WHAT CAUSED TODAY'S AYURVEDA TO WHAT IT IS
WHAT CAUSED TODAYS AYURVEDA TO WHAT IT IS What Led to the Decline of Traditional Ayurveda In ancient times, the knowledge of Ayurveda was passed down from guru to disciple through practical learning in nature. Students were responsible for grazing cows in forests, where they gained firsthand experience with medicinal herbs. The native Indian cows, Bos indicus, grazed on these forest herbs, and their milk was used to produce grithams (medicated ghee), an essential component in Ayurvedic healing. Cow grazers would often sell these forest-sourced herbs to vaidyas (Ayurvedic practitioners), and in return, the cows fertilized the forest soil with their dung and urine, sustaining the ecosystem. This symbiotic relationship between the forest, cows, vaidyas, and patients began to break down over the years. Government policies, aimed at conserving wildlife, imposed bans on cattle grazing in forests, disrupting the natural cycle. At the same time, farmers beg...