President Pranab Mukherjee has emphasized that Ayurveda should not be regarded as merely a system of healthcare, rather, as a set of disciplines that work together to create balance and harmony within us.
"I would like to emphasise that Ayurveda should not be regarded as merely a system of healthcare: it is, rather, a set of disciplines that work together to create balance and harmony within us. It is based on the perception that life represents a relationship between the atma or soul, mana or mind, indriya or senses and sarira or body," he said while speaking at the 58th Session of the All India Ayurvedic Congress here.
"It is a unique combination of science and philosophy for balancing the body's physical, mental, emotional and spiritual components. Ayurvedic doctors believe that this equilibrium is necessary for good health. Creating such a balance helps to heal the sick, to maintain the health of those who are well, and to prevent disease and promote quality of life," he added.
The President also said it was unfortunate that Ayurveda, as a science, had been suppressed for a long period when India was under colonial rule - due to which training and education in this ancient science suffered.
"Fortunately, in post-Independence India, both our Central and State Governments have taken a number of steps to revive this invaluable treasure of ancient medicinal secrets. Government of India has, today, a full-fledged Ministry of AYUSH for the development and promotion of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy. This Ministry has been working with the practitioners of our indigenous medicinal systems to develop and strengthen education and training in these sciences. The Sushruta Samhita and Charaka Samhita are now available to students in Hindi and English. I am confident that such efforts will significantly encourage the development of Ayurveda in our country and abroad," he added.