Recommended Books on Ayurveda

When you start studying any subject, it is important to get the right books. This is even more important for Indology subjects because more than 90% books are written by authors who even don't understand the basics of subject.

There are some other problems as well. First of all the original text (Charak, Sushrut, Vagbhat) etc. are very old and not written keeping the present time in mind. Even some of the recent commentaries are pretty old and the language used is not very easy to understand. Also most of the books lack the practical approach and are almost with no examples. So here are few of my recommended books that I found the best available in the market -

IN HINDI

1. Chikitsa Chandrodaya by Babu Haridas Ji Vaidya (in Hindi)
Publisher: Haridas & Company (P) Ltd., Mathura
When I was searching for books I never thought that the best books will be from my neighbouring city. I am from Agra so I am very pleased that these books are published from Mathura. These books are talk in details about theory as well as practical. Almost all important diseased are dealt in this book. Also the author has also given Yunani medicine at many places.

2. Aadhunik Chikitsashastra by Dharmadutt Vaidya (in Hindi)
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas
This is another gem of the book that I found. It is around 1000 page book which talks in detail about the Ayurvedic medicine as well as Modern medines for various diseases. There are other sections on medical emergencies and clinical method which make this book really useful. This book also bridges the gap between modern medicine and Ayurveda by using both the systems in complimentory way. Also use of Hing-lish make this book easy to read. I am not sure whether an Eglish translation of this book is available or not but definately hope for one.

IN ENGLISH

Truly speaking I have not found any good book in English on Ayurveda. One thing that I don't like about the books in English is that these book mix Ayurveda with other systems and hence diluting the subject. Some of the popular books are books by Vasant Lad, David Frawley and Svoboda. Out of these books, I liked Textbook Of Ayurveda (two volumes) by Vasant Lad. This is a good book from the theory perspective and dealt with theory in details. But once it come to the practical examples, this book cannot be compared with other books. In fact, in both the volumes, the author keep talking about theory which is very disappointing. Though seeing the dearth of good books on Ayurveda in English, this can be easily rated as the best book available in market. There is another popular books in English named Ayurveda Healing by David Frawley. Though keep in mind that this books is for beginner level and lacks the depth and details of the book by Vasant Lad.

Please note that above list of recommended books is written for people who want to get into the details of the subject. I'll rate the level of all above books from Intermediate to Advanced. In case you are just casual reader of Ayurveda, these are not the recommended books.

Books on Ayurveda

A comprehensive list of books on Ayurveda can be found at https://www.vedamsbooks.com/ayurveda.htm

Ayurveda Notes on Rasa and Dhatu

Signs and Symptoms of vitiated tissues (Dhatus)

Restlessness, palpitation, cardiac pain, exhaustion without cause, irritation by loud noises, haemoglobin deficiency, roughness and dryness of skin.

• Muscle (mamsa) - cracking joints, eye
• Fat (medas) - lassitude, overly thin constitution, exhaustion, falling hair, nails, teeth, loose joints
• Bone (asthi) - thinness, weakness, bone, lightness, Vayu bone diseases weakness, and dry mouth
• Marrow (majja) - pallor, lassitude
• Reproductive - exertion, impotence, non-ejaculation of semen
• Essence (ukra)

Sapta (Seven) Dhatus and their functions:

• Rasa (fluid) Dhatu -Derived from the digested food, it nourishes each and every tissue and cell of the body and is analogous to the plasma.
• Rakta (blood) Dhatu - Regarded as the basic of life, it is analogous to the circulating blood cells. It not only nourishes the body tissues, but provides physical strength and colour to the body.
• Masma Dhatu - The muscle tissue, its main function is to provide physical strength and support for the meda dhatu.
• Meda (fat) Dhatu - Consists of adipose tissue providing support to ashti dhatu. It also lubricates the body.
• Ashti Dhatu - Comprising of bone tissues, including cartilages, its main function is to give support to the majja dhatu and provide support to the masma dhatu.
• Majja Dhatu - Denoting the yellow and red bone marrow tissue, its main function is to fill up the ashti and to oleate the body.
• Shukra Dhatu - The main aim of this reproductive tissue is to help reproduction and strengthen the body.
• Blood (rakta) - cracks, loss of luster, emaciation (especially of buttocks, neck and abdomen)

Table 1: Dhatus. The information presented here is derived from Principles of Pharmacology in Ayurved by Dr. Kulkarni.

