Charak Gita (The Book Of Medicine and Mystical Healing)

Book excerpt: This is a scriptural commentary of Lahiri Mahasaya on Charak Gita, also known as Charak Samhita, The Book of Medicine and Mystical Healing. Everything is being performed by the influence of Prana, and without Prana nothing exists or manifests. All things are under the control of the desire of Prana and all actions, internal and external, are performed by the desire of Prana. The Iswara, or God, of all beings is Prana. Who is there as Lord of Prana except the Prana itself? So the Lord of Prana is worshiped by the Prana itself. One should do whatever is necessary to expand the Prana. Expanding the Prana is called Pranayama. Pranayama is the conviction of all intelligent people, and it is the substance of all scriptures. In fact, that is nothing except practicing Kebala Kriya. By Kriya practice this physical body gets nourishment. Therefore, one should practice Kriya everyday. Everything is established in Prana who is sheltered in this physical body. Be kind to yourself. Believe in the words of Guru and practice Kriya. Kriya practice keeps the body in good shape and in perfect health. After having practiced Kriya, the holding onto the After-effect-poise of Kriya is a certain and wonderful medicine. By this one sentence everything is told. Dissolving everything into One is called Shastra, or scripture. Pranayama is primary for all spiritual disciplines however many there are. Holding onto the After-effect-poise of Kriya is Rasa, the juice, or nectar : the juice of all juices. Every Kriyanwit tastes this juice at the After-effect-poise of Kriya, yet there is no juice there. Thereafter they are attuned to the state of addiction of Bliss. The application of medicine alone only treats the external (disease) and is thus a kind of throwing stones in the dark. Without the practice of Kriya the inner person cannot be realized. So a person cannot be healed by the application of medicine externally alone. Healing takes place by the practice of Omkar Kriyas, which are Kriyas of the Prana. In other words, the duty is to invite the mind to bathe in the mind itself. Without such Knowing, one cannot know the past, present and future condition of the patient. But if someone always practices those Omkar Kriyas, suddenly he realizes the state (past, present and future) of the patient. Thereafter, the application of medicine may cure the patient. People become ill or die due to the indisposition of the Prana. Everything is manifesting and will be and is established through Prana. Therefore, that Prana is in this body, and therefore one should take care of this body. Therefore, the information of whatever means are referred to in The Charak Gita to save the breath are hereby collected and distributed by a Kriyanwit.