Veerasimha Avalokana – Book On Medical Astrology

By Dr MS Krishnamurthy MD(Ayu), PhD

Author Of The Book
Veerasimha avalokana is a text book authored by the Rajput king Veerasimha (1383 AD), who is the son of Deva varmaraja and grandson of  Kamalesha simha who established the Tomara dynasty in 1375 AD.

Introduction

• Sufficient inputs are available to prove that Veerasimhan was quite  young when he wrote this treatise  with a deep knowledge of Vedas, Purusharthas, Astrology and Ayurveda.
• Veerasimha avalokana is a treatise on Medical Astrology that collects, correlates and presents quotes  related to various diseases of astrology, karma vipaka (ill-effects of bad deeds of previous life/birth) and Ayurveda presents them in one place which is really a tedious effort.

Read – An Insight On The Book Yogaratna Samuchayam

Translator

Translator Of The Book

• G.Kochusankaran Vaidyar, Thamarakulam
• Year-1950
• Publishers – S.T.Redyar and Sons, Kollam
• Translated Sanskrit book into Malayalam.
• Other works – Oushadhi Nighantu

Importance Of The Book

• To help humanity by providing information on specific diseases, causes, symptoms and treatments.
• This information is essential to maintain bodily and mental health
• Enable the individuals to follow their dharma, the most important entity of purushartha chatushtaya. Read – References Of Health And Ayurveda In Mahabharata

Contents of the Book

• 60 diseases
• Jyothisha Shastra (Astrological subjects)
• Karma vipaka (effects of previous life)
• Prayaschitha karmas (repentive measures)
• Etiological factors
• Symptoms
• Treatment

Read – An Insight On The Book Arogya Chandrika Athava Kudumba Vaidhyan Of Shri Swami Sachidhanandhan

Human body, planets

Text summarizes the relation of body parts and planets as below:

• Jupiter – Ear
• Saturn – Skin
• Sun And Mars – Eyes (read about eye diseases)
• Moon And Venus – Mouth
• Mercury – Nose

Stars and Diseases

The relation between various stars and disease afflictions can be summarised as below based upon the textual references:

• Aswini (aswathi) – periodical fever
• Bharani – dysentery
• Krithika (karthika) – constipation and diarrhoea
• Rohini – anorectal disorders (piles)
• Mrigasheersha (mageeram) – indigestion (read 120 remedies for indigestion)
• Ardra (thiruvathira) – mandagni, weak digestion
• Punarvasu (punartham) – cholera
• Pushya (pooyam) – anorexia
• Ashlesha (ayilyam) – anaemia
• Makha – respiratory disorders
• Purvaphalguni (pooram) – cough
• Uttaraphalguni (utram) – leprosy/skin disease
• Hastha (atham) – diabetes (read more about diabetes treatments, causes, symptoms)
• Chithra – giddiness/partial loss of consciousness
• Swathi – (chothi) – eye diseases
• Vishakha – ear diseases
• Anuradha (aneeyam) – diseases of nose
• Jyeshta (thriketta) – diseases of teeth, tongue, lips, gums and throat
• Moola – tuberculosis
• Poorvashada (pooradam) – stone formation in urinary tract
• Uttarashada (uttradam) – diseases related to vomiting
• Shravana (thiruvonam)- anorexia
• Dhanishta (avittam) – vata disorders
• Shathabhisha (chathayam) – diseases of pitta dosha
• Poorvabhadra (poororuttathi) – diseases of kapha dosha
• Uttarabhadra (uttrattathi) – diseases developed from fatigue
• Revathi- boils and wounds

Read – Vata Dosha – Mastermind Behind All Body And Mind Activities

Disease and its special features are mentioned below from this text and excerpts of unique findings are mentioned here below:

Fever

• Fever caused by a badly positioned Saturn. For relief jaatha vedasa mantra is chanted for 108 times.
• Narrow minded people and those indulge in sinful acts suffer from Sheeta jwaram To cure this Jatha vedasamantram is chanted for 10000 times
• For long standing fevers and ushna jwara: Kalasa abhishekam for Shiva
• Sheeta jwara – Kalasabhisheka for Vishnu, Kumbhadanam is also prescribed
• Killing of Noble people, illicit relationship with teachers wife, desire for others belongings, other sinful acts result in udara (ascites), Arshas (haemorroids), Unmadam (mania), Apasmaram (epilepsy), Badirathva (deafness), Mookathva (dumbness), Prameha (urinary disorders), Bagandaram (fistula), Vataraktha (gouty arthritis) etc

