Diseases: Causes and Remedies

Diseases: Causes and Remedies

My Findings 1. I shall now describe the primary causes of diseases and remedial measures as given in this work

NOTES

According to ancient Hindu conceptions certain types of diseases such as tuberculosis, cancer, etc,, are Karma Vyadhis being the consequences of certain prohibited acts which the native must have done in his past life. The Western medical men try to find for every disease causes within the body, and they are treated by medicines, surgery, etc., The majority of Hindus however still believe in the ancient theory of our suffering, physical, mental, etc., in this life, being the consequence of certain acts done in our previous life or lives. Karma Vipaka is an ancient work listing the various diseases, how they arise and what remedial measures, which mainly consist of japa, homa, dana, etc., should be adopted. Western medical science has not said and cannot say the last word on ill-health and its healing. We have to consider what the sages say with respect and faith.

Rajayakshma (Consumption)

My Findings 2. The reason for the terrible disease consumption is that in the previous birth, the native might have caused violence to Brahmins, hated the preceptors and elders or might have indulged in sexual enjoyment at the times of eclipses. The remedies are chanting the Sahasra Nama, Rudra Sukta, Aindragni and Suktas accompanied by Havana; and giving clothes as gifts.

Karsya (Emaciation)

My Findings 3. According to smritis stealing food is the main cause for karsya or emaciation. As a remedial measure, an image of Siva should be gifted.

Kushta Roga (Leprosy)

My Findings 4. The primary cause of leprosy can be found in murdering Brahmins, enjoying the wife of the preceptor, engaging in illicit sale of medicines or attempting to poison a trusted person. The remedial measures are: chanting rudra sukta, ayusukta and gifting the images of the Sun and the bull made of gold to venerable Brahmins and performing kushmanda homa.

Swetakushta (White leprosy)

My Findings 5. Besides the causes specified in the previous stanza, misappropriation of large quantities of cotton rolls, clothes and bronze vessels will also lead to one suffering from white leprosy.

Remedial measures are also the same as given in My Findings4.

Visarpa (Serpis)

My Findings 6. Killing serpents or having them killed by others is the cause for one suffering from Visarpa. The remedy is nagadana or gifting the image of a serpent as specified in the smritis.

Pandu Roga (Leucoderma)

My Findings 7. Stealing the wealth of the Deities and Brahmins and eating forbidden foods give rise to leucoderma. Performance of kushmanda homa and gifting of gold are the palliatives.

Atisara (Dysentery)

My Findings 8. Destroying tanks and wells is the cause for Atisara. The remedy as per sages is the recitation of Rudrasukta and Varunasukta.

Grahani (Face Disease)

My Findings 9. Tearing away the lips, breaking the teeth and cutting away the tongues of others; talking ill and disparagingly of elderly persons; uttering falsehood and becoming a false witness are the causes for disease in the face. The remedies are Kushmanda homa, Gayatri Japa and giving in charity a gold figure of the elephant, grains and medicines.

Arsa Roga (Piles)

My Findings  10. The causes of piles are misappropriating of the wealth of the learned and the blind; stealing food, having sex relations on prohibited days and killing cows. The remedy is the gifting of the figure of a cow made of gold.

Netra Roga (Eye Disease)

My Findings 11. Eye diseases are the consequence of ingratitude, casting wily glances at other women and injuring others' eyes. The remedies are giving payasa prepared with milk or dhal, gold, ghee and gifting the figure of Garuda and performance of Homas and chanting Netra-raksha sukta or Netraraksha mantra with devotion.

Nakandhya (Partial Blindness)

My Findings 12. The disease of nakandhya is due to the injuring or blinding of cow's eyes. The remedies are, giving in charity the image of Gopala.

Kama Roga (Ear Disease)

My Findings 13. Back-biting, tearing away others' ears and obstructing others' actions are said to be the causes of Karnaroga. Giving in charity land, gold, grains and woollen goods and chanting Surya Mantra are the palliatives.

Jihwa Roga (Lingual Disease)

My Findings 14. The causes for lingual disease are scolding preceptors and elderly persons, uttering falsehood, causing grief to others, tearing away others' tongues. Gifting grains, medicines, performing kushmanda homa and chanting Rahu mantra or other Suktas are the remedies.

Vatha Roga (Rheumatism)

My Findings 15. Criticizing pious and respectable people, hating parents and preceptors and stealing food are the causes for rheumatism. The remedial measures are giving in charity the image of a deer made of copper along with clothes and wholesome food and reciting or chanting Vayu Sukta and other Vayu Mantras.

Soola (Colic Trouble)

My Findings 16. Having relations with virgins, animals, widows and maid-servants; consuming prohibited food, abandoning the performance of essential rituals, indulging in back-biting, killing a person by poison or sharp weapon are the root causes for colic troubles. The remedies are thila dana and padma dana and gifting away a trident made of silver or gold.

Gulma (Spleen Disease)

My Findings 17. Deep-seated enmity towards and ill-treatment of the preceptor, envy and misuse of another's food are the main causes for the disease Gulma. The remedies are Homa with Aindragni-sukta, chanting of Rudrasukta and Vayusukta, chanting of Gayatri Mantra and gifting of the image of Ganapati.

