(Bhagavan with Healthcare Providers)
Extract taken from: (An Integral And Hol(y)stic Approach To Human Ailments: Vitamin G, Food And Yoga For Physical And Spiritual Health)
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)
Health is the essential pre-requisite for success in all aspects of life, for realising the four ideals that should guide humans---namely, moral living, prosperity, fulfilling beneficial desires and liberation from grief. Everywhere man seeks to live happily and peacefully but happiness and peace are not won from worldly activities. 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.
Health is necessary for gaining this world and the next, for earning worldly and other worldly progress, to realise the very purpose for which the Self has embodied itself in this human form, namely, to become aware of its source, the Paramatma. In order to attain this goal, the ideals of righteousness, prosperity, moral desire and release from grief have to be practised with the help of a sound mind in a sound body. (SSS Vol.11, p. 148)
There should be a harmonious blend of religion, philosophy and art for man to live healthily in the world. In this context religion means the religion of love. This is the only religion in the world. There is only one caste, the caste of humanity. One should cultivate human values for healthy living. This calls for harmony in thought, word and deed. When you cultivate this harmony you will be free from desires and fear (SSS Vol.26, p. 43)
Man suffers from two types of ills, physical and mental; the one caused by the dis-equilibrium of the three tempers of Vata, Pitta and Sleshma (wind, bile and phlegm) and the other caused by the dis-equilibrium of the three Gunas: sattva, rajas and tamas (qualities of serenity, passion and inertia). One peculiar fact about these two types of illnesses is that the cultivation of virtue cures both. 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)
What are the main causes of ill-health? Millions of living beings grouped as species dwell on the earth; they sustain themselves by means of food secured from Nature, as provided by Nature. It is only man that is an exception. In order to cater to his palate and other senses, he changes the composition and characteristics of the things provided by nature and prepares, through the process of boiling, frying and mixing, concoctions which have no vitality in them. Birds and beasts do not adopt such destructive methods. They eat things raw and consume the strength giving vital essence. So, they do not fall victim to the many ills that man brings on himself. (SSS Vol.11, pp. 148-149)
Do realize that man has no contentment
Despite acquiring plenty of riches and luxuries
Peace and contentment will accrue to man
Only when he attains consciousness (Atma tattva)
For man health is the greatest wealth. From time immemorial, many countries have been delving into the ways to preserve good health and disseminating the knowledge among all. In the absence of sound health, human aspirations become futile. Unable to realize this truth, man is losing his wealth by wrong habits. Right from ancient times, Indians and Romans have been espousing the cause of good health and endeavouring to achieve it. Of course, several other nations have also been conscious of the importance of health. Realising that health was indeed the greatest wealth, they went on to treat each limb of the body like the head, the mouth, the nose, the eyes, etc., as a separate unit in itself. Thus, focusing on each part, they adopted specific modes of nurture for each. Such well-nurtured state of health among mankind has gradually deteriorated now. In France, for one, discipline in respect of food was practised meticulously. Not because they thought that body was all-important to man, but because they had visualized that soul resided within the body. And when the house is safe, the resident will be peaceful and comfortable.
So, you may be thinking that this body would anyway perish, today or tomorrow. It may indeed be a water bubble. But many are the legendary persons who used this water bubble to lead an ideal life, accomplishing monumental deeds and studying profound theories. Here deha, the body, became essential means for Desha, the nation, to reveal sacred ideals. Principles of perfect life were propagated to other countries through the virtuous lives and meritorious deeds of the individuals in the nation.
Today’s youth do not understand this secret of life. Dawn to dusk they adopt unhealthy ways of living and face miserable consequences. 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. In the modern times in particular, Romans evolved a perfect model for health, aiming to mould each limb of the body into a strong and well-nurtured part. Besides, the youth strove to develop the three important qualities of character, courtesy and gentleness. Consequently, they continued to have long lasting strong bodies and remained self-reliant. Even at the age of ninety years, they were independent and looked after themselves without anybody’s help. They also gave importance to beauty along with health. The body possessed charm and good looks only when it was healthy.
