM- Ancient Medical School
Curriculum:
At
Thorana Malai Research Institute, provision was made for teaching students from
different parts of the world in five distinctive subjects in a systematic
manner. To quote Dr Mandayamkumar,
Firstly,
they were taught philosophy to understand the relationship of soul and matter,
the process of evolution and attainment of reality.
Secondly, they were trained in different
branches of Yoga to attain perfection or Siddhi through the process of
meditation.
Thirdly, they were thoroughly taught Astronomy
and Astrology, which are inter-related.
Fourthly, they were trained in
alchemy, i.e. physical and chemical properties of elements.
The last subject to be taught was
the Science of Medicine. With these they would be thorough in their diagnostic
capacities through the Nadi system, i.e., pulse reading. The science of pulse
reading is very subtle which would be understood only with the practice of Yoga
and cannot be explained through texts.
Yoga and through Yoga, the
mastery of continued existence in dimensions other than the physical:
Yoga:
This is
one of the greatest contributions of Siddha System. Much of this knowledge was
lost but from Agastyar’s time, ie 10,000 years ago, through various Siddhars,
notably Agastyar’s most famous disciple,
Mahavatar Babaji, this greatest discovery of the Siddhas- ie, the key to
immortality, has come down to 21st century man. As of today this
knowledge and its practice is limited to Yogis of India and Tibet. The CIA and
Defence dpartments of the USA have been studying it in secret for over half a
century; but it is only in the past three or four decades that western medicine
has woken up to the benefits of Yoga. Modern medicine is still only discovering
the health benefits. The mastery over dimensions of existence, the science of
longevity and immortality are yet to be taken up by modern medicine for it
seems too unbelievable for modern doctors. However Yogis and contemporary
practitioners of Siddha Medicine believe in this knowledge and some of them are
able to access this knowledge, to the great benefit of patients.
Hence
documenting this aspect of Siddha System of medicine becomes important, so that
interested junior doctors can take it up for research.
Research:
Research
was given pride of place in ancient SSM. Pulasthya and Kappiyan were in charge
of recording the results of different research works conducted at the Thoranamalai
institute. (76) (85)
Relationship of Yoga &
Ethics:
The
Great Siddha physicians were true yogis. Unlike ‘modern day yoga’ which in the
west has mutated to mainly only stretching exercises, the Siddhars practiced
yoga and achieved three objectives.
1)—they
had control over breath,
2)- they
had control of all passions and achieved the level of desirelessness –
3)- they
had total control over the mind.
The Great Siddhas therefore maintained equanimity and a sense
of equilibrium.
Agastyar
was the foremost of the Great Siddha physicians; a many splendoured
personality, he was the one who codified Siddha System of Medicine and as early
as 5000 years ago, and set up a ‘Medical College’ along with other Siddhas in
Thoranamalai in southern Tamilnadu.
Toxicology in Ancient SSM:
Quoting
Dr Mandayam kumar:
“At MarudaMalai near Coimbatore, Pambatti
Siddhar took up research work on poisonous snakes for the utilization of the
venom in the treatment of various diseases. It is mentioned that the poisonous
snakes were made non-poisonous by feeding them with anti-poisonous chemicals.
By such feeding, even the color of the snakes was changed. This brought about a
reduction in the intensity of the poisonous nature of the venom to be used as
medicine in the treatment of different diseases.
Parenteral
Injections in Ancient SSM (RAJA VAIDYAM):.
During the course of toxicology research, the
administration of medicines through injections was also developed with the help
of syringe and needle. Particular care was taken to design the needle. A
special alloy of copper and gold was adopted in the manufacture of these
needles. The mode of treatment through injections was considered as Raja Vaidya
or king of treatments and it is stated that Chinese and Ethiopians widely used
this art in their treatment.”
Injections
were introduced into modern medicine only in the 17th century. “ Various people have been credited with the
'invention' of the syringe including Christopher Wren,
Robert Boyle and Pascal, and intravenous injection is recorded as early as the
17th century.
The first recorded injections:
Christopher Wren is the first person
recorded to have employed intravenous injecting in Britain – injecting
into a dog at Wadham College, Oxford, in 1656.” ( 77)
The
ancient physicians of India seem to have used injections millennia earlier!
Chemical Research in Ancient SSM:
I quote
Dr Mandayam Kumar:
“At this institute Bhogar took up research on
medicines with chemicals, minerals, gems and salts. Under the guidance of
Bhogar an institution was established at Thiruparukundram near Madurai for
research on minerals, salts, chemicals, etc., converting them to Bhasmas and
Sindhuras for easy assimilation with high potency. These Bhasmas and Sindhuras
have high specific activity and are very effective in the treatment of chronic
and acute diseases. Further the method of liquefying the metals and minerals
was also developed here making them suitable for administering as injections.
In addition, to find out the nature of toxicity and efficacy of these medicines
that they were first tried on animals. For this purpose, an animal house was
established at Pasumalai adjacent to Thiruparukundram. Thus it could be noted that
the research work of Siddhars was a broad based one and had a systematic
approach.”
Surgery in Ancient SSM:
Dr Mandayam
Kumar continues,
”Nandi Devar (Theriyar)was the
head of the department of surgery;
The surgical section attached to
the hospital in ThoranaMalai was headed by Nandi Devar. At this place, the
preliminary training in the art of surgery was given through a special species
of frogs called Therai. Hence, the department head, Nandi Devar, was nicknamed
as Theriyar – one who rears Therai frogs.
Surgery was divided into three
types :-
Surgery of external organs
Minor surgery
Major surgery.”
It is
amazing to read what they knew, allegedly, over 5000 years ago. To summarise:
The ancient Siddhars knew about
HYGEINE and DISINFECTION.
Ancient Siddhars knew about
the need for STERILISATION of
INSTRUMENTS,
Ancient Siddhars used NATURAL
SUTURING MATERIALS like banana stem fibre and silk.
Ancient Siddhars had methods of
IMPROVING WOUND HEALING
Ancient Siddhars used
ANAESTHESIA- both Local and General
Ancient Siddhars even
EXPERIMENTED with TRANSPLANT SURGERY and PLASTIC SURGERY
Ancient Siddhars had developed
PARENTERAL INJECTIONS
I quote
Dr Mandayamkumar below
“Separate units were establishes for each
type with adequate instruments and accessories. Elaborate explanations are
given about the method of surgery. Hygienic upkeep of the place, sterilization
of instruments, different anesthetic preparations to suit the age of the
patient and duration of surgery are adequately explained, besides giving
various medicinal formulae for the quick healing of the surgical wound.
It is mentioned that the thread taken out from
the banana plant was used for the sutures in surgery. Special preparations used
as local anesthesia are also explained in addition to disinfectants.
Transplantations of foetus on
animals were also tried at Pasumalai bringing in several varieties of animals.
