Panchagavyas and Ayurveda

According to the shastras, Kamadhenu is the mother of all beings; it is the giver and bestower of all happiness.
For anyone at first sight it seems to be an exaggerated statement but for one who has studied the subject in depth there is no falsehood in it.

The Aptas:

Aptas are defined as persons who are pure satva and devoid of rajo and tamo gunas. Such a person always thinks and acts with the welfare of society in his mind. Our seers and rishis were such people who never worked for self rather they spent every part of their life with the welfare of mankind as their main objective. They were not habituated to keeping knowledge in locked or they didn’t market their knowledge in return for money. Their advices are worth following and their statements are complete truth.

The panchagavyas are :

1. Cow milk
2. Cow ghee
3. Cow urine
4. Cow dung
5. Cow curd

Until the introduction of the genetically modified cow (Bos taurus) into our country there was no problem or confusion. With the intention of increasing milk production and citing the reason of reduced milk yield in the indigenous varieties of cow, cross breeding was resorted to, leading to the present situation of alarming decline in the numbers of native Indian cow.

We might have achieved the initial objective of increasing milk production by resorting to cross breeding and importing of jersey cows but the side effects of neglecting our native breeds has started showing its repercussions now.

There is a flood of milk available but still there is widespread deficiency of calcium and Vit A and D leading to the core question as to what is it that we are drinking?

Native cow is Bos indicus and it is characterized by the presence of a prominent hump over its spine. Along with differences in physical feature the panchagvyas obtained from native cow have tremendous medicinal qualities and have been widely used in the preparation of Ayurveda medicines. Panchagvayas play a huge role in the prevention and treatment for diseases and there is elaborate description of them In Ayurveda textbooks. Our predecessors definitely had a better understanding of how and where exactly to use or not use the panchagavyas for both prevention as well as treatment of diseases.

Panchagavyas and Ayurveda:

Let us take a look at each of the panchagavyas and their medicinal qualities:

Goksheera/Cow milk:

Guna:Sheetha,snigdha

Rasa:Madhura

Veerya:Sheetha

Vipaka:Madhura

On account of the presence of madhura rasa, cow milk has nourishing quality and acts like a tonic for all the seven dhathus (Rasa, Raktha, Mamsa, Medas, Asthi, Majja and shukra). It is a complete food in itself and is advised to be administered for persons suffering with kshaya (tuberculosis), ksheena (debilitated) and kshatha (those with injury in the lungs).

Ayurveda has described eight types of milk obtained from different animal sources and the pride of place has been given to Cow milk of desi breeds of India (Ksheera varge agryam). Cow milk has been described as nutritive and good for the vital organs such as Eyes (chakshushya), Brain (medhya) and Heart (hrudya). Cow Milk promotes immunity and acts as rasayana (rejuvenative) and ojovardhaka (nutritive tonic).

All of us know Milk is a good source of protein, fat and minerals such as calcium. But there are facts about Cow milk which we are not aware or we have not given a thought about. Let us take a look at the facts as given below:

Easy to digest: In the absence of mother’s milk, Cow milk has been suggested as a natural alternative. Children who have a weak digestion very commonly suffer from frequent vomiting and loose motions. Recurrent diarrheal episodes in these children lead to malnourishment and stunted growth. For such Children, Milk form Indigenous breeds of Cow will be a better alternative since it is easy to digest and more nutritive. Milk from genetically modified cows will aggravate the problem by hampering the immunity of the Child as well as affecting the digestive system.

Milk from Indigenous breeds and better quality:

Indigenous breeds of Cow have better disease resistance and these results in reduced usage of potent chemical drugs for their disease control. Their milk has better immune booster effect described in Ayurveda as Rasayana property. Rasayana is the ability of a dietary article or medicinal herb or medicinal product to nourish the body in a uniform manner. Chyavanaprasha Avaleha is a common example of a rasayana medicine. The person who consumes Cow milk from Indigenous breeds of Cow will have better disease resistance. Cow Milk is a tonic to the skin, eyes, blood and has good nutritive properties. It has the additional advantage of being easy to digest when compared to other milk sources such as buffalo milk etc. Cow milk has been given the top place among all eight sources of milk which have been explained in Ayurveda (ksheera varge agryam)

Cow milk and improved intelligence and memory:

Poor performance of their kids in studies is the most common complaint of parents. Cow milk has the effect of improving medha or intellect and also is a good memory booster. Properly nourished kids perform better in their academics than poorly nourished children. To have a good intelligence and memory, it is essential that the brain gets adequate and proper nutrition. Cow milk is ideally suited as a brain tonic because according to Ayurveda it has the ability to pacify Vata dosha. Vata dosha is the one which is responsible for the proper functioning of Nervous system.