So, to retain beauty we should pay great attention to health. Nowadays, why does a teenager of 16 years look like a decrepit of 60 years? The unhealthy practices that they are used to in their daily lives are the actual reason for this. As soon as we wake up in the morning, we should cleanse our mouth. The inner and outer sides of teeth should be brushed well. Surface of the tongue should be cleaned thoroughly. For, mouth is the front entrance, the gateway for all diseases. While talking to each other we should be cautious of unpleasant odour. Health should thus be protected through hygiene. Not only this, each working part of the body should be fit and robust. We should always be aware of the truth that divinity is inherent in each limb and organ of the body. That is why Vedas extol God as “Angirasa”, the essential fluid in the limbs. Each part of the body has its intrinsic characteristic goodness.
You should learn from Mahabharata, how strong were the Indians who protected their health in this manner. At the time of the Great War, Bhishma’s age was 115 years and he was Commander-in-Chief. Similarly, Krishna was eighty-six and Arjuna was eighty-four. Such were the mighty warriors of those days who lived with health and happiness. Thus by preserving health, the men and women of those times were able to be exemplars for many ideals to the nation. They ate and slept in time. Ate lightly; never partook of anything out of schedule. The other day I told you a poem:
From the time you wake up till you go to bed
You spend your life, irresponsibly,
for eking out livelihood
Having forgotten God, and mis-utilising your
learning
What heights of happiness have you reached? Do
think honestly, O man! (Telugu Poem)
(Swami then sang a Telugu rhyme on good habits for
students)
As the cock crows, get out of bed;
Brush your teeth and relieve yourself,
Bathe, dress up and breakfast.
It’s good to eat light and chew well
As you relish your favourite dish.
Off to school for serious studies;
And the good remarks of being a humble child.
Don’t get wet and don’t play in dirty puddles.
When it’s play time sprint, jump or dribble the ball.
If you follow the above directions
You will enjoy the wealth of health.
(SSB 2002, pp. 179-183)
The Arogya-nilayam (hospital) is superfluous if the Ananda-nilayam (the abode of bliss) is efficiently utilised by you, for when the mind is immersed in Ananda, the body will not suffer from illness. The body is the vehicle which you have to use for attaining the state of bliss and so, it has to be kept safe and strong for that high purpose. It is an instrument for spiritual effort, which has been earned by the merit of previous births. Every moment, it is proceeding towards dissolution and so time should not be wasted in vain pursuits. It is even better to think of the body as mean and low, rather than raise it to the level of the be-all and end-all of life. Treat it as a wound, which has to be covered by bandage (clothes), treated with drugs (food) and washed (drink); you can get rid of this inordinate attachment, only by that method.
You can get real urge and inspiration to serve others only when you get rid of the identification with the body. When a man suffers from acute stomach pain, his eyes water, why? Because, the various organs---eye, stomach, etc.---are all of the same body. So too, when one man suffers, your eyes must shed tears and you must be urged to alleviate it. This will happen if you know that you and he are limbs of the self-same Divine Body. The idea of difference (bheda bhava), arises on account of the ignorance of the Truth. When people get angry, they gnash their teeth, but, they take care not to bite the tongue, for the tongue is theirs; if by chance, the tongue is bit, they do not knock the teeth out, for the teeth is theirs. So too, the sick man, the poor man, the suffering man, the illiterate man, the wicked man, are all limbs of the same body, of which we too are parts. The same current activates all. To realise this and to merge in that Unity is the purpose of this life in the human body. (SSS Vol.5, pp. 44-45)
Man is the victim of many a pain; to those who identify themselves with body, life is a series of trouble and misery. But to those who know that the body is but a vehicle, these cannot cause anxiety. Bodily health is important, for ill-health affects mental poise and concentration. When the body is fit, mental functions too run smooth; when the body suffers, the mind too gets unsettled. So, this raft called body which is the only means of getting across the sea of samsara (worldly life), has to be kept in good trim.