They had even tried plastic surgery for wounded soldiers. Apart from treating
the general public the hospital had the facility to treat wounded warriors with
surgery. Replacement of limbs and organs were also taken up including brain and
heart surgery.”(76)
(85)
Herbal Medicine in Ancient SSM:
Dr
Mandayam Kunar adds,
“Yugi Muni was in charge of the herbarium and
medicines produced therefrom. At ParadesiKundai on Courtalam hills, an
institution was established with a herbarium attached to it under the able
guidance of Yugi Muni. Even today, we can find an inscription in a symbolic
form on a big boulder at that place. Botanical research was also taken up here,
bringing about various high-breed varieties of plants, flowers, fruits, etc.
Even silk cocoons with different colors were developed here by rearing the
larvae with different chemicals as their food. The art of sericulture is
elaborately explained in their records”
Although the writings of Dr Mandayamkumar quoted
above, mention the name, Yugimuni, along with the Thoranai Malai institution
established by Agastyar and other Great Siddhars, the name Yugimuni comes up in
a later period of history as well. He is considered a student of Theraiyar who wrote the Theraiyar Thyla varga churrukama, which states that the
physician should have pure thought and action, love for all human beings, a
detailed knowledge about geographical seasonal variations, correct physical and
mental state and dietary habits. Siddha literature mentions that Theraiyar may
have lived around 1000 to 1500 AD.( Theraiyar Karisal-300 (தேரையர் கரிசல்-300) siddha medicine Ebook
Download)
Siddhar Yugimuni,
was a student of Theraiyar. Yugimuni was also a great clinician, according to
Professor of Siddha Medicine Dr JP Narayanan. According to him Yugimuni had
described in detail the types of abdominal swellings and had written an
exhaustive treatise on diseases of the rectum and anal canal.
Pharmacopia in Ancient SSM:
The
Siddha pharmacopeia was in ancient Tamil and recorded in palm leaf manuscripts.
It included
Herbs
Metals
Chemicals
Animal
products
Detailed
descriptions of how they were to be prepared are described in palm leaf
manuscripts.
Many
palm leaf manuscripts are in the possession of families which by tradition
practice Siddha medicine. We owe a great debt to a police officer, late
Sambasivan Pillai, whose lifetime work has recorded for posterity the various
kinds of medicines and therapies which were used by Siddha Physicians.
Physico-Energetic Medicine in
Ancient SSM:
- Varmam (Tamil) / Marmam (
Malayalam)
Varmam are vital points in the body that
act as energy transformers or batteries. They form centres for boosting the
vital life-force Uyir Sakthi or
life-energy flow through the intricate nadi system of the body. Nature,
by its design, has protected these vital centres by placing them deep inside
the body or by covering them with tissues inaccessible to normal attempts of
breach.
Varmam is a holistic therapy on its own
and tackles the body, mind and spirit. A Varmam
expert understands the underlying links between the body, vital life-energy and
the mind.
Varmams have been classified based on
the type of pressure needed; the energy points are activated by touch, tapping,
fairly strong blows, massage, by licking and by just a Master staring with
focus.
A Varmam therapist needs to have a deep
knowledge about the body's nerves and physical structure to do an effective
treatment. There are only a few therapists existing in this world, and the
modern siddha world is trying to preserve this art of healing. We owe a great
deal to Dr Pankaj Naram for re suscitating this ancient art of healing and for
restoring it to its pristine glory; even in disaster relief the art of Varmam / Marmam is useful as the
Huffington Post reports. (78)(79)
When the
guru is a martial arts teacher, he is also known as an Aashaan. They make a diagnosis after a
patient's visit and set about to refer to their manuscripts for the appropriate
remedies, which a true blue physician compounds by himself or herself, from
thousands of herbal and herbo-mineral resources. The methodology of Siddha thought
has helped decipher many causes of disorders and the formulation of curious
remedies which may sometimes have more than 250 ingredients.
Astrology in Ancient SSM:
Astrology has
been given a prominent place in Siddha medical science. This earth and each living
being therein are constantly influenced by the planets. Siddhars realised the
relationship between the macro-cosm and micro-cosm.
They
distinctly divided the organs of our body as belonging to different planets.
Even the different parts of a single cell were classified according to planets.
Hence, they promulgated that the onset and
development of the disease and its cure mainly depended on the movements of the
planets. With this knowledge, they were able to diagnose the disease by the
study of planetary positions in addition to the physical symptoms.
Even the mode of treatment and the type of
medication were derived based on the position of the planets and their
transits. Further, various chemicals, minerals, salts and even herbs are
classified under different planets. Based on this knowledge, the compounding of
medicines was being carried on for different diseases.
Longevity and Immortality
Research in Ancient SSM:
The
science of Siddha medicine is based mainly on the well-known philosophy of the
eternity of soul over matter that is transistory. The main theme of Siddhas is
to evolve the soul through this body to attain reality. For this, preservation
of the body free from suffering and decay is important. So they evolved many
medicinal preparations to conquer death, decay and disease.
The special preparation being the elixir of
life has been elaborately explained by each one of the Siddhars naming it as Amuri and Muppu. Amuri is a liquid
that acts as a rejuvenator activating every cell and bringing it back to its
normal activity. Muppu, a ‘cosmic
salt’ is the life giver for every cell. The combination of these two would help
to win over disease, decay and death and keep the body fit for the logic
practice to attain the ultimate goal of ABSOLUTE REALITY.
They
also had remedies for common garden health problems. Siddhars evolved a special
type of medicinal compound which they used to administer for all types of
diseases with varied vehicles according to the intensity of the disease. This
particular compound called ‘Kattu’ containsed refined metals and
chemicals.
Worship of Deities and Divine
Energetic Healing in Ancient SSM:
As a
monument of this research marvel a unique figure made out of special chemical
compounds has been carved in the shape of Muruga – the chief patron of their
organization – and installed on the top of the hill at Palani for the purpose
of worship. This idol is developed out of the Nava Pashana Kattu of the Siddhars. The offerings made to this idol
through honey, rose water, sandalwood paste and sacred ash would get charged
with particles of the chemical compositions of the idol. By consuming such an
offering as Prasadam it is believed
that the devotees get relieved of their
ailments – both physical and mental.
Patient
based specialisations in ancient SSM:
In
modern parlance Siddha System of Medicine had the following specialities too.
Paediatrics
Ophthalmology
Marmam
treatment for musculosleletal, connective tissue and autoimmune diseases
Puttrunoi-
Cancer treatment
Diabetes
treatment etc.
Successful
Marmam treatment for many chronic disorders has astonished Western patients and
doctors alike.
Proposed that the ancient SSM was
the basis for other systems of healing:
As the
Siddha system of medicine is possibly the oldest system of medicine in this
cycle of time, naturally, it seems to be the forefather of many systems of
medicine.