Parents are always in search of good brain tonics to be purchased from the Pharmacy but we forget that our ancients have advised Cow milk and Cow ghee as the best brain tonic. This is a medicine which is available at our doorstep and the most important thing about it is that it does not have any side effects.

Cow milk and its effect on the mind:

Our ancestors went beyond the calorie value of milk and found that milk has a calming and soothing influence on the mind. This is because cow milk has the property of reducing aggravated vata and pitta dosha. They have said that Cow milk improves the Sattva Guna(characteristic of mind which leads to goodness,kindness,compassion,non selfish nature)and leads to enhancement of positive characteristics of a person. The balance of triguna of manas and shareera leads to perfect health. This may be the reason why milk is advised at bedtime for patients suffering with sleep difficulties. Children with hyperactivity disorder should be given indigenous cow milk and ghee regularly as a part of their diet.

Cow milk and bone strength:

For pure vegetarians, Cow milk is a good source of Vitamin D and Vit D plays a huge role in the absorption of Calcium from the gut. Good absorption of calcium will lead to good bone strength. So Cow milk is very important for women who are nearing menopause because menopause increases the susceptibility to Osteoporosis.

Milk and its effect on the Tridoshas of Ayurveda:

Among the doshas, Milk has the capacity to alleviate aggravated Vata and Pitta dosha. We have to understand that these properties have been explained in the context of Desi or indigenous breed of Cow. There is a need to institute comparative studies on the quality and health giving properties of the milk obtained from indigenous and hybrid (genetically modified) cows. Cow milk is one of the most important ingredients in several Ayurveda preparations such as Mahanarayana Taila, Ksheerabala Taila,Avarthitha ksheerabala,Panchagavya Ghritha, Amrtaprasha ghritha etc.

Cow Milk and its effect on Ojus as per Ayurveda:

Ayurveda explains Ojus as Saptha dhathu saara and in layman’s language it can be said that milk is mother of all tonics. If used according to classical guidelines, milk nourishes all the tissues in our body.

How to drink and how much quantity?

Milk should be ideally boiled before consumption and drunk warm. Since Cow milk from Indigenous breeds of Cow has a natural sweet taste, there is no need for additional sugar.

Persons of Vata and Pitta prakruti (constitution)can consume cow milk in liberal quantity and those of kapha prakruti should take it with care and with additives such as turmeric or dry ginger powder. This is because milk is rich in sweetness which according to Ayurveda leads to increase in Kapha dosha. An increased or imbalanced kapha leads to illnesses such as bronchitis, diabetes, hypothyroidism, sinusitis, overweight and obesity.

Variation in advice of panchagavya use based on dosha in Ayurveda:

Ayurveda advises pathya apathya for each disease and based on the dosha diagnosis. An experienced vaidya will advise the do’s and don’ts to be practiced for complete and quick recovery from an illness along with his prescription of medicines. For e.g. an experienced vaidya will advise patients with hypothyroidism to reduce intake of milk and instead consume buttermilk processed with black pepper and dry ginger powder. Here the food article becomes a medicine in the hand of a trained vaidya. For patients suffering from productive cough due to increased kapha dosha he will ask them to avoid both milk as well as buttermilk and will advise intake of talisadi choorna with gomutra arka. For a patient suffering from non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) he will advise to avoid milk and instead take buttermilk in the form of food and Gomutra arka in the form of medicine.

Milk becomes a medicine for a person suffering with very irritable dry cough with no sputum production in combination with a dose of cow ghee. Such advice based on a thorough idea of the dosha status of a patient if followed properly will lead to complete healing rather than a symptomatic relief.

Cow milk for the elderly: Fifty and above is the age when our bones start showing signs of degeneration (the age of natural onset of vataimbalance) and Milk is an ideal supplement at this age (being vata pacifier in nature). Elderly are more prone to fractures and arthritis due to weakness of bone tissue and Cow milk is an ideal bone tonic (asthi dhathu poshaka).

Cow milk for Women: Women during their pregnancy and lactation should naturally consume adequate quantities of milk. They are prone to Osteoporosis during  and after the menopause and should ideally have a cup or two of Cow milk during this period since Cow milk is a rich source of calcium and other minerals.