Read – Ayurveda Lifestyle and Diet For Fever – 45 Important Things To Know

Special formulations

Vishishtha yogas (Special formulations)

• Utpala shashtikaadi kashaya
• Paadhadi kashaya
• Kiraathadi kashaya
• Kirathaadi choornam
• Kalbalaadi kashaya
• Panchamooladi kashaya
• Manjishtaadi ghrtham etc

Athisara (Diarrhoea)

• Jyothisa – a person born with budha and sun together in capricon (makaram) or aquarius (kumbham) rasi is likely to suffer from dysentery.
• Prayaschitha – chanting of ulbhudhasva mantra, gomayaakshaadabala sarojan, agnirasmin mantra 1000 times.
• Karma vipaka – those who destroyed 3 types of Agni will suffer from diarrhoea.

Read – 37 Ayurveda Home Remedies For Diarrhea And Dysentery

Special formulations

Valsakadi kashaya

Grahani (Mal absorption syndrome)

• The native with moon positioned in the 6^th house, will have many enemies, hard hearted, lean, egoistic and will have weak digestion and troubled by stomach upset like mal absorption (Grahani)
• Karma vipaka – discarding a dharma pathni (wife)
• Mitigation – Sva sankalpa suktham 100 times, imam deva mantra, cow with a calf and  plenty of milk should be gifted to a Bhramin. Read related – Charaka Grahani Dosha Chikitsa 15th Chapter

Vishishtha yoga (Special formulations)

Kapithashtaka choorna Dashamoola ghritham Read about – Dashamoola Ghrita Benefits, Dosage, How To Use, Side Effects, Ingredients, Reference

Arshas (haemorrhoids)

• Native with sun in karkataka inspected by saturn
• Arsovaan govadho marthyaya means the person who has slaughtered the cow will be afflicted by haemorroids. (Read – Hymn To Stop Hemorrhage, Bleeding Through Capillaries

Vishishtha Yoga (Special formulations)

• Chandrayana vratam
• Purusha suktham
• Udayanna
• Hrik
• Adithyahridayam
• Agnivarnam
• Hemasringi roupya gureem mantras are chanted.

Read – Analysis Of Effect of Mantras On Health And Nadi

Ajeerna (Indigestion)

• Jyothisha – Jupiter positioned in 3^rd house results in sinful nature, habit of criticising others, poverty, many siblings, life of separation from spouse, dull digestion
• Karma vipaka – one who has stolen food, eats beef, who accepted food from unclean person
• Prayaschitha – fasting for 3 days, chanting agni rasmimantram, recitation of agni suktham and shri suktham, rudra  suktham – 10008 times

Read – How To Do Fasting? A Step By Step Guide For You

Special formulations

• Agnimukha choornam
• Hinguvashtaka choornam (Read – Hingwastak Churna – Uses, Ingredients, Dose, Side Effects)

Worm infestation

• Weak moon in the 8^th house, short lived, wavering mind, infections
• Who has killed elephants, cows, horses, widows who wore blue apparel during their husbands death
• Karma vipaka – Gifting a black bull or feeding Bhramins (priest),

Read – Ayurvedic Treatment For Worm Infestation

Special formulations – Musthadi kashayam

Obesity

• A native born with venus in the 12^th house
• Lazy, comfort loving, sleepy, experienced in attracting opposite sex
• One who has stolen curd

Karma vipaka: gifting cow to bhramins (Noble person) Read – Effective Obesity Treatment, Remedies And Ayurveda Tips

Vata disorders

• Jyothisha- a  native with sun in cancer inspected by saturn, sub period of kethu in the mahadasa of saturn
• Karma vipaka – one who disobey teacher, stealing assets of a Bhramins or harming temples, raping of unmarried virgins etc
• Prayaschitha – chant mantras kethum krinvan, sanno devi found  in uma maheswara samvadam.
• Observe krischaati krischra chandraayana vratham
• As per vachaspathi, the ruk, agni rasmi should be chanted Read – Vata Disorders (Vatavyadhi): Definition, Causes, Symptoms

Special formulations

• Kalyanaka avaleham
• Maha bala thailam
• Brihanmasha thailam
• Kethakyadi thailam
• Dhwathrimshat guggulu etc Read – Guggul Benefits, Usage, Dose, Side Effects, Research

Epilepsy

• Jyothisa – native born with moon, mars and sun in the 8^th house
• Karma vipaka – one who has killed a noble  person by asphyxiation
• Prayachittam – chandrayana vrtham, sada satpathi adbhudam, kayaana chitra aabhuva

Wounds and ulcers

• Born with mars, moon and Jupiter in same rashi (constellation), handsome, womanizer, kleptomaniac, suffer from wounds
• Those who have extreme egoism, anger, friendship, fear, indulgence in unrighteous
• Observance of 7 cycles of krischra vratham, homa, feeding of 50 bhramins.

