The Saptarishis . BIG DIPPER (URSHA MAJOR) is called SAPTARISHI. The 7 (Seven) stars.

The Saptarishis –

The earliest list of Seven Rishis or Saptarishis is given in Jaiminiya Brahman 2.218-221. 

They are Augustaya, Atri, Bharadwaja, Gautam, Jamadagni, Vasishtha and Vishwamitra.

’Shatapatha Brahman’ says – Atri, Bharadwaja, Gautam, Jamadagni, Kashyapa, Vasishtha and Vishwamitra.

The Gopath Brahmin 1.2.8 has another list of 7 Rishis: Bharadwaja, Gautam, Jamadagni, Vasishtha, Vishwamitra, Kashyapa, Augustaya, Gangu and Bhrigu.

In Krishna Yajurveda’s Sandhya Vandana Mantra there are the name of these 7 Rishis – ANGIRAS, ATRI, BHRIGU, GAUTAM,KASHYAPA, KUTSA, VASISTHA.

Brihadaranyaka Upnishada 2.2.6 is with a slightly different list of 7 Rishis - Atri, Bharadwaja, Gautam, Jamadagni, Kashyapa, Vasishtha, Shandilya and Bhrigu.

MAHABHARTA gives another seven 7 Rishis name – MARICHI, ATRI, PULAHA, PULASTYA, KRATU, VASISTHA and KASHYAPA.

Out of these seven Rishis, Viaswamitra was basically a Kshatriya king, who chose and rose to become an ascetic Brahmin Rishi.

In ancient Indian Astronomy, the constellation of the BIG DIPPER (URSHA MAJOR) is called SAPTARISHI. 

The 7 (Seven) stars representing Seven Rishis.

They are VASISTHA, MARICHI, PULASTYA, PULAHA, ATRI, ANGIRAS and KARTU.

There is another star slightly visible near it, it is known as ARUNDHATI, the wife of VASISTHA. VASISTHA and ARUNDHATI together form the Mizar Double.

As per legend, the Seven Rishis in the next Manvatara will be DIPTIMAT, GALAVA, PARSHURAMA, KRIPA, DRAUNI or ASHWATHAMA, VYASA and RISHYASRINGA.

Vajrayāna Tantric Buddhism or Esoteric Buddhism

Vajrayāna, Mantrayāna, Tantrayāna, Tibetan Buddhism, Tantric Buddhism and Esoteric Buddhism are terms referring to the various Buddhist traditions of Tantra   and "Secret Mantra”. 

The Vajra –

Vajrayāna is usually translated as Diamond Vehicle or Thunderbolt Vehicle, referring to the Vajra, a mythical weapon of Indra, the Hindu God, which is also used as a ritual implement.

The Sanskrit term "Vajra" denoted to a Thunderbolt, a legendary weapon and divine attribute that was made from an adamantine (not to be broken) and which can destroy anything if used against it. 

It is the weapon of Indra, the King of Hindu Devas. 

As a secondary meaning, "Vajra" symbolizes the ultimate nature of things which is described in the tantras as translucent, pure and radiant, but also indestructible and indivisible. It is also symbolic of the power of tantric methods to achieve its goals.

A Vajra is also a scepter-like ritual object which has a sphere at its centre, and a variable number of spokes, 3, 5 or 9 at each end (depending on the Sadhana), enfolding either end of the rod. 

The Vajra is often traditionally employed in tantric rituals in combination with the Bell or Ghanta, symbolically, the Vajra may represent method as well as great bliss and the bell stands for wisdom, specifically the wisdom realising emptiness. 

The union of the two sets of spokes at the center of the wheel is said to symbolize the unity of wisdom (prajña) and compassion (karuna) as well as the sexual union of male and female deities.

Founded by medieval Indian Mahasiddhas, Vajrayāna subscribes to the literature known as the Buddhist Tantra. 

It includes practices that make use of Mantras, Dharanas, Mudras, Mandalas and the visualization of Deities and Buddha. According to Vajrayāna scriptures, the term Vajrayāna refers to one of three vehicles or routes to Enlightment. 