How not to consume milk-Combinations to be avoided: Do not consume milk along with sour tasting fruits such as citrus fruits, berries etc.Avoid consuming fish and sea food (viruddha ahara) along with milk. For people who are having elevated cholesterol levels and suffering from heart problems such as coronary blocks, buttermilk is better than milk. Buttermilk has the property of making obese people lean and so overweight people should ideally consume less of milk and more of buttermilk.

If you are suffering from fever, avoid consuming milk up to seven days from the day of onset of fever. Milk is pathya in jwara after the seventh day, following this guideline is essential (the fever passes from the Ama stage to Nirama in these seven days ). The general suggestions tossed out routinely by doctors to have bread and milk goes against the principles of treatment explained in Ayurveda. If one looks at the ingredients of bread we understand that it is produced using refined Maida flour , sugar and hydrogenated vegetable oil. The combination of bread and milk will definitely lead to a rise in indigestion (Ama dosha as per Ayurveda) leading to further rise of temperature and complications such as vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite. The best thing to do is avoid eating heavy food stuffs (bread is one strong contender!) and take warm rice gruel with diluted buttermilk. By giving this particular example I intend to demonstrate the thorough understanding our ancestors had about the pathogenesis of a disease and the way to treat a disease without further adding to the suffering in the form of complications and side effects.

General advice: People suffering from Osteoarthritis, Spondylitis, Osteoporosis and having good digestive power and appetite should take liberal quantity of cow milk for their daily needs of calcium. Those among them, who have poor digestive function, have problems such as malabsorption and diarrhea can alternatively consume liberal quantities of buttermilk with proper additives.

 Godadhi(Curd) and Takra(buttermilk):

Godadhi Characteristics:

Rasa: Madhura,Amla

Veerya: Ushna

Guna: Snigdha,guru

Vipaka: Amla

Karma: Vataghna,Kaphakara, brhmana, Graahi(improves intestinal absorption of nutrients), shukrala ,deepana(appetizer,digestive)

Positive effects:

1. Useful in diarrhea, common cold (to be taken at bedtime with a pinch of pepper powder and jaggery)
2. Useful in loss of appetite and taste(aruchi)
3. Good for people who are underweight and weak

 Negative effects:

1. To be avoided when suffering from swasa (dyspnoea or breathlessness due to increased phlegm in the lungs)
2. Increases or aggravates kapha dosha and causes increase in weight(therefore not advisable for persons with weight issues)

Proper time and method of use:

Improperly formed curd (where the process of curdling isn’t complete) should be strictly avoided since it has the capacity to aggravate all three of the doshas (vata pitta and kapha).Vata prakruti persons should use sweet and sour tasting curd,pitta prakruti persons should avoid the sour curd and can consume sweet tasting one. Kapha prakruti persons better avoid consuming curd and buttermilk is better suited for them.

Among the three curd varieties (Cow, buffalo and Goat) described by famous Ayurveda author of 16^th century,Bhavaprakasha, he points out that curd prepared out of cow milk is the best. He expressly prohibits those suffering from atherosclerosis to avoid consuming curd of buffalo milk. Generally cardiac patients suffering with coronary blocks should avoid eating curd (because of its guru and abhishyandiguna) and stick to consumption of diluted buttermilk.

Advice regarding Ruthu(season) and consumption of curd:

Hemantha,shishira and Varsha ruthu-it is good to consume curd

Sharad,greeshma and Vasantha ruthu- Curd should be avoided during these seasons

Details about buttermilk:

I am allergic to milk(lactose intolerant)- is there an alternative?

“Takram Shakrasya Durlabham”

The nectar like buttermilk is not available to even Lord Indra in heaven goes an ancient saying. If you are allergic to Milk in any way, the best way out is to consume it in the form of buttermilk. The milk is converted into curd and later churned to obtain nectar like buttermilk. Buttermilk can be consumed by people who are suffering from lactose intolerance and it actually improves the absorptive strength of the intestines by improving the health of the villi. Ayurveda has extolled the virtues of buttermilk in several instances and modern research also confirms that buttermilk is a rich source of probiotics. Probiotics are nonpathogenic microbes widely present in the alimentary canal and they contribute to the digestive and metabolic process by their enzymatic activities. An imbalance in this colony of microflora will lead to susceptibility of the individual to frequent loose motions and digestive upset. Buttermilk is pathya or advisable for patients suffering from gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis and piles. They should consume lot of buttermilk prepared out of Cow milk. In our ancient custom having a cup or two of buttermilk after lunch is a very healthy habit and all of us should continue practicing it to have a healthy gut flora which may be disturbed by the chemicals present in the food that we eat.