Special formulations – Ajagandhadi lepam Hasthi dandhi lepam, Karangnadi lepam etc

Eczema, scabies

Dadru, Pama and Vicharchika (Dermatosis, Scabies, Eczema)

• Sub period of mercury during suns maha dasa, compulsion to leave ones native place due to the activities of one’s enemies, gold theft
• Prayashchitta – Gifting an uma maheshwara idol to temple Read – Eczema: Causes, Ayurvedic Treatment, Medicines, Home Remedies

Special formulations – Thuniyaangam Kadhirashtakam Adithya paka thaila Arka tailam etc Read – Calotropis gigantea – Arka Uses, Dose, Side Effects, Ayurveda Details

Kshudra rogas (Minor health issues)

• Jyothisa – sun in ones saturn’s houses and inspected by mars; have enemies, have quarrels with strangers and have body marked with wounds.
• Karma vipaka – one who has committed homicide through toxins or weapons, one who takes food without cleansing him properly after urination and passing stools (Read – Kshudra Roga: Minor Diseases: Symptoms, Ayurvedic Treatment)
• Prayaschitha – chanting pavamaana sukttham, akshi byan, – 1008 times, fasting for 3 days, observance of krischradi krischra chandrayana vratha, chanting gayathri for 10000 times, feeding fifty Bhramins, pilgrimages to sacred place like Rameshwaram and a dip in the sethu by chanting Vishnu vachana (Sahasranama) cure all the diseases. Read – Maha Kushta: Major Skin Diseases, Symptoms, Prognosis

Mukha rogas (Diseases of Buccal cavity)

• Native born in suns sub dasha in saturn’s mahadasha are likely to get facial diseases
• One who gives up on regularly observing vrathams and rituals, one who is indulging in rumours and gossipping, one who speak ill of good people is likely to suffer from halitosis, one who argumentative and stubborn, lying, bites face and tongue, who talks ill of one’s teacher, one who gives false witness. Read – Ayurvedic Remedies, Treatment, Medicines For Halitosis (Bad Breath)

Prayashchitta – Krischra chandrayana vrtham, chanting bhu bhuva swaha, vreehi danam, fasting 24 days, kaayana suktham

Special formulations – Thalaka choornam

Nasal disorders

• A native born with mars, venus and saturn positioned in one house is likely to suffer afflictions related to nose, lead a life of desperation, fear of enemies etc
• A person who indulges in propagating baseless scandals about others, who is provocative and makes fun of others through words and by making faces is likely to suffer nasal diseases
• Prayashchitta – Atikrischra chandrayana vrtham, krischra santhaapanam vrtham, stri suktham. Read – Disease Analysis At Physical and Mental Planes

Special formulations – Karaveeradya tailam

Diseases related to Head

• Native born during the sub-dasha of venus in the Suns mahadasha  are likely to get diseases of head, throat, fever, shoola roga, troubles from enemies.
• One who has harmed  his preceptor, a Bhramachari who had stopped performing his daily rituals, who has taken food in a broken bronze vessel
• Recitation of rik, udyannadya, akshibyamsooktham – 108 times, feeding 50 Bhramins, performing kooshmanda homam. Gifting uthareeyam to a Bhramin Read – Diseases Of Head, Heart And Abscess – Charaka Samhita Sutrasthana 17

