Ayurveda : Prayojan (aims and objectives)

Shloka Charak Su 30/26
the aims and objectives of Ayurveda, the science of life has been beautifully coined in the above shloka.

To lead a good life health is priority. Through ayurvedic concepts it is necessary to maintain health and in case of a diseased state gaining back the normal health.

Aims and objectives of ayurveda have been divided into two aspects namely:

• Swasthasya Swathya Rakshanam (Preventive and Social medicine)
  
• Aturasya Vikar Prashamanam (Therapeutics)
  These two aspects reflect the unique approach of ayurveda.

Therapeutics is not strictly related to dravya chikitsa i.e. treatment with medicines but also to the form of bhava chikitsa i.e. treatment without medicines and in the form of achar rasayan (good conducts both personal as well as social).

The two objectives though defined clearly in a concise statement, have been explained in great details in the scripturesThe four chatushtayas that form the basis of a good human life is a unique feature of ayurveda. Following of the chatushtayas it is not only necessary to maintain good health but also to treat a particular disease if inflicted from what so ever caused.

Ayurveda has not restricted itself as the path, which treats diseases but being the science of life has covered all the aspects necessary to maintain health and to restore it when inflicted with a disease.

Charak has specified in the following shloka chark sutrasthan 5/103 that ignorance is no excuse and we have to take pains to learn and to follow various rules and regulations to remain healthy.

These rules and regulations are nothing but guidelines to remain fit, refrain from diseases and lead a healthy life. These guidelines have been mentioned under the topic of swasthavrutta.

Despite of all the preventive measures if we suffer from a disease we should be able to known the probable causes of that disease and the probable fallacies on our part in following the rules and regulations put before us in the form of the first objective.

Ignorance and fallacies lead to disease and it is here that the second objective of aaturasya vikara prashamana comes into picture.