Rogopachar Me Gruha Shanti Evam Dharmik Upayo Ka Yogadana

Here's a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Rogopachar me Gruha Shanti evam Dharmik Upayo ka Yogadana" by Gyanchandra Jain:

The book, "Rogopachar me Gruha Shanti evam Dharmik Upayo ka Yogadana" (The Contribution of Home Peace and Religious Measures in Disease Treatment), authored by Dr. Gyanchandra Jain, a Reader at Government Ayurvedic College, Lucknow, explores the significance of spiritual and astrological practices in conjunction with medical treatment for overcoming diseases.

The author begins by stating that in the cycle of creation, all beings, driven by the desire for happiness and the fear of suffering, constantly strive for well-being. Recognizing this, Jain ascetics have guided individuals towards a path of happiness. To attain eternal bliss (Moksha), maintaining a healthy body through appropriate diet and lifestyle is essential. However, improper diet can lead to illness, hindering spiritual practice. Therefore, Jain acharyas (preceptors) have advised following daily, nightly, and seasonal routines with mindful eating and lifestyle choices (pathya-apathya). Even when ill, adhering to proper dietary regulations alongside medication is crucial for swift recovery. Neglecting these can prevent individuals from achieving their spiritual goals. The text emphasizes that, from a philosophical perspective, renunciation and charity are valued more than acquisition for happiness, with the donation of medicine being considered superior for health that aids spiritual practice. The author notes that despite explanations, beings bound by karma will continue to indulge in sensory pleasures, highlighting the difficulty of developing discernment, which is essential for spiritual progress.

The text observes that modern humans, often lacking intelligence and religious conduct, invite various ailments and remain in a state of suffering. According to Jain acharyas, diseases are categorized based on treatability: curable (sukhasadhya), difficult to cure (kashtasadya), manageable (yapya), and incurable (asadhyasa). The focus of the discussion is on the treatment of "Shwas Rog" (respiratory diseases), particularly asthma. The author underscores the vital role of air (breath) for life, stating that any disturbance in breathing leads to this disease. Shwas Rog has five subtypes: Mahashwas, Urdhwashwas, Chhinnashwas, Tamakshwas, and Kshudrashwas. The first three are considered incurable, while Kshudrashwas is easily treated as it arises from exertion. Tamakshwas is a manageable (yapya) condition, making it significant for both patients and physicians. Manageable diseases depend on both medication and dietary adherence. Relapse often occurs when patients, feeling better, revert to unhealthy practices, leading to a worsening of the condition, as reflected in the saying, "Asthma goes with the breath."

The text then delves into the pathogenesis (samprapti) of Tamakshwas, describing it as a severe, complex cough-related affliction originating from the stomach or bile region. It manifests in the respiratory tract, lungs, and bronchial tubes. Consuming excessive amounts of cold, unctuous, heavy, and sticky foods with acidic and salty tastes for extended periods leads to improper digestion, producing undigested toxins (ama-dosha). This impairs digestive fire, leading to vitiated kapha (phlegm). This vitiated kapha, along with immature food essences, circulates through the body, reaches the lungs, and accumulates in the bronchial tubes as vitiated or pathological kapha, obstructing the respiratory process. This obstruction in the vital pranavaha srotas (channels carrying life-breath) causes Shwas Rog. The resulting breathlessness, anxiety, coughing fits, and in severe cases, darkness before the eyes and a life-threatening situation. Relief is temporarily experienced when some kapha is expelled through coughing.

The author critiques modern medical approaches that focus on expelling kapha without addressing its underlying production, likening it to cutting branches or leaves of a tree without removing the root. While this provides temporary relief, the disease persists. The text advocates for both palliative (shaman) and purification (sanshodhan) therapies. The former, like expelling kapha, offers symptomatic relief. The latter, such as vamana (therapeutic vomiting) to eliminate the source of kapha production from the stomach, aims at root cause elimination and preventing recurrence.

The text then addresses situations where conventional treatment, despite being correctly diagnosed and administered, may not yield complete success for all patients. In such cases, astrological treatment (jyotish chikitsa) or Ātharvaṇīvidyā (which includes remedies for planetary influences and religious measures for mitigating karmic consequences) is considered significant.