Prameha

My Findings 18. Sexual relations with animals, unmarried virgins, wives of preceptors and widows, hatred of teachers, stealing of food from Brahmins and causing grief to others are the causes of Prameha. Besides these, illicit relations with mother, mother-in-law and brother's wife cause madhu meha or diabetes.

My Findings 19. Homas and gifting of gold, cow, water and food and chanting of varuna mantra relieve one of diabetes.

Mahodara (Dropsy)

My Findings 20. The cause of this disease is sex relations with the wife of the preceptor and causing of abortions. The remedies are chanting Rudra sukta and Varunasukta and giving in charity the image of a crocodile and water.

Mootra Krucha (Urinary Disease)

My Findings 21. Physical intimacy with unmarried virgins, animals and widows and ill-treating Brahmins are the main causes for urinary diseases. The remedies are gifting gingelly seeds and lotus flowers. Performing 'Homas' with insufficient fire leads to Agnimandya. The palliative is the chanting of Agnimantra.

Bhagandara (Fistula)

My Findings 22. Disregarding the advice of elders and preceptors and sex-relations with the wife of the preceptor cause Bhagandara- The remedies are giving jewels, silver, gold and image of an elephant made of gold and chanting Gayatri mantra, Aditya-sukta and Rudrasukta.

Vidhradhi

My Findings  23. Stealing fruits is the cause of Vidhradhi roga. The remedies are performing amradana asper the injunctions of Smritis.

Kantha Roga (Throat Disease)

My Findings 24. Stealing public prosperty results in one suffering from throat disease. Grahasanti and gifting ratnas are the remedies.

Siro Roga (Headache)

My Findings 25. The cause of disease of the head is hatred towards Brahmins. The remedies are repentence and gifting of the sacred thread.

Asrugadhara

My Findings 26. This disease is caused by destroying Aswatha and other sacred trees and injuring cows. The remedy consists of gifting a red cow.

Apasmara (Epilepsy)

My Findings 27. The cause of Apasmara is the killing of preceptors and masters. Japa, Dana and other measures recommended in Smritis of the sages are the remedies.

Mookathwa and Unmada (Dumbness and Insanity)

My Findings 28. Ridiculing elderly persons, always engrossed in pleasures and casting eyes on others' wives and breaking of promises lead to dumbness, lunacy etc. The remedies suggested are gifting of an elephant image.

Fevers

My Findings 29. Fevers arising from cold and heat and recurring fevers are caused by intimidating others with the help of a dog. Remedies are the performance of Abhisheka for Vishnu and Siva and chanting of Panchadurgamantra and Rudrasukta.

NOTES

For fevers arising from cold and heat Abhisheka of Siva and Vishnu are said to be more appropriate. For intermittent fevers remedies other than the two mentioned here are recommended.

Daha (Thirst)

My Findings 30. Daha or extreme thirst arises because of sins such as intimacy with the preceptor's wife. The remedy is giving water to the thirsty.

Vrana Roga (Ulcers)

My Findings 31. Stealing vegetables, obstructing others' speeches, maltreating others and immoral relationship with undesirable women and destroying trees lead to ulcers. The remedy is gifting Ratna or pearls or precious ring.

Ulcers in the hands and the legs

My Findings 32. Ulcers in the hands and legs are respectively due to causing abortion and having immoral relationship with the preceptor's wife. Giving Ratna as a gift to Brahmins is the remedy.

Childlessness

My Findings 33. The causes for one getting no issues are: killing children, eating eggs, hating preceptors and others' children, killing animals, causing dissensions between mother and child, killing young pet animals and not performing the annual sraddha ceremony. The remedy is gifting a cow's image made of gold.

Aruchi and Chardhi

My Findings 34. Giving in charity anything without due regard and devotion will lead to a disease known as "Aruchi". Betraying a person who trusts the native will lead to a disease known as Chardhi. Let learned men suggest suitable remedies for these two.

Mookatwa (Dumbness)

My Findings 35. Plagiarism leads to the disease of muteness. The remedy is gifting the image of Goddess Saraswati.

Kamila (Blindness)

My Findings36. The cause of the disease 'Kamila' (blindness) is taking food without washing one's feet and cleaning the hands. Gifting the image of Garuda is the remedy.

Anthra Vriddhi (Intestinal Trouble)

My Findings 37. Obstructing the performance of Yagna results in this disease. Gifting the image of Vishnu is the appropriate remedy.

My Findings 38. For the disease Gulma iron vessels should be gifted; for leprosy, silver coins and images; for Vatha roga (rheumatism) cow's milk; for eye diseases, gold coins immersed in cow's ghee; for pains in the body — beds, pillows and cots; for diseases in the stomach — fertile plots of ground.

My Findings 39. For Arsas (piles) and Bhagandhara (fistula), gold and diamonds should be gifted and Rudrasukta chanted. For all diseases, besides the special ones recommended in their proper places, Sahasranama, Satarudreeya and Rudrasukta should be chanted.

My Findings 40. Kings and rich people should establish free hospitals. Ordinary people should at least give food and medicines to the sick. Then their sicknesses will disappear.

My Findings 41. The 'gift of health' is the most important of all the gifts. If anybody wants to be free from diseases and be healthy he should help the sick with food and medicines.