Menstrual Disorders

• Females (at the time of marriage), have mars in the 8^th house are likely to suffer from bleeding and they will  loose their  children.
• A female born with Venus in Scorpio is likely to suffer from vaginal problems (uterine disorders)
• Women after loosing her husband, strays abstinence from sex is likely to suffer from afflictions of her genital organs, women who has killed a child in her previous birth is likely to suffer from abortion in this birth. (Read – Ayurvedic Diet And Lifestyle During Menstruation)
• Prayashchitta – Gifting a black bull
• 1^st  month – a pregnant women should perform Brama pooja to protect their pregnancy.
• 2^nd month – a sacrifice should be performed for the Ashwini devas
• 3^rd month – Ekaadasha rudras  are to be propitiated
• 4^th month – propitiating the Dwadasaadithyaas
• 5^th month requires a sacrifice  under a mango tree, involving a Ganesha idol
• 6^th month to propitiate Shanmugha swami
• 7^th month Ashta vayus are propitiated.
• In 8^th month Sri durga is propitiated
• 9^th month Sri  mahadeva is propitiated
• 10^th month Mahavishnu is propitiated.
• Natives with the planet positioned in other houses will undergo a childhood filled with sorrow, sickness, poverty, cough, lazy etc Read – Ayurvedic Diet And Lifestyle For Pregnant Woman

Paediatric disorders

• Native born with saturn in his own house, will be equal to a king.
• One who has neglected his/her mother in previous birth, one who is making fun of and teasing others will lead to an ill fated child under the influence of skanda graha, the child will not be able to open his eyes fully, choked voice, fear in his mind, clenched feet etc

Prayashchitta – Chandrayana vrtham, vyahrithi homam, sacrificing a fowl. Read – Symptoms That Hint Towards Different Diseases In Babies

Special formulations

• Ashtamangala grtham
• Ashtagandha grtham

Visha Adhikara (Poisoning)

• During the maha dasha of mars, they will be prone to wounds from weapons, influence of toxins, loss of wealth, fear of fire, quarrels and problems from enemies, excess tiredness etc
• A person who has poisoned another person in his previous birth, those who  live in constant fear of snakes and other reptiles will be troubled by poisonous snakes and animals.
• Prayaschitha – chanting apa maargana, homa with sarpa mantra, gifting a golden image of snake on panchami day, chanting sahasranama Read – Charaka Visha Chikitsa 23rd Chapter of Chikitsa Sthana

Rasayana Adhikara (Rejuvenation)

• Moon in the 8^th house inspected by saturn will be famous, but possesses blemishes, wrinkled skin, premature greyness, soft personality
• One who has not performed his duties in the previous birth will suffer from old age troubles
• Recitation of gayathri  mantra and thantraapgnesi 10,000 times Read – 13 Important Benefits Of Rasayana Treatment

Special formulations

• Amrith kashayam
• Aanamodhakam choornam
• Cherkkuru thailam

Vajeekarana Adhikara (Sexology)

• Native born with the sun, saturn and mercury in one rasi likely to be a eunuch, disliked by all, discarded by relatives,
• Person who indulges in the flesh trade, who associates with women of lower caste, who  violates the modesty of virgin girls, who goes astray from the rules of bhramacharya are likely to be impotent
• Prayaschitha – observing chandrayana vrtham Read – Achara Rasayana – Behavioral Therapy For Calm Mind And Long Life

Special formulations

• Kuruvi kizhangu choornam
• Eratti madhuram choornam

Merits of the book

• Author had not tried to bring his own interpretations and is judicious in keeping that original text intact.
• Explained causes, symptoms, types, and formulations for diseases in a systematic way
• Ill-effects of previous birth is more emphasised
• Scope for research is very crucial
• General idea of jyothisa shastra, karma vipaka, prayaschitha for specific disease along with Ayurvedic principles is narrated in apt way.
• Formulations for specific diseases are widely mentioned Read – Bad Prognosis Based On Smell, Touch, Taste, Colour And Voice

Demerits

• Jyothisha shastra is not explained in detail and vrathams are not described completely.
• Language is very complex and not in a lay mans words.
• Book gives more weight for decotions (kashaya) and powders, ghee and potent medicinal preparations are described which are out of easy reach.
• Most of the karma vipaka mentioned are incredible things that’s beyond belief. Read – Kashayam (Kwath) – Herbal Teas Preparation, Benefits, Usage

Conclusions

• Though Veerasimha avalokana known as the text for astro diagnosis of diseases, it is not meant for the astrologers only but for Vaidyas too.
• This book can be well used by medical students as a reference book for both diagnosis and treatment.
• Incorporation of these principles in proper manner will surely unfurl different avenues of treatment especially in idiopathic and disease complex health troubles.
• Click to consult Dr M S Krishnamurthy MD(Ayu), PhD