Vaidya means the healer. Vaidya is one who understands the state of the individuals holistically, can set the condition right, advise the corrective actions, and finally remove the “dis-ease” condition of the “arogyarthi”, seeker of the health. Thus, health restoration is healing and healing holistic. A reductionist approach of treating the “condition” and not the individual as a holistic entity shall result in creating more disturbance and troubles for the concerned individual.
Tradition prescribed three definite acts above the normal compensation/remuneration lines. These are to be pursued without commercial motives. These are education, healing, and karma-kanda. Commercialization of education limits the pursuit to limited sections and society shall be the long-run loser. This skewness creates issues for society at large. The downside associated with the commercialization of the karma-kanda, whether ceremonies associated with existence or moving-on, shall reduce the respect for the very system itself. Similar to the first and third acts of education and karma-kanda, commercialization around healing/health endeavours shall create disturbance in society, cause suffering, and affect sustainability.
The definition of health as the absence of perceptible dis-ease/disturbance is limited in scope. To be called healthy one has to be at complete ease, starting from the annamaya kosha (sheath) to the highest anandamaya, covering the other three pranamaya, manomaya, and vigyanamaya koshas. Koshas may not be visible but the suffering emanating from these is. The healer has to ensure at different koshas and chakras the balance exists, and mind/body/soul functioning is holistic. Any disturbance at any other level shall have implications at the physical level, albeit after some time lag.
When life is precious and limited in terms of years, the healer’s responsibility is sacrosanct. Any loss of time is irreversible. The cost of healing also greatly matters. The healer has to understand the power of the body in terms of self-healing and ride the curve as per the tide. The ethicality of diagnosis modalities, data, and treatment protocols is a must. Suffering people see the healer as the saviour. Both Shiva and Vishnu are said to have taken the incarnations as healers, Vaidyanatha and Dhanvantari respectively. Healing is a divine act and the respect given to the healer is next only to God. Hence, is the adage.
Dr S Ainavolu is a professor at VPSoM, DYPU, Navi Mumbai. Views are personal. You can read more at https://www.ainavolu.in/
