Basic Principles of Siddha Medicine System . | TKN Siddha Ayurveda Vaidhyashala (Hospital)

Principles of Siddha Medicine System:

Siddha Medicine system is a holistic healing science which is not only for helping the ailing with diseases but also for everyone to lead a hale and healthy life. Everyone wants to be happy and healthy. Right knowledge is necessary to secure enduring health and happiness. The purpose of siddha system of medicine is to supply all the knowledge necessary to maintain health, cure diseases and help people to establish in them a robust, cheerful and altruistic outlook in life.

The following are the basic principles with which siddha medicine works.

Macrocosm and Microcosm theory.
Pancheekarana Theory / பஞ்சீகரண அல்லது பஞ்ச பூத கொள்கை (Five Element Theory) (panchikaranam)
96 fundamental Principles (96 கருவிகள்/தத்துவங்கள் ) (96 thathuvam)
Uyir Thathukkal (உயிர் தாதுக்கள் ) (Tri-Dosha Theory / Mukkutram)
Udal Thathukkal (உடல் தாதுக்கள் )

Principle No 1. Macrocosm and Microcosm theory.

Nature is man and man is nature and therefore man and nature are essentially one. All men are the universal man and individual man is a part of the universal man and has his own individual nature which is a part of the universal nature.

Man is said to be the microcosm and the world the macrocosm. Because what exists in the world exists in the man. In other words there is nothing in the macrocosm of nature that is not contained in man. So man must be looked upon as an integral part of universal nature and not as anything separate or different from the latter.

Further, the forces in the microcosm or man are identical with the forces in the macrocosm or world. Or to put it more plainly, the natural forces acting in and through the various organs of the human body are intimately related to the similar or corresponding forces acting in and through the organisms of the world. This closely follows the Sattaimuni siddhars doctrine,

“அண்டத்தில் உள்ளதே பிண்டம்;

பிண்டத்தில் உள்ளதே அண்டம்;

அண்டமும் பிண்டமும் ஒன்றே

அறிந்துதான் பார்க்கும்போதே”

–சட்டைமுனி ஞானம்

Whatever is in Nature(Space), is present in our Body.

Whatever is in our Body, is present in Nature(Space).

Any disturbances to space will disturb human body and vice versa. But the disturbances to space by changes in human body is negligible but in reverse its highly pronounced.

Principle No 2. Pancheekarana Theory / பஞ்சீகரண அல்லது பஞ்ச பூத கொள்கை (Five Element Theory) (panchikaranam)

Siddha science considers man and nature as essentially one and cannot be segregated; it also points out that “Man is a byproduct of nature” and Nature functions a primary role in the Human Health. Modern scientific discovery says that universe was formed due to a big bang which took place billions of billions years ago which otherwise known as “The Big Bang” Theory which was proposed by Georges Lemaître in 1927. According to siddha science, siddhars have elaborated the birth of universe in the same way as “Big Bang” theory and has made approximate mappings with the help of “PanchaBootham” (i.e. air, water, soil, ether and fire) to support their vision. Science of Siddha’s state that these five elements of Nature were the fundamentals of all the corporeal things in the world .It also States that there exists a close relationship between the external world and the internal system of human. To be precise, “Structure of the Human Body is a miniature World by itself”.

Earth/Pirithvi / பிருதிவி /நிலம் – hair, bone, skin, flesh and nerve.
Water/Appu / அப்பு /நீர் – lymph, blood, brain, marrow, semen and fat.
Fire /Theyu / தேயு / நெருப்பு – food, hunger, sleep, fear, laziness and sexuality.
Air / Vayu / வாயு / காற்று – lying, simply, walking, sitting and standing.
Sky/Aagayam/ ஆகாயம்/ – evil passion, lust, anger, infatuation and envy, greed.

Another perspective in human body’s major system is described as a tabular of elements relation with the human organ system

ELEMENT	HUMAN ORGAN SYSTEM	RELATION
EARTH	excretory and skeletal system	The earth is the first element which gives fine shape to the body including bones, tissues, muscles, skin, hair etc.
WATER	circulatory and urinary system	Water is the second element representing blood, secretions of the glands vital fluids etc.
FIRE	digestion and reproductive system	Fire is the third element that aids digestion, lust, emotion , vigor etc.
AIR	respiratory system	Air is the next element responsible for breathing
ETHER (SKY)	nervous system	Above all ether is the characteristic of man’s mental and spiritual faculties and gives invisible life force to live

Correct proportion of these five elements in combination with each other works so well as to produce a healthy organic mechanism without which life would not have been possible.

It is evident that Human body is a constituent of the five elements. Also the five elements are interdependent on one another. Any disproportion in the above mentioned elements upsets human system and leads to diseases and illness, hence balancing the five elements eliminates diseases. This is carried out by numerous procedure like following siddha medicines, Varma therapy, acupressure therapy, and psychic medicines.

