Dinacharya

Chapter 2: Dinacharya Daily Routine

Charya means – regimen/routine.

This is the second Chapter of Ahstanga Hrudaya Sutrasthana – Called as Dinacharya –

This chapter includes mental, speech and physical aspects of well being, that you must follow every day.

 PRATARUTHANA / GETTING UP IN THE MORNING

• That is, before dawn, or around 45 minutes before Sun rise,
  • around 5 – 6 am.
    • Last three hours of the night – from 3 am to 6 am –

    is known as brahma muhurta.

DANTADHAVANA / CLEANING OF TEETH

• the individual should pass
  • urine and faeces,
  • clean teeth with any of the twigs of herbs listed below:
    •  Arka (Calotropis procera),
    •  Vata (Ficus benghalensis),
    •  Khadira (Acacia catechu),
    •  Karanja (Pongamia pinnata),
    •  Kakubha (Terminalia arjuna).

To use the twig as tooth brush,

•  the thickness of the twig should be

  • approximately equal to the tip of one’s little finger.

  • It should be 12 Angula length.

  • The tip of the twig should be chewed a little to make it as brush.

  • The twig should be of

    • astringent

    • pungent and

    • bitter in taste.

 Danta Dhawana Nishedha – Who should not brush teeth.

• indigestion,
• vomiting,
• dyspnoea,
• cough,
• fever,
• facial paralysis,
• excessive thirst,
• ulceration of mouth,
• heart disease,
• diseases of eyes, head and ears.

Anjana – Collyrium

• It is good to apply a special type of collyrium called
  • Sauveera Anjana

  to the eyes.

  It can be applied daily.

• Rasanjana
  • aqueous extract of Berberis aristata
    •  should be applied once in a week
    •  to drain out Kapha (secretions)

    from the eyes

 Navana

• healthy person should do Navana
  • Nasya – Nasal instillation of drops
• For this purpose
  • milk
  • herbal decoctions
  • herbal oils

  are usually used.

Gandusha

• After that,
  • Gandusha – gargling with warm
    •  water
    • milk
    • herbal decoction
    • herbal oil

    should be done.

Then

• Dhuma –
  • inhalation of smoke from
    •  herbs and
    • spices

    should be done,

  and then betel leaves should be chewed.

Contra indication for Tambula – betel leaf chewing

• wounds,
• bleeding diseases,
• dryness,
• redness of eye,
• poisoning,
• repeated unconsciousness,
• intoxication
• tuberculosis

should avoid betel leaf chewing.

Abhyanga – oil massage

It should be done daily, morning.

• It delays ageing,
• relieves tiredness and
• excess of Vata (aches and pains).
• It improves vision,
• nourishes body tissues,
• prolongs age,
• induces good sleep and
• improves skin tone and complexion.

Massage should be specially done on

• ears
• head and
• legs

Massage should be avoided

• when there is increase of Kapha in the body
• soon after Shodhana
  • Panchakarma procedure
• during indigestion

 Vyayama – exercise

• lightness,
• it improves work capacity,
• increases digestion power,
• burns fat.
• It brings body into good shape.

People with

• diseases originating from Vata and Pitta,
• children,
• elders,
• people with indigestion problem

should not do exercise.

• Exercise should be done till one’s half strength.
• Exercise should be done compulsorily by those having full strength and who take oily food stuff, From December to May.

At the end of the exercise,

• one should undergo mild massage
• pressing the body parts with
  • mild to moderate pressure

Adverse effects of over-exercise:

• Excessive thirst
• emaciation
• severe dyspnoea
  • difficulty in breathing
• bleeding disorders
• exhaustion
• feeling of debility
  • even without any work
• cough
• fever and
• vomiting

are caused by excess of exercise.

Those who indulge in

• too much of exercise daily,
• who keep themselves awake till late nights, regularly,
• who walk long distances regularly,
• who indulge in excessive sexual activities,
• too much of laughing,
• speaking, and
• such other strenuous activities,

will perish, just as a lion perishes after vanquishing an elephant.

