May all be Happy. May all be free from diseases.
May all experience the Bliss.
Let none partake of any suffering.
***
The mind, the soul and the body — the three constitute the three poles (supporting the human structure). It is their combination that maintains the living beings. Everything depends en them for its subsistence.
Charakasamhita
He alone can be considered to be healthy whose dosas, power of digestion, and functioning of dhatus and malas are in a state of equilibrium and whose soul,
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mind and senses as well as organs are free from morbidities.
Sushrutasamhita
Good health is the very root of all the Purusharthas (motives of effort): dharma (righteousness), artha (wealth), kama (desire for enjoyment) and moksha (liberation). The diseases cause damage not only to them (Purusharthas) but also to the well-being and the very life (of human beings).
That alone can be considered to be a medicine which brings about good health. That alone can be considered a physician par excellence who can alleviate a patient's suffering.
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A medicine not well identified is as dangerous as a poison, or as a deadly weapon or as fire or as thunderbolt. The medicine well identified (with regard to its name, form and its efficaciousness, etc.) is as efficacious as nectar.
Even a pungent poisonous drug, if properly (processed and) applied becomes a medicament par excellence. Even an efficacious medicine can take shape of a poisonous drug if not properly (processed and) applied.
A person attending on patients is endowed with four fold virtues: acquaintance with the line of treatment, the requisite skill (for timely action), emotional regard for (the well being of) patients, and purity (cleanliness).
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A person attending upon (surgical) patients should have a sense of love free from scornful disposition towards patients; the requisite strength and expertise in alleviating the ailments; should have regard for the instructions of physician; should have an untiring zeal to serve patients.
A person attending on patients should be lovingly vigilant, pure (clean), skilful, and wise.
Ashtangahridaya
One desirous of being a physician — the wise person, should make an earnest effort to attain expertise (in the science of life) so that he could become a bestower of life to human beings.
All the observations made by the sage Vyasa in all the eighteen Puranas may be-summed up in the two statements: to do good to others is a virtuous act and to afflict others is a vicious one.
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