BEING YOGI IS BEYOND YOGA

 

  BEING YOGI IS BEYOND YOGA

 

                             “If money could save Life, no rich would have died and if spirituality could make one immortal, incarnated souls would not have left for abode.” This is a perfect and time tested example of the fact that death is inevitable and no human being, irrespective of status or profession, is immune to it. The doctors may be the ones who are next to God but being humans they are equally susceptible to the laws of nature. At the time of a pandemic when most of the professionals are working from home as a new norm, the healthcare workers are taking it upfront, treating the affected ones face to face and saving lives despite all odds. For more than a year, healthcare workers have been in a war-like situation and their dedication towards serving mankind in this crisis is unparalleled and exemplary. In the line of duty during this fight, thousands of healthcare workers have lost the battle of life and a sarcastic remark ridiculing the untimely deaths of these saviors while serving the patients during this pandemic by a Yoga Guru who proudly considers himself as a ‘doctor without degree but with divinity and dignity’ depicts that knowing Yoga does not put one in the frame of being Yogi as latter is the one who has control over all his senses and never comments right, left or center.  

 

                             Modern, science-based medicine is the backbone of India's healthcare system as is the alternative therapy of Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy under the AYUSH ministry. Every system has its own limitations and shortcomings and none of the therapies can offer absolute cure to every disease. The allopathic system of medicine has been pivotal in the fight against pandemic and various drugs and therapies have been tested, some with positive and some with dismal results. Even various therapies and medications that showed promising results in the beginning and later were found to be detrimental and of no use were withdrawn from the guidelines suggesting the fact that evidence based medical therapy is the core of allopathy. The development of vaccines against the virus is the result of allopathy and an illogical statement that more people died of allopathic treatment than due to oxygen shortage or because of COVID-19 itself is unfortunate and uncalled for. It creates doubts in the minds of people, potentiates an indifferent attitude to modern medical therapy and increases vaccine hesitancy especially at the time when there is a dire need to get more and more people vaccinated.

                             Back when the cases were rising under the first wave of Coronavirus pandemic and the vaccines were nowhere on the horizon, Patanjali Ayurveda launched Coronil, a combination of herbs used in traditional Indian medicine, in June last year and claimed that it could cure Covid in seven days. Despite the fact that there was no data to support such a claim, it was not banned but was alternatively approved by the government as an ‘Immunity Booster.’ Subsequently, in February this year, in the presence of two federal ministers, it was claimed that Coronil has been approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and will be sold to more than 150 countries on scientific basis. However, WHO rebutted the claim and issued a denial letter specifically mentioning that it had neither reviewed nor certified any traditional medicine for Covid. As it was a blatant lie and had no evidence in support, it followed a nationwide criticism and exposed the intention of materialistic gains by the owners of the company at the cost of putting the traditional therapy –‘Ayurveda’ to disrepute.

                              It is not for the first time that an unsustainable and easily recognised claims have been identified and dismissed as lie. In 2006, after popularising the significance of yoga around the world, the spiritual guru sent shockwaves through the medical world when he claimed that yoga could also cure AIDS and homosexuality, scientifically a misleading and irresponsible statement. In 2015, when India was experiencing the Maggi noodles fiasco, an instant Atta noodles brand with Food Safety and Regulatory Authority of India (FSSAI) licence number was launched for general consumption. However, even before the product could hit the market, FSSAI issued a restraining order against it, stating that the company had faked the licence number and also failed to take the product approval. In 2018, an inquiry was also ordered by the FSSAI after viral images showed boxes of Patanjali's ayurvedic medicine, Giloy Ghan Vati, on sale a month prior to the stated manufacturing date. It was suggested that the postdating of products was carried out to manipulate the shelf life and keep them in market for a longer time.

                                  Of all the mysteries throughout history, the human being has always been one of the greatest. However, as time is unfolding we are finding the greatest ones acting beyond their ability and commenting on matters that they have no clue about. The Yoga Guru, for that matter, is neither an Allopathic nor an Ayurveda graduate and being Yoga expert does not qualify him to comment upon anything and everything. The Yoga Guru under the shield of Ayurveda is trying to further his business propaganda and by blabbering against allopathy is trying to deflect the attention of public from government to doctors. All we need at this time of crisis is to keep such disguised opportunistic business minded people at bay, put our efforts to get both the systems of medicine together, work in unison and complement one another rather than criticise and blame each other.

 

Dr. Pawan Suri

Chief Cardiologist

SGL SuperSpeciality Hospital

Jalandhar, Punjab