Indian Name	Modern Translation of Meaning	Indications of Favorable Condition
Rasa	nutrient portion of the blood	good skin quality, vitality
Rakta	blood (e.g., blood cells)	good coloration of the cheeks, lips, ear lobes, tongue, tip of nose; warm palms and soles
Mamsa	muscles and soft tissues	muscles of chest, arms, and legs are strong; facial muscles yield good expression and eye movements, speech is clear
Medas	lipids (fats, membranes)	proper moisture of skin, eyes, lips, and hair; normal sweating without bad odor; no excessive accumulation of fat in the area of abdomen, hips, back, and neck
Asthi	bones, cartilage	well-proportioned body, strong teeth and nails, thick hair; joints are supple and freely mobile
Majja	marrow	glowing face, healthy skin, soft voice
Shukra	vital fluid, semen	eyes are bright, teeth are white, skin is soft, voice is pleasant, sexual vitality is strong but controlled

Must Read Books On Spirituality

I understand that no book is needed for attaining the ultimate. Though these are few great books that may guide you on your spiritual path. Here are my favorites -

"I Am That" by Shri Nisargadatta Maharaj

"The First And The Last Freedom" by Jiddu Krishnamurti

"Vigyan Bhairav Tantra (The Book Of Secrets)" Part I by Osho

"Vigyan Bhairav Tantra (The Book Of Secrets)" Part II by Osho

Buddha Boredom

Feeling bored. Want to change it, want to change it with doing something interesting, something fun, something cool .. check this out -

Something strange is happening. I begin to like this undercurrent of boredom that runs through my life. It is part of my life, no, it is my life! Looked at from one side it is boredom; seen from the other it is sheer s p a c i o u s n e s s. My excitements, my activities are small islands in a vast ocean of boredom-spaciousness. Islands come and go – the ocean is. Why would I want to fill this boredom space with something to do? Is it not beautiful and perfect? It was its emptiness that scared me. But it is not only empty, it is also spacious. And this spaciousness is wonderful, like sitting on a mountain peak with nothing around but translucent blue space. So let there be spacious boredom!

Full Book - http://www.globalserve.net/~sarlo/VishramBoring4.htm

Buddha was utterly bored. He left his kingdom when he was only twenty-nine, at the peak of his youth. He was utterly bored—with wine, with wealth, with kingdom, with everything. He had seen all, he had seen through and through. He was bored. Traditionally it is said he renounced the world because the world is bad – that is absolutely nonsense. He renounced the world because he became so bored with it. ... more

Dowsing, The Paranormal Witching

My exploration to western books is continuing. Recently I started a book on Dowsing, the psychic ability to find water, gemstones, metals or other objects. This is nothing new in Indology and Indology has well developed process for this. The difference from Western dowsing and Indian dowsing is the reliance on the psychic abilities and intuitions. Indology has defined it in more detail and supported it with some other branches of Indology. Also all such topics converge to each other. Whereas in western world all such psychic branches are independent to each other. Also normally we have some detailed process involved to develop these psychic abilities, but in Western world, they have just-do-it kind of approach. Around ten years back, unknowingly, I tried few of dowsing methods and found that the objects were responding to my queries. I remember how the crystal was moving just by the directions of my mind. Though I believe, at that initial level, these were my more my bodily response to my queries rather than any divine response.

Anyways, here is how wikipedia defines dowsing -

Dowsing, sometimes called divining or water witching, refers to practices in which people claim to detect hidden water, metals, gemstones or other objects, usually obstructed by land or sometimes located on a map. Most commonly, the movement or vibrations of apparatus, such as a Y-shaped twig, an L-shaped rod or a pendulum, is used. Some practitioners use no apparatus at all.

Dowsing is considered pseudoscience by the scientific community while Practitioners say their powers are paranormal. Research intended to prove its efficacy has failed to do so, but some people believe that it works, and it is widely practiced in its various forms.
The detailed wikipedia article can be found here.

Learning Wicca & Witchcraft

Last few months, being in America, given me the opportunity to exlore various new subjects. I am a person with deep interest in spirituality and mysticism. Being in US, I got opportunity to study about the subjects that are not very common in India e.g. Wicca, Paganism, Neopaganism, Witchcraft, Voodoo, Tai Chi, I Ching, Buddhism, Tibetan Tantra & Yoga. One reason that I was able to study these subject is sufficient availability of time and great network of libraries that makes books on variuos subjects esily accessible.

So coming to the Wicca, what is Wicca? Wikipedia tells us that Wicca is a nature-based religion found in various countries throughout the world. It was first popularised in 1954 by Gerald Gardner, a retired British civil servant. He claimed that the religion, of which he was an initiate, was a modern survival of an old witchcraft religion, which had existed in secret for hundreds of years, originating in the pre-Christian Paganism of Europe. Wicca is thus sometimes referred to as the Old Religion. The veracity of Gardner's claims cannot be independently proven, and it is thought that Wiccan theology began to be compiled no earlier than the 1920s.
Various related Wiccan traditions have since evolved or been adapted from the form established by Gardner, which came to be called Gardnerian Wicca. These other traditions of Wicca each have distinctive beliefs, rituals, and practices. Many traditions of Wicca remain secretive and require that members be initiated.

