The body has to be treated as a wound that has to be washed, bandaged, and treated with medicated ointment, three to four times a day. That is the real purpose of food and drink and raiment. Thirst is the disease; drink is the drug. Hunger the disease; food is the medicine. Craving for pleasure is the disease for which detachment is the medicine.(SSS Vol. 6, p. 44)

One whose heart is filled with compassion,

Whose words spell truth,

And who works for the welfare of others

Will never suffer from difficulties

Or diseases even in the Kali age. (SSS Vol.26, p. 37)

The body that yearns to be happy and secure, is subject to disease, decay and death. The Dweller, the self, within the body, is however not born, nor does it die. It is the Atma, God. The body is the temple of God. Hence it is the duty of man to keep the temple in good condition. (SSS Vol.11, p. 148)

Physical health is a pre-requisite for mental health and mental health ensures physical health! An attitude of generosity, of fortitude in the presence of sorrow and loss, a spirit of enthusiasm to do good, to be of service to the best of one’s capacity—these build up the mind as well as the body. The very joy derived from service reacts on the body and makes you free from disease. The body and the mind are closely interrelated. (SSS Vol.1, p. 135)

Scholars, noble men and many such intelligent people carried out a variety of experiments and discovered ways to free this body from disease and illness. When body is ridden with diseases, health wanes and one is afflicted by all kinds of miseries. (SSB 2002, p. 179)

Attachment to others is natural. But there should be a limit to it. When this limit is exceeded, it becomes a disease. This is true in every case. Because of man’s excessive desires, he is prone to diseases of every kind. The most common source of illness among people today is tension. What is the cause of tension? It is indulgence in excesses of various kinds. Men must learn to moderate the hectic pace of living. Hurry causes worry and worry causes disease. ‘Hurry, worry and curry (fatty food)’ are the causes of heart diseases. Therefore the first requirement is control of food and head (the mind). When you control these two, there will be no room for illness. (SSS Vol.28, pp. 184-185)

All the diseases that afflict mankind are caused by four factors: heredity, infection, actions and reactions, and evil forces. (LS, p. 96)

Disease is the absence of ease, Dis-ease. (SS Mar 98, p. 82) Disease does not distinguish between the poor and the rich. (SSSm Vol.7, pp. 311-312)

The human body is subject to afflictions from three sources: Vata(the wind element in the body), Pitta (bile) and Sleshma(phlegm). Hundred and two types of ailments arise from Vata. Forty two kinds of diseases are caused by bile disorders. Phlegm disorders account for as many as 242 different kinds of ailments. Altogether the body is a sink for hundreds of ailments. In his attachment to the body and the fleeting pleasures derived from the senses, man is forgetting the lasting bliss that can be got from the Atmawithin him.

Just as the body is subject to ills arising from vata, pittaand Sleshma, the mind also is liable to ailments from three sources: mala, vikshepa and avarana. It is because of these ailments that man is unable to develop his spiritual nature and acquire knowledge of the Atma. On account of ignorance of his spiritual nature, he regards his mundane existence as the only reality. (SSS Vol.22, pp. 217-218)

What are the causes of diseases? All diseases are a reflection of Pravritti (worldly activity), attachment, the disposition of the mind: Hence, in worldly matters, man should follow the right path. In this context, two elements among the five basic elements are important. Bhikshannam deharakshartham vastram sheeta nivaranam(Food is essential for protecting the body; raiment is necessary for protection against cold). Associated with food is water. These two occupy pride of place in human life. Life is the subtle form of the water consumed by man. The mind is the subtle form of the food taken by man. Hence a close nexus should’ be established between the mind and Prana (life force). As is the food, so is the head. Man’s thoughts, desires and aspirations are related to the kind of food he consumes. For instance, you may discern from practical experience how food affects the mind. The cyclic process which starts with the formation of clouds and ends in the harvest of grain, determines the kind of food one can have.

Heat (or fire) is the basis of this process. This fire is present within man as Jatharagni, the digestive fire, which accounts for the conversion of the food consumed by man into various forms of energy. This fire has to be in proper balance. When the balance is upset, you have illness. The state of man’s body depends on the maintenance of this balance. Man’s entire life depends on preserving this balance. When is the balance upset? When there is no mental steadiness. Men today develop all kinds of intellectual abilities, but they have not learnt how to keep the mind steady. When serenity of mind is achieved, there will be no disease. Illness will not approach you at all. (SSS Vol.26, pp. 51-52)

The aberrations of the mind set up reactions in the body and cause various diseases. The main cause of many human ailments is rooted in the mind. Many diseases have their origin in the thoughts that fill the mind. Bad thoughts cause indigestion, affect the heart, bring about variations in the blood pressure; worries are the cause of many mental diseases. Diabetes and pulmonary diseases are traceable to mental causes. (SSS Vol.31, pp. 39-40)

