4. THE SCIENCE OF ILLNESSES

In Anandamaya Kosa a man is the healthiest with a perfect harmony and balance of all his faculties. At Vignanamaya Kosa there are movements, but are channelised in the right direction. As such, it is in the Manomaya level that imbalances start, gay the Yoga texts (See Appendix 1).⁹ Likes and dislikes have come to play at this level. These imbalances amplify themselves resulting in mental illnesses called 'Adhis'. At this stage there are no symptoms at the physical level. Prompted by the perceptual growth of desires, these mental diseases congeal., in us, they begin to manifest themselves externally. Gradually they percolate to the physical frame. Preponderance of Ajnana, (ignorance about his real state of bliss) leads him to perform wrong actions as the eating of unwholesome food, living in unhealthy dwelling, doing things at untimely hours, injuries inflicted, association with the wicked, evil thoughts etc. These breed physical diseases called Vyadhis or the secondary diseases. 

The Adhis (primary diseases) are two fold-Samanya (ordinary) and Sara (the essential). The former includes the diseases incidental to the body while the latter the rebirth to which men are subject. The Samanya are normally produced during the interactions with the world. These may be termed as psychosomatic ailments. When dealt with suitable techniques and congenial atmosphere, Adhis of this ordinary type will vanish. Along with it are destroyed the physical ailments, Vyadhis, caused by these Adhis (Adhijah Vyadha- yah). The subtler Adhis of the essential type, 'Sara' which cause the birth of the physical body can be destroyed only by the Realization of the causal states of mind and a corresponding ability to live in Vijnanamaya and Anandama a Kosas. In that case, man transcends the cycles of birth and death. 

This concept of Vyadhis caused by Adhis is summarised schematically in Figure 3. The figure also depicts the second, class of ailments - Anadhijah Vyadhayah - those not originated by mind. These would probably include the infectious and contagious diseases. Through the conventional medicines (the chemotherapy of modern medicine can come under this heading), Mantras (with their natural vibrational characteristics) and good actions (bringing about the purity of mind, the bliss developing in the body, the Prana flowing freely and the food getting digested and assimilated properly) the diseases will get vanished.