Table giving a comparison between Curd and buttermilk:

Curd	Buttermilk
Guru-difficult to digest	Laghu– easy to digest
Agnimandyakara– is heavy to digest and causes indigestion when taken in excess	Agnimandyahara-Appetitizer and digestive
Srothorodhaka and abhishyandhi-has the tendency to create blocks in the channels of circulation on regular intake. Should be strictly avoided by persons who are overweight, have abnormal lipid profile and are suffering from disease of the heart.	Srothoshodhaka-cleanses the channels of circulation Good for persons who are overweight, have an abnormal lipid profile and are suffering from heart related ailments.
Vata shamaka-Brings back Vata dosha to normal levels	Vata shamaka when having sweet and sour taste. Saindhava lavana can be used as an adjuvant in this case. Pitta shamaka when fresh and having sweet taste alone Kapha shamaka when taken along with Trikatu
Pitha kaphakara-aggravates both Kapha and Pitta dosha	Aggravation based on the stage as explained above
Shophakara-aggravates Edema	Shophahara-relieves Edema

Goghritha:

• Rasa:Madhura
• Veerya: Sheetha
• Guna:snigdha
• Vipaka : Madhura
• Karma:VataPittaghna (pacifies aggravated vata and pitta dosha), Agni deepana (improves digestive fire) Chakshushya (good for the eyes), Hrdyam (good for the heart), Medhya (good for the intellect), Vishaghna (anti toxic,anti oxidant),Ayushyam (Enhances lifespan),
• Sarpisham agryam (Charaka samhitha)

When we look at the endless properties of cow ghee we have to be surprised how come such a great component of panchagavya was given a tag of bad image! I have encountered endless questions from my patients about whether the ghee based I widely use in my practice will not aggravate cholesterol, cause obesity etc etc. We will allow our children to gulp colored drinks labeled and marketed smartly but we will not give them ghee! We will allow them to regularly eat pizzas and pastries but will not give them nectar like ghee because in a corner of our mind the westerner has created a doubt about its role! Someone has definitely played a big trick and made us deny the usage of our traditions and lead us in the wrong path.

With the increasing incidence of autism and hyperactivity disorder and the problems related to vision among children it is necessary for all Indians to use cow ghee in the dosage required. There cannot be a better example of nectar which we can use without having any doubts in our mind. From the small kid to the elderly everyone will be benefitted by the use of cow ghee regularly in their diet. Of course now there is a problem of availability of shuddha desi ghee but with the increasing efforts to propagate and conserve indigenous breeds of cow the situation will definitely change for the better.

In Ayurveda there is not a single disease where medicated ghee is used in one way or another. Let me give a few examples to demonstrate:

• Shathadoutha ghritha in the treatment of burns and scalds
• Jathyadi ghritha in the treatment of cuts,wounds,non healing ulcers, diabetic wounds
• Gugguluthikthaka ghritha in the treatment of skin diseases,gout,arthritis and spondylitis
• Mahathikthaka ghritha ,Pancha Thikthaka ghritha and Vajraka ghritha -All of thsee are regularly used in the treatment of eighteen types of skin diseases grouped under kushta roga in Ayurveda
• Saraswatha ghritha ,Ashtamangal ghritha ,Brahmi ghritha -These medicated ghee based products have proven useful in the treatment of learning disabilities and Autism
• Mahakalyanaka ghritha ,Panchagavya ghritha –These cow ghee based formulations are regularly used in the treatment of psychiatric disorders such as depression,anxiety neurosis,addictions,Insomnia and Schizophrenia

That is about ghee and now let me provide some details of gomutra(Cow urine):

Gomutra:

• Rasa:Katu,thiktha,Kashaya
• Veerya: Ushna
• Guna:Laghu
• Vipaka :Katu
• Karma: Agni deepana,Pitta kara,Vata kapha hara,
• Indications:Shoola, Gulma, Udara, Kilasa, Kushta, Kasa, Swasa, Pandu, Kamala, Kandu,Guda shoola, Mukha roga, Akshi roga, Mootra rodha

 

