Kaya-Cikitsa Virilifications - Therapy (Sexology) (Vol-4, Part-II B)

I am happy to write these few words by way of introduction to and appreciation of Dr. H.L. Sharma is book entitled ‘Virilification-Therapy’. It reviews the ancient classical concepts, traditional practices and recent advances made in this important field with due evaluation and rational assessment. The ‘Virilification-Therapy’ is not only an important component of Ayurvedic treatment but is also forms the fundamental basis of Ayurvedic Therapy. This is an unique approach and is very fundamental of Ayurveda. There is an urgent need of standardizing the classical ‘Virilification-Therapy’ procedures in consideration of the need of today.

Dr. H. L. Sharma, in this work, has covered a wide range of topics and aspects on ‘Virilification- Therapy ‘and has dealt with comprehensively and systematical lay the classical concepts, traditional practices and recent advances on the subject.

It is with this view that I welcome this present publication which has been brought out by the painstaking Dr. H. L. Sharma who has tried his best to make the work intelligible and simple. I congratulate the author for the onerous task he has fulfilled so energetically and patiently.

The publishers also deserve praise and compliment for their helpful attitude, encouragement and support in this publication.

I express my indebtedness and cordial thanks both to the author and the co-author who so affectionately invited me to accept the honour of writing this foreword.

Maharsi Caraka says that life always excited, and so people knew about life and medicines and acted according to the principles of Ayurveda. As there is continuity of life so ther is continuity of medical science, there is no beginning to Ayurveda, in Indian medical tradition. There is beginning only to its systematization.

It is therefore, quite natural for us to look upon the Vedic Sathhitds as a channel through which this continuous tradition of Indian medical science has reached down to the earliest systematizer. The references in the Suruta and Kalyapa Sathhitas also make it clear that the Ayurvedic material was in the beginning of a floating nature, a mere tradition that was not systematized and that goes back right to a period beyond human memory, even before the creation of mankind. (Ss. 111/6; KAs. Sath .P. 42). Hence it does not come as a surprise if the vedic samhitds contain ample material bearing on disease and medicine. So much material with such a variety cannot be viewed in isolation from the unbroken tradition of the science of Indian medicine. On the other hand we are required to look upon Vedic medicine as a part of the tradition. It is from this vedic material, very probably, Ayurveda was gradually evolved.

In the Vedic times grief or pain was classified into three parts- Supernatural (Adhidaivika or Autpdtika), physical (Adhibhautika) and spiritual (Adhyc7tmika). These broad division was superceded by the eightfold division memntion in the Ayurvedicsamhitas. (Cs. 1/1/25; 1/13/3; 4/1/5; 4/1, S.S. 111/1). It seems that the ancient three-fold division of the Ayurveda was abondoned making room for the new and comprehensive eight-fold one. The classification of the subject of the Ayurveda into eight parts is as follows-

(1) Salya-Tantra, (2)Saldkya-Tantra, (3) Kayacikitsa, (4) Bhuta-vidya, (5) Kauindrabhrtya (Bdla-Tantra), (6) Agad-Tantra, (7) Rasayana-Tantra and (8) Vaj11caraza-Tantra (Science of Aphrodisiacs).
The Ayurveda-Samhitãs have special chapters on this topic and the Kamalastra also presents it as its regular subject of discussion. the importance of this aspect of human life is duly recognized by Maharsi Caraka by assigning a complete section of the Caraka Samhita to “Vdjlkarana” or virilification. According to the Mahari Caraka, “It is a therapy which enables one to approach women in an unrestricted manner, endowing him with great strength and robustness, like that of a stallion, make one greatly endearing to women, increases one’s proportions and strength, causes the seminal secretion even of the aging to remain undiminished and fertile, and enables a man to have many and excellent off springs.”

“The man of self restraint should seek, always to maintain his virility by means of virilification, as righteousness, wealth, affection and good repute are dependent on the maintenance of healthy manhood.”

Although sexual capacities are inborn, human beings must learn to engage in sexual acts and to experience sexual feelings in certain personally and socially acceptable ways. The spontaneous expression of the sexual instinct is greatly modified before and during marriage by social economic, religious and cultural forces, acting in different ways in different societies. It is not correct to assume a uniform pattern of sexual behavior common to all mankind; in fact the range and diversity of human sexuality are its most remarkable features.

The sex drive in controlled by an area in the brain called the limbic system and posterior hypothalamus. Its expression is influenced by cultural and psychological factors quite as much as by instinctual drive. In man, as a result of evolution, the influence of the cerebral cortex on the limbic system and hypothalamus has largely freed human sexual response from its physiological roots. Reason, learning and experience mediated by the cerebral cortex are powerful influences on human sex drive.

The hormone responsible for sexual response in both men and women is largely the male hormone testosterone (Produced in the tests of the male and in the adrenal glands of both sexes). The female sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone,which determine sexual receptivity in the female of most animal species, seem not to be important factors in the sex drive in the human female, although they are essential for ovulation and pregnancy and may be important for the development of the maternal instinct.

Although the development of adult human sexual behavior depends upon the surge of sex hormones at puberty, many components of the adult pattern appear in children and are expressed in the form of play and experiment.

