SB class 1.2.5 NV purport….
So kuṇape tri-dhātuke, these things are manufactured by three dhātus, elements, kapha, pitta, vāyu. Kapha mucus, pitta bile, and air. These things manufacturing. These things are going on. After eating, these three things are being manufactured, and if they are in adjustment, parallel, then body is healthy, and if there is more or less, then there is disease. Well, according to the Āyur-vedic—that is also Veda–āyur means span of life, and Veda means knowledge. That is called Āyur-veda. So this Vedic knowledge of the span of life is very simple. They don’t require pathological laboratory, clinic, no. They require simply to study these three elements, kapha, pitta, vāyu. And they, their science is to feel the pulse. You know, every one of you, that the pulse is moving tick, tick, tick, tick, like this. So they know the science: by feeling the beating of the pulse, they can understand what is the position of these three elements, kapha, pitta, vāyu. And by that position, constellation, they… In the Āyur-veda, śāstra veda, there are, the symptoms, with the… These veins are moving like this, heart is moving like this, beating like this, then the position is this. As soon as they understand the position is this, they verify the symptoms. They enquire from the patient, “Do you feel like this? Do you feel like this?” If he says, “Yes,” then it is confirmed. The inner things, how the pulse is beating, and the symptoms are confirmed, then the medicine is ready. Immediately take the medicine. Where is (indistinct).
Formerly every brāhmaṇa used to learn these two sciences, Āyur-veda and Jyotir–veda. Jyotir–veda means astronomy…, astrology not astronomy. Because any other, the less intelligent than brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas, the śūdras, they would need the brāhmaṇas for health and future. Everyone is very inquisitive to learn what is future, what is going to happen next, and everyone is concerned with the health. So brāhmaṇas, they would simply advise about health and the future, so that is their profession and people give them eatables, cloth, so they have nothing to do for working outside. Anyway this is a long story. So this body is a bag of the three elements, yasyātmā-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke [SB 10.84.13]. (baby cries) That baby. So Bhāgavata says yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke, I am not this body. This is a vehicle. Just like we ride on a car, drive car, so I am not this car. Similarly, this is a yantra, car, mechanical car. Kṛṣṇa or God has given me this car, I wanted it. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, īśvaraḥ sarva–bhūtānāṁ hṛd–deśe ‘rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61]. “My dear Arjuna, the Lord as Paramātmā is sitting in everyone’s heart,” bhrāmayan sarva–bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā [Bg. 18.61], “and He is giving chance to the living entity to travel, to wander,” sarva–bhūtāni, “all over the universe.” Yantrārūḍhāni māyayā, riding on a car, driving a car given by the material nature. So actual our position is that I am soul, I have been given a nice car—it is not a nice car but as soon as we get a car, however rotten it may be, we think that it is very nice, (laughter) and identify with that car. “I have got this car, I have got that car.” One forgets if one drives a very costly car, he forgets himself that he is a poor man. He thinks that “I am this car.” This is identification.
So yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva–dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya–dhīḥ [SB 10.84.13]. One who thinks this body as himself, as self, and bodily relations, sva–dhīḥ, “They are my own, my brother, my family, my nation, my community, my society,” so many things, my, I and mine Misconception of “I” as this body and misconception of “my” in relationship with body. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva–dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya–dhīḥ [SB 10.84.13]. Bhauma ijya–dhīḥ, bhūmi, bhūmi means land. Ijya–dhīḥ, ijya means worshipable. So at the present moment it is very strong, the conceit that “I am this body,” and “I am American,” and “I am Indian,” “I am European,” “I am Hindu,” “I am Muslim,” “I am brāhmaṇa,” “I am kṣatriya,” “I am śūdra,” “I am this, those…,” so many. This is very strong and bhauma ijya–dhīḥ, that because I am identifying to a certain type of body, and wherefrom the body has come out, the land is worshipable. That is nationalism. So yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva–dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya–dhīḥ [SB 10.84.13], yat–tīrtha–buddhiḥ salile, and tīrtha, place of pilgrimage.
We go, we take bath in the river, like the Christians, they take bath in the Jordan River, or Hindus, they go to Hardwar, take bath in the Ganges, or Vṛndāvana, they take bath. But they think by taking bath in that water, his job is finished. No
Some Conclusions-– There are a number of important elements to this short segment of Srila Prabhupadas very long class.
First thing is that brahmanas formerly knew the science of ayur veda and jyotir veda-health and future astrological comings. To determine what was wrong or right in your body the ayur vedic doctor would observe your facial and bodily features, then closely take your pulse with his fingers.
I did by very good fortune have this done only once, and in Seattle, when I was living there. This Indian born Doctor took my pulse and then a few minutes later told me I had a very traumatic event 10 years ago in my life. I was very surprised because it was exactly true as I went thru a very hellish divorce 10 years prior to my seeing him. This took place around 35 years ago. He also prescribed for me pancha karma treatment which I did and never felt better in my entire life after its completion.
Once you directly experience a bona fide Indian kaviraj doctor, then all other so called “Practitioners” come out very short of what you want and need.
Even today when I have to deal with allopathic doctors in hospitals who have to give you seemingly unlimited blood tests, and other things, what they come up with for their “diagnosis” is usually speculation or far from the truth of your real health. And the worst part is they only want to inject/pump dangerous pharmaceutical drugs into your body, which everyone knows comes with a long list of “side effects”.
I could tell many other “stories” I have been thru, but will stop here as everyone should get the point. And my experiences are exactly the same as those told by Srila Prabhupada when he had to deal with these people.
So bottom line– Brahmanas should know, if possible, something about medicine and jyotish. As we know spiritual life can be pursued nicely only if one is relatively healthy.
The last point Prabhupada brings up here above is that this body is like a rotten car, unlike those who are conceited into thinking by maya devi they have a very nice “car-body” with which to navigate this material world. So we are not these bags of mucous bile and air but are the soul within them and our only business is to get free of repeated birth and death within this bag of things.
ISO-11—Only one who can learn the process of nescience and that of transcendental knowledge side by side can transcend the influence of repeated birth and death and enjoy the full blessings of immortality.
Therefore to be successful in this human form of life we must have a bona fide spiritual master.
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das…comments welcome