CONSTRAINTS IN AYURVEDA LEARNING AND REQUIREMENT OF TEACHING MATERIAL REFORMATION

Abstract

History of Ayurveda is believed as old as on more than 5000 years. But in India (which is origin country of Ayurveda) the Ayurveda has been struggling to prove itself for contributing health services as in main line. Ayurveda is based on and influenced by the Indian philosophies and the big part of study material is either predictable or can be understood on the basis of logical statements given by ancestors. These are certain constraints in learning Ayurveda for producing the Ayurveda scholars/ scientists/ thinkers giving with the evidence based knowledge for putting them into main stream of health care. The nomenclature of body organs are very confused, i.e.: Mashtishk (For Brain and Heart), Shira (For Arteries / veins), Nadi (For Nerves/Arteries). Numbers of Bones as referred in Ayurveda does not match with present human body. Hence, it is second constraint that if a learner of Ayurveda is confused from the beginning of learning in the subject Sharrera (Anatomy) then how he will understand the human body? How he will treat the patient medicinally and surgically? Ayurveda refers therapeutic value and pharmacological action of plants, minerals and marine products, logically. But some of information seems larger than life, i.e.,  Terminalia chebula (Haritaki) is referred as a best Rejuvenator along with the pharmacological activity purgation, eye-sight enhancing, etc. Above all it is referred ‘larger than life’ quotation that if one standing under the tree of Chetaki type of Haritaki, he/she get the purgation immediately. It creates trouble to a teacher during the class room in teaching and for proving such kind of statements.

Keeping these views an attempt has been made to draw attention of policymakers and universities for making necessary reformation in teaching material of Ayurveda, as well as to train teachers for specific Ayurveda teaching methodology.