A REVIEW ON THE STRING OF LIFE FROM AYURVEDA AND YOGA PERSPECTIVE: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Out of 16 hours of wakefulness, we are not conscious of our breathing. On observation it is found that our breath flows in either one nostril more than the other. This keeps on alternating in a periodic manner known as Swara i.e. rhythm of life. Hatha Yoga declares “Ha” means sun and “Tha” means moon where the right nostril is Pingala Nadi (sun like) and left nostril is Ida Nadi (moon like). This breathing is known as Prana Vayu (Vata) in Ayurved and Prana (life force) in Yogic scriptures. The physiology of breathing can be grasped clearly after analyzing the Autonomic Nervous System. Yoga advocates that by breath regulation (Pranayam) diseases can be cured and this comes under Adravyabhuta chikitsa (non-medicinal therapy) in Ayurveda. Food and Drug is either anabolic or catabolic in nature and their post digestion effect not only affects the fundamental constituents (Doshas) of the body but also results in shifting of the breath from one nostril to the other. Apart from medicines the body is capable of healing itself by homeostasis. Now it is time to put the ancient Yogic scripture under investigation to know how one can regulate his breathing consciously and achieve a balanced State of Body, Senses & Mind to establish social wellbeing at large.