Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

Chapter 3 - Rejoice In The Being  Day 16 Once Lord Krishna had a headache and all the doctors came but they could not find the reason for his headache. No medicine would work. Krishna said one medicine would work, “If the dust from the feet of any one of my devotees is applied on my head, my headache will go.”  Were there no devotees in Dwarka, in the place where he was? Many people were there, but how many would put the dust of their feet on his head, because the scriptures say that if you put the dust of your feet on the Lord, then you will go to hell.  It is a sin and nobody wanted to go to hell. Then Krishna sent one of his messagers, Udhava, to Brindavan. As soon as he came, all the Gopis asked him, “Oh, tell me, what is the news in Dwarka? How is Lord Krishna? Is everything okay?” “He is fine,” the messenger replied, “but he has a headache.”  A cry arose, “He has a headache. Are there no good doctors there? Are there no Vaidyas there?” He told them ...

Neralehannu or Jamun fruit Did you know that Nerlehannu or Jamun fruit is what Lord Rama ate in the forest for 14 years during his exile from Ayodhya, and as a result many Hindus regard this fruit as a 'Fruit of the Gods'? The scientific name of Nerlehannu (ನೇರಳೆಹಣ್ಣು) or Jamun fruit is Syzygium cumini L or Eugenia Jambolana, and it belongs to the myrtaceae plant family, and much eaten by the natives of India. Common names are java plum, black plum, jambul. Its Sanskrit name is Jambu Phalinda. Culturally, beautiful eyes are compared to this fruit. The name ' Indian blackberry' is a misnomer as it is a separate fruit in an unrelated order, though looks like black berry with soft purple pulp. Syzygium cumini has been spread overseas from India by Indian emigrants and at present is common in tropical former British colonies.  Jamun, also known as 'Magic of purple', the taste of an Indian summer, grown throughout...

Okra or Bhindi  Did you know that Okra or Bhindi is slimy and sticky and it is a quality which can not be wished away by washing or overcooking, accept it as it comes as it is the favourite of adults and kids? Okra or Bhindi (also spelled Bhendi), Bendekai (ಬೆಂಡೆಕಾಯಿ) in Kannada language, with botanical name Abelmoschus esculentu in the Mallow family, also known as Ladies' fingers or Ochro or ‘Gumbo’, is a flowering plant, and is a wonder vegetable because of its proven health benefits. The plant is cultivated in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions around the world. Grown first in Eritrea and the highlands of Sudan, Bhindi is said to have travelled with the Bantu tribe who migrated from Egypt around 2000 BC. In India, the absence of any ancient Indian names for it suggests that it reached India after the beginning of the Christian Era. It is now a popular vegetable probably introduced later by the Arabs or African sailors as the ...

Yoga-Kundalini Upanishad Did you know that according to the Yoga-Kundalini Upanishad obstacles in Yoga are self doubts, confusion, indifference, habit of giving up, being caught up in worldly drama, and suspicions? The Yoga-Kundalini Upanishad (Sanskrit: योगकुण्डलिनी उपनिषत्), also called Yogakundalya Upanishad (Sanskrit: योगकुण्डल्युपनिषत्, a minor Upanishad of Hinduism, in Sanskrit text, is one of the 20 Yoga Upanishads, and is one of 32 Upanishads attached to the Krishna Yajurveda. In the Muktika canon, narrated by Rama to Hanuman, it is listed at number 86 in the anthology of 108 Upanishads. It is a highly significant text related to the exposition of the Kundalini Yoga, describes Hatha and Lambika yoga, and the last chapter is primarily about the quest of self-knowledge, Atman, Brahman (the Non-dual Brahman) and living liberation. It is an important text in Tantra, to the Shakti tradition of Hinduism, and considered one of the most important texts on Kunda...

Idli Did you know that Idli, a very interesting group of cereal-based foods of South India finds earliest mention, in 990 AD, in a Kannada book, Vaddaradhane, which was written by Shivakotiacharya? Idli is a small, white, acid leavened, and steamed cake made by bacterial fermentation of a thick batter made from carefully washed white rice and dehulled black gram dhal. It is breakfast food of extensive popularity.  There are several hypotheses, based on rich history, attributed to the origin of humble dish Idli. It finds mention in a Kannada book, "Vaddaradhane", written by Shivakotiacharya in 920 AD, as “iddalige”, but prepared only from a black gram batter. As there were no steaming vessels in India before 7th century, Hindu Kings who came from Indonesia (800-1200 AD) along with their cooks brought fermentation and steaming methods and their dish called "Kedli" to South India., where the name got changed to Idli. The earliest available...