Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa – Divine Therapies of Ayurveda

By Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa, B.A.M.S
Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa is the treatment method based on the deeds done in the previous births and methods of correcting those deeds. It also includes believing in divine powers and measures taken to please God. It can be called the Divine Therapy.
Read – Ayurveda Lifestyle and Diet For Fever – 45 Important Things To Know

Daiva = God
Vyapashraya = centered around
Chikitsa = treatment

Definition

तत्र दैवव्यपाश्रयं- मन्त्रौषधि मणि मङ्गल बल्युपहार होम नियम प्रायश्चित्तोपवास स्वस्त्ययन प्रणिपातगमनादि, 
tatra daivavyapāśrayaṃ- mantra auṣadhi maṇi maṅgala balyupahāra homa niyama prāyaścitta upavāsa svastyayanapraṇipātagamanādi
Charaka Sutrasthana 11/45

Mantra

These Mantras (holy recitations) are gifted by the highly evolved Guru to the disciple. Guru vouches for the disciple and signs guarantee for all the good and bad deeds of the disciple, under the condition that the disciple will chant the Mantra and will lead a pious life, everyday. So, if you are giving Mantra to a disciple to chant, keep in mind that you are vouching for that disciple. Hence, it is not a good idea to give Mantra Upadesha to everyone. Wrong use of Mantra, with wrong pronunciation should be avoided at all cost.

Gem Therapy

Mani (gem therapy) –
As per Ayurveda, the precious stones are not just beautiful ornamental stones. They contain within them hidden energies. As per Ayurveda, the light rays entering and exiting these gems carry special positive energies. So, these gems should be perfect, without any defects to wear and not all gems are suited to everyone. A gem therapy expert or an Ayurveda doctor would help you with gem selection based on your dominant Graha – planet. It is related to Astrology.
Read related: use of gems in Ayurveda

Mangala Bali – Sacrificial rituals

Sacrificial rituals are done in order to sacrifice the animal instincts that a person has. These sacrifices are done with animals, but these can also be done even without actual animal sacrifice.

Homa – Fire rituals. It is a sacred practice of offering all our negative energy to the fire and in return gaining the positive energy.
Niyama – Self restrictions like fasting, following strict rules, like visiting temple everyday / once a week, etc. These rituals help in controlling the sense organs and mind.

Svastyana – holy chanting, Mantras. They also help in controlling the breathing pattern.
Prayashcitta – reconciliation – Writing 11 or 22 times, everyday, in a book – “Forgive me, lead me, guide me.” Source – Divine Park. Reconciliation can also be done in the form of social work, donating to the poor, charity work etc.

Divine Therapies For Fever

Jwara is more than just a fever in general terms. It is defined as that which causes pain and disturbance in the body, senses and mind, manifests before any other disease and strongest among all diseases. Therefore jwara is more than a physical raise in the temperature.
Read – How Dose Of Ayurvedic Medicine Is Decided? 7 Factors

Divine therapies are explained elaborately as a part of treatment strategy to deal with vishama jwara i.e. intermittent or irregular fevers.
Read – Causes, Symptoms, Treatment Of Recurring Fevers – Punaravartaka Jwara

Divine Therapies

Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana, Chapter-3, Jwara Chikitsa Adhyaya, Verses 309-315

Wearing auspicious gems and medicines

The fevers will quickly reside when one wears –

• Auspicious gems – like topaz etc
• Auspicious medicines / herbs – like Achyranthes aspera etc
• Poisonous herbs – which are also medicaments like poisonous roots etc but not deadly like taking poisons
• Agada – antidote herbs and things which are antagonistic to the effect of poisons

Shiva Puja – Worshiping Lord Shiva

The mythological evidences of the ‘first ever manifestation of the fever’ as explained in Charaka Samhita is related to Lord Shiva. The fever manifests from the anger of Lord Shiva. So it makes sense to worship Lord Shiva and pray for relief from fever.

Master Charaka tells that – ‘the person who worships Lord Shiva / Ishwara accompanied by his wife Uma / Parvati, attendants including Nandi – the celestial bull, and eight divine mothers comprising of Brahmi, Vaishnavi, Mahesvari, Indrani, Kaumari, Varahi, Chamunda and Pratyangira with dedication quickly gets rid of his Visama Jwara i.e. intermittent fevers’.
Read- Kashayam Remedy For Fever, Thirst And Burning Sensation

Reciting Vishnu Sahasranama

 ‘When one recites ‘one thousand names’ of thousand headed Lord Vishnu who is the lord of all movable and inert things in the creation and all pervading, will get rid of all the fevers in quick time’. 

