Over the last weekend, we travelled to Bellary in Karnataka to meet an Ayurvedic practitioner, Dr M Gopi Krishna, who was using herbo-mineral drugs to the extent of 70 per cent of the drugs he was dispensing.
He is also one of the few practitioners in India who prepares the four types of Rasa or herbo-mineral drugs—Kharaliya Rasayana, Parpati Rasayana, Pottali Rasayana and Kupipakwa Rasayana. These four preparations are not common and are not prepared routinely. There are around 600 books outlining different rasa preparations. It is not possible for a single person to document their efficacy and side effects in terms of Western requirements.
When I asked the physician in Bellary about the side effects of the drugs, he said, “Our Acharyas have indicated which preparations are safe and free from side effects, and which need to be administered only for a short period.”
Rasayana is the science of lengthening lifespan. It also means the purification of all tissues—from rakta to shukra. Why would the Acharyas prescribe something that would damage kidneys or the liver? Many allopathic drugs such as paracetamol do damage the liver and kidney, and yet people take them with no apprehensions.
To a large extent, the damage wrought to the popular appreciation of Ayurvedic preparations is because of the ignorance of Western scientists coupled with campaigns by Western pharma companies to demonise Ayurvedic preparations. It is also unfortunate that the preservation of an ancient medical heritage should be in the hands of a few individuals.
In Bellary, a lone physician is trying to preserve our heritage of preparing pottali. Apparently, there are 67 such preparations. Dr Krishna has managed to prepare 15 of them by combining his knowledge of the shastras and the practical experience of sadhus from Srisailam. It is indeed regrettable that our government does not do more and support our systems.
The number of government Ayurveda and Siddha colleges is far smaller than the government allopathic colleges. Our field-level government health staff are all allopathy-trained. In interior villages, many effective traditional practices are dying out. I am glad that Dr Krishna was able to document some of the preparations. We saw how Tamra Garbha pottali, a fascinating alchemical experience, was prepared.
A kalka is made with Tamra Bhasma, Swarna Bhasma, Kajjali and Sodhitha Gandhaka in the shape of a linga. This pottali is tied in two layers of silk cloth and immersed in doloyantra with liquid sulphur and then heated. When the liquid sulphur acquires a mirror-like surface some around five hours later, the silk is removed and it is ready for use after propitiating!
This preparation is said to help in the treatment of cancer as it is a rasayana drug that helps in increasing general immunity and the digestive ability of the patient. India should be in the forefront of treating cancer patients as with Ayurveda, we have a better appreciation of the causes of disease. Dr Krishna has been treating cancer patients with better results.
This is one man’s attempt to use rasayana drugs to fight a deadly disease. We need the power and resources of government to take this battle to the next level. During our visit to Bellary, we also visited Hampi, and marvelled at the architecture of Virupaksha temple and paid obeisance to Lord Shiva, the adhi bhishak. Maybe his intervention is needed to give rasa shastra its due credit.
The writer is retired Additional Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu. She can be reached at sheelarani.arogyamantra@gmail. com/arogyamantra.blogspot.com