CONCEPT OF RASAYANA AND ITS UTILITY (REJUVENATION THERAPY): A REVIEW

Ayurveda is preponderant and antique health science of prime importance. Being a health science, it adheres to an exclusive approach that is entirely different from contemporary science. It fulfils the goal of health by focusing on maintenance of health and treatment of disease as holistic. Rasayana is an important branch of Ayurveda. It is one of the eight branches of Ayurveda (Ashtanga Ayurveda). Rasayana is useful for persons of all age groups. It is equally important in the treatment of diseases as well as in maintaining health. Given this plethora of information, it can be rightly stated that Rasayana is a boon given to the world by Ayurveda. The description of Rasayana comes in detail in all the Ayurvedic texts. This branch of Ayurveda appears to have been practised in ancient lines as an important speciality aiming at rejuvenation and geriatric care. Rasayana is one of the eight branches of Ayurveda. Rasayana Chikitsa plays a critical role in the prevention as well as cure of the disease. In Ayurveda, too much importance is given to this branch that the chapters of Rasayana find a foremost place in the Charaka Samhita Chikitsa sthana whereas in Sushruta Samhita it is pushed back to chapters 27-30 of Chikitsa sthana. In Ashtanga Hridaya Rasayana does not find a special place in Chikitsa sthana and is described only briefly in the 39th chapter of Uttar Tantra. This reflects on the declining importance of Rasayana therapy in the Samhita period itself. In Sushruta Samhita, which is otherwise considered more precise and practical has given a competitively moderatedescription of the Rasayana in four chapters out of which two chapters deal with Divya Rasayana i.e., the divine drugs, which are not available today.Keywords: Ayurveda, Ashtanga Ayurveda, Rasayana, Rejuvenation, Geriatric Care