Kaumarabhritya- Illustrated Textbook of Ayurvedic Pediatrics (As Per NCISM Syllabus)

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Tremendous advances made in this and previous centuries have drastically changed the entire structure of society, be it social, religious, cultural, educational, etc. even in day to-day life. Ayurveda, the science of life, probably having begun even before the birth of all sentients including human beings, was also transmitted to next generation through a system of education based as hermitages, which were mainly financed by the then kings. With usual pattern of natural changes this system was quashed and other systems were adopted, Le. disciples going to teachers, etc. However, by the end of nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century, educational institutional importance was realized by the then leaders, educationists, planners, etc. and it started. Now, the need for uniform education about theory and practical, and also specific rules for the whole system was realized and a body CCIM was formed, which started its functioning .

Even in sixth century great saint and erudite sage Vagbhata realized the future of society and considered importance that this science concerning human life will need change or advancement to deal with these appearing new problems. He, in unequivocal words, has advised to advance the knowledge as per need and he himself has said about his book, "I am making this as per the Yuga".

This is my first venture of writing a textbook on balaroga (ayurvedic paediatrics). I am from the first batch of specialists in Balaroga (Kaumarabhritya) throughout India. The difficulty that I have faced while doing specialization in a subject, the ancient compendium of which has lost a part of its paediatric treasure to the time, is still vivid in my mind. The science background helped me to a great extent. However, there were several Ayurvedic principles, which were derided by the modern medical counterpart because they were still not discovered by the modern medical researchers. For example, functional difference between genomes of two parents (genomic imprinting) was unthinkable for our modern medical counterpart about forty years ago. There were umpteen numbers of such topics, which were difficult for me to understand. I could not get satisfactory answers from anywhere and a sense of dejection always prevailed to search for the answers.

I started my professional career as a lecturer in Rasashastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana Department, JS Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya, Nadiad, Gujarat after my specialization in Kaumarabhritya from IPGT&RA, Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar. It was my sheer love for chemistry and the knowledge that I had gained during my science studies that took me to that department. Research-centric working with parad, doing its eight samskar twice and preparing several rasaushadhis including twenty-five kupipakva rasayanas revealed the amazing side of ancient chemistry. This was the time I realized that I needed to understand ancient Ayurvedic texts (in Sanskrit), clinical entities and the treatment properly. But working in this field was slightly less than two years.

Chemistry was not the only subject of my love. Pediatrics, genetics and embryology were also the subjects of my main interest. And all these interesting subjects revolved around the nucleus of research in my mind. Life is full of twists. I also had pleasant twists in my professional career. The family priority took me from Gujarat to Tirupati, from there to New Delhi, then Haryana and again back to Gujarat in the same college from which I started my professional career.