Untruth, injustice, anxiety---all cause leaks and loosen the knots of the raft. With such a poor raft, it is foolish to attempt the crossing. The raft has to be cast aside when the crossing has been affected; there is no more use for it. The human raft is the most efficient, for it is built out of viveka, vichakshana and vairagya (discrimination, ability and non-attachment), hard timber that can stand the beat of wave and the sway of current. If one does not make the best use of this chance, it may not come again for a long, long time.
Devotion and morality are as important for physical health as they are for mental health. They free the mind from agitation, they feed it with joy and contentment; they quieten the nerves and help even bodily processes. The flowers of this garland were buds yesterday; they bloomed this morning; they have started to fade now and tomorrow they will rot and dry. But, the string that holds them together interpenetrating them is not subject to such change; it was string yesterday, it is string now and it will be string tomorrow. The unchanging Atma and the changing body---analyse them thus and be convinced of the eternal universal core of your being. As thinking, discriminating human being, it is your responsibility to discharge this duty to yourself. And also to your country! For, India deserved the honour of the "World Teacher" because her people always insisted on this great responsibility and tried to discharge it. But, when Indians neglected this and attached value to physical comfort and social status, the land fell into the morass of competitive struggle. (SSS Vol.4, p. 144)
Realise the human values first
Today man is forgetting his essential humanness. The first requisite is for man to realise human values: Truth, Righteousness, Peace and Love. For a bulb to burn, you need a connecting wire, a switch and electric current. For man, that current is Truth or God. It is energy. This divine energy has to flow through the wire of Dharma (Righteousness) reach the bulb of Shanti (Peace) and produce the light of Prema (Love). Love is God. Live in Love. Love is everything. Without love, life is a living death for man.
Love expresses itself in many forms in relation to different persons, but is essentially one. Today love is tainted by selfishness, whether in relation to the mother, the spouse or the children or others. Man s selfishness is polluting the entire society. 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)
You can purchase drugs, but you cannot purchase health.
You can purchase a bed but you cannot purchase sleep. You might employ even the most expert doctors, but you cannot ward off health.
So, realise the goal of life, without delay.
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 Atma within him.
Just as the body is subject to ills arising from Vata, pitta and 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)
Health is an essential requisite of man. The man afflicted with ill-health is powerless to execute even the least burdensome assignment. The scriptures proclaim that health is the very root of all endeavours in the four fields of human achievement---Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha (righteousness, wealth, desire and liberation). Without health man cannot brave temptations, earn a decent living, fulfil his basic needs or succeed in spiritual sadhana. Man can engage himself in obligatory and optional functions only if he is healthy.
Food and recreational habits are the two main causes for ill-health. Great care has to be bestowed to ensure that injurious tendencies do not affect these two. At present, though drugs have multiplied and hospitals have been established in every nook and corner, ill-health is also widespread. This situation is attributable to the spread of deleterious food habits and pastimes. (SSS Vol. 10, p. 55)
The secret of perfect health lies in keeping the mind always cheerful! Never worried, never hurried, and never borne down by any fear, thought or anxiety. (MBI, p. 246)
Anger is another enemy of good health. It injects poison into the blood stream and brings about profound transformation that damage. (SSS Vol.11, p. 150)
Punar vittam punar mithram
Punar bharya punar mahi,
Etat sarvam punar labhyam
Na Sariram punah punah.
Wealth once lost can be regained by one way or the other. If a friend is lost, one can make many more through good feelings. If a wife is lost, one can marry again. If land is lost, it can be reacquired through some means. But once the body is lost, it can never be regained.
“Sariram Madhyam Khalu Dharma Sadhanam (the body is gifted to man to undertake righteous actions.)” So, it has to be sanctified by performing sacred deeds. Health is very essential in order to do so. In fact, health is the very foundation on which human life rests. If health is lost, you have to suffer in many ways. There is no greater wealth than health.
