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By Dr. Satish Kulkarni
This branch of ashtang
ayurved namely bhut-vidya,
(psychology and psychiatry) deals
mainly with imbalance of the mind,
diseases resulting from that and
treatment for the same.
Ayurvedic sages
were of the opinion that
psychological and neurological
disorders are caused by notorious
supernatural powers (bhuta.) Bhut-khet,
pretatma, samandh, pishachcha, vetal (evil
spirits, devils, ghosts, etc.) are
different terminologies used to name
these powers. All these are
considered superhuman and known to
create trouble. They are spirits of
unfortunate people who die without
achieving their aim in life. These
dead people try to fulfill their
wishes and wills through the bodies
and minds of mentally weak people.
People suffering from psychological
disorders are vehicles of these
inhuman superpowers on earth.
Different sanhitas
have interpreted the word bhuta
in different ways. Some say that bhuta
can be good or bad. They just want to
complete their lifespan through human
vehicles and this is their
explanation for psychic conditions.
Some say that these wreaking powers
capture human beings to fulfill their
incomplete desires and wishes and
that the irrelevant behavior of a
psychologically disturbed person is a
result of this phenomenon. Others say
that people under the influence of bhuta
(bad spirits) can do all that is
normally beyond their control and
capacity. Still others say that the
sins which one might have committed
in one’s last birth trouble one
in one’s present birth. Overall,
the belief was that these superpowers
are not visible to the human eye and
that they can rule human beings as
they wish.
In short, bhut-vidya
is the science that deals with causes
and ill effects that are more mental
than physical. It deals with powers
that are not visible to the human eye
and thus prescribes that the patient
needs a devrishi or a mantrik
(person who knows how to deal
with these superpowers) to be able to
escape from them. Thus bhut-vidya
deals with all sorts of problems that
have no direct physical explanation
in terms of dosh (basic body
constituents), dhatu (body
tissues) or mala (body
wastes). Bhut-vidya deals with
all illnesses that suggest a
disturbance in the human mind. There
are many factors that control our
mind and if this control is hampered
or lost, a person starts behaving in
a way that cannot be accepted
socially. His/her actions go beyond
the control of society. Treatment for
all these problems that are faced by
the diseased and his/her social
circle come under this specialized
branch of bhut-vidya.
In the era of ayurved,
Indians believed in the good and bad
effects of the graha
(planets), the tare (stars),
the rashichakra (zodiac), the grahan
(eclipse) and the sankramana
(movement of the sun from one rashi
(zodiac month) to another. In
addition, grahadasha (misfortune),
grahapeeda (trouble caused by
unpropitious stars) and amavasya-pournima
(new moon-full moon) were also
considered to be factors influencing
mental disorders.
Naturally,
treatment for all these problems was
aimed at pleasing the bad spirits.
Sacrificing a rooster or a goat to
satisfy angry devils, offering
ornaments to the Gods and prarthana-mantra
pathan-pooja -shanti (prayers and
ritual performances) were prescribed
in the treatment. Yadnya {fumigation
performed by using samidha (small
sticks of disinfectant plants or
trees)} and house warming were
socially accepted forms of treatment
for psychiatric problems. This was
done to improve the atmosphere around
the psychologically disturbed person.
To summarize, bhut-vidya
deals with psychological and
psychiatric problems. Mental
disturbances were considered to be
the result of the anger of inhuman
superpowers and treatment for curing
the patient was aimed at satisfying
these superpowers.
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