Yunani:
The use of
chemicals and metals was a Siddha concept and Yunani medicine continued in that
line
Reiki & Pranic
Healing: The
‘energy treatments’ were possibly the basis for Pranic healing and Reiki.
Yoga:
Yoga was an integral part of Siddha; the Siddhas were adept at all the
steps of Yoga, having learnt it from the Adi Yogi ie first Yogi, Shiva himself.
Modern Medicine: In my humble opinion, there is
a good possibility that Hippocrates and his students were influenced by the
thought process of the Siddhas and thus SSM
was very likely the ancestor of Modern Medicine. It is remarkable that there
are some very curious coincidences between the doctrines of the former and
those of the latter.
Evidence:
The hard
evidence for this comes from the meticulous records maintained on palm leaves.
Dr Mandayamkumar translated the following timeline records:
“Timeline wise, Kali Yuga began in 3100BC ie
5000 years ago.
At Mahadeva Giri. Sage Dhashina
Murthi revived the knowledge of the Vedas and instructed these sages to
propagate this knowledge at the appropriate manner and time for the benefit of
humanity.This imparting of this knowledge was said to have taken place on the
21st day of the Tamil month of Kartigai, during the eleventh year, Eswara
Samvatsara,of Kali Yuga, ie . ie 3089 BC. Agathiyar( Agastyar) gave much
importance to this day.
Thus 5100 years ago, the sages
recorded their knowledge on palm leaves after extensive discussions held in
Alagan Kulam and presented them to Dhashina Murthi for his perusal.This
included the 64 kinds of learning, 18 Puranas, 96 Tatvas,and 48 branches of
scientific knowledge including the principles of Siddha medicine. The entire
literature in Tamil came to be called Sidha Veda.It was then translated into
the four existing languages of that period vis Sanskrit, Greek, Hebrew and
Chinese.”
So much before the time of Hippocrates, the
ideas of Siddha Medicine were translated into Greek. As we shall see later, the
highly changing geography of the land occupied by the Siddhars due to
destructive tsunamis and incursions by the ocean by rising sea levels, led to
the disappearance of many records and monuments under the invading waters.
Neverthless survivors carried this knowledge out with them and today we are
getting more evidence from old palm leaf manuscripts, re-descovered and
studied.
It is
only appropriate to add that Siddha Vedam
is now getting renown the world over thanks to Siddha physicians like Dr Pankaj
Naram and Siddha researchers like Dr Clint Rogers who did a Ted Talk on his own
personal experiences having travelled for 13 years with the Master. (79)
So we
have evidence of Siddha knowledge having been translated into Greek very much
before the time of Hippocrates. So it is not surprising that the Siddha line of
thinking had percolated Greek thinking. The Siddhas had such an expansive self
view, because of their high transdimensional competence, that they looked upon
all of humanity as one; they shared their knowledge readily, fully and openly,
as the palm leaves state. Their mastery over time and their ability to see
future catastrophes ahead of tie was possibly one more reason why they
transcribed all knowledge into the then four leading languages of mankind.
With due
respect to Hippocrates and all that he wisely propounded, we cannot be blind to
the increasing evidence that four thousand years before Hippocrates, the
Siddhars put forth principles of scientific medicine that even modern medicine discovered
only in the last 400 years. As early as 500BC there were maritime connections
between southern India, Kataragama in Sri Lanka and GrecoRomans. (80) Siddha
thought is bound to have reached Greece. Even mutual religious influences were
present. One school of thought is that Dionysus and Skanda are one and the
same.(81) There is evidence that Democritus, the Guru of Hippocrates, and
Heraclitus who lived before Hippocrates were both influenced by Vedic thought
on health.(82) Today we know Heraclitus was very
likely, influenced by the Chandogya Upanishad.(83) Since a Guru’s thought
process is bound to be passed on to his students, it is quite possible that ancient Siddha
views on health, wellness, disease and medicines could have influenced
Hippocrates through Democritus; for the similarities of thought process are so
striking. It is a humble hypothesis, that what the Siddhars said millennia ago,
and are written in the Vedas, found expression through Hippocrates into the
western world.
In fact,
evidence is accumulating that from Kateragama
the Sri Lankan mountain site steeped in mysticism, the ancient Siddhars
in fact influenced Greek thought.(80) It may well be, that it was the
universal wisdom that reached Greece through the Siddha tradition that found
utterance through Democritus and Hippocrates.
More
evidence is accumulating from archaeological finds, that India of the Ramayana
times ie , roughly, 5500-7000 BC, influenced European thinking. So the
probability is very high, that Indian Vedic thought which developed on Siddha
foundations, found expression through Hippocrates.
How the ancient SSM progressed:
The
Siddha system flourished under the Siddhars trained by the initial 18 masters.
Thirumoolar established more medical schools and hospitals write Rajasekaran
and Narayana in a recent paper.(84) They quote writings and
archeological evidence to prove that a medical hospital and medical
school in Thiruvaaduthurai had been developed by the great Siddhar Thirumoolar.
To
aspiring physicians and spiritual aspirants, Thirumoolar wrote, ‘of the need for Man to control and
discipline himself through Yoga to realize the God in him and thus attain the
highest spiritual state.For Siddhars always doing good to others and seeking
self realization was vital; such wise ones were to undergo Rejuvenation and
Longevity through Yoga for the good of the general public and for his own
salvation in life” . (84)The hospitals and medical schools continued to be
maintained by the temples during the period of Vikrama Chola.
Rajasekaran points out, “The compendium of Thirumoolar showed a well-developed medical system
and this shows that science of medicine and surgery must have been gradually
developed for several centuries BEFORE his time.” (84) During the Chola
period, more hospitals and medical schools were started, tax free lands were
assigned to the physicians. The qualities of good medicine and medical ethics
were also laid down in Thirumandiram and this might have become the basis for
the proper development of medicine.
The
greatest contribution of the Great Siddha Physicians however, is their mastery
over existence; their ability to live on beyond physical realms. This knowledge
has come right down to the 21st century from Siddhar Agastyar
through his many disciples. Bogar who became Lao Tse after transmifgration,
Tirumoolar, the author of Tirumanthiram described as one of the greatest texts
of yoga and mystic truth ever written, who lived for over 3,000 years in the
pre-Christian era, and Tiruvalluvar the author of the world famed classic
scripture the Tirukkural, who lived 2,000 years ago, were Siddhar Agastyar’s
disciples.. Though to many ordinary folk of Tamilnadu and to the Tamilian
diaspora across the world, who seek Siddha treatment,‘Agastya Muni’is a real
presence, modern educated folk interested in Yoga are more likely to relate to
Siddhar Agastyar’s disciple, Mahavatar Babaji, who has become globally renowned
in this 21st century, rather than to Siddhar Agastyar himself, who
has kept out of the limelight.