The other two are Hinayana and Mahayana. 

Vajrayāna was developed in Medieval India  and spread to Tibet, Bhutan and Eastern Asia. In Tibet, Buddhist Tantra is termed Vajrayāna, while in China it is generally known as Tangmi Hanmi 漢密 (唐密, "Chinese Esotericism") or Mìzōng (密宗, "Esoteric Sect"). In Pali it is known as Pyitsayãna and in Japanese it is known as Mikkyo  (密教, "secret teachings").

Vajrayana Buddhism was established in Tibet in the 8th century when Santaraksita  was brought to Tibet from India at the instigation of the Dharma King Trisong Detsen, sometime before 767. 

Tibetan Buddhism reflects the later stages of Indian tantric Buddhist developments, including the Yogini tantras, translated into the Tibetan language. 

It also includes native Tibetan developments, such as the tulku system, new sadhana texts, Tibetan scholastic works, Dzogchen literature and Terma literature.

Tibet was converted to Buddhism in (7th to 11th century). 

That time the most dynamic form of Buddhism in India was Vajrayana. 

It was this tradition that became established in Tibet. 

Little is known about the early stages of the conversion (7th to 9th century) and the role of Vajrayana in the conversion before the 11th century, when several identifiable schools emerged, remains unclear.

Abhayākaragupta was a Buddhist monk, scholar and tantric master (vajracarya) and the abbot of Vikramasila. 

He was born in the city of Gaur, West Bengal, in Eastern India, and is thought to have flourished in the late 11th-early 12th century CE, and died in 1125.

One of the last Sanskrit works to have been written in Central Asia was the Kalachakra-tantra (“Wheel of Time”), which probably entered India in 966 AD. 

It taught that the Adi-Buddha—primeval Buddha hood—manifested itself as a continuum of time (kala) and space (chakra).

Tantric Theravada or "Esoteric Southern Buddhism" is a term for esoteric forms of Buddhism from Southeast Asia, where Theravada Buddhism is dominant. 

The monks of the Sri Lankan, Abhayagiri vihara once practiced forms of tantra which were popular in the island.

The religious culture of the Tantras is essentially Hindu, and Buddhist Tantric material can be shown to have been derived from Hindu sources. 

And although Hindu and Buddhist Tantra have many similarities from the outside, they do have some clear distinctions.

Today, the four major Buddhist branches are Mahayana, Theravada, Vajrayana and Zen Buddhism.

Upnishad- also known as Brahmavidhaya and Vedant)

Upnishad - (Also known as Brahmavidhaya and Vedant) – 

This is the last part of Veda so also known as Vedanta (End of Veda).

The word Upnishad has 2 parts up + Nishad, up means Close and Nishad means ‘To Sit’. 

This way Upnishad means – “Sitting closely”.

Some scholars say that in broad sense the word Upnishad came when Pupils came to their ‘Guru’s Ashram’ and sit closely to get knowledge of the ‘Mysticism’ (Rahasaya Vidya) or Mystic Knowledge.

Some other Scholars say that Upnishada  means ‘the knowledge which people get after sitting close to Brahma’ means ‘come close to yourself’ and get ‘Self knowledge’ (Atmgyan). 

‘Meeting of Spirit with Ether’ or ‘knowing of Ether by Spirit’ this is the knowledge of Upnishada.

No doubt in Upnishada there is pure knowledge and ‘Curiosity’ everywhere.  

Upnishada shows the in-depth knowledge of Ancient Indian’s when rest of the world was not even fully civilized. 

These Upanishad’s are not composed in a specific period or by one man.  

These are composed by many people in a great length of time.

Scholar man and Women both from all cast Brahmin, Chatriya, and Vasya contributed in the making of Upnishada.

Gargi, Matraye is the ‘enlightened’ women who are remembered with great regard due to their contribution in making of Upnishada. 

Upnishada says “Ekam Satya Viprah Vaudha Badanti”, (Brahman says Truth is One).

