Abstract

RATIONALE OF ASHTASAMSKARAS OF PARADA – A REVIEW (Part 1)

Dr. Mona S. Mashru*, Dr. Rajesh G. Baravaliya and Dr. Mita S. Mashru

Abstract

Ayurveda is the repository of safe and therapeutically officious remedies and Ayurvedic physicians handle diseases with great success. Ayurvedic recipes are formulated only after centuries of trial and experience and these are well known to be free from toxicity. In Ayurvedic therapeutics, three categories of drugs are used viz. (1) Herbal products, (2) Animal products and (3) Metals including minerals, gems and precious stones. Apart from their therapeutic efficacy in minute doses, Rasaausadhis were found very effective for the preservation and promotion of positive health and prevention of diseases which is the primary aim of Ayurveda. Samskara literally means a process or procedure by use of which there is enhancement in properties. Samskara is the qualitative alteration done for improvement, enhancement, modification, lowering the bad effects or any such procedure. Parada due to its mystical importance in Ayurveda and Rasasshastra is briefly used for two purposes; Deha-vadha (Medicine, body rejuvenation) and Loh-vadha (Occult, Alchemical and Spiritual upliftment). To completely attain all the purposes, Ayurveda texts inform about Ashtadash-Sanskar (Eighteen process) required to purify mercury. Of these, only the first eight are recommended for Dehvadha( medicinal purposes) while the remaining ten steps, which are obscure and have occult overtones, are used only for purifying mercury in such a way that it can transform vulgar metals into gold (Loh-vadha). So in this current article we attempted to do the practical aspects of first four samskaras starting from Swedana samskara to Uthapana samskara.

Keywords: Samskara, Parada, Ashtasamskara, Loha vadha, Deha vadha etc.