WRITTEN BY LONDON SWAMINATHAN

Post No. 10,566

Date uploaded in London – –    15 JANUARY   2022         

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.

this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.

tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com

Rig Veda (RV) is the oldest book in the world dated between 6000 BCE and 1500 BCE. Scholars say it should have taken at least 500 years ‘to compose’ them or ‘put together’ in the present form. That means we must give the oldest part  of it 2000 BCE if we accept 1500 BCE as the date of RV. But Hindu Panchangas (almanacs) are crystal clear about the date of Veda Vyasa and they give him 3150 BCE. That means Vedas are in current form for at least 5000 years. Vyasa was the saint who divided Vedas into four and entrusted them to four of his disciples.

God is called Doctor and Medicine in the Rig Veda. Though mantras dealing with all Vedic Gods associate them with medicine and cure, Rudra commands the highest position in the field of Medicine. He was called Bhisak/ Doctor and Bhesajam/Medicine. Later we come across Dhanvantri, the Father of Medicine. We should call him the ‘father of MODERN medicine’. He is considered as Vishnu or his Avatar. Hindus call any one with some Divine Qualities an Avatar/incarnation of God.

Tamil poet Valluvan also confirms it in his Kural couplet 50. Tiru Valluvar (Valluvan) justifies all the 10 to 24 Avatars of Vishnu by this couplet. So Dhanvantri is Vishnu.

The words BHESAJAM and BHISAK occur in Vishnu Sahasranama as well. But there they mention the birth and death cycle as disease and God is described the physician who cures that disease. Later Tamil and Sanskrit poets use this concept throughout their devotional literature. One Sangam Tamil poet extended this to a philanthropist and called him ‘You are the Physician who cures the disease called Hunger’. This is in 2000 year old poem. But the same Vishnu Sahasranama called God as Vaidya (doctor) and Oshadi (herbal medicine).

All these show the concern of Hindus regarding one’s health, whether it is spiritual, mental or physical.

But if we go by the number of references to Doctor and Medicine then Rudra comes first. Rudra is Lord Siva. 2000 year old Sangam Tamil literature confirms it. Like Rig Veda Tamils never used SIVA until sixth century CE for Rudra. They used only his attributes such as Three Eyed, Blue Necked etc. In the same way Three Eyed -Trayambaka is in Rig Veda; Siva/auspicious as adjective is also in the Rig Veda.

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References to Rudra in the Vedas

Yajur Veda (YV) has a part called Rudram-Chamakam. That is recited by all orthodox Saivite Hindus every day. The priests use it during Abishek of idols in all Siva Temples. Most sacred mantra OM NAMA SIVAYA and Trayambaka Mantra occur in it. God is praised as Bhesajam and Bhisak in it. But RV is older than YV.

Let us look at some of the mantras where physician and medicine occur in RV:-

1-43-2- Rudra’s medicines

1-43-4-Rudra, the possessor of healing remedies. Prayer for health and wealth.

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Yajur Veda -Vajasaneyi Samhita 16-48; Taittriya samhita5-10-1

Prayer to Rudra for men and beasts to be prosperous and free from disease.

2    Prayer to obtain what health and wealth father

Manu acquired

5  Rudra carries in his hands the best remedies.

7  Prayer not to kill he old men, boys, fathers, mothers, adults, foetus, and our bodies.

8   Prayer not to kill our sons, grand sons, and men, cows ad horses.

2-33-1

May we increase in offering O Rudra

2   Prayer  for 100 years of life by Rudra’s blissful medicines. Put away far from us  sickness in all directions.

One YV mantra mentioned  Rudra has 1000 remedies.

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Maruts and Medicine

Maruts /wind are considered sons of Rudra; he also has link   with medicine. Here are some RV references to Maruts and Medicine

RV 2-33-13

O Maruts, those pure medicines of yours.

RV 5-53-14

You shower down health and wealth, water and medicine, O Maruts.

RV 8-20-3

O bounteous Maruts, bring us some of your

Marut medicines

8-20-25

Whatever medicine there is on the

Sindhu , on the Askini , in the seas, on the mountains.

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10-77-7

The man who offers gifts  to the Maruts , gains health and wealth, blessed with offspring.

This is not comprehensive. There are many more mantras linking Siva and Maruts with medicine. In addition we have other gods associated with medicine and medicine men. There are hundreds of mantras where Soma, herbs and Amrita are praised.

–subham–

tags – Dr Rudra, Medicine, Physician, Doctor, in Rig Veda