Book of Shadows is the book that is regarded as the Bible for Wicca. However, several proposed versions of the Book have been published. If you are interested in learning Wicca, there is an Internet version available of this book called Internet Book of Shadows. You can check that version out here. So if you are interested in learning Wicca, I would suggest that this is the best place to start on Internet. I would appreciate your experience with this book here.

Pranayama in Hatha Yoga Pradipika

This is what Hatha Yoga Pradeepika says about Pranayama -

On Pranayama

1. Posture becoming established, a Yogi or Yogini, master of himself or herself, eating salutary and moderate food, should practice pranayama, as instructed by his or her guru.
2. Respiration being disturbed, the mind becomes disturbed. By restraining respiration, the Yogi or Yogini gets steadiness of mind.
3. So long as the (breathing) air stays in the body, it is called life. Death consists in the passing out of the (breathing) air. It is, therefore, necessary to restrain the breath.
4. The breath does not pass through the middle channel (susumna), owing to the impurities of the nadis. How can then success be attained, and how can there be the unmani avastha.
5. When the whole system of the nadis which is full of impurities, is cleaned, then the Yogi or Yogini becomes able to control the Prana.
6. Therefore, Pranayama should be performed daily with satwika buddhi (intellect free from raja and tama or activity and sloth), in order to drive out the impurities of the susumna.

Methods of performing Pranayama

1. Sitting in the Padmâsana posture the Yogi or Yogini should fill in the air through the left nostril (closing the right one); and, keeping it confined according to one's ability, it should be expelled slowly through the surya (right nostril).
2. Then, drawing in the air through the surya slowly, the belly should be filled, and after performing Kumbhaka as before, it should be expelled slowly through the chandra (left nostril).
3. Inhaling thus through the one, through which it was expelled, and having restrained it there, till possible, it should be exhaled through the other, slowly and not forcibly.
4. If the air be inhaled through the left nostril, it should be expelled again through the other, and filling it through the right nostril, confining it there, it should be expelled through the left nostril. By practicing in this way, through the right and the left nostrils alternately, the whole of the collection of the nadis of the yamis (practisers) becomes clean, i.e., free from impurities, after 3 months and over.
5. Kumbhakas should be performed gradually four times during day and night (i.e., morning, noon, evening and midnight), till the number of Kumbhakas for one time is 80 and for day and night together it is 320.
6. In the beginning there is perspiration, in the middle stage there is quivering, and in the last or third stage, one obtains steadiness; and then the breath should be made steady or motionless.
7. The perspiration exuding from exertion of practice should be rubbed into the body (and not wiped), as by so doing the body becomes strong.
8. During the first stage of practice the food consisting of milk and ghee is wholesome. When the practice becomes established, no such restriction is necessary.
9. Just as lions, elephants and tigers are controlled by and by, so the breath is controlled by slow degrees, otherwise (i.e., by being hasty or using too much force) it kills the practitioner himself or herself.
10. When Pranayama, etc., are performed properly, they eradicate all diseases; but an improper practice generates diseases.
11. Hiccough, asthma, cough, pain in the head, the ears, and the eyes; these and other various kinds of diseases are generated by the disturbance of the breath.
12. The air should be expelled with proper tact and should be filled in skillfully; and when it has been kept confined properly it brings success. (N.B.--The above caution is necessary to warn the aspirants against omitting any instruction; and in their zeal to gain success or siddhis early, to begin the practice, either by using too much force in filling in, confining and expelling the air, or by omitting any instructions, it may cause unnecessary pressure on their ears, eyes, &c., and cause pain. Every word in the instructions is full of meaning and is necessarily used in the slokas, and should be followed very carefully and with due attention. Thus there will be nothing to fear whatsoever. We are inhaling and exhaling the air throughout our lives without any sort of danger, and Pranayama being only a regular form of it, there should be no cause to fear.)
13. When the nadis become free from impurities, and there appear the outward signs of success, such as lean body and glowing color, then one should feel certain of success.
14. By removing the impurities, the air can be restrained, according to one's wish and the appetite is increased, the divine sound is awakened, and the body becomes healthy.
15. If there be excess of fat or phlegm in the body, the six kinds of kriyas (duties) should be performed first. But others, not suffering from the excess of these, should not perform them.
16. The six kinds of duties are: Dhauti, Basti, Neti, Trataka, Nauti and Kapala Bhati. These are called the six actions.
17. These six kinds of actions which cleanse the body should be kept secret. They produce extraordinary attributes and are performed with earnestness by the best Yogis and Yoginis.