Reciting the thousand names of Lord Vishnu is nothing but reciting ‘Vishnu Sahasranama i.e. 1000 names of Vishnu’ verses given in the context of Shanti Parva section of Mahabharata (Ref – Master Gangadhara, commentator, Charaka Samhita).
Read – Analysis Of Effect of Mantras On Health And Nadi

Worshiping Lord Indra and other ‘one’s’ favorite deities

The person suffering from fever will get rid of the same by worshiping Brahma and other deities enlisted below. They are –

• Lord Brahma – the creator
• Ashwini – the celestial physician twins
• Lord Indra – the king of Gods
• Hutabhaksham – God of fire
• Himachalam – Himalaya mountains, which is said to be abode of many Gods, goddesses and sages
• Ganga – river Ganga which is said to be the most sacred river in India
• Marud ganan cha ishtan – troop of Maruts / host of Gods / all Gods who are one’s favorite
  Read – Shloka (Verses) To Relieve Microbes As Described By Sushruta

Other auspicious, good and noble deeds

The person will quickly get rid of the fever by doing the below mentioned deeds –

• Worshiping, taking care of and respecting one’s parents and teachers, includes all elders
• By following the celibacy
• By being truthful and righteous
• By religiously following the rules and regulations related to food and lifestyle, by leading a systematic way of life
• By muttering prayers and getting indulged in fire sacrifice and other rituals
• By doing charity
• By hearing to the recitation of Vedas
• By sight of great sages and saints, virtuous, holy and noble persons
  Read – Sadvritta In Ayurveda – Code Of Conduct For Healthy Life

The same divine remedies are applicable to treat the Agantuja Jwaras i.e. fevers caused due to external causes.

Sanskrit Verses

My experience with Vishnu Sahasra Nama

I know Vishnu Sahasra Nama by heart and I have used it as a tool to treat stubborn fever not responding to any medicines. I have tried it on my son, some of my family members and on myself. Once when my son, as a kid, had suffered from fever with high rise in temperature, he had gone to a stage of delirium, no medicines were working…I had him sleep with his head on my lap, kept my hand on his head and chanted Vishnu Sahasra Nama closing my eyes. I felt the temperature in him gradually reducing, traveling through my hand, torso, and foot into the ground. By the time I chanted it twice, his temperature had come down. Surprise, he even started to play within few minutes. Ever since I have started using this as the first hand remedy even before administering any medicine, especially for my family members, hospitalized, suffering from long standing illness of any kind or otherwise. I was not disappointed at any time. I have even not hesitated to advise my patients, at least a few who have my confidence and friends to try this remedy!!

Click to Consult Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ayu) – Skype

Additional points by Dr JV Hebbar

Divine Therapies For Fever – Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa

Psychiatric disorders

The worship of Pramathas, the attendants of Lord Rudra, who roam about the universe, makes the patient free from Unmada (insanity). Exogenous type of Unmada gets cured by Bali (Sacrifices), Mangala (Recitation of auspicious Mantras), Homa (offering oblations to the fire), wearing talismans containing anti-toxic herbs, observance of truthfulness, maintenance of good conduct, practice of penance, recourse of knowledge, charity, observance of scriptural rules and religious bows, offering prayer to the Gods, cows, Brahmins and by the application of perfected Mantras and medicines. Charaka Unmada Chikitsa 92-94

Epidemic disorders

Rasayana therapy:
Proper Rasayana therapy done with medicines that are collected before onset of epidemic disease restores physical health.
Truthfulness,
Bhoote Daya – compassion for living beings,
Dana – donation, charity,
Bali – scarifies,
Devatarchana – prayer to the gods,
Sadvrutta – good deeds,
adoption of preventive measures, tranquility, protection of the self by Mantra etc are very effective.
Devotion towards God, residence in auspicious localities, observance of Brahmacharya, service to those observing Brahmacharya is told as a remedy.
Discussion on religious scriptures, befriending great sages, who have self- control, who follow religion, who are Satvika and who are learned people.
These therapies, which when adopted during epidemic disorders, can easily save lives of individuals provided the epidemics can easily save the lives of individuals provided the death of a particular individual is not pre-determined (by destiny). Charaka Vimana Sthana 3rd chapter /12-18