No.	Disease name in Sanskrit	English term	Additional points of explanation
1.	Kilasa	Leucoderma/Vitiligo	Melanocyte stimulation Gomutrasava/chitrakasava
2.	Kushta	Skin disorders of Vata and Kapha origin	Avoid in conditions like pemhigus, herpes zoster
3.	Mukha roga	Diseases of the mouth	Kapha shamaka
4.	Netra roga	Diseases of the eye	Haven’t tried
5.	Swasa	Bronchial Asthma	Use where there is copious productive cough
6.	Vata roga	Diseases due to Vata dosha	Use alongwith eranda taila based formulations
7.	Paandu	Anemia	Use along with Mandoora bhasma
8.	Pleeha	Enlargement of spleen/splenomegaly	Use along with Kumaryasava
9.	Shotha	Edema	Use in edema due to nephritic syndrome and avoid in nephritis
10.	Varchograha	Constipation	Vata anulomana
11.	Agnimandya	Reduced digestive power	Teekshna ushna guna,kaphahara guna
12.	Udara especially jalodara	Ascites	Either alone or in combination with triphala choorna
13.	Sthoulya	Obesity	Along with triphala or Arogyavardhini

In all the above diseases or illnesses Gomutra can be used alone or in combination with other Ayurveda formulations based on the yukthi of the physician.

One panchagavya product I use extensively in my clinic is gomutra hareetaki,a beautiful combination of hareetaki(fruit of Terminalia chebula) and gomutra. Hareetaki is a gem among all medicinally valuable plants and Cow urine is one of the most potent and valuable medicine from the animal kingdom. A combination of these two leads to a potent, easy to prepare, effective and affordable  medicine. The following are the problems/illnesses where it is used:

• Filariasis
• Nephrotic syndrome
• Edema
• Ascites
• Cardiac tonic
• Prostate enlargement
• Eczema
• Psoriasis
• Dandruff
• Itching skin/Fungal infections
• Obesity
• PCOD
• Hypothyroidism
• Constipation
• Tumors
• Goiter
• Lympadenopathy
• Tonsils
• Sinusitis
• One can use this medicine in all vata kapha conditions

A gem of a medicine this can be used successfully in the treatment of several diseases either alone or in combination with other Ayurveda medicines.

Prakruti (personal constitution) and panchagavya:

Remember an elderly visiting your house after a long tour, he will have  gifts for everyone in the family. But each gift is selected based on their individual interest and liking. Likewise the mother cow has something to give for every one of us but we should use it based on proper understanding and suitability.

 

The following table will give you an idea about this:

 

PRAKRUTHI	ILLNESSES PRONE TO	PANCHAGAVYA-WHAT IS GOOD/Pathya	WHAT IS NOT GOOD/to be avoided/Apathya
Vatha	Slip disc, Osteo arthritis, Degenerative Neurological problems, Constipation, dry skin,osteoporosis,weight loss	Ghrtha(Ghee) Ksheera(milk) Navaneetha-butter Takra(buttermilk)-which is fresh,has remnant  butter in it	Takra(buttermilk)-Rooksha, that from which all the butter is removed
Pitta	Gastritis, Anxiety neurosis, Ulcers,hyperacidity, Oral ulcers, migraine headache	Cow ghee Cow milk Butter Takra-Madhura	Sour buttermilk Curd Cow urine
Kapha	NIDDM, Obesity, Depression, Bronchial disorders, sinus headache, productive cough,lazyness,skin diseases associated with itching, hypothyroidism	Cow urine alone or along with other Ayurveda meds Buttermilk with Anupana such as pepper, cumin Moderate quantity of ghee and butter Cow milk with turmeric	Sour buttermilk Curd Excess of Ghee, milk and butter

 

 Visha dravya shodhana in Ayurveda and panchagavyas:

In Ayurveda, Śodhana is a distinctive process of detoxification employed to detoxify/purify and also to enhance the efficacy of various raw materials widely used in Ayurveda formulations for therapeutic purposes. Panchagavya plays an important role as an ingredient and also in the processes of purification and detoxification of some poisonous medicinal plants widely used in the preparation of formulations.