The Great Siddhar & Physician,
Agastyar
AGASTYAR
Now let
us study the history of the foremost Siddhar & Physician, Agastyar. It is
interesting to note that the life history of Agastyar was published on the net
by late Dr Mandayam kumar who painstakingly translating into English what was
transcribed to him from a 3000 plus year old Naadi.(85) (86)(87).(88) From acquaintances
of late Dr Mandayamkumar, I came to know that he did so with the help of late Sri Hari a Vellore
based temple-sculptor. Late Sri Hari, who possessed the transdimensional
competence to read a Jeeva Naadi in turn, had been given the Nadi palm leaf
manuscript by a stranger while working in a temple. We owe a great debt of
gratitude to late Dr Mandayam Kumar whose life time work has brought to light,
from ancient palm leaf manuscripts, the history of Siddha System of Medicine
and the history of Great Siddhar Physician, Agastyar. As the references listed
by late Dr Mandayamkunmar are most likely in palm leaf manuscript form, they
are listed here, rather than with the routine list of references. They are:
1)-
Prapancha kandam 810
2)-
Prapancha Kandam 1700
3)- Agasthyar 2000
4)- Agasthyar 12000
5)- Adi Poorvam 1,2,3,4.
6)- Thaeriyar Poorvam-Moolam
7)- Adimuni Anubandam
8)- Malaimuni Anubandam
9)- Malaimuni Anubandam
10)- Malaimuni
Rathinasurukkam
11)- Pithan
Malai
12)- Podigai
Malai Charal
13)- Kutrala
Kuravanji Malai YathreekamY
(Siddha Medical Research Institute, Bangalore-560003)
The lifetime work of late P Karthigayan also
corroborates Dr Mandayam Kumar’s work.(89) The crux of the matter is, that the
ancient Siddhas were adepts at existing in different dimensions of
consciousness. Only the physical dimension is bound by time and space. The
mind, supreme intelligence and bliss dimensions of consciousness are not bound
by time and space. Through Jeeva Samadhi, the Great Siddhars moved on to the
unbound dimensions and at will are able to influence as well as manifest in
this physical dimension governed by the rules of space-time.
This
secret of ‘immortality’ is widely known in India. Modern ‘educated’ Indians,
are likely to have read about the dimensions of existence / consciousness in
the Bhagavad Gita.
That
Agastyar had mastered the art of immortality and that he was beyond the
calculations of ‘normal human life span’ is a concept beyond the ken of most
modern historians and scientists. However, for the Yogis of India, who have
experienced life in all dimensions, this is nothing new. In our contemporary
times, one example of such a Yogi would be the well known Sadhguru of Isha
fame; and a Master who in our own times, is leading a global mission of
selfless service with love to enable fellow human beings realize their true
identity beyond the physical, is Sri Sathya Sai Baba. As one who has directly
experienced the latter , this author has no hesitation in accepting the fact
that many Great Siddhars.have indeed achieved that state of ‘immortality’; in that pantheon, Siddhar
Agastyar stands out as the Grand Sire of Siddha System of Medicine.
There
are 8 amazing timelines that Siddhar Agastyar is associated with:
1)- Siddhar Agastyar lived in 14000 BC as he was the Chairperson for the first Tamil Sangam
which continued, unbroken for a period of 4440 years according to well kept Tamil
historical literature.(90)
2)-
SiddharAgastyar continued from the first Sangam through the Second Sangam, which lasted between 6826-3126 BCE
3)- At the beginning of Kali Yuga, ie 3100 BC, SiddharAgastyar
met with Lord Muruga, Devi Shenbagavalli and Dakshinamurthy at Mahendragiri
mountain near Courtallam, according to the palm leaf manuscript, deciphered by
Dr Mandayam Kumar.
4)- “On the 21st day of the Tamil month of
Kartigai, during the eleventh year, Eswara Samvatsara,of Kali Yuga.
…..Samvatsara ie 11th year of Kali Yuga ie 3089 BC Agastyar chaired a major
conclave of Siddhas who under Lord Dakshinamurthy’s instructions began
compiling all their knowledge into a treatise called SIDDHA VEDAM that led to
the wisdom and knowledge being put down in writing by various Siddhars for
posterity. It was then translated into the four existing languages of that
period vis Sanskrit, Greek, Hebrew and Chinese.”- Dr Mandayam Kumar(86)
(87)(88)
5)- “A conference of Siddhas called Sidhar Sabai
was held during the 53rd year, Sidharti Samvatsara, of Kali Yuga, ie 3047
BC at Courtalam. Siddhar Gnanakoodam, an institute for all Siddha knowledge
headed by Agastyar was inaugurated by Lord Muruga and it also marked the
beginning of the Siddha Medical School at Thorana Malai.” (86)(87)(88)
6)- After
world wide travels Agastyar went into seclusion in the Podigai hills, ( exact
date not known in the references that I accessed)….
7)- Agastyar,
around 2000 years ago, in 218 AD,
appeared and taught Nagaraj who is revered as the deathless Babaji of
the Kriya Yogis.(91)(92)
8)- Even
today- in the 21st century Agastyar, through Siddha physicians with the transdimensional
skills developed by regular meditation, through the Great Siddhar Agastyar,
helps patients who seek his advice. I have personally met and heard first hand
how Agastyar has tutored a young 1993 born Siddha physician, Dr Siva, in Siddha
Medicine. Inspired by Agastyar, now Dr Siva says that he wants to grow
spiritually and become a Siddhar and not just continue practice as a Siddha
Physician. He is contactable on +91 9047664693. This young Siddha physician is
but one example that I know of, personally. There may be others.
9)- On a
personal note, may I add a 9th point- in my meditation I had a vision of Sage
Agastyar and he revealed that I would have to write about him. A Shirdi Baba
devotee who had been mysteriously blessed with a palmleaf manuscript pertaining
to Great Siddhar Agastyar further confirmed it. (93) It is my personal belief
that ONLY by the Sankalpa (Divine Will) of my Guru Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
and by the Blessings of Agastyar, I have been able to somehow stumble on to
exactly the right references pertaining
to him and more importantly, meet a Siddha physician who has been personally
tutored by Agastyar both in the meditative state and in dream states. Like many
devotees of Great Master, Sri Sathya Sai Baba, I have experienced the
phenomenon of connecting with the Master in meditation. Hence I am able to
understand to some extent, what Dr Siva and many others are experiencing.
A Research
Gate publication by Ajmal, after analysiing many stalwarts named Agastyar
concludes he was the Podigamalai Agastyar who chaired the first and second
Sangams. So immortality and the ability to live on as long as they wanted was
very much a ‘Siddhi’ that ancient Siddhars had.(94) As David Frawley points out
pre-historic civilisations were perhaps far more advanced in consciousness
research.