Udvartana –(powder – massage)

It helps to

• calm down aggravated Kapha,
• helps to burn fat.
• Udvartana also brings in
• stability to body organs,
• improves strength and
• skin complexion

Snana – Bathing

• digestion,
• acts as aphrodisiac,
• prolongs life,
• increases enthusiasm and strength.

It helps to get rid of

• dirt,
• waste products,
• sweat,
• tiredness,
• excessive thirst,
• burning sensation and
• microbes.

Pouring warm water over the body bestows strength,

but the same over the head, makes for

•  loss of strength of
  • hair
  • eyes.

Bath is contraindicated

• facial paralysis,
• diseases of the
  • eyes
  • mouth
  • ears
• diarrhoea,
• flatulence,
• rhinitis,
• indigestion
• who have just taken food.

Sad Vritta – Good/healthy conduct:

• Jeerne hitam mitam chaadyat
  • One should always eat,
    • only after digestion of previous food
    • in limited quantity
• Na vegan neerayet
  •  one should not induce natural urges forcefully.
    • Example: urinating, when there is no urge to pass urine.
• Na Vegito anya kaaryaha – one should immediately attend to natural urges, whenever they come, without being busy in other activities. One should undergo treatment to diseases as soon as possible.

Words of wisdom: Path of righteousness:

• All the creatures are behind happiness.
• There is no happiness, without righteousness.
• Hence all should follow the path of righteousness.
• Friends should be served with
  • affection and
  • good deeds,

  whereas the others (wicked) s

  • hould be kept at a distance.

 10 types of bad deeds

• Himsa
  • causing injury, torture etc.
• steya 
  • stealing
  • robbing
• anyathakama
  • unlawful sexual activity
  • desiring for others
• paisunya
  • abusive
  • harsh speech
• parusha vachana
  • harsh speech
• Anruta vacana 
  • speaking untruth
• sambhinna alapa
  • speech causing separation
  • breaking of company
• vyapada quarrel
  • intention of harming
• abhidya
  • jealousy
  • not tolerating good of others
• drgviparyaya 
  • finding fault
  • misunderstanding
  • faithlessness etc.
    • with scriptures, elders etc

Of these ten, the first three are related to body, next four- related to speech and last three – related with mind.

• who are suffering from diseases and
• who are afflicted with grief should be helped.

1. Even
   • the insects and ants should be seen with respect,
     • similar to a physician
     • king and
     • guests
2. Beggars
   • should not be disappointed
   • abused
   • objected
3. One should be very helpful
   • even to his foes,
     • even though they are not helpful.
4. Sampat Vipatsu Eka manaaha:
   • One should maintain a balanced mind both during calamity and prosperity.
   • One should not be envious towards wealth and happiness of others. 
5. Kale bruyat
   • speak only on the right occasion.
6. Hitam bruyat
   •  speak good words
   • be pleasant
7. Mitam bruyat
   •  speak little, as per necessity
   • Do not argue,
   • do not say untrue things
8. Purva abhibhashi
   •  be the first to greet
   • to start conversation
9. sumukhaha
   • have a smiling face
   • susheelaha
     •  have good character
10. karuna, mrudu: 
    • be courteous
    • be soft in
      • speech and
      • activity.
11. Na Eka sukhee
    • Do not be a person who likes to be alone always.
12. Na sarvata: vishrabdo
    • do not believe everything around you
13. Na shankhitaha
    •  do not suspect everything around.
14.  Do not instantly think
    • someone as your foe or
    • that he is a foe of someone else.
15. Do not publicly talk about
    • insults that you underwent.
16. Do not publicly talk about disaffection towards your
    •  king
    • boss
    • master
    • senior
    in today’s context
17. Keeping in mind the nature of he people,
    •  one should deal with them in such manner as
      • bet pleasing to them
      • becoming well-versed in the art of adoring others.
18. The sense organs
    •  should neither be strainedvery much
    • nor should they be fondled or very much.
19.  Do not engage yourself in things
    •  that are devoid of three pursuits
      • dharma (righteousness)
      • arha, (wealth) and
      • kama (pleasure) ):
      should carry on the occupation without going contrary to them (dharma and karma).
20. In all dealings (activities)
    • one should adopt the middle mean only,
      •  avoid extremes.