 Examples of detoxification process employed for few medicinal plant parts:

•  Papaver somniferum Ahiphena Exudate from the fruit is mixed with cow milk and cooked
• Abrus precatorius (Gunja) Seeds are purified by boiling in cow milk
• Gloriosa superb ( Langali) Rhizomes are purified by soaking in cow urine
• Aconitum ferox (Vatsanabha)Rhizomes are purified by boiling in cow milk and consequently kept soaked in cow urine and exposed to sun for a period of seven days

Scientific studies have confirmed that the purification process helps eliminate the alkaloids responsible for toxicity of the herb and also helps enhance the therapeutic efficacy of the herb

The renowned pharmacologist Dr.S.Dahanukar and her team conducted toxicological studies on animal (mice) to determine the toxicity of crude aconite as well as aconite samples detoxified using Ayurveda guidelines of Shodhana (Detoxification).

The following four samples were taken up for the study:

1. Crude Aconite (Ashoditha)
2. Processed Aconite labeled as Compound A (Shodhitha) – boiled in 2 parts of gomutra for 7 hours per day for two consecutive days. Later the roots are washed and boiled with two parts of cow’s milk. Again the roots are washed with lukewarm water, cut into pieces, dried and ground.
3. Aconite processed only in cow’s urine for 7 hrs per day for 2 consecutive days (compound B)
4. Aconite processed only in cow’s milk for the same duration (compound C).

Results:

1. Crude aconite- toxic to the mice even at a dose as low as 1.3 mg/mouse. 100% mortality resulted when 2.6 mg of crude aconite was administered to each mouse.
2. When crude aconite was processed in cow’s milk (compound C), the toxicity was significantly reduced with no mortality occurring at a dose of 2.6 mg/mouse. the compound did not become absolutely non-toxic
3. Processing in cow’s urine alone (compound B) also rendered crude aconite less toxic.
4. The completely processed aconite (compound A) was found to be absolutely non-toxic. Apart from the fact that none of the mice died even at a dose as high as 20.8 mg/mouse (comparatively even 1.3 mg/mouse proved to be toxic), the muscle tone, power, co-ordination and balance were all absolutely normal.

I have cited this study to demonstrate the scientific evidence for the usage of Gomutra and Goksheera as vishahara(anti toxic ) and also demonstrate the capability of Panchagavya obtained from indigenous cows. This example also amply demonstrates the acumen of our ancestors who were able to convert highly toxic herbs into potent medicines. For those biased and ignorant people who think that Ayurveda is just massage and quackery and panchagvya is all about cow dung and urine, the less said the better.

Is there any part which is negative or harmful of the kamadhenu?? And is there any shastra reference for it??

Is there nothing negative said about any product or part of cow in the shastras?! As I studied in-depth the subject of cow and the different applications of panchagvaya, I came across a guideline in Charaka Samhita which goes as follows:

While explaining the medicinal uses of meat the great physician says the following about beef:

“Mruga Maamseshu ahithathamam” indicating that it has negative qualities and not advised for consumption.

This is a grave warning provided by the great physician Charaka and recent research is slowly bringing out the truth regarding red meat in spite of the presence of the strong meat lobby. Those so called intellectuals and pseuodoseculars should go through the shastras before they open their loud mouths and spread falsehood that Ayurveda advocates beef eating and if they persist in spreading their lies they should be ready to face the bad karma associated with it especially when it harms an innocent animal such as the kamadhenu..

Those who disrespect the guidelines given by the great physician Charaka in his classical and evergreen treatise invite the diseases associated with the eating of cow meat and this is explained as pragyaaparadha. In Kannada there is an apt saying for it,irulu nodida baavige dinadalli beeluvudhu which means falling into a well during the daytime when one has seen its presence during the dark night.

Importance Of Panchagavya In  Ayurveda:

Adequate availability of authentic panchagvyas is very much important for the manufacturing of Quality Ayurveda medicines. The source of the Panchagavyas proven to have the healing abilities is the indigenous breed of cow belonging to different parts of our country and not the imported ones. Anything, which is white, is not milk. Milk should possess madhura rasa (sweet taste) and snigdha guna to have Ojo vardhaka guna (property to boost Immunity). Gomootra should possess teekshna (which is responsible for the bio enhancer property) guna to have kapha shamaka action. Ghee should possess the sookshma guna to act as a vehicle to be able to carry the medicinal properties extracted into it and to make them bioavailable. That sookshma guna will come only from proper samskara(process of preparing curd and churning to obtain butter) and the good quality of milk.