That
Agastyar’s disciple, Babaji of the Kriya Yogis, has been living on for over two
millennia initiating many great Masters into yoga is now known globally. In a
similar manner, owing to his yogic abilities to continue existence in all
dimensions, like his student, the deathless Maha Avatar Babaji, Siddhar
Agastyar continues to exist and is contactable to this day. Agastyar was
active, in that manner, during the Sangam periods. What is more, out of his
compassion for fellowmen, Agastyar, as we saw, is also accessible through
transdimensionally through Nadis to help the common man with intractable
medical problems, even in this 21st century!
Modern
medicine is yet to catch up with such phenomena; but there are many scientific
researchers of the para normal and many non medical people pursuing spiritual
research who have experienced and can understand this ability to get beyond
time.
Even now there are many Masters in India who
live far beyond’ normal’ human life expectancy. The grandfather of the young
Siddha physician, Dr Siva, lived up to 130 years. He was a Siddha physician too
and an adept. At the age of 130 he chose to leave by Jala Samadhi.
According
to late Dr Mandayamkumar, the 3000plus years old palm leaf manuscript gave the
following information about Agastyar.(85) (86) (87) (88)
“Agastyar
was born about 4573 years prior to the
commencement of Kali Yuga at a place in Gujarat,in the early hours of Tuesday,14th of
February; ie in 7673 BC ie 9691 years ago.” (85, 86,87,88)This may be
questioned by those who believe that Agastyar was present all through the First
Sangam 11226-6826 BC. Was that a ‘para
kaya pravesha’? By the Will of the One supreme Divine, the adepts could
enter any physical body which served as a vehicle for them to manifest.; as the
Dalai Lamas and great Rimpoches used to do. They reincarnated time and again
for fellow beings carrying with them their subtle bodies into newer gross bodies.
Since modern medicine has not, advanced to those levels, it is unable to
comprehend such phenomena. However quantum physics and quantum mechanics enable
us understand the possibility.
Belonging to the North of India, his father
Bhargava was well learned while his mother Indumathi was from Punjab.They were
both devotees of the Pasupatha order of the sage Rishabha Muni.
What was
India like then? According to historian, Vedveer Arya,
First
Sangam Period (11226-6826 BCE)
The
Second SANGAM Period: (6826-3126 BCE).(90)
So
Agastyar straddled both the first and second Sangam periods. Literary and
historical evidence supports this.
To quote
Dr Mandayam Kumar,
“Agastyar then had his early education in
Gujarat. As his thirst for knowledge in particular, philosophy, yoga,
medicine,and astronomy was immense he traveled all over Kashmir, Tibet, China,
Nepal and Kailas in Manchuria. MountKailas was deemed to be in Manchuria those
days.
He became a disciple of sage
Nandi and Dhanvantri. He then traveled towards the south to Cambodia and Malaya
.In Cambodia he established the very first of his many educational institutions
for the propagation of philosophy and science.
After establishing a similar
institution and hospital in Malaya ( which means the concept of hospitals and
health care was present in those remote times 9000 plus years ago) he crossed
the sea to the continent of Kumari Kandam.During Agastyar’s time Kumari Kandam
occupied a vast area extending from the present day Sri Lanka to the Antarctic.
This continent was ruled by Ravana,a great devotee of Lord Siva.
King Ravana gave away a portion
of his kingdom to Agastyar to establish more institutions.The foremost of these
institutions in this region was known as Arunodaya these was in Arunodaya Giri
or Meozone. Here Agastyar practiced yoga and taught it to his large following
of disciples. He then went back north to Malaya where he was betrothed to the
king’s daughter. He then ruled the kingdom of Vijayapuri.
He returned to Kumari Kandam
where he met Lord Murugan in the form of sage Kandan or Subramaniar at Trikona
Malai, present day Trincomali. At the hill station called Kadir Kama or
Kadhirgama, Lord Murugan imparted spiritual knowledge to Agastyar. Agastyar is
believed to have participated in the second Sangam. “
Modern
historians naturally, unable to believe that anyone could exist for so long
brought in the theory of multiple persons bearing the name, ‘Agastyar’. But the
fact is, that many adepts of this land then, and in fact there are such adepts
even today, who have mastered the art of living on in dimensions other than the
physical and they can at will create a physical body too. As recently as in the
past century, numerous persons with unimpeachable credentials such as
Paramahansa Yogananda, Swami Rama, Sri M and others have written about such
adepts. As mentioned earlier, I have myself witnessed such abilities of my own
Master Sri Sathya Sai Baba and his previous physical Form named Shirdi Sai
Baba, I can easily accept the fact that an adept like Agastyar can live on as
long as he wishes to.
Out of
my interest in these ancient cultural practices of India I have had first hand
experience with the Shuka Jeeva Nadi two decades ago and with an Agastya Jeeva
Nadi recently wherein he blessed me to research and write about him. This may
be considered a statement of fact; though I do not understand the how of it.(95)
(93). This is again an area for younger doctors to research; our continued
existence in other dimensions. For a start, even if we cannot explain it logically,
such phenomena must be honestly documented.
Possibly
after the first Sangam, Agastyar decided to move to the Arctic area. The
palmleaf manuscript states, says Dr Mandayamkumar, “ In his meditation Agasthiyar who could see into the future saw
impending calamities. As a result he moved to the North Pole considering it to
be a safe place. Exactly as as he had feared, the impending calamity happened.
A tremendous explosion in the planet
Mars sents a piece of debris towards earth.This impact caused a great deluge on
the earth. Significant portions of Kumari Kandam submerged into the Indian
Ocean.” It is amazing that modern science, as we saw earlier, has
vindicated what this 3000plus years old palm leaf manuscript stated. We know
today that an extinction level cosmic impact event occurred on earth 12800
years ago! Siddhar Agastyar’s move to the Arctic is placed at about 6580 BC
ie 8598 years ago.. It is interesting to note that Bal Gangadhar Tilak wrote
about the Arctic homeland of the Vedas in 1903; this ancient palmleaf
manuscript translated by Dr Mandayamkumar says just that.
We have
already seen Siddhar Agastyars sphere of influence. All across south east Asia,
as far as New Zealand, Agastya is revered even today.
To
revert to Dr Mandayamkumar’s translation, “On
returning to Mancuria after the great flood Kailas was no more but instead the
Himalayan mountain range had emerged in North India. Because of all this
geographical sage Agastyar went seeking for a place that would not be affected
by future calamities.
He located a mountain range in
South India in present day Courtalam .Here Agastyar met Lord Siva and Uma in
the form of Dhashina Murthi and Shenbaga Devi. The exact spot where the meeting
took place between Dhashina Murthi, Shenbaga Devi,Lord Murugan and Agastyar was
Mahadeva Giri. Timeline wise, this meeting also signified the commencement of
Kali Yuga in 3100BC.
