Moderate Diet and Temperate Speech
Moderation in Diet
Food in the basis of our life. That which provide someone with a basis may also bring about ruin. Food taken in excess of the required quantity leads to an end of one’s life, hence the exponents of the doctrine of the Ayurvedic branch of medical science have preached moderation in diet.
Once Maharishi Charak¹ disguised himself as a crow and flew to the bank of a river. Hundreds of people were bathing there. In the language of a man, the crow said, “Who is healthy?” Who is healthy? Who is healthy?” One of the people bathing there said that he considered a man taking Chyavanpras regularly healthy. There was another man who regarded one using makerdhwaj2 daily as healthy. There was another man in whose opinion a man who always takes drakshasava2 after food was healthy. In this way different persons gave the names of different medicines in reply to his question. When the Maharishi heard this, he was puzzled. He thought to himself, “I did not write the treatise on
- Charak is known as a great rishi who propounded the himself Ayurvedic System of medical science.
- Chyavanpras, Makardhvaj and Drakhasava are the Ayurvedic health tonics.
Ayurvedic science with a view to making man dependent on medicines to keep himself healthy. What I had aimed at was that if a man fell ill, he could use a medicine as a means to cure himself of the disease. My treatise has been misunderstood. People have converted their stomach into a store of medicines. This filled his heart with great disappointment.
The crow now proceed to the other bank of the river. As before, it repeated the same question three times, “Who is healthy? Who is healthy?” Who is healthy? Among the people bathing there was a man named Wagbhatt. He remarked, “He who eats what is useful for him is healthy.” The crow repeated the question to which Wagbhatt replied, “He who takes a moderate diet is healthy.” When the crow repeated the question thrice, he said, “He who lives on a diet he has earned by honest means is healthy.” The Maharishi heaved a sigh of relief and returned home. A moderate diet is not only conducive to good health but it also helps us to solve the food problem. Those who eat excessively ruin their own health and further more add to the complexity of the food problem.
Temperance in Speech
Speech in the medium of our social interactions by means of which we communicate our feelings to other and grasp what others feel about us. We generally use friendly, measured and sweet words because this leads to social happiness. He who talks more and works less has been described as dapholshankh in Indian literature.
- “Daphol-shankh is an ordinary conch known for its harsh sound. It has no other qualities.
Once a traveller, while on his way home, stayed with a man in a village. He was in possession of a dakshinavarta Shankh (conch-shell opening to the right is known for its wish yielding qualities). He worshipped the conch-shell in the evening. Having performed ‘Puja’ (worship) he said in the form of a prayer, “I shall be highly indebted to you if I get rupees five.” And lo! in an instant, he had rupees five in his hand. The owner of the house was astonished. He felt tempted to get that conch-shell. The traveller was lying asleep. He was extremely tired. He had neither apprehension nor suspicion about anyone. It was the midnight hour and he was in a deep sleep. The owner got up, put his hand stealthily into the traveller’s bag and took out the wonder conch. As it was dawn, the traveller took leave of his host and resumed his journey. He had already covered a few miles before the sun rose. Having been free from his morning duties, he sat to perform ‘Poja.’ When he took off his clothes, he felt as if his very heart was taken away. He was left with only an ordinary conch. The owner of the house had replaced the real ‘dakshinavarta conch’ that belonged to the traveller by it. How could he expect this conch-shell to respond to his ‘Poja’ by granting to him what he wished?
Some days passed, the traveller came back to the same village. He stayed with the same man this time as well. As was usual with him, he sat to perform his ‘puja’ in the morning. In the same soliciting tone, the traveller said, “I am in need of two rupees.” The conch replied, “Here are four..” When the traveller begged to give him four rupees, it replied, “Here are eight.” The owner of the house, who had been all ears, was filled with greed. The traveller (a Brahmin) lay down to sleep but his eyes remaind wide open. The owner of the house got up from his place and replaced this conch quietly by ‘dakshinavarta conch’ which he had stolen last time. No sooner did the owner leave the place than the Brahmin got up from his bed and was overjoyed to see his ‘dakshinavarta conch’ again. He left the place immediately.
The day had just dawned when the owner of the house got up. He performed ‘Poja’ and begged rupees five from the ‘conch.’ The conch replied, “Here are ten.” When he asked for rupees ten, pet came the reply, “Here are twenty.” In this way the conch went on repeating every time twice the amount asked for. Seeing the strange combination of theft and garrulity, the owner said, “You have learnt only to talk. Have you also learnt to give something?” The conch replied “Sir! it is ‘dakshinavarta’ conch’ which is charged with the responsibility of giving. The duty of a daphol-shankh is to talk only.”
He alone who is temperate in speech is expected to do constructive work. When a man turns talkative and his work ceases to speak, progress comes to a standstill. The way to progress lies open for those who remain quiet and their work speak volumes for their abilities.