Wound management

As per Master Sushruta, in the management of deep wounds, the patient should be given a bath with cold water to calm down Pitta Dosha, the wound should be washed with astringent and bitter decoctions and squeezed to drain out pus, a medicinal wick prepared with paste of sesame seeds, honey, ghee, neem etc medicine is placed deep into the wounds, bandaging is done, fumigation is done with Vateria indica, guggulu etc protective (Rakshoghna) herbs, then Mantras should be chanted for protection from microbes. Sushruta Sutrasthana, 5/17.
These are just a few examples of utilization of Daiv Vyapashray Chikitsa in Ayurvedic practice.

Diseases treated by Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa

• those which are not caused by doshas
• those which are caused due to karma
• those caused due to the sins done in the previous birth
• those caused by curse of teachers, elders, sages, Gods etc when one insults or doesn’t respect them
  Read – Vyadhi (Disease) Definition, Meaning And Explanation

‘Daiva vyapashray Chikitsa’ for physical or mental disorders

They are used for treating both physical and mental disorders and also psychosomatic disorders.
In physical disorders – Though Yuktivyapashraya Chikitsa is the mainstay treatment for nija rogas i.e. physical disorders; daivavyapashraya chikitsa too shall be included in the treatment as a support and ‘belief treatment’. We can find ‘chanting of Vishnu Sahasranama’ in the treatment of fevers, mainly irregular fevers. There are also other instances. Traditionally daiva vyapashraya chikitsa will be included in the protocol of ‘treatment of physical disorders’ when the conventional medicines and therapies fail to yield results. The physical disorders may have a mental component in later course of the disease wherein mental symptoms may be manifested. In these cases sattvavajaya chikitsa too shall be considered apart from daiva vyapashraya and yukti vyapashraya chikitsa.

In mental disorders – The mental disorders too may be caused due to the above mentioned causes apart from being caused by the affliction of mind by aggravated dosha. Daivavyapashraya Chikitsa should be implemented when the mental diseases are mainly caused by the above mentioned etiological factors. They can also be considered when mental disorders do not respond to conventional medicines and therapies.

The other two treatments i.e. sattvavajaya chikitsa and yukti vyapashraya chikitsa too shall be considered in the treatment of mental disorders and implemented skillfully as and when needed. The same treatments are also used in treating the physical ailments as said above. We need to remember that sattvavajaya is a predominant intervention for mental disorders. But daiva vyapashraya chikitsa predominantly works in complicated mental disorders and idiopathic disorders. The maximum references for the same will also be found described in the context of mental disorders in Ayurveda treatises.
Read – Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa – Divine Therapies of Ayurveda

How Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa works?

Daiva Vyapashraya is said to be a kind of divine therapy derived mainly from Atharva Veda. It mainly works on the basis of faith. The more the belief of the person on this therapy, the more would be the effect and more the healing. Therefore it can be considered as a ‘faith therapy’.

Faith is an important component of healing therapies. Even in counseling sessions it is the faith and trust which has gradually developed between the physician and the patient which works. Therefore faith is an important component of psychology and psychotherapy. Daiva Vyapashraya demands the patient to have full belief in the therapy and methods included and medicines used therein. Daiva, as already said, refers to – godly, divine, celestial or to any actions of past life (previous birth). The diseases caused due to the effect of daiva are called as daivakruta diseases. The aim of daiva vyapashraya chikitsa is to cure these diseases. Hence this treatment are designed to destroy the effects of evil acts of the past so as to combat and treat diavakruta diseases.
Read – Hope Heals All The Wounds and Sorrows: Concept Of Ayurveda!