Other sages then stated coming to
Mahadeva Giri. Lord Dhashina Murthi revived the knowledge of the Vedas and
instructed these sages to propagate this knowledge at the appropriate manner
and time for the benefit of humanity.This imparting of this knowledge was said
to have taken place on the 21st day of the Tamil month of Kartigai, during
the eleventh year, Eswara Samvatsara,of Kali Yuga. Agathiyar gave much
importance to this day. All his dating was reckoned from this day.
The sages recorded their
knowledge on palm leaves after extensive discussions held in Alagan Kulam and
presented them to Dhashina Murthi for his perusal. This included the 64 kinds
of learning,18 Puranas,96 Tatvas,and 48 branches of scientific knowledge. The
entire literature in Tamil came to be called Sidha Veda.It was then translated
into the four existing languages of that period vis Sanskrit,Greek, Hebrew and
Chinese.” It is
only appropriate to add that Siddha Vedam is now getting renown the world over
thanks to Siddha physicians like Dr Pankaj Naram and Siddha researchers like Dr
Clint Rogers who did a Ted Talk on his own personal experiences having
travelled for 13 years with the Master. (79)
It is interesting to note that modern writers
and historians like C Shanmuganayagam of
Sri Lanka have found linguistic, historical, folklore related and metallurgy
related evidence linking the Greek, Egyptian, Sumerian, Mesopotamian and even
MesoAmerican civilisations to Indian pre-historic civilization. What is more,
the great flood and Agastyar and the great Siddhars had a pivotal role in this
crucial part of the history of mankind; for they helped man survive the deluge
and re-start civilization in various parts of the globe. It is appropriate to
see this view point of history as given in a 2014 face book post by Srilan
Srisukumaran, who quotes Author C Shanmuganayagam. It corroborates the palm
leaf inscriptions translated by Dr Mandayamkumar. I quote the facebook post,
“Lord Murugan is well known as the adi guru
who transmitted the Tamil language together with its mysteries long ago to sage
Agastya Muni, who in turn shared it with humanity. This article by a learned
Sri Lankan devotee explores the legacy of Lord Murugan's great disciple.
A rare and illuminating book in English on the life and works of the great
siddhas of ancient and modern times, with particular reference to Śrī
Agastiyar, the archetype of all siddhas and gurus, was published in Canada
recently, entitled Babaji and the 18 Siddha Kriya Yoga tradition, written by
Marshall Govindan, an advanced Kriya Yoga sadhaka of Los Angeles and a keen scholar,
who had carried out extensive literary and spiritual research in India and Sri
Lanka for twenty years under the guidance of Yogi S.A.A. Ramaiah.
In the hierarchy of siddhas or perfected human beings, or Initiates of the
White Brotherhood as they are called in the West, who have guided the destinies
of nations on our planet Earth for the past 12,000 years of recorded history,
the ageless legendary siddha Śrī Agastiya Maha Muni stands out as the
senior-most guru who initiated a galaxy of eminent gurus and siddhas down the
ages, and who had established and nurtured the ancient Dravidian civilization
lasting several millennia. He is also acknowledged, in occult circles, as the
head of a representative group of rishis entrusted with the guiding of the destiny
of India and other nations called the Sapta Rishis as disclosed in certain ola
leaf manuscripts called rishi vakyams and also in theosophical writings.
Agastiyar is also considered the author of several Rig Vedic hymns in Sanskrit
connected with the Aryan civilization of the North.
Śrī Agastiyar's role in the Ramayana
In the Ramayana saga, which is deemed by historians to have taken place about 7000
to 9,000 years ago in the Treta Yuga, Śrī Agastiyar is reported to have
appeared before Rama himself on the day before the final victorious termination
of the war with Ravana, the hitherto invincible King of Lanka, and initiated
Lord Rama with a special divine mantra to counter the effect of the powerful
boons that Ravana had earned from the gods by his great tapas.
It is significant to note that, according to geo physical research based on the
movement of the continental plates, the Lanka of Ravana was situated in the
continent of Lemuria, also known as Kumari Kandam, which was a land mass,
connecting the Deccan plateau in South India and the island of Ceylon, with
intervening straits to be crossed, with Madagascar in the West, Australia on
the East and Antarctica on the South, until it sank into the Indian ocean in
stages over 3,500 years ago, as mentioned in the writings of the German
geologist Wagner anti the eminent Indologist Sir T.W. Holderness.
The research done by Fr. Heras and Sir John Marshall the archaeologist and
other scholars into the archaeological finds at Mohenjodaro and Harappa point
to the existence of an earlier highly developed Dravidian civilization in the
deep South which, had influenced the Indus-Valley Aryan civilization of the
North.
The available historical evidence referring to the Dravidian civilization
commences with the records that have come down to us of the Tamil literary
writings during the past 12,000 years, which have been divided by historians
into three periods, called the First Sangam period from 9600 BC to 5200 BC,
spanning the Satya and Treta yugas, the Second Sangam period from 5200 BC to
1500 BC spanning the Treta and Dwapara yugas, and the Third Sangam period from
1500 BC to 600 AD spanning the Dwapara and Kali yugas”.(20)
Let
us see how it connects to the Indian concept of ‘cycles of time’.According to
the present cycle of four yugas, namely Satya, Treta, Dwapara and Kali yugas,
in their descending arc of 12,000 years and ascending arc of another 12,000
years, as stated by Śrī Yukteswar in his famous treatis called ‘Holy Science',
we are now in the ascending arc of Dwapara yuga completed the Kali yuga period
lasting from 600 BC to 1800 AD.(20)
It is
perhaps appropriate to give one example of the knowledge that the ancient
Masters of India had, regarding human physiology and its connection to the
cosmos.The Soorya Siddhanth estimated to have been written 15-20000 years ago
links the time cycles of the human body to the time cycles of the solar system.
(96)
It
mentions that light travels 2202 yojanas( 1 yojana = 9 miles) in half a
nimisha(16/75th of a second) ie speed of light is 185794miles per
sec. This is what modern science has computed too.
Diameter of the sun X 108 = Distance of Sun
from Earth.This has been corroborated by modern science.
Diameter of moon X 08 + distance of moon from
earth. This again has been corroborated by modern science.
As the
earth is tilted its axis forms a circle as it spins. To form a full circle, it
takes 25920 years.
25920 divided by the number of minutes in an
hour or the number of heart beats in health ie 60, is 432.
This number,
432, is linked by the ancients mathematically, to heart rate, as follows:
60 X 60
X 24 = 86400 is the number of seconds in 24 hours;
in a ‘daytime’ ie 12 hours it beats 43200
times
The
number of Breaths per minute relates to the csmos too.
Average
number of breaths per minute is 15
Number
of breaths in 24 hours is 15 X 60 X 24 = 21600
Earth is
a sphere of 360 degrees
1 degree
= 60 minutes
1 minute
= 1 nautical mile
So
circumference of Earth at equator = 21600 nautical miles!
