Ayurvedic Elements in Bhakti Literature: Disease, Treatment, and the Spirit of Synthesis in the Works of Tulsidas

This article explores the synthesis of Ayurvedic medical science and Bhakti literature in the works of Goswami Tulsidas, particularly the Ramcharitmanas . Tulsidas’s corpus is shown to integrate subtle principles of Ayurveda, referencing disease ( Rog ), treatment ( Chikitsa ), seasonal cycles ( Ritu-Chakra ), and dietetics ( Aahar-Vihar ), aligning with classical texts like the Charaka Samhita . Tulsidas expands the concept of disease beyond physical ailment, viewing it as spiritual ignorance and mental afflictions ( Kama-Krodh-Lobha ), which cause threefold suffering ( Daivik , Daihik , and Bhautik Tapa ). Treatment is twofold: Ayurvedic purificatory acts ( Shodhan-Shamaka Kriyaen ), such as Homa and pilgrimage, and supreme medicine ( Param Aushadhi ) achieved through Bhakti-Yoga and chanting the name of Rama ( Ram-Naam Jap ). References in the Ramcharitmanas (e.g., Hanuman’s search for Sanjeevani ) demonstrate the literary synthesis of Ayurvedic principles like Dravyaguna (pharmacology) and Yukti-Vyapashraya Chikitsa (rational therapy). Furthermore, Tulsidas’s emphasis on Ritucharya (seasonal regimen) and Sattvik Aahar (pure diet) reinforces Ayurvedic principles. He posits Bhakti as the supreme Rasayana (elixir) that balances the Tridoshas ( Vata , Pitta , and Kapha ), thereby linking scientific consciousness with spiritual realization. The literature thus presents an incomparable synthesis of devotion and science, where Ayurvedic elements become instruments for spiritual liberation.