Hridayam - for Healthy Heart Beats

     William Harvey, (1628AD) a British scientist, had found that heart is essential for blood circulation, but could not describe how blood reaches the heart and flows from it. In the year 1669 a scientist named Marcello Malphigi clearly described how blood flows into Heart and comes out of it.


     Now, let us hear the echos of ancient Indian heartbeats and it's hearty revelations.
Satapatha Brahmana of Yajur Veda, had defined Hridayam (the heart) as under,
"Hru" means "barinay" (that receives)
"Da" means "daanay" (that gives)
"Ya" means "enngathow" (that circulates)
That which receives (blood), gives and circulates is called Hridayam.
Niruktha sastra had defined Hridayam as follows

haraterdadāterayaterhrdayaśabdah (Niruktham)


Sushruta says,


kapha pittāvaruddhastu māruto rasa mūrcitahhrdisthah kurute śulam uccvāsārodhakam param


कफ पित्तावरुद्धस्तु मारुतो रस मूर्चितः
ह्रुदिस्थः कुरुते षुलम् उच्च्वासारोधकम् परम् |


"Heart diseases are caused because of "kapha" and "Pita" doshas (defects) and thus thickening and narrowing of coronary arteries resulting in acute pain in the Chest and difficulty in breathing."


Charaka says,


tanmahattā mahāmūlāh taccaujah pariraksatā
parihāryā viśesena manaso duhkhahetavah

(Charaka Samhita Sutrasthanam 30/13)

तन्महत्ता महामूलाः तच्चौजः परिरक्सता |
परिहार्या विषेसेन मनसो दुह्खहेतवः |||


hrdyam yat syādyadaujasyam srotasām yat prasādanam
tattat sevyam prayatnena praśamo jñānameva ca

(Charaka Samhita Sutrasthanam 30/14)

ह्रुद्यम् यत् स्याद्यौजस्यम् स्रोतसाम् यत् प्रसादनम् |

तत्तत् सेव्यम् प्रयत्नेन पषमो ञ्णानमेव च || 

     "Those who want to preserve "Ojas" and maintain heart in good condition should be away from mental worries and should exhibit self-restraint in diet and should consume the medicines that increase vital principle (ojas) and blood circulation." For healthy Heartbeats, meticulous efforts are to be made to obtain tranquility with awareness & wisdom.

     Indian traditional medical knowledge had rightly recognized the preventive measures for the Heart diseases ages ago and advised suitably to exercise self-restraint and adopt moderate food habits and a composed mindset. If these suggestions are followed today, one can avoid heart surgeries and expenditure.
     The Rasa is the energy produced from well-digested food. It is stored in the Heart. From the heart entering through the 24 arteries, 10 going upward 10 going downward and four horizontal, it satisfies, grows and maintains the entire body every day by an invisible force or cause. Blood is carried from heart to the entire body through them. (Ref: Sushruta Samhita, Sutrasthanam, adhyayah 14 para - 3).
     It has been mentioned in the book, "Nighantu Ratnakara, that "grind" medicinal plant Teeminalia Arjuna (Arjuna tree) is used to cure heart diseases".


Contributed by Prasanna.