What is Ayurveda?

Maharishi Charak

The word Ayurveda is made of two words Ayu and Veda. Ayu doesn’t mean just age, instead it means 

शरीरेन्द्रिय सत्वात्मा संयोगो। – चरक संहिता १/४२
śarīrendriya satvātmā saṃyogo.  1/42

The union of Shareera (body), Indriya (sense organs), Satva (mind) and Atma (soul), and Veda means knowledge. Hence, Ayurveda means the knowledge of the union of body, sense organs, mind and soul. So when people bless saying ‘दीर्घायुषी भव’ (dīrghāyuṣī bhava) it means let you be in union with all the above factors for a long time.

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