Personal hygiene:

• Wear precious stones,
  • potent hymns and
  • herbs (kept inside amulets) on the body.
• Walk
  • holding an umbrella
  • putting on foot wear and
  • looking straight to a distance of four arms length in front of you.
• In case of urgent work at nights,
  • one should go equipped with
    • baton
    • head- dress and
    • an assistant
• One should not invade on the shade of 
  • holy tree on which deities reside (or a Buddhist shrine)
  • materials (or men) of worship
  • banner and unholy thing
  • heap of ash
  • husk and dirt
  • sand dunes
  • boulders
  • places of bali
    • offering sacrifices to Gods, demons etc.
  • bathing.
• One should not
  • swim across rivers with arms
  • should not walk facing huge fire
  • should not travel in a risky boat
  • not climb a tree doubtful of strength
  • ride on a vehicle, which is in bad condition.
• One should not
  • sneeze
  • laugh or
  • yawn

  without covering his mouth

• One should not
  • blow his nose
    • except for forcing out the dirty excretion
  • not scratch the ground without any reason
  • not do ugly movements of the parts of the body and
  • sit on ones own heels for a long time
• One should stop
  • the activities of the body
  • speech and
  • mind

  before getting exhausted;

  •  should not keep his knees above for long period
    • keeping erect folded at the knee while
      • sleeping or
      • standing on the hands keeping the legs up etc.
• One should not reside at night on
  • trees
  • meeting place of three roads
  • or places where people assemble for recreation
  • vicinity of a holy tree (or a Buddhist shrine)
  • meeting place of four roads and
  • temple, (house of god).
• One should not reside even during daytime,
  • in a place of slaughter
  • a forest
  • haunted house and
  • burial ground.
• No one should
  • gaze at the sun for a long time
  • should not carry heavy weight on his head
  • not see continuously objects which are
    • minute
    • shining
    • dirty and
    • unpleasant
• One should not engage in
  • selling
  • brewing
  • free distributing or
  •  receiving of wine
•  The person should avoid
  • direct breeze
  • sunlight
  • dust
  • snow(dew)
  • hard breeze
    • whirlwind etc.
  • should not sneeze belch
  • cough
  • sleep
  • dine or copulate in improper postures
  • should avoid the shade of a scaffold
  • places hated by the king
    • or government
  • company of wild animals
  • biting animals and those with horns
  • of mean, wicked
    • uncivilised and very intelligent persons
  • avoid quarrel with good men
  • avoid taking
    • foods
    • sex
    • sleeping
    • study and recapitulation

    at the time of meeting of the night and sunrise,

• Avoid the food given by
  • enemies
  • given during sacrificial ceremony
    • that offered by large group of donors of different castes
  • that given by prostitutes and merchants

  one should not make sound with the body parts

  • mouth and nails,
  • nor shake the hand and hairs;

  should not move in between two (receptacles of )

  • water
  • fire and
  • the worshipful;

  should avoid the smoke of a cadaver;

  • too much indulgence, in wine (drinking),
  • believing and independence for (wicked) women.
• For an intelligent person the world is a teacher,
  •  hence one should imitate the world after
    • carefully considering their meaning and
    • effects of such actions.
• Compassion with all
  • living beings
  • granting of gifts
  • controlling the activities of the
    • body
    • speech and
    • mind
  • feeling of selfishness in the interests of others
    • looking after the interest of others as his own

    these are sufficient rules of good conduct

• He, who constantly thinks of
  • how his day and night are passing and
  • adopts the right way,

  will never become a victim of sorrow