There are 12 Upnishada – Ishayasya, Ken, Keth, Prasana, Mundak, Manduakaya, Atarya, Tatarya, Swateshwar, Chandyogya, Brihadarayanak, and Kausitik.  

1  1"को ददर्श प़थमा जायमानम्" ।   2. "कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम"।

In the first question he says - Who has seen the Life first. Or who had bore first?

In second question he says – To which God we will offer our Yajana (goods through fire, Yajana).

This shows their curiosity about life, God and all the things. 

He wants to know them. He is not satisfied with only doing “Yajana”. 

He wants to know the Universe - Seen – Unseen.

अहं ब्रह्मास्मि महावाक्य का शाब्दिक अर्थ है मैं ब्रह्म हूँ! 

यहाँ 'अस्मि' शब्द से ब्रह्म और जीव की एकता का बोध होता है।

“Ahaṁ Brahmāsmi” I am the Absolute. 

It is one of the four Mahavakyas used to explain the unity of macrocosm and microcosm. 

Epidemic or Pandemic (Janapadodhwans) on the panorama of Ayurveda

Pandemic –

Mahatma Gandhi is battling flu (1918), told a confidante at a retreat in the western Indian state of Gujarat.

The highly infectious Spanish flu had swept through the ashram in Gujarat where 48-year-old Gandhi was living, (four years after he had returned from South Africa).

There he was taken care of his health. The diet provided during "this protracted and first long illness" of his life was mostly liquid diet. 

When the news of his illness spread, a local newspaper wrote: "Gandhi's life does not belong to him - it belongs to India".

Gandhi and his associates at the ashram were lucky to recover. 

The famous Hindi language writer and poet, Suryakant Tripathi, better known as Nirala, who was living in Allahabad present Prayagraj lost his wife, daughter and several members of his family to the flu. 

“My family”, he wrote, "disappeared in the blink of an eye". 

He found the Ganges River "flowing with dead bodies". 

Bodies piled up, and there wasn't enough firewood to cremate them. 

To make matters worse, a failed monsoon led to a drought and famine-like conditions, leaving people starving and weak.

The deadly flu (Spanish flu), which slunk in through a ship of returning soldiers that docked in Bombay (now Mumbai) in June 1918, ravaged India. 

The disease, according to health inspector JS Turner, came "like a thief in the night, its onset rapid and insidious". 

A second wave of the epidemic began in September in southern India and spread along the coastline.

The influenza killed between 17 and 18 million Indians, more than all the casualties in World War One. 

India bore a considerable burden of death - it lost 6% of its people. More women - relatively undernourished, cooped up in unhygienic and ill-ventilated dwellings, and nursing the sick - died than men. 

The pandemic is believed to have infected a third of the world's population and claimed between 50 and 100 million lives.

Throughout the history, there have been a number of pandemics such as smallpox and tuberculosis (TB). 

One of the most devastating pandemics was the BLACK DEATH  (also known as The Plague), which killed an estimated 75–200 million people in the 14th century. 

Other notable pandemics are the 2009 influenza (H1N1), pandemics include HIV/AIDS( though not contagious but still deadly)  and the COVID19. 

What is Pandemic?

Pandemic is a Greek word (πᾶν, pan, 'all' and δῆμος, demos, 'people') it is used for Epidemic which spread in a vast area of the Earth, crossing all barriers of Nationality, Oceans and Mountains. 

Pandemic spreads across the region, countries and its impact goes to worldwide, affecting a substantial number of people. 

A widespread endemic  disease with a stable number of infected people is not a pandemic. 

Widespread endemic diseases with a stable number of infected people such as recurrences of seasonal influenza are generally excluded as they occur simultaneously in large regions of the globe rather than being spread worldwide.

 A Pandemic is an Epidemic occurring on a large scale which crosses international boundaries, usually affecting people on a worldwide scale.  

A disease or condition is not a pandemic merely because it is widespread or kills many people; it must also be infectious. 