A case study of Kanhaiya Lal, a patient suffering from Shwas Rog since 1977, is presented. He experienced temporary relief but relapsed. His symptoms included breathlessness, near-suffocation, partial relief after expelling kapha, and even fainting spells. Diagnosed with Tamakshwas, X-rays revealed inflammation of the bronchial tubes, and auscultation detected wheezing sounds indicating excess kapha and blocked channels. Other symptoms like fever, poor appetite, and weakness supported the diagnosis.

The patient's medical treatment involved a combination of Ayurvedic medicines like Shwasakasa Chintamani Ras, Lakshmi Vilas Ras, and Sitopaladi Churn, along with Vasavaleha and Shwasavasantak Kwath. Western medications like Terbutaline, Amoxicillin, and Benadryl cough syrup were also prescribed. This regimen provided rapid relief but not a complete cure within three months.

Following this, astrological analysis of the patient's birth chart was performed. According to "Jatak Tattva," if Mars and Saturn aspect the ascendant, respiratory and wasting diseases can occur. The patient's chart indicated this, confirming the Shwas Rog. The presence of Jupiter in Virgo suggested lung obstruction and wasting disease, a view supported by Western astrologer Rofiel. The afflicted third house related to lungs, ruled by the cruel Saturn, conjoined with the Sun and aspected by Rahu, indicated the severity of the disease. Astrology suggests that the severity of the disease can be modified through planetary pacification measures. While severe diseases might be mitigated but not completely eradicated, their intensity can be reduced, and the disease may subside over time with appropriate treatment. The concept of "Marakesh" (a malefic planetary influence causing severe affliction) is also mentioned.

To address the severe nature of the patient's disease, planetary pacification rituals were performed. These included chanting mantras for Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn, and specific puja (worship) rituals as prescribed in Jain literature, such as the worship of Lord Vasupujya for Mars, Ashtajin for Mercury and Jupiter, and Lord Munisuvrat for Saturn, based on the "Navagraha Arishta Vidhan" by Kavi Manasukhsagar.

While these combined efforts (medical and astrological) led to the palliating of the disease, a complete eradication was not achieved due to the inherent severity indicated by the planetary configuration. The author expresses hope for complete recovery with continued treatment. The text strongly suggests that the combination of medical and astrological methods enhances the probability of disease eradication. Even if complete eradication is not possible due to severe astrological influences, the disease can certainly be mitigated and its intensity reduced, leading to eventual subsidence.

The author also mentions the study of the birth charts of one hundred patients with diagnosed diseases and their corresponding astrological planetary configurations. These patients underwent medical treatment along with astrological remedies from texts like "Virasinhāvalok" and "Navagraha Arishta Nivarak Vidhan." The results, presented in Table 1, indicate a significant success rate in mitigating and even eradicating diseases through this integrated approach. This encourages further research and emphasizes the importance of astrological medicine as a valuable contribution to modern medical science.

The table (Table 1) presents results for various conditions: Shwas Rog (Asthma), Yakshma (Tuberculosis), Kukkurāvaraṇa Śotha (Inflammation of the diaphragm), and afflictions of Rãsavaha, Mutravaha, Purīdhvaha, Rakta, Āntra, Mano, and Vātavaha channels. For Shwas Rog patients, 57% experienced disease eradication, 42% reported disease mitigation, and 1% saw no benefit. The table highlights a high success rate across different categories, with 100% success in eradicating diseases in certain channels.

The concluding remarks touch upon the difference between the faith of ordinary people and that of thinkers. While ordinary people accept everything spoken by a revered figure, thinkers, while respecting the spiritual achievements of the revered, do not blindly accept every word. The text cites Siddhant-acharya Siddhasena's explanation of Lord Mahavir's teachings on two types of truths: those verifiable by logic (hetugamya) and those not requiring logical proof (ahetugamya). A person who understands the essence of scriptures by establishing ahetugamya truths through scriptural authority and hetugamya truths through logic is considered to truly grasp the meaning of the scriptures, a view supported by Niyuktikara Bhadrabahu and Muni Nathmal.

In essence, the book advocates for a holistic approach to healing, integrating conventional medical treatments with spiritual and astrological practices rooted in Jain philosophy to achieve complete well-being.