SIDDHA MEDICINE: INDIAN MEDICINE

     The Siddha medicine is a form of south Indian Tamil traditional medicine and part of the trio Indian medicines - ayurveda, siddha and unani. However Lord Sri Akshunna, a master of northern siddha tradition, says there is use of siddha medicine in the north Indian part or rather in Himalayan region as jhar phuk and siddha buti (medicine) tantra. This system of medicine was popular in ancient India,due to the antiquity of this medical system,the siddha system of medicine is believed to be the oldest medical system in the known universe. The system is believed to be developed by the 9 nath and 84 siddhas in the north and 18 siddhas in the south called siddhar. They are the ancient supernatural spiritual saints of India and the Siddha system is believed to be handed over to the Siddhar by the Hindu God - Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi. So are the siddhars, the followers of Lord Shiva (saivam). Siddhar's total nos are eighteen in themagathiyar is the first siddhar.




 History


According to the scriptures,[which?] there were 18 principal siddhars. Of these 18, agasthiyar is believed to be the father of siddha medicine. Siddhars were of the concept that a healthy soul can only be developed through a healthy body. So they developed methods and medication that are believed to strengthen their physical body and thereby their souls. Men and women who dedicated their lives into developing the system were called Siddhars. They practiced intense yogic practices, including years of fasting and meditation. And believed to have achieved super natural powers and gained the supreme wisdom and overall immortality. Through this spiritually attained supreme knowledge, they wrote scriptures on all aspects of life, from arts to science and truth of life to miracle cure for diseases.


The Siddhars wrote their knowledge in palm leaf manuscripts, fragments of which were found in different parts of South India. It is believed that some families may possess more fragments, but keep them solely for their own use.


From these manuscripts, the siddha system of medicine developed into a part of Indian medical science. Today there are recognized siddha medical colleges, run under the government universities where siddha medicine is taught.[citation needed]


Siddha medicine means medicine that is perfect. Siddha medicine is claimed to revitalize and rejuvenate dysfunctional organs hat cause the disease and to maintains the ratio of vata, pitta and kapha. The siddha medicine given to practitioners include leaves, flowers, fruit and various roots in a mixed basis. In some extraordinary cases this medicine is not at all cured. For those such cases they recommend to take Thanga Pashpam in it Gold is also added in an Eating method.


Most of the practicing Siddha medical practitioners are traditionally trained, usually in families and also by different gurus (teachers). When the guru is also a martial arts teacher, he is also known as an ashan. They make a diagnosis after a patient's visit and sets about to refer their manuscripts for the appropriate remedies which a true blue physician compounds himself or herself from thousands of herbal and herbo-mineral resources. The methodology of siddha thought helped decipher many causes of disorders and the formulation of curious remedies which may sometimes have more than 250 ingredients.




Basics

Generally the basic concepts of the Siddha medicine are almost similar to ayurveda. The only difference appears to be that the siddha medicine recognizes predominance of vatham, pitham and kapam in childhood, adulthood and old age respectively, whereas in ayurveda it is totally reversed: kapam is dominant in childhood, vatham in old age and pitham in adults.


According to the Siddha medicine various psychological and physiological functions of the body are attributed to the combination of seven elements: first is saram (plasma) responsible for growth, development and nourishment; second is cheneer (blood) responsible for nourishing muscles, imparting colour and improving intellect; the third is ooun (muscle) responsible for shape of the body; fourth is kollzuppu (fatty tissue) responsible for oil balance and lubricating joints; fifth is elumbu (bone) responsible for body structure and posture and movement; sixth is moolai (brain) responsible for strength; and the last is sukila (semen) responsible for reproduction. Like in Ayurveda, in Siddha medicine also the physiological components of the human beings are classified as vatha (air), pitha (fire) and kapha (earth and water).




Concept of disease and cause


It is assumed that when the normal equilibrium of three humors (vatha, pitha and kapha) is disturbed, disease is caused. The factors, which assumed to affect this equilibrium are environment, climatic conditions, diet, physical activities, and stress. Under normal conditions, the ratio between these three humors (vatha, pitha and kapha) is 4:2:1, respectively.


According to the siddha medicine system, diet and life style play a major role not only in health but also in curing diseases. This concept of the siddha medicine is termed as pathya and apathya, which is essentially a list of do's and don'ts.




 Diagnosis


In diagnosis, examination of eight items is required which is commonly known as astasthana-pariksa. These are:






1.Na (tongue): black in vatha, yellow or red in pitha, white in kapha, ulcerated in anaemia.


2.Varna (colour): dark in vatha, yellow or red in pitha, pale in kapha;


3.Svara (voice): normal in vatha, high pitched in pitha, low pitched in kapha, slurred in alcoholism.


4.Kan (eyes): muddy conjunctiva, yellowish or red in pitha, pale in kapha.


5.Sparisam (touch): dry in vatha, warm in pitha, chill in kapha, sweating in different parts of the body.


6.Mala (stool): black stools indicate vatha, yellow pitha, pale in kapha, dark red in ulcer and shiny in terminal illness.


7.Neer (urine): early morning urine is examined; straw colour indicates indigestion, reddish yellow excessive heat, rose in blood pressure, saffron colour in jaundice and looks like meat washed water in renal disease.


8.Nadi (pulse): the confirmatory method recorded on the radial art




 Drugs


The drugs used by the Siddhars could be classified into three groups: thavara (herbal product), thathu (inorganic substances) and jangamam (animal products). The thathu drugs are further classified as uppu (water soluble inorganic substances or drugs that give out vapour when put into fire), pashanam (drugs not dissolved in water but emit vapour when fired), uparasam (similar to pashanam but differ in action), loham (not dissolved in water but melt when fired), rasam (drugs which are soft) and ghandhagam (drugs which are insoluble in water, like sulphor).


The drugs used in siddha medicine were classified on the basis of five properties: suvai (taste), guna (character), veerya (potency), pirivu (class) and mahimai (action).


According to their mode of application the siddha medicine could be categorized into two classes:


Internal medicine was used through the oral route and further classified in to 32 categories based on their form, methods of preparation, shelf life, etc.


External medicine includes certain forms of drugs and also certain applications like nasal, eye and ear drops and also certain procedures like leech application.it also classified in to 32 categories.


 Treatment


The treatment in siddha medicine is aimed at keeping the three humors in equilibrium and maintenance of seven elements. So proper diet, medicine and a disciplined regimen of life are advised for a healthy living and to restore equilibrium of humors in diseased condition. Saint Thiruvalluvar explains four requisites of successful treatment. These are the patient, the attendant, physician and medicine. When the physician is well qualified and the other agents possess the necessary qualities, even severe diseases can be cured easily. The treatment should be commenced as early as possible after assessing the course and cause of the disease. Treatment is classified into three categories: devamaruthuvum (Divine method); manuda maruthuvum (rational method); and asura maruthuvum (surgical method). In Divine method medicines like parpam, chendooram, guru, kuligai made of mercury, sulfur and pashanams are used. In the rational method, medicines made of herbs like churanam, kudineer, vadagam are used. In surgical method, incision, excision, heat application, blood letting, leech application are used.


According to therapies the treatments of siddha medicines could be further categorized into following categories such as purgative therapy, emetic therapy, fasting therapy, steam therapy, oleation therapy, physical therapy, solar therapy and blood letting therapy, yoga therapy, etc.