Srimajjagadguru Shankaracharya Svami Sri Nischalananda Sarasvatiji Maharaja, Shankaracharya of Puri (Maharajaji) helps us understand how we can heal incurable diseases. He first explains the root cause of disease as per various shastras and then goes into guiding us with the right approach to healing.
The cause of diseases
- Is the disease caused by mistakes/carelessness in this birth or is it hundred percent a result of one’s prarabdha (present that is brought about by karmas of past life)? One needs to know this.
- Illness caused by wrong practice mantras/sadhana/tantra – When people practice specific sadhanas, mantra, tantra, or worship of devi-devata in which they are not authorised by the shastra, then, they suffer from incurable disease. Many such incurable diseases are caused due to chanting of Gayatri mantra, Mahamritunjaya mantra, Om, etc. They even cause insanity. This happens when people undertake dharmic and spiritual rituals that they are not authorised to practice or are beyond the limits of their rights. Such persons remain sick with the blessings of their ‘gurus‘.
- According to the sixth chapter of the Gita, incurable diseases are caused due to inappropriate diet, lifestyle and behaviour.
- According to Yogavasishtha, diseases in the physical body are caused due to predominance of vata, pitta and kapha. Of course, it is a different matter if one has an accident and injures oneself.
- Ignorance (avidya), desire (kama) and action (karma) are the three diseases according to Panchadashi.
- In the causal body (karana sharir), ignorance (avidya) is the disease. In the subtle body (sukshma sharir) there is disease due to mental affliction (adhi) – lust, anger, greed, etc. In the physical body (sthula sharir) there is ailment (vyadhi). At the root of physical ailments (vyadhi) is mental anguish/affliction (adhi) and at the root of mental anguish is ignorance (avidya).
Solution for incurable disease
- Dhanavantari Bhagavan – Avatar of Vishnu Bhagavan, and the giver of Ayurveda, has mentioned three times in the shastras to chant the mantra:
अच्युताय नमः
अनन्ताय नमः
गोविंदाय नमःAchyutaya Namaha
Anantaya Namaha
Govindaya NamahaChanting this mantra also helps us deal with diseases caused due to mistakes of our previous life. Everyone is authorised to chant this unlike Om, Mahamritunjaya, etc (which everyone is not authorised to chant). Even an incurable disease can be cured by this remembering and chanting this mantra. With the help of this mantra, even during the course of disease, the person remains courageous and with a high morale.
- The atma or jivatma is beyond gross diseases. To contemplate on this automatically starts settling our disease.
- Keep the below thought and prayer in your mind:“I, the jiva, along with my body, mind and senses am completely surrendered to the Supreme doctor whose name is the most potent medicine – Srimannarayana Paramatama or Shiva. He must make my life free of mental anguish, disease and ignorance.”With the above feeling of surrender, a person starts gaining health.
- Be it avidya, adhi or vyadhi – the solution for all three diseases is the name of Bhagavan – ‘Shiva-Shiva’ or ‘Achyut Anant Govind’ (as explained above).
As soon as a person starts chanting the name of Bhagavan, his morale will get better and the disease will start disappearing.