Abstract

PREVENTIVE MEASURES EXPLAINED IN AYURVEDA W.S.R. TO INFECTIOUS DISEASE

*Dr. Apoorva Jain, Dr. Omhprakash Shukla, Dr. Vivek Shrivastava and Dr. Pravanjan Acharya

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Abstract

World community is facing an unprecedented pandemic of noval corona virus disease (COVID19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 / SARS-CoV-2 virus. Various terms like Janpadodhwansha (charak), Marak (sushuruta) and janmar (bhela) have been used to describe the epidemic in Ayurveda, communicable diseases have been separately described as Aupsargika roga in Sushruta samhita while as sanchari roga in ashtnga hriday and infectious diseases have been described as aagantuja vyadhi in ayurvedic classics. In this crucial time of covid pandemic when there is no specific treatment is available till today the whole world is looking for the preventive strategies. Similarly, people came to know about immunity during the covid 19 pandemic which is the ability to resist a specific infectious disease. As acharya charaka said that all persons are not equally capable to resist the disease (have no equal immunity). In ayurveda, immunity is explained as a term ‘bala’. Ayurveda, an ancient science of life has holistic approach in prevention and management of diseases. Ayurveda contains a lot of pharmacological as well as non pharmacological prophylactic measures which were widely followed by our ancestors. This paper will try to elaborate and highlight the preventive measures explained in ayurveda like Dincharya (daily regimen), ritucharya (seasonal regimen), sadvritta (the code of good conduct), rasayana etc. for the vast group of people who don‟t have sufficient immunity to fight against various infections. These measures are relevant even today to prevent from various infectious diseases.

Keywords: Ayurveda, preventive, COVID-19, pandemic, infectious, janpadodhwansha, aupsargika, immunity, bala, rasayana.