Since the medicines used in siddha namely herbs, metals, minerals and animal extracts are also the product of nature and constituent of five elements of nature, there are no Side- effects in siddha medicine system.

Principle No 4. 96 fundamental Principles (96 கருவிகள்/தத்துவங்கள் ) (96 thathuvam)

According to siddha system of medicine, human body is composed of 96 thattvas. The constituent principles in nature including elements, bodily and mental organs, faculties, matter etc are descrbed as follows

The five elements ஐம்பூதம்
The five object of senses ஐம்புலன்
The five organs of action கருமேந்திரியம்
The five organs of perception ஞானேந்திரியம்
The four intellectual faculties அந்தக் கரணம்
The ten nerves தசநாடி
The five states of the soul பஞ்ச அவத்தை
The three principles of moral evil மும்மலம்
The three cosmic qualities முக்குணம்
The three humors wind,bile,phelgm முப்பிணி
The three regions sun, moon, fire மும் மண்டலம்
The eight predominant passions எண் விகாரம்
The six stations of the soul ஆறு ஆதாரம்
The seven constituent elements of the body ஏழு தாதுக்கள்
The ten vital airs (dasanaadi) தசவாயு
The five sheaths of the soul பஞ்ச கோசம்
The nine doors or vents of the body ஒன்பது வாசல்கள்

Principle No 5. Uyir Thathukkal (உயிர் தாதுக்கள் ) (Tri-Dosha Theory / Mukkutram)

The guiding principle of Siddha Medicine System for diagnosing root cause of diseases is well summarized by Siddhar Thiruvalluvar in his Thirukkural as follows,

The Three Humors

மிகினும் குறையினும் நோய்செய்யும் நூலோர்

வளிமுதலா எண்ணிய மூன்று

“Three things beginning with wind, bile, phlegm say experts,

In excess or lacking cause disease”

Causes and Concept of diseases in Siddha Medicine System:

According to Humoral pathology of siddha medicine system there exists three humors,namely vatham pitham kapham, i.e வாதம் – பித்தம் – கபம். For a healthy person the ratio of vatham pitham kapham should be of 1:102:1/4. Due to many reasons, disturbances to the these ratios will cause diseases.

The causes of diseases and cure for them involves lot of factors from pancheekarana theory to detoriaration of udal thathukal. The causes and how siddha medicine works to cure diseases? is dealt in detail in this article.

Principle No 6. Udal Thathukkal (உடல் தாதுக்கள் )

According to siddha medicine system, the constituents of human body is mainly by seven dhaatoos or tissues describes as follows,

இரதம் உதிரம் இறைச்சிதோல் மேதை

மருவிய அத்தி வழும்பொடு மச்சை

பரவிய சுக்கிலம் பாழாம் உபாதி

உருவ மலால்உடல் ஒன்றென லாமே.

-Thirumanthiram 2125 திருமந்திரம் 2125.

An extract from siddhar thirumoolar states that the seven tissues described below constitutes human body and any disturbance to the synthesis or normal level will lead to diseases.

ரசம்-lymph
இரத்தம்- blood
தசை-muscle
கொழுப்பு- adipose tissue
எலும்பு –bone
மஜ்ஜை- marrow
சுக்கிலம் semen(men) or சுரோணிதம் ovum (female).

Siddha Pharmacology:

Siddha Pharmacology is a vast subject in siddha medicine system. In Tamil it is called Gunapadam. The siddha physician is not complete without learning the Gunapadam. This subject deals with how siddha medicines to be prepared and what are the principles to be followed and purification methods of raw drugs etc.

According to siddha pharmacology, the medicines works on the principle of pancheekarana or five element theory. The theory states that human bodies are made of five elements, with which universe is also made.

In siddha Pharmacology every drug can be classified and tested for following series of seven properties,

Gunam குணம்
Suvai சுவை
Pirivu பிரிவு
Veeriyam வீரியம்
Vemmai வெம்மை
Thanmai தன்மை
Seigai செய்கை

Based on the origin, again the drugs used in Tamil Siddha Medicine System can be classified into following three broad categories,

Plant origin (Mooligai vaguppu)
Metals and Minerals origin (Thathu vaguppu)
Animal origin (Seevam vaguppu)

The six tastes and five elements are closely related and with which the cure is effected in human body.

How five elements contribute in siddha medicine

Suvai (Taste)	Elements
Inippu (Sweet)	Man (earth) + Neer (water)
Pullippu (Sour)	Man (earth) + Thee(fire)
Uppu (Salt)	Neer (water) + Thee(fire)
Kaippu (Bitter)	Vali (air) + Vin(wind)
Kaarppu (Pungent)	Vali (air) + Thee (fire)
Thuvarppu (Astringent)	Man (earth) + Vali (air)