• Trust Factor – Apart from faith, the patient’s trust in the physician and also in the therapies and medicines administered by that physician on the backdrop of trust be it medicinal or non-medicinal seems to work in a good way.
• Effect on Sattva Guna – Daiva Vyapashraya might possibly work towards reviving and balancing the sattva attribute of the mind which is necessary to establish the normal functioning of the mind. Many treatments mentioned in this therapy increase the sattva attribute of the mind and overshadow the imbalanced rajas and tamas attributes. They are mutual.
• Effect of Rajas and Tamas Guna – On the other side of balancing the sattva guna, daiva vyapashraya also works towards balancing the mind contaminants i.e. rajas and tamas qualities of the mind. Increase of rajas and / or tamas qualities and reduction of sattva quality of the mind is the cause for all mental disorders. While treating the mental disorders the physician should look towards not only enhancing the sattva quality but also to reduce the increased rajas or tamas quality. Many measures mentioned in the daiva vyapashraya chikitsa are effectively seen to do this. This balance between the attributes of the mind should be restored in the mind if the mental diseases need to be cured in a comprehensive way.
• Effect on Manovaha Srotas – Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa has its impact on the mind channels (nerves, brain) and has a cleansing effect on them, in terms of flushing out the negative thoughts and fears and in nurturing the positivity. The mental disorders will be cured and the mind too would get strengthened in the process.
• Bhuta Vidya – This has been mentioned as one among the eight branches of Ayurveda by Master Sushruta which is also called as Graha Chikitsa. This branch deals with treating the diseases caused by unknown forces and entities. Sushruta has advised to implement bali (sacrifices, offerings), homa (fire sacrifices), Havana (offering ghee to holy fire) etc measures in order to pacify the grahas (supernatural forces) causing diseases, mental diseases in this context.
• Rectification / atonement of the actions of the past – Many mental disorders are said to have been caused by sins done in the previous birth or sins committed in the distant or recent past. Daivakruta Diseases i.e. diseases caused due to the evil acts of the past or wrong deeds done in the past are the primary target for Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa. These treatments are done to pacify and stop the recurrence of these diseases. Many times a patient who has done sins or wrong deeds in the past will be living in the guilt. Prayaschita i.e. atonement, realization and acceptance / pledge to rectify self would make life convenient for these people and also to come out from the mental trauma they are facing after having committed the sins in the past. It would act like a mind ointment and help in healing the mind disorders. The patient sometimes volunteers or succumbs to ‘guilt pleads’ or atonement during counseling sessions. This might take tedious and lengthy sessions for the physician with the patient and sometimes might be an easy pull-off. Counseling sessions followed by atonement of the patient will help in his or her mental healing. This is a part and parcel of Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa. Therefore, these therapies are done to break and exhaust the evil acts of the past so as to combat daivakrita diseases. Daivakrita diseases may not just mean ‘diseases caused due to sins done in the previous birth’. It also means ‘diseases caused due to sins committed in the distant or recent past’. Atonement is either induced or comes spontaneously as a part of counseling sessions and hence forms an integral part of psychotherapy.
• Doshic effect – Measures included in Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa are useful in combating the aggravated doshas. Example, Upavasa – fasting or therapeutic starvation might remove morbid kapha and ama, ama associated with vata and pitta, excessive fluidity in the body (kleda) and cleanse the channels of the body. This would reduce the effect of morbid doshas on the brain and mind. Other measures also may have an indirect effect on the physical doshas.
• The divine direction, spiritual touch and divine link up – Many people are heavily religious and live in orthodox circles. The best faith they have is in the Gods they have believed. They are ideal clients for daiva vyapashraya chikitsa. They believe in Gods and Goddesses and have a shortlist of their favorite ones also. Many people go to the refuge of their favorite gods when their point of distress surpasses their tolerance limit. God will be considered as ultimate remedy and relief from all problems. This is true in case of mental disorders. In cases wherein no remedy has been working out people have resorted to non-medicinal remedies like gem therapies, tying amulets, rings, gems etc, conducting worships and fire sacrifices, visiting religious places etc. They believe that doing these things will help them come out of their everlasting problems and miseries. Incidentally or accidentally many people have reported relief and cure after doing so. Here also the faith factor works along with divine link up. Therefore, these therapies are also called as spiritual therapies.

In these people no medicine or counseling works. These acts have helped them in the past or they have seen the effect of these on others or are constantly influenced and trained about these in the orthodox families. These people should be channelized in the pathway wherein they visualize relief and cure. If the physician is allowing these, he or she should take care that these practices would not harm the patient or family and friends or trouble any person or people living in his or her community. They shall be safely practiced. This often works on the minds of the people as they think that God is there with them in the journey of their troubles and he or she would ward off their troubles. Believing in unknown and unseen powers is beneficial if they help. Believing in ‘the best is yet to come’ is of no harm.  These people have a best friend, company, an ally to whom they can go to and explain their problems in the form of God. This also would master the person in the ‘art of submission’ and forego egoism and negative thoughts. This also helps in introspection and doing self help after knowing self worth.