Cow Milk is extensively used in the preparation of  Ayurveda oil preparations (e.g.neelabhringadi ), Lehyas, Ghrthas etc. e.g. Ksheerabala taila, Mahanarayana Taila, Panchagavya Ghrta, Dhathryadi Ghrta etc. Gomutra is used in the Shodhana of Visha dravyas, Mandoora etc. Takrais used in the preparation of Takrarishta and as anupana along with choornas such as Dadimashtaka, Kapithashtaka etc. Ghrtha is used as the base to prepare more than 100 Ghrta formulations used in the treatment of a variety of illnesses from Anemia to Schizophrenia. All the panchagavyas are used in the manufacturing of Panchagavya and Mahapanchagavya Ghrta. Without the upalas (cow dung cakes) prepared out of Gomaya,Ayurvedic Bhasmas cannot be prepared.

I have cited a few examples of the applications of Panchagavya in the Ayurveda medicine manufacturing process and this is just an introduction into the role of Cow in human health.  We may follow the best manufacturing practices but if the right source of Panchagavy raw materials are not available we will end up with beautifully packed and labeled medicines, which do not have therapeutic value. Only our native breeds provide the best Panchagavyas and we should initiate emergency measures for conservation and propagation of our indigenous cows.

Ayurveda will flourish and continue to serve its purpose only and if only indigenous Cow survives. The whole world has a stake in the protection of the indigenous Cow breeds of India. If you need Ayurveda the indigenous Cow goes as a part of the package.

Final thought:

Cowism: The recent movement of gouraksha has led to the coining of a term called as COWISM,it can be broken down into two parts i.e. cow + ISM. ISM also stands for Indian System of medicine.

Till the recent past ISM did not acknowledge the role played by Cow in the production of Quality Traditional medicines leading to ignoring the necessity for conservation and propagation of good breeds of Indian cow. This has led to the present situation where there is huge variation in the results of the same medicine being produced by different pharmacies the reason being that some are adhering to the good manufacturing practice with quality ingredients(includes panchagavya) and some are not. Now it is time the manufacturers start realizing the vital role being played by the Kamadhenu in the manufacture of Quality formulations.

On the other hand there is a movement of marketing of Panchagavya adharith Medicines and they also should not forget that these medicines will work best only when they are used as per the basic principles laid out by Traditional system of medicines from where they have been selected and prepared.  There is no one panacea for all diseases where you can say one key will be able to open all locks. Mastering the basic principles may be a difficult task but there is no alternative to it or else we will be creating more harm to the movement of COWISM rather than help. The cart will not be able to move without the bull pulling it and there is no point with only the bull moving ahead without getting attached to the cart. Both have to work hand in hand if we have to achieve the task of taking traditional system for medicine to the common man and to the world.

Or else we will end up like the present status of agriculture where the so called AGRICULTURAL SCIENTISTS (experts!) felt that they can replace the role played by the cows with artificial fertilizers and pesticides and ended up exhausting the soil and poisoning the ecosystem. Some smart corporate with their selfish agenda have been successful in fulfilling their selfish agenda and they laughed all the way to their bank leaving exhausted land and diseased human behind.

When we look at these precise details we have to be surprised at the level of knowledge our ancestors had about the food concepts and the way they used it to prevent as well as in the treatment of diseases. There was no bias in their mind and they have explained the two sides of the coin in detail without allowing any doubts to remain in the mind of the user of that knowledge. Those among us who have been brainwashed to think that all traditional knowledge is outdated and whatever knowledge is there has to come to us from westerners should seriously do a rethink and at least read a few reputed books of Ayurveda which are available in local languages as well as English.

It is time for us to take pride in this vedic knowledge which has been bequeathed to us by our hardworking ancestors who in a time when there was no microscope or any other electronic equipment were able to dissect nature with such precision. This knowledge system is a gift of our ancestors to their future generations and they will laugh at our foolishness if we are unable to use it properly.

Latest knowledge is necessary but that doesn’t  mean that we start discarding a time tested science which has taken care of the health needs of our ancestors and if we do so we will be doing exactly the same thing that self serving corporate want us to do so that we can be made sacrificial goats in all their experiments. We need to inculcate a sense of pride among our younger generations and institute modern research in traditional systems of medicine, panchagavya  etc to better understand their mode of action and use it in a more widespread manner.

Gaavo rakshanthi rakshithah

 

Written by:

Vaidya.Kulamarva.Jayakrishna
Ayurvedic Physician
Agasthya Ayurveda Clinic,
Anandbagh crossroads,Safilguda,
Hyderabad-47
Telangana,India
Ph:09849195413
Email id:jkkulamarva@gmail.com