The
orbit the Earth takes around the sun is divided into 27 Nakshatras
Each
Nakshatra has 4 padas; so the earh takes 27 X 4 = 108 steps around the sun
The no
27 als represents 27 phases of the moon; from full moon to new moon ; and new
moon to full moon.
The
human cycles within human body are responding and corresponding to that!
A
healthy woman has a cycle every 27.55 days
Therefore,
we find that, as stated by the ancients, Pinda + anda + brahmanda are IN SYNC.
Based on
these mathematical relationships, the Siddhars recommended that human beings
needed to be in sync with the cosmos for good health.
Another practice, which is continued to this day by some yogis in India and
Tibet, which is beyond the understanding of modern medicine are the phenomena of
different kinds of Samadhi.
I quote,
“SiddharAgastiyar taught and transmitted
to several of his disciples over the ages the Kriya yoga techniques of divinising
the cells of the body and:
1. rendering the physical body
deathless for centuries, (as in the case of the 18 Siddhas and Kriya Babaji),
or
2. enabling the physical body to
disappear completely and resurrect in a glow of light into a subtler vibrational
field, (as in the case of Adi Sankaracharya and the four great Saiva saints
namely the Nayanmars and Kabir of medieval times and Ramalinga Swamigal as
recently as 1874), (97)
(98) (99) or
3. enabling the physical body to be placed in a tomb in jeeva samadhi at will,
in a state of suspended animation, where the blood circulation and the
breathing have stopped but a luminous pranic energy keeps the body-cells alive,
with the possibility of the Siddha dematerializing the body in the tomb and
materializing it outside in a completely different locality and living out an
extended span of life for several years (as in the case of three well-known
siddhas of modern times, namely Śrī Raghavendra Swami about whom a popular film
had been made recently, Śrī Kulandaj Ananda Swami whose last jeeva samadhi is
in Madurai city and Śrī Muthukrishna Swami whose jeeva samadhi is in Vallioor)”
(20)
To
revert to Late Mandayamkumar, he continues and I quote,
“Sage Agastyar on the instruction of Lord
Murugan originated the grammar for Tamil language.
Sage Bhogar from China,
Thaeraiyar from Malaya,Yugimuni from Kerala, Pulipani from Kantha Malai,
Pulathiyan and Kapiyan too served Agathiyar. A conference of sidhas called
Sidhar Sabai was held during the 53rd year, Sidharti Samvatsara, of Kali
Yuga at Courtalam.
An institution known as Sidhar
Gnana Koodam was inaugurated by Lord Murugan and was headed by Agastyar.This
led to the establishment of a Siddha School of Medicine ( more of this later).
Pulathiyan and Kapiyan headed the literary
section while Pulipani in research. Thaeraiyar who was into surgery headed a
medical research centre established at Thorana Malai.Yugimuni who was into
herbal medicines headed a hospital at Paradesi Kundai. Sage Bhogar who was in
charge of all scientific researches established an alchemy research centre at
Thiruparankundram. Pambatti Sidhar was heading a team researching venom at
Marudamalai.
After having established these
institutions Agastyar again started on an extensive mission of propagating the
wealth of knowledge gained by these Siddhars in Tibet, Manchuria, Egypt, Palestine,
Rome, America, Africa, Malaya and Arab world.”
It is
interesting to note that recently the ancient African and Meso American
civilisations have been found to have ties with this early peninsular Indian
civilization.
After
satisfactorily completing their mission of propagating the said teachings the
sages went into 'Samadhi' merging themselves into the cosmos. Madayamkumar
states quoting the palmleaf inscriptions, “Kandan
went into Samadhi in Thorana Malai, Bhogar in Palani, Thaeraiyar, Pulipanai and
Yugimuni in Kantha Malai,and Agastyar came back to Courtalam. He chose a spot
called Dhashina Meru in the Pothigai Hills and is believed to be there to this
day.”
“Agastyar is now one of the most famous of
holy men in India. He is considered to be a great sage and ascetic yogi and the
oldest teacher of ancient times. He is described as the short great one.
Agastyar was a master of many subjects. These include medicine, chemistry,
pharmacy, astronomy and surgery. He was a spiritual giant and Agastya is mentioned
in all the scriptures of Hinduism- the Vedas, the Brahmanas , the Puranas,
the Ithihaasas.
As a physician, Agastyar occupies the same
eminence among the Tamils as Hippocrates does amongst the Greeks, and it is
remarkable that there are some very curious coincidences between the doctrines
of the former and those of the latter.”
Agastyar is considered as the father of
the Tamil language and grammar; he was also the ‘kulaguru’ of the divine line
of Pandiyan rulers. At the same time he was well versed in Sanskrit and
contributed to all the four Vedic texts, ie Rig Veda, Saama Veda, Yajur Veda
and Atharvana Veda.”
Mandayamkumar
continues, “ Agastyar is said to have had
twelve disciples to whom he taught the different arts and sciences, and who
were afterwards employed by him in instructing the people. The names of these
disciples are: Tolkappiyanar, Adankotasiriyanar, Turalinganar, Semputcheyanar,
Vaiyabiganar, Vippiyanar, Panambaranar, Kazharambanar, Avinayanar,
kakkypadiniyar, Nattattanar and Vamanar, but few particulars are known about
them.
Other prominent disciples
included Thiruvalluvar, the author of the perennial classic of Tamil
literature, Thirukural, and Babaji Nagaraj, the fountainhead of Kriya Yoga
Siddhantham in the modern age. Their influence on the world today is
immeasurable.
Agasthiyar is a sage of cultural integration, leading a fusion of the culture
of the northern Aryans with that of the southern Dravidians
His ashram was the practical
approach to harmony and integration, enabling every visitor to worship the
Absolute in his or her own way. Perhaps as the ultimate expression of
inclusiveness, he had not only separate
shrines to different deities but to appeal to ‘free thinkers’, had an
illuminating shrine to ‘Righteousness’ as well!”
Dr
Mandayamkumar adds, “Kamban says Agastyar
welcomed Rama in the sweet, pleasant Tamil language, while his disciples
chanted Vedic hymns. This may be seen in the story that Agasthiyar was
specially sent down to the south by Lord Shiva himself at the time of His
wedding with Parvati on the Himalayas. The north sank low under the weight of
the crowding celestials while the south rose up, free of such burden, and the
diminutive sage was sent south to right the tilt. Was it because at that time
the south had forgotten its gods, or that the north had become too full of
gods, masking the image of the single Absolute?”