What are the causes of the maladies afflicting people today? Impure air, polluted water, adulterated foodstuffs, etc. Nor is that all. Even the minds are polluted. These mental ailments are the cause of man’s degradation. Most of the diseases are caused by aberrations of the mind. Ninety per cent of the diseases are psychological. Constant thinking about one’s health is also the cause of many diseases. (SSS Vol.31, p. 225)

The observance of the three P’s, namely, purity, patience, and perseverance, vouchsafes permanent happiness and good health free from diseases. (SSS Vol.27, p. 28)

Overeating has become a social evil, fashionable habit. The stomach cries out, ‘Enough,’ but the tongue insists on more, and man becomes the helpless target of disease. He suffers from corpulence, high blood pressure and diabetes. Moderate food is the best medicine to avoid bodily life. Do not rush to the hospital for every little upset. Too much drugging is also bad. Allow nature full scope to fight the disease and set you right. Adopt more and more the principles of naturopathy, and give up running around for doctors. (SSS Vol.14, p. 196)

It is wise to prevent disease than run after remedies after it has happened or grown beyond control. Man does not attend to precautionary measures; he allows things to worsen and then the disease is aggravated by fear, uncertainty and anxiety. (SSS Vol.23, p. 81)

It is only by sense control and steadfastness that one can lead a happy and healthy life. Along with control of the mind, one should control the temper and avoid tension. Prevention of disease should be the goal. We should aim at a human society free from diseases. It will be a happy day when a hospital gets no patients at all. (SSS Vol.26, p. 47)

Sensuousness is a disease. It denies you ease and peace. The roga (disease) can be cured by Yoga, not by Bhoga. Bhoga means catering to the whims and wildness of the senses; Yogameans regulation and reform of the impulses of the mind, which run after goals laid down by the senses. (SSS Vol.7, p. 60)

When a person is ill, the physician prescribes not only medicine for the disease but also a dietary regimen to be observed strictly. Likewise, for the diseases arising from mundane attachments, in addition to the prescribed drugs-the Karma, Jnana, Bhakti and Yogamargas- qualities such as forbearance, calmness, fortitude, love and compassion have to be cultivated as a dietary regimen. Without these qualities, the spiritual practices alone will be of little avail. When the two are combined, like the positive and negative ends in an electric cell, the disease gets cured. (SSS Vol.20, p. 28)

Most of the experiences you encounter in life are a form of disease rather than a form of enjoyment. Take for example the disease of hunger; food is the medicine for that disease. When you give the medicine of food for this disease of hunger, the disease disappears. You think that taking food is an enjoyment, but it is really a medicine... Thirst is also a disease. When you are affected by it you take some cool water; then the disease is cured. In the same way these six enemies of man, anger, envy, jealousy, egoism, hate and greed are diseases. There are some activities, which act as medicine. You have been thinking wrongly that you are enjoying different types of pleasure, but in fact, you are affected by a number of diseases. Until you recognize that the resident of the body is God, you will continue to be afflicted by all these diseases and sufferings.(DBG, p. 29)

Nasti Lobha Samovyadhi

Nasti Krodha Samorupihi

Nasti Dukha Daridryavath

Nasti Jnana Param Sukham

There is no disease like greed,

No enemy like anger,

No sorrow greater than poverty,

No happiness equal to wisdom.

(SSB 1995, p. 90)

Of all the diseases, the disease of greed, miserliness is on the increase in this world. It is the greed that ruins the human values in a man and turns him into a demon forgetting his reality. The second disease is anger. There is no other enemy than anger. It might be possible to keep under check the external enemies but to control this inner enemy is difficult. It is this anger that destroys human life by forgetting the human qualities. It is the deadliest enemy of mankind. What is the reason for this misery? It is poverty not merely with regard to money but mental poverty and also intellectual poverty. It is intellectual poverty that is responsible for all types of miseries. Man is ruining himself because of his greed, anger and intellectual poverty. There is no other greater pleasure than wisdom; not merely worldly knowledge. There is no other greater joy than spiritual knowledge.(DTB Vol.3, p. 1)

With the advance of technological civilisation on the earth, various deadly, dangerous and mysterious diseases have appeared all over the world. Healthy habits like bathing, keeping the teeth clean, etc., are being considered outmoded and uncivilised by youth. In the name of fashion, many insanitary and morbid practices are adopted. Smoking, drinking, sitting hours in the midst of packed crowds in cinema theatres and subjecting oneself to all kinds of shocks and tensions – all lead to chronic damage both to body and mind. Cancer, eosinophilia, tuberculosis and heart diseases – all these have increased as a result of such deleterious habits. Man has to be vigilant about his habits, his desires, his emotions, the impressions he gathers through his eyes and ears, the books he reads, the films he sees, etc (Sanathana Sarathi June 2021 p 25)