Ayushyamushasi Proktam Maladinam Visarjanam
Meaning: Excretion of the dirt inside the body in the morning before sunrise helps in maintenance of long health y life .The Indian style of toilets is most suitable in terms of proper pressure on the legs and stomach. Excretion at the right time in the morning is important as a delay in it leads to harmful deposits of the toxic and waste substances in the body that eventually cause or support the occurrence of diseases. Everyone desirous of health y and active body and mind should have shauca twice a day once in the morning after the atmabodha sadhana and ushapana and once in the evening. Some people resist going to the toilets or urination at times against the call of nature. This should be avoided, as it is quite harmful for health . Also, care should be taken to wash hands, legs and face after each visit to the toilet. This is essential for hygiene and also for refreshing the body and mind . Because of the fast and tension-filled routine , many people have complaints of constipation or unclear stools these days. Apart from ushapana, some specific yoga sanas and physical exercises would be beneficial in such cases. Use of coarse flour, cereals, fibers, green vegetables and pulses with skins (especially sprouted ones) in food is also recommended as a good remedy against such problems. In severe cases of constipation (e.g. due to some long- term hidden mental tension) taking one spoon of the Ayurvedic herbal medicines, such as haritaki-powder every night gives fast relief. "Dantadhawan" the process of cleaning the teeth and mouth is also given significant importance in Ayurveda . Root causes of many diseases are said to grow from dirty teeth. Shining white and health y teeth are often compared to pearls and add to one’s charm. Teeth are like the guards sitting at the main entrance of the body. Teeth are cut a few months after the birth of our body. If we do not take care of our teeth through proper eating habits and cleaning, these become the hideouts of germs. The diseases of gums, formations of cavities in the teeth, toothache, etc are clear signs of the damages caused to the teeth by our negligence. Much before such manifestations, the dirt and the bacteria hidden in the teeth are carried inside the body along with whatever we eat. We must therefore follow prescribed disciplines for keeping our teeth clean and strong. The rishis the founders of Ayurveda had given due importance to teeth as the key elements of health y body. They had recommended datuna (small pieces of soft branches of certain medicinal trees) as the best for dantadhawan. The medicinal trees/plants of Nima (margosa), Babula (acacia), Sihora (Siamese Roughbush), Khadira (Black Catechu), Kanera (Indian Oleander), Mahua (Bassia Latifolia), Arjuna (Terminalia Arjun), Badama (almond), etc are found most suitable for this purpose.
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Akhandjyoti July Aug 2003
