Neenu Jessy Sabu

Manuscripts are the handwritten documents which are available all over the world in different scripts and materials. Still many unpublished Ayurvedic manuscripts are available throughout India. Manuscripts are valuable treasures of knowledge which should be explored. Apart from the great tradition (Classical tradition) of Ayurveda, local or regional traditions developed substantially in different fields of Āyurveda among which Maṛma was an important one. The manuscript titled Dēhattilē Maṛma Viparaṃ is obtained from Samhita, Sanskṛt and Siddhanta department of Vaidyaratnam P.S. Varier Ayurveda College, Kottakkal. The study was done to make the knowledge contained in the unpublished manuscript available to the public and will become a new horizon of treatment and further research. The aim of the study was to enrich Āyurvedic knowledge base with special reference to Maṛma tradition through exploring the manuscripts. The objectives of the study were to make lower criticism on manuscript titled “Dēhattilē Maṛma Viparaṃ”. Many drugs mentioned in the manuscript were identified with the help of drug experts. Details regarding the manuscript was identified by discussion with manuscript experts and maṛma experts. Period of the manuscript and factors related to origin were identified from literary evidences in the manuscripts. Exploration of the manuscript identified maṛma different from that of classical books. It also revealed treatment for injury of maṛma with use of drugs. New formulations were also explored in the manuscript.

Anagni Swedana is a non-fire-based Ayurvedic sudation therapy used for relaxation, pain relief, and restoring balance according to dosha, disease and patient strength. Methods: A three-phase study was conducted. First, classical Ayurvedic texts were reviewed to identify descriptions of Swedana and Anagni Swedana. Next, the techniques were critically analyzed and classified into eight domains. Finally, a validated questionnaire survey was conducted among 104 senior Ayurveda practitioners in Kerala to assess their knowledge, attitude, and practice about Anagni sweda. Results: The review established both similarities and discrepancies in textual descriptions of Anagni Swedana. Practitioners demonstrated strong theoretical understanding but varied in actual clinical use. The survey highlighted inconsistencies in application regarding dosha, disease strength, patient condition and other contextual factors.