For instance, CANCER is responsible for many deaths but is not considered a pandemic because the disease is neither infectious nor contagious.

Ayurveda though being an ancient life science clearly mention’s about such disease conditions. 

A detailed chapter on Janapadodhwans (Epidemic or Pandemic) in Charak Samhita Vimansthan 3 rd Adhyay (Chapter) explains epidemic disease and its etiological factors. 

In Sushrut samhita there is a good description on mode of transfer of disease. 

They are called Aupasargik rogas (4) (Communicable diseases). 

From these references we come to know that in ancient time also there were such epidemics. 

A detailed regimen for such diseases is also described in Charak Samhita as use of Panchakarma and Rasayana along with Sadvrittapalan (good conduct).

There is a very minute description about the epidemic in our traditional medicine Ayurveda. 

Janapadodhwans word has been mentioned for the condition of epidemic. Janpadodhwans means death of people of a state (ancient kingdom).

Charak Samhita (an ancient famous book of Ayurveda, 800 B.C, author Agnivesh), has explained various aspects of our life, as well as epidemic also. 

The great Ayurveda Scholar, Charak, has focused on the aetiology, pathology, symptoms, precautions and their treatment for various diseases.

The great Ayurveda scholar, Rishi Atreya has discussed with his students (pupils) and advised them to collect medicinal plants which are very potent and effective during emergency of epidemic, after minute perusal of adverse properties of nakshatra, planets, moon, sun, air, fire, directions (east-west, north-south). 

He said that if there is any change in the natural behaviour of nakshatra, planets, sun, moon it affects the nature of seasons and the biodiversity.

If this phenomenon persists for a long amount of time, seasons show a very unusual nature or properties on earth. 

So he concluded that extreme conditions of Air (vayu), Water (jal), Desh or Sthan (place) and Kaal (time) are responsible for epidemic (Janpadodhwansh).

He has microscopically described about the sign of polluted air, contaminated and dirty water, bad condition of place or country as well as ruined condition of time (through nature of seasons). 

Such beautiful and clear descriptions are not found in anywhere else even in the present era.

Root cause of epidemic (Janpadoshwans) is adharma as per Ayurveda, Adharma means opposite nature, and unlawful duties of men, animals and seasons. 

He has advised to continue the use rasayanas to maintain the good health, to boost quality immunity and to protect from disease, this is the first aim of Ayurveda. 

So we should use Chyawanprash, amla, haritaki (harar) guduchi and pipalli.

Other medicines, as per symptoms, found in disease may also be recommended. 

He has quoted some statement (guidelines) to be followed during epidemic or Janpadodhwans -  

"They will help as medicine, such as truthfulness, kind to every creation, donation for others (Daan), pray to almighty (God), to follow sadvritta (follow good conduct), keep calm. 

Protect your health through various physical exercises, live in welfare village and town, follow steps of brahmcharya ashram, service for saints, listen them and read religious books and discuss with aged people". 

The Ayurvedic philosophy of treatment is to avoid the aetiology and to follow the favourable habits and duties.

Novel corona virus/Covid19 as a new deadly virus spreading in the whole world. 

A vast number of countries affected with this rare wide and rapid spreading epidemic.

Finally WHO announced COVID19 as a pandemic. 

Globally no known medicine and vaccine is available. 

But our veteran modern Physicians treating Covid19, cases with various allopathic medicines and emergency management to save lives based on expertise and symptoms.

Ayurveda has also not any recommended medicine for this epidemic (Janpadodhwans). 

Only Rasayana has been recommended in ancient Charak Samhita. Some medicines may be suggested keeping in mind for the affected systems and symptoms for Covid19 patients, based on previous experiences of other diseases.

These medicines may be recommended to confirm and suspected cases both for a week; separate data of patients should be prepared and analysed; only then we can see good results. 

wish it will be the turning point for Ayurveda.

This article is prepared on the basis of discussion with Dr. S. M. Tripathi, MD (Ayurveda), working Scientist of a reputed institute. A Ayurveda doctor of repute. 

                                                           

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