God is belief. Belief is Relief. Relief is Cure.

1. Prabhava – special / super effect – These therapies may have some kind of super or special effect when implemented which is difficult to justify or explain from a scientific perspective.
2. Karma theory – Whether daiva vyapashraya works or not and why it might work in some and might not work in others depends on one’s karma.

Vyapashraya term meanings –

• support
• shelter
• to take refuge
• depend on
• having recourse to

When we combine both these terms i.e. daiva and vyapashraya, it would mean –

• to take refuge in divinity, to treat with the support of god,
• divine powers or celestial power

In short ‘any therapy which is dependent upon daiva i.e. celestial powers is called as daiva vyapashraya chikitsa’. This therapy is concerned with all the unknown things which are beyond the purview of reasoning. This therapy is also known as spiritual therapy. Some measures included in the daiva vyapashraya chikitsa are concerned with religious rituals like offerings and benedictions. Therefore these therapies can also be named as –

• magical practices
• magical-religious practices
• occult practices
• faith practices

Atharva Veda and Kousitski Sutra are said to be two authentic sources of Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa. In these treatises many occult and divine practices are said to be described so as to combat with the demons, witchcrafts and supernatural (unknown) powers which are causal for many physical as well as mental disorders. Atharva Veda is said to be the first treatise to establish relationship between the diseases and demons (unknown powers).
Read – Veda and Upaveda – Introduction

Master Charaka has mentioned the below mentioned methods as a part of Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa –

Read – Analysis Of Effect of Mantras On Health And Nadi

Is daiva vyapashraya chikitsa limited to mental disorders?
No, definitely daiva vyapashraya chikitsa is not limited just for the cure of mental disorders. Though it has been predominantly explained in the context of manasika rogas i.e. mental disorders (unmada, apasmara, atattvabhinivesha), they are also beneficial in physical and psychosomatic disorders. We can find many instances wherein the components of Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa have been mentioned in the context of the chapters explaining the treatments of physical disorders.
Read – Disease Analysis At Physical and Mental Planes

Example, mention of ‘chanting Vishnu Sahasra Nama’ in the treatment of Vishama Jwara – irregular fevers. Cursing of Gods, cows and Brahmans and Papa Karma i.e. sins done in the past has been mentioned amongst the etiological factors of Kushta – skin disorders. Here atonement towards the same by various measures forms the daiva vyapashraya chikitsa part in the treatment of Kushta.

Daiv Vyapashray Chikitsa In Mental Disorders

What causes mental disorders?
According to Ayurveda the mental disorders are caused due to the imbalance in the qualities of the mind. Sattva, Rajas and Tamas are the three qualities of the mind. Mental disorders are caused when sattva quality decreases and rajas and tamas qualities of the mind abnormally increase. Rajas and Tamas attributes of the mind are called as manasika doshas i.e. mental contaminants.
Read – Manasika Doshas – Satva, Rajas, Tamas As Per Ayurveda

The treatment of the mental disorders works in a reverse way. The aim of the treatment would be to establish equilibrium between the attributes of the mind i.e. sattva, rajas and tamas qualities. This would be done by all medicinal and non-medicinal measures which would help in increasing the sattva quality and reduce the rajas and tamas qualities while bringing them back to a state of normalcy and balance. The other pattern of manifestation of mental disorders of the types of unmada (insanity) and apasmara (memory disorders) are also said to be caused by aggravated physical doshas (vata, pitta and kapha). We can find the explanation of the same in the samprapti – pathogenesis of these diseases. Herein the aggravated physical doshas contaminate the hrdaya (brain), mind and mind channels (nerves) and cause mental disorders.

While treating these diseases the physical doshas which are causing the contamination of mind should be addressed initially. This shall be done by administering strong cleansing treatments in the form of Panchakarma therapies. This should be followed by treatment strategies for treating and healing the mind. Mental diseases may also be caused by external causes. They are called as agantuja manasika rogas. They are treated by isolating the causes and treating the mind.
Read – Role of Doshas In the Causation of Disease

Divine Therapies for Mental Disorders
There may be many instances wherein in spite of the person suffering from severe mental disorder, we cannot find the evidence of any of these doshas being severely aggravated or put out of balance. These mental conditions may be caused by some other unknown or unseen factors which are beyond the purview of reasoning and diagnosis. The causes may include unknown past deeds or misdeeds of the previous births. These diseases of mind cannot be cured by known line of treatment methods. These deeds are collectively called as daiva or ‘diseases caused due to one’s fate or destiny’.

