Remedy of Mental Health
According to the ancient Indians, the treatises that encompass the whole knowledge of the Universe are the Vedas. They are four in number, viz, Rig-Veda, Yajurveda, Samaveda & Atharvaveda.
Among these, since the Atharvaveda mainly deals with different facets of health welfare, it is considered to be the predecessor of Ayurveda. The term ‘Ayurveda’ is connected to this system because it gives knowledge of the whole of the Ayu (Life) to say, in brief, the heralds of each and every facet of life from birth to death, or in other words, the creation, the sustenance and destruction phenomena are elaborately explained. This was the reason for which the affix Veda is added to Ayurveda.
According to Ayurveda, this universe has originated from the five elements, viz; prithvi (Earth), jala (Water), Agni (Fire), Vayu (Air) and akasha (Space) and they constitute our body.
The Bhagavad-Gita also covers some important principles, philosophies and approaches, which are closely related with Ayurveda.
One should know about physical and mental nature, as it has got very important role in keeping good health. That is why it has been explained in detail both in ayurveda and Gita. If a person is physically healthy but having some mental problems then also he is called as unhappy.
The functions of the body are involuntary and voluntary. Involuntary functions are internal functions and actions of the body while the voluntary functions exterior and associated with the mind. The body nature (quality) is composed of vata, pitta and kapha and the mental nature is composed of satwa, raja and tama. The body is activated by the mind in many activities of the senses.
According to ayurvedic physiology, the end product of the food after undergoing the biochemical processes is dhatu (Vital component) and the dhatu culminates is oja. The oja stays in the heart and the brain but envelopes the full body and is the base of life. This lustre initiates all thoughts and emotions.
The Brahmacharya also controls body and mind as well as the action of the gyanendriyas, karmendriyas and mana.
By the above mention references we can conclude that if this supreme vital component is not wasted indiscriminately, its conservancy yields high moral, physical and mental strength. This will always help in gaining high intellectual power.
The Ayurveda and Gita lucidly emphasised the chaturvidh purshartha. Dharma (Duties), Arth (Object of the organs), Kama (Desire) and moksha (Salvation) for supreme health and happiness of the human being.