A lot of science in a bit of tradition
By Shiv Darshanlal Sharma

A COMPREHENSIVE survey of literature reveals that acts performed by our highly cultured Sanskrit-speaking ancestors in the remote past for health reasons were absolutely scientific and are relevant even today. All these measures to keep environment free from diseases were meant for longevity. A lot of importance was attached to the waters of the Ganga because of its sanctity. It does not get spoilt even if it is bottled for years together. An entity known as bacteriophage occurs in the waters of the Ganga and engulfs the bacterium responsible for the contamination of water. Thus, the body becomes disease-free on enjoying a holy dip in the Ganga. Aryans, the Sanskritised community, used to plaster their dwellings with cow-dung to disinfect them, in the early dawn of human civilisation. The mad-cow disease in Europe is caused by the ingestion of medicated flesh of cows. Cow’s milk and urine were of utmost significance in society. The consumption of cow’s milk, which contains less fat than the milk of other milch animals, is useful in the treatment of hypertension and heart ailments, and is also used as a tonic. Cow’s milk does not undergo change in colour. One sip of cow’s urine, after thorough filteration, relieves one from international killer disease known as tuberculosis. Everyday more than 1000 people die of this disorder in India. It is a bigger killer than malaria and AIDS combined and slays more women than all collective cases of maternal mortality. It kills 100,000 children each year in the world. In order to purify (disinfect) the body just after delivery, women are served with cow’s urine followed by repeated filteration.

To ring the hanging bell in religious places regularly relieves one from paralysis. The opposite bare foot is to be disconnected from the earth, while touching the bell to ring. It is because of the fact that the right half of the human brain controls activities of the left side of the body and vice-versa. People in the remote past had been very conscious about self-defence. They moved to the fields at night by stamping big canes on the earth. The waves produced in the earth forced snakes to change their course of movement.

The continuous and regular application of chandan on the forehead relieves one from eyesight disorders and headache. It was thought to be very conducive for purification and disinfection of the air during Havans and cremation ceremonies.

The waist-thread, vernacularly known as tarhagi, was worn by all the male children, once gifted by the father’s sister in yesteryears. The regular use of this beaded thread prevents appendicitis to a great extent.

A virulent disease popularly known as herpes, indigenously called janiyau, leaves the human body in acute painful condition. Regular wearing of the sacred thread (Brahmanical thread by Mohammad Latif) is considered to relieve the men folk from this ailment. The application of ghee (milk-fat) at optimal temperature provides relief to the women in this disease. To tie up this pious thread at the earlobe during excretion prevents the enlargement of prostate gland in males. It causes difficulty during urination in old age. Earlobes contain nerve endings, which serve as sites of acupressure. Obviously, due to occurrence of prostate gland in males, the practice of wearing holy thread was confined to the menfolk only.

The religious view about Peepal, the symbol of Lord Brahma, is absolutely scientific. Gita speaks of this holy tree:

Ashwattha sarav-varikshnam devarsinama ch nard,
Gandharavanama chitratha sidhaman kapilo munih.

This is the only plant in the plant kingdom releasing more amount of oxygen day and night than any other plant. It also bears mention in Atharav veda:

Ashavttha arurh stasaye punvun kritbh,
Tadve putrsaye vednam tat stri swabhramsi.

The latex of this tree is beneficial for TB and cancer. The fruits (botanically ripened inflorescence) when consumed by issueless women or women bearing female offspring only, helps for gift of a son. Use of Peepal twig as toothbrush relieves from alternate day fever. It is customary to say that a person engaged in cutting Peepal trees would lose his son(s). Chopping of this tree means shortage of oxygen in the atmosphere, inviting diseases leading to death of the generations to come.

Travelling for a journey after consuming milk was forbidden in yesteryear. During the movement of the body in travels, the lactose enzymes produced in the belly go on disturbed, with the result of which they cannot digest milk to convert in into curd. Under these circumstances the lactose is fermented in the intestines, producing gases like carbondioxide, hydrogen and acids. This causes intestinal cramps and diarrhoea.

It is believed that a God-fearing person seldom commits an abnormality. The possession of 108 beads in a standard rosary finds its solution in two schools of thoughts. According to first advocacy, number 108 is the resultant of 12 Rashis being continuously affected by nine planets. The cyclic movements of the beads probably accounts for the concentration of the person. The second school reveals that the whole universe is composed of 108 elements. It was very much known to our ancient ancestors. The modern periodic table of elements basically designed by the Russian chemist Mendeleef, contains the same number of elements today.

The head of the dying or dead person is placed pointing towards the north, logistically considering mortals as the earth itself. While alive the head is considered as the North Pole of the body. Since equal poles repel each other, the live head is never kept towards north of the earth even during sleep or rest. In certain cases a cane of Saccharum munja, indigenously known as Kanna, is placed along the length of the corpse. This material, which is also a source of Kusha, nullifies the undesirable radiations produced by the mortal remains.

As a mark of respect for elders, youngsters bow and touch their knees. By this gesture one gets bodily energy for a better behaviour level. The mechanism of blessing by keeping the hand nearly two inches above the head of the blessed is common in India. This is done to judge the cool or hot waves being emitted from the middle of the head region of the blessed. This is the prediction of one’s temperament.

Alchemy was practised by saints as a means of their livelihood only. It bears several references in literature. The feasibility of conversion of copper into gold and mercury into silver is advocated by the togetherness of these metals in the modern periodic table of the elements.

The saints in the past put on minimum clothes to cover themselves. They used to tide over severe winters and summers with yogic exercises. During winters they breathed long only through the right nostril, keeping closed the left one. It helped them in warming the body.

The reverse process was repeated in summers.