Agastyar
who mastered the art of existence has thus been a continuous presence
straddling the Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dwapara Yuga, Kali Yuga just completed
and the nascent Sathya Yuga that is rising! Practically, speaking, to many
South Indians, Siddhar Agastyar is a living reality; a Siddha Physician to whom
they turn to, when modern medicine fails. They consult him through Siddha
physicians who have honed their meditative abilities or through spiritual
Masters who are able to meditatively connect with the Great Siddhars. This may
sound too farfetched but it is a fact; many have found succor through this
method. From personal experience I can state that Nadis can be amazingly
accurate. (95). Of course as in every area of human endeavor charlatans exist;
but there are many genuine Nadis too. However going into depth about Nadis is
beyond the purview of this article.
Mandayamkumar
closes saying, “ The immortal message and
spiritual technology of Kriya Yoga, which he taught to Babaji, may be the
master key to modern man understanding that dimensions beyond the physical exist;
that greed and selfishness must give way to understanding, unity and harmony;
so that mankind not only survives but flourishes in the modern world, where telecommunications
and computer technology have created an interdependent 'global village'.
“May the name of this great sage inspire us to
righteous and harmonious action in these troubled times.”
In
Tamilnadu, one of my own Professors of Medicine, late Dr Deivanayagam, who
worked with late Dr Mandayam Kumar, had researched Siddha formulations and
found benefit while treating HIV-AIDS cases.(100) During the engue and
Chikungunya outbreaks, Siddha medicines were successfully used in the state.(101,!02,
103,) . Serious research in these areas is warranted. The value of following
the nutrition and life style principles of this ancient system of medicine,
coupled with the meditative techniques and Yoga which are common to both Siddha
and Ayurveda systems can be extremely beneficial for the health of our nation;
not to mention the benefit Siddha remedies seem to provide in viral infections.
A Deplorable Incident:
In this
context, it is a matter of deep concern that a section of modern medical
doctors, using the IMA banner, have declared that the Siddha System of Medicine
is ‘quackery’.( 104) Defaming a time
tested, ancient system of medicine, of such great value, such as the Siddha
System of Medicine, which should be the
pride of our nation, is highly deplorable.
Need to establish antiquity of
Siddha System of Medicine & Need to restore its position in our medical
heritage as a source of national pride
Not
being a Siddha physician, I am not competent to comment on the efficacy of
ancient Siddha medication; but if media and public reports on the effect of
Siddha medicines in combating Dengue and Chikungunya in the past decade in Tamilnadu are any
indication, in Siddha, we have a system
of medicine of great value; we certainly should not allow it to be dubbed as
‘quackery’ by anyone.
Besides,
the historicity and timelines of Siddha System of Medicine and our ancient
culture are matters of national pride. Therefore it is imperative that at the
earliest, the Department of Ayush constitutes an independent panel of experts
with both expertise in history, knowledge of Tamil and Sanskrit and integrity
beyond question, such as the people listed below to study the historicity and
antiquity of the Siddha System of Medicine which helps innumerable people in
south India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore and so on. The Ministry of Tamil
Language, Tamil Culture and Archeology, headed by a most learned and well
informed Minister, Thiru K Pandiarajan could initiate and help the Ministry of
AYUSH in the Central Government set up such a panel that can clarify all issues
pertaining to the history of this great system of medicine of the Indian
subcontinent.
After
serious research on the subject, for a start, I suggest the following names;
others may be added as deemed fit.
Jayasree Saranathan - Dr. Jayasree Saranathan is a
researcher, writer and astrologer with a Ph.D. in Astrology. Her research areas
include Indology, Hindu Epics, Tamil Sangam literature and Astro-meteorology.
Rajiv Malhotra-
(born 15 September 1950) is an Indian-American author
who, after a career in the computer and telecom industries, took early
retirement in 1995 to found the Infinity Foundation, which focuses on Indic
studies, and also funds projects such as Columbia University's project to translate the Tibetan Buddhist Tengyur.
Apart from
the foundation, Malhotra promotes a non-western view on "Indic"
cultures, mainly Hinduism. Malhotra has written prolifically in opposition to
the academic study of Indian culture and society originating in Europe and the
United States, especially the study of Hinduism as it is conducted by scholars
and university faculty of the West, which he maintains denigrates the tradition
and undermines the interests of India "by encouraging the paradigms that
oppose its unity and integrity,(Wikepedia)
An inventor and out-of-the-box
thinker, Sree Iyer has 37 patents in the areas of Hardware,
Software, Encryption and Systems. His first book NDTV Frauds has been
published and is an Amazon Bestseller. ... His second book, The Gist of
GSTN which too is available on Amazon as an e-Book
SV
Ramanan- Retired Senior Management Professional,
currently Management Consultant-Education and visiting Professor to Universities on
Management.
Conducts courses in Soft Skills,
Stress Management , Indian Philosophy and Culture.
With Degrees in Philosophy and
Psychology, spent Eight Years in
learning Vedas, Sacred Books of Hindus.(Ramani’s blog)
Sadhguru of Isha.org-
Sadhguru, is an Indian yogi, mystic, and
author. He founded the Isha Foundation, a non-profit
organization which offers Yoga programs around the world and is involved in
social outreach, education and environmental initiatives. His
books have appeared in The
New York Times Best Seller list in multiple categories like
"Health", "Religion, Spirituality and Faith",]and
"Advice, How-To & Miscellaneous". Jaggi Vasudev has given
speeches at places such as the Headquarters
of the United Nations, World
Economic Forum and at educational institutions and technology
companies. Sadhguru was conferred the Padma Vibhushan civilian award by
the Government
of India in 2017 in recognition of his contribution to the field
of spirituality.(Wikipedia)
David Frawley- David
Frawley (Sanskrit title:
वामदेव शास्त्री, IAST: Vāmadeva Śāstrī), born 1950, is an
American Hindu teacher (acharya)
and a Hindutva[a] activist.
The
above list of persons have unquestioned integrity, besides expertise. A panel
such as this, may be authorized to examine in depth, the evidence available and
provide updated correct information on this important subject of the history
and antiquity of the Siddha System of Medicine and the Grand Sire of Medicine
for mankind, Great Siddhar and Physician, Agastyar.
Food for thought as I sign off:
This
article is certainly not the last word on the three subjects touched upon in
it, namely,
1)- antiquity
of Siddha System of Medicine and its highly scientific nature even in ancient
times, as allegedly revealed in palm leaf inscriptions,
2)- the
fact that Great Physicians like Siddhar Agastyar were real persons and need to
be accorded their rightful position in the annals of the history of medicine on
the planet, and
3)- the
need to restore the Siddha System of Medicine to its rightful pride of place in
our national medical heritage.
This
article is in fact it is just a humble attempt to kindle right thinking in
these areas.
As a
novice with some experience of transdimensional perception, though my modern
medical colleagues may find this ‘unscientific’, I herewith record my humble
salutations to Maha Siddhar Agastyar who blessed me in a vision to write about
him; and I offer humble salutations at the Feet of to my Master, Bhagawan Sri
Sathya Sai Baba, who guides me inwardly in all matters.
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