‘Grandfather Paradox’ of Non MBBS AYUSH vaidyas

From the pre-historic times, man is continuously bettering and bettering his knowledge, understanding, wisdom, skill, quality of life etc. Even an uneducated father would always advise his son or daughter to understand and learn rather than memorize and regurgitate. Everyone in all walks of life always loves to follow and advise only such prophecy. Ironically the same man admits a great contradiction to existing in his religious cults and practices. Religious understanding and belief systems always want faithful following rather than sense of reasoning and understanding.

The devotees and believers of God are always told to recite and repeat several mantras even if the devotees do not understand the meaning or essence of all those mantras. The explanation/justification given for the above is that all these mantras will create several positive vibrations and such vibrations will do wonders to the one who chants. So even if the meaning of mantras is not understood, still repeated recitation is sufficient. Even if we could not chant, if we even passively hear someone chanting is also is fine.

See the amazing marketing insight of our ancient Sages and Rishis. They did everything so smartly to market their products and concepts. They saw to it that no one asks any question about its use, how they can chant and recite such mantras when they don’t understand the meaning etc. To block all such possible questions, the ancient sages and God men have invented so wisely the positive vibes theory of mantras. These positive vibes cannot be seen but can only be experienced. To experience, one has to dedicate and must chant all such mantras. How long one may have to do the above to experience, no Sage is ready to answer but would say, it is all about one's commitment and sincerity.

AYUSH is born only from such cult of culture. No one should question its merit, usefulness or science but must faithfully believe and follow. The big question is how a nation with 1.33 billion populations can afford to promote AYUSH as medical science, drug, diagnosis and cure based system?

The science of Tridosha resides inside human faith and not in experimentation or explanations or scientific proof. Therefore we should not ask any questions about Tridosha but must believe and follow. The descriptions of various diseases according to vata, pitta and kapha, we should simply follow but do not question because the system is sacred therefore needs no science. The so-called products of AYUSH are ‘drugs’ so no one needs to doubt about their efficacy or science is the single point argument of most proponents of AYUSH.

From the system of AYUSH, we have produced huge number of AYUSH vaidyas as doctor but interestingly most of them have not learned anything about Tridosha in practical sense, how to measure Vata, Pitta or kapha, where these Tridoshas are located in our body, how several diseases can occur as a result of imbalance of these doshas, how the wonder drugs of AYUSH would correct these doshas …….etc., but we are promoting AYUSH as medical science.

Many countries do respect and value their native health care practices and even WHO recognize such native health care system. The argument is that what is wrong in promoting our ancient health care system if it is really useful. No one would disagree with such intent. The point of difference is not in promoting AYUSH or popularizing it but promoting AYUSH as medical science, drug, diagnosis, and cure based science and that is only creating great confusion in our society.

We have created an almost similar identity to AYUSH graduates like MBBS doctors. As a result of the above, the ordinary man cannot understand how different is BSMS, MD from MBBS, MD?

Because of such wrong policy that we have adopted in promoting AYUSH as medical science since 1970, cross pathy and quackery rein and rule our health care system. Most of the institutionally qualified AYUSH vaidyas migrate to cross pathy and allopathic practice as they do not find any science or merit in an own system that they have studied for 5 ½ years or more.

The question is why the system that has been rejected largely by the institutionally qualified AYUSH vaidya in private practice, Government must sponsor, patronage and promote as medical science and produce graduates from such system as a doctor?

Should we search and find solutions to our health problems from our tradition, heritage, and culture or from science?

Why we create cognitive dissonance in our health policy, governance and administration? On one side we are talking high about development, Digitalization, E and M-Governance, providing internet facility to every nook and corner of India and on the other side, the faith-based, unscientific, occult, obscurant practices and its products we are promoting as drugs and medical science.

Doesn’t the definition of development also must include health care sector as well? Should we not approach the concept of development at 360˚? Can we afford to be selective and segmental according to our convenience?

We are bringing great reforms in the allopathic system. Such initiatives are a must. But equally scrapping AYUSH from the status of medical science is important to save our country. From nothing to nonsense is only happening in AYUSH.

Equal to some of the most common allopathic brands like Avil, Cetrizine or Crocin, do we have any product from AYUSH but AYUSH proponents claim they have drugs for HIV, Cancer, Arthritis, Psoriasis…….and what not?

Growth and development index of our country should not be measured only in terms of its economy but also must be based on what scientific temperament the country display. By promoting AYUSH as medical science, what scientific temperament and value we display to the world? Are we not doing great injustice to our people by gifting AYUSH as medical science?

We should promote AYUSH, certainly not as medical science but as paramedical practice. Not as an alternative to allopathy but to offer paramedical support to the allopathic system, wherever required.

All progressive countries have kept both education and health care outside of party politics.

Today we need paramedical personals and paramedical recipes more than doctors and drugs. The large AYUSH resource can be wisely employed to meet such requirement.

AYUSH vaidyas often get angry when we question because

1. They do not have answers
2. They are not trained to question the system but to believe blindly

Is this kind of ‘stuff’ we should promote as medical science?

A great scientific study is in the offing from one Government institution i.e., Ayurveda fortified milk. Organic milk, high fat milk and now Ayurveda cow milk to boost immunity and memory will soon hit the market.

Some scientists are burning the midnight oil to feed different breeds to cows with Ayurveda ‘drugs’ such as Centella and Tribala so that the Ayurveda drugs will fortify the milk. Such Ayurveda fortified milk would boost the memory and immunity. What an amazing science?

How sure are we that these Ayurveda ‘drugs’ doesn’t improve the memory of the cow? If it improves the memory of the cow, won’t the cow possibly ask why it should produce so much of milk to man as the milk is actually meant for its calf?

When we made our cow holier and played politics over it, some scientists are attempting to make the cow milk holier through Ayurveda. In some Government Research institutions whether science or Ayurveda is happening or pleasing some political outfit, time has come, the people of this country must verify.

Why are we so unconcerned about such wastage of tax payer’s money? Time is up we must wake up to science and not to superstition.

“असतोमा सद्गमय
तमसोमा ज्योतिर् गमय
मृत्योर्मामृतं गमय
ॐ शान्ति शान्ति शान्ति“

Dr. S Ranganathan