If you are in Rajyoga practice, you must also go through the kumbhaka and shadkarma section.

Hatha Yoga Literature/ Original Text

Normally I like reading the original text, rather than the books written later-on on the subject. Now-a-days I am practicing Yoga and hence was looking for ancient literature on yoga. I found this URL useful for knowing about the original literature -

Hatha Yoga Literature

It tells about following five texts -

1. Hatha-Yoga-Pradipika - the monther of all texts on hatha yoga.
2. Goraksha-Shataka - probably the second most important text
3. Shiva-Samhita
4. Yoga-Sutra and Yoga-Bhasya - mostly deals with raja yoga; this is the text from where all hatha yoga text is drawn
5. Sat-Chakra-Nirupama - mostly deals with chakra awakening

Please let me know in case I am missing some important text here.

Enterprise Portal Podcast

In the SharedInsights conference, I talk about key issues in portal arena like the need for portlets marketplace, lack of enterprise search and collaboration applications in the portal space etc.

Please check out the podcast here.

How to Make Millions with Domain Registration

Business 2.0 magazine recently published an interesting article on Kevin Ham who made millions of dollars ($300 million) with domain registrations. Check this out -

Kevin Ham, the $300 million master of Web domains

Share Market Predictions based on KP System

Shri Sunil Gondhalekar, editor Nakshatrache Dene - a famous Marathi magazine on KP System, has shared some very useful experience on Stock Market predictions. Here is a brief -

• I consider Jupiter as main source for the overall trend of market
• I look at it's starlord/sublord/and sub's starlord
• Also i consider mercury as a key planet for weekly position same as Jupiter
• If, someone is connected with Mars, Hershal, Jupiter then teji is indicated
• If connected to Saturn, Mandi is observed
• If connected with Neptune, Mandi with some fraud observed
• If connected to Rahu, volatility is observed
• If connected other planets other than mentioned, regular teji/mandi
• If connected with pluto, big fall in market

More details can be found at this KP Astrology Discussion Thread.

Sanskrit - English Dictionary

While studying Indology subjects, you need a good dictionary for understanding Sanskrit words. I found this dictionary useful - http://www3.aa.tufs.ac.jp/~tjun/sktdic/index.html

Recommended Reads for Tantra by Shambhavi Sarasvati

Books recommended by Shabhavi Sarasvati ji of http://www.livingtantra.net/, the only genuine website on Tantra I found on Internet till now -

• Diana J. Mukpo: Dragon Thunder: My Life with Chögyam Trungpa
  An inspiring and profound portrait of life with a Tantrik Mahasiddha.
• Swami Lakshmanjoo: Self Realization in Kashmir Shaivism
  Teachings given by an erudite and accomplished Master.
• Swami Satyananda Saraswati: Sannyasa Tantra A very early book by the head of our lineage that lays out the unique path of the Tantrik Sannyasin householder.
• Ram Alexander: Death Must Die A riveting, blow-by-blow diary of a Western woman disciple's life with Anandamayi Ma. Very expensive new. Buy it used! Note: You can download a shorter, .pdf version of this diary published under the title As The Flower Sheds its Fragrance
• Swami Janakananda Saraswati: Yoga, Tantra and Meditation in Daily Life
  A practical introduction by one of the more experienced teachers in the Satyananda lineage.
• Madhu Khanna: Yantra: The Tantric Symbol of Cosmic Unity
  Tantrik cosmology explained.
• Ajit Mookerjee: The Tantric Way: Art, Science, Ritual
  The introduction to this book is probably the best general intro to the history, View, and basic approaches of Tantra.
• Daniel Odier: Tantric Quest
  A good book to start with if you don't want to read an academic tome.
• Chogyam Trungpa: Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism
  If you want to have an authentic spiritual life, you have to read this book ( or channel it).
• Swami Radha: Radha: Diary of a Woman's Search
  Beautiful story of a close disciple of Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh.
• Swami Satyananda Saraswati: Kundalini Tantra
  A classic practice text by the head of my lineage.
• Pandit Rajmani Tigunait: Tantra Unveiled
  Excellent intro to Tantra from the Himalayan lineage of Swami Rama.
• Robert Svoboda: Aghora: At the Left-Hand of God
  Casteneda-ish tale of an American disciple and his crazy wisdom guru.

(Source: http://www.livingtantra.net/)

Fortuna And Other Arabic Parts

In our KP System discussion forum, we are having an intense discussion on the fast moving point 'Fortuna' (also called Pars Fortuna or Part of Fortune). Shri K. S. Krishamurthi, the inventor of KP System, mentioned about Fortuna in the second reader, but he really didn't given much detail. The application and examples are also missing. While doing some googling, I found this article very useful. Please check it out.