Daiva / Daivakrta Roga – On the other hand, Ayurveda also has accepted the concept of reincarnation i.e. rebirths and our karmas (deeds of previous births) transported and carried over to the next birth and get associated therein. Karma done in the previous birth is called as Daiva. The diseases that are caused by such an effect are called as Daivakrta diseases. Therefore it was necessary that some treatment principles were devised which can be effective against such unforeseen diseases (daivakruta). These measures which help in dealing with diseases caused due to daiva are called as daivavyapashraya chikitsa or divine remedies.
Read – Karma, Saguna, Ativahika Purusha – Definition, Composition

Specifications of Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa in Mental Disorders

The mental diseases / psychiatry of Ayurveda is spread out in three broad topics (contexts) –

• unmada – insanity, psychoses, lunacy (includes many mental disorders explained in modern psychiatry)
• apasmara – epilepsy, memory disorders
• atattvabhinivesha – OCD and other disorders wherein the brain and thought process is put into confusion and a state of indecisiveness

Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa in Unmada

Below mentioned divine (non-medicinal) treatments have been mentioned in the treatment of unmada.

1. In bhutonmada – insanity / psychoses caused by bhutas (unknown forces / spirits)
Rudra Puja – Offering prayers and oblations to Lord Rudra

2. In Agantuja Unmada – insanity / psychoses caused by external causes (trauma etc)
Bali – sacrificial rituals
Mangala – auspicious rites
Homa – fire sacrifices
Aushadha dharana – wearing divine / special herbs
Agada dharana – wearing anti-poisonous herbs
Satya – speaking truth (confession, atonement)
Sadachara – doing good deeds
Tapa – penance
Jgnana – having spiritual knowledge
Pradana – charity
Niyama – Vrata – observances / restrictions
Deva, go, brahmana, gurunam cha pujanena – worshiping Gods, cows, Brahmans, teachers / perpetuators
Siddha mantra – enchanting popular and effective hymns
Read – Unmada Chikitsa – Charaka 9th Chapter

Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa in Apasmara
Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa has been mentioned in the context of Agantuja Apasmara i.e. apasmara caused due to external factors. The same measures mentioned in the treatment of Agantuja Unmada are said to be applicable in case of Agantuja Apasmara also.
Read – Charaka – Apasmara Chikitsa – 10th chapter

Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa in Atattvabhinivesha
Daiva Vyapashraya Chikitsa has not been specified in the context of Atattvabhinivesha but a few non-pharmacological interventions have been mentioned in its treatment, some of which can be included in divine therapies. They include –

• Suhrudascha anukulaastam swaaptaa dharma artha vaadinah – being in the company of good friends who are soul-mates and trustworthy and those who have the knowledge and habit of following and preaching righteousness and other aspects of good deeds
• Vijnana – good knowledge about spirituality and divine sciences
• Dhairya – counseling and encouragement
• Smruti – enhancing memory
• Samadhi – deep concentration, meditation

To sum up,
Daivavyapashraya chikitsa is a broad spectrum therapy and can be used readily as a main or supportive therapy in effectively treating mental disorders and also in physical disorders. This therapy mainly works on faith and trust. Traditionally it is a practice to resort to the methods included in divine therapies when any disease is not getting cured or addressed for a longer period of time in spite of administering effective therapies, be it physical or mental ailments. It is also a practice and customary to offer prayers and oblations before commencement of treatments in Ayurveda. This is done for the maximum benefits of the treatments and for the welfare of the patient, immaterial of these therapies mentioned or not in the context of treatment of that particular disease. Unseen special effects of these therapies is believed to work in the direction of comprehensive therapy. In many instances we have seen the doctors with immense expertise also proclaim – ‘we have done our best, now pray that he / she gets well soon’. Treatment and cure are type of mysteries. Many unconventional forms and non-pharmacological things work wonders and helps the ailing person to recover even from the death bed when the best conventional approaches have failed. All these fall under the umbrella of daiva vyapashraya chikitsa vis-à-vis divine therapies.