The body is a combination of different limbs. So, only when all limbs are utilised for sacred purposes can one have pushti and santushti (good health and happiness). For a healthy mind, one should have a healthy body. The Atma sustains human life on the basis of health of the body and the mind. A healthy human body is the very foundation for all virtuous and good actions.
Excessive activity in any field is harmful to health
We have to investigate why we lose our health. Excessive thinking, worrying, and studying is the main cause for man’s illness. Some students are absorbed in studies all the time, because of which they lose their health. There a limit to everything.
The Greek philosopher, Aristotle conducted extensive research on the digestive system of man, and as a result of too much of thinking, his health deteriorated, and ultimately he died of digestive problems. Constant investigations into cardiac ailments made the heart specialist, Dr. Herin a heart patient and ultimately led to his death. Excessive activity in any field is harmful to health. Bear in mind the limitations of the body and act accordingly.
The main cause for your illness is psychological. This is nothing but illusion and delusion. We start imagining that a disease that is present in another person may also be present in us. 80% of the diseases are psychological. If you check your pulse rate under anxiety, you will find it abnormal. Do not bestow undue attention on your health. Discharge your duties peacefully and happily, and then everything will be all right.
We are propagating principles of human values among the students. You should be aware of the capabilities of each student. Weak students should be equipped adequately both physically and mentally before they are taught higher values. The truth that health is wealth should be imprinted in their hearts. (SSS Vol.31, pp. 416-418)
It is true that health is wealth. dharmartha kama mokshanam arogyam mulam uttamam. Health is the fundamental requirement to achieve the four goals of human life, namely, dharma (righteousness), artha (wealth), kama (desire) and moksha (liberation). However, once you attain the state of bliss, you can always enjoy good health. Man is deluded with the feeling that he can lead a blissful life by acquiring wealth and position of authority. Neither wealth nor position of authority can confer bliss on you. Bliss can be experienced only when you visualise unity in diversity. If you do not understand the principle of unity and attain bliss, all the service activities like construction of hospitals will be of little consequence. (SSS Vol.35, p. 22)
All that you eat, all that you see, all that you hear, all that you take in through the senses, make a dent on your health. (SSS Vol.2, p. 78)
Man has two varieties of troubles: the physical due to the imbalance between the three humours, Vata, Pitta and Sleshma, and the spiritual, due to the imbalance of the three gunas, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.
Spiritual health is preserved and promoted by attention to three gunas: Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Health is preserved and promoted by attention to the three humours: ‘Vata’ (wind) ‘Pitta’ (bile) and ‘Kapha’ (phlegm). ‘Tri-dosha’ has to be avoided, that is to say, the three humours must not get vitiated or unbalanced. A healthy body is the best container for a healthy mind; illness makes the mind agitated and anxious. The material and spiritual are the two pans in the balance; they have to be attended to, in equal measure, at least until a certain stage of progress is attained in spiritual development. (SIP, p. 178)
You must care not to eat too much and spoil health. When body is ill, mind too becomes weak, and the brain cannot work properly. The mind is the key to health and happiness and so, food must be so chosen that it does not affect the mind adversely; along with sattvika food, the mind must also be given a special diet like Dhyana, Japa and Namasmarana etc. to keep it sound and steady. (SIP, pp. 170-171)
For a happy and healthy life, apart from proper medical attention, pure drinking water is also essential. My plan of action for the welfare of humanity is stupendous. It is bound to succeed. If one takes up a sacred task, one need not be concerned about the resources. There is no dearth of resources in our country. But there are very few who have the noble intention of doing good to society. When you undertake a sacred task, even Nature will extend all its help. The sacred epic Ramayana stands ample testimony to this. When Rama, the embodiment of Dharma, was proceeding to Lanka to rescue His consort Sita, Nature extended all its cooperation. He was helped by monkeys and even by a small squirrel. (DD on 19-01-2002, pp. 3-5)