Response to a sexual stimulus is a simple reflex, which depends on the presence of sex hormones and can be modified by learning, by conscious or unconscious thoughts and by memories. It the genitals or the surrounding areas are touched, the stimulus is relayed through a reflex are to the spinal cord and out again to the organ, the penis or clitoris, which responds by swelling. At the same time, the sexual stimulus is conducted along never fibers to the brain where a sexual sensation arises and is linked with past experience. Both he situation and the learned response will affect the way the individual reacts. The age at which sexual maturation (puberty) occurs has been given in Caraka Samhita as 14 years for boys and 12 years for girls.

The discussion about civilization in Ayurveda is male-oriented and there is no mention about feminine sexual problems. It is a traditional belief that sexual arousal and response in women are inherently slower than in men. Because she is less responsive to psychic stimuli, the woman may not become aroused until continuous physical contacts are established. For the same reason that progress of her response can be arrested by any discontinuity of physical stimulation. Given uninterrupted physical stimulation, the response of the female to the point of orgasmic, whether during coauthor masturbation, can be no less rapid than that of the made.

In women frequent sexual arousal without relief of orgasm, over the years can result in a chronic congestion of the pelvic organs with consequent gynecological disturbances. More and more women are consulting physicians because of disturbances in sexual function. Lack of arousal during intercourse, or failure to achieve orgasm is a usual complaint. Painful intercourse (dyspareunia) is a less frequent complaint.

Paganisms (Painful spasm of vagina during intercourse making penetration difficult or impossible) is a rare complaint.

With the widespread use of contraceptive “Pill” and abolition of fear of unwanted pregnancy, the female is now the stronger sex-she is ever willing and ready while the male is not.

Female sexual capacity is comparable with that of the male, although women are more strongly influenced by convention and culture. While the sexual capacity in the male reaches a peak during adolescence and then gradually declines, the sexual drive of the female increases in middle age. Although sexual activity becomes less frequent as individuals become older, there is no physiological reason why it shuold not be continued into old age. Sexual, capacity in humans can continue throughout life into old age although, with the passage of years the sexual impulse becomes less powerful and is more readily quenched by other emotions are circumstances. It seems that like many other activities, continued sexual performance depends on practice. Although celibacy carries no dire penalties, ill consequences may arise for either sex when there is frequent sexual arousal without relief of organism. Individuals of either sex may seek to escape from this sense of decline by engaging in sexual adventure in a forlorn attempt to recapture the experience of youth. But the satisfactory sexual relationship can be maintained between elderly couples if they share a close understanding, companionship and mutual respect. The ability to create and sustain an unselfish relationship with a member of the opposite sex is valid measure of emotional maturity. It appears that many men grow old without attaining that maturity.

In men, testosterone production may increase as a result of regular intercourse, leading not only to increased sexual capacity but having general beneficial effects on energy and non-sexual drive.

For the maintenance of positive health and prevention of digeaes, rejuvenation and aphrodisiac therapies are useful. It is secondary desire. Mahari Caraka described the objects of Aphrodisiac-Therapy — “A person, should always seek the intake of Aphrodisiacs because, for, he can earn. Dharma (righteousness), Artha (Wealth), Priti (love) and Yaas (fame) through this therapy alone. A person gets these benefits through his progeny and the Aphrodisiac- Therapy enables him to procreate children (lit. sons) (Cs. Ci. 2/1/3).

Aphrodisiac-Therapies should be administered only to a person who is self- controlled. Otherwise if a person of licentious habits is administered this therapy, he, with additional potentiality gained through the therapy will prove to be nuisance to the society through his illegitimate sex acts (Againyagamana).

The object of Aphrodisiac-Therapies is to enable a person to produce a son who helps him to perform Dharma (virtuous acts) etc.

After taking Aphrodisiac-Therapies, the person should take recourse to sexual intercourse during Rtukala (period of fertility) of his wife. Sexual intercourse in other times is not the object of this therapy. The Aphrodisiac-Therapies are required to be taken regularly as a daily diet.

A woman is considered to be the Aphrodisiac par excellence. She represents beauty, fertility, motherhood, and practical worldly wisdom. All the objects of senses, viz. abda (Sound), Sparta (touch), Rüpa (Visual form), Rosa (taste) and Gandh (Smell) in a woman are fascinating known for this sexual effects. She is a lifelong partner in the performance of religious it.

She is also called Laksmi (goddess of wealth), because it is she who through in practical wisdom contributes to material prosperity.

A woman trained in 4 Kalas like vocal and instrumental music, dance as described in Kdmafastra, endowed with other qualities described which produces maximum Aphrodisiac effects.

A person who is healthy and who desires to have a child should enter into sexual intercourse with a woman who is Atulyagotra (of a different clan), who is sexually strong, who is excited, who is free from any ailments and who is Suddhasnãtd (immediately after she has taken bath completing her period of menses).

At last we can say that person who does have wife, does not find any interest in this world. Without her, the person holds a body which is emptied of its senses. In her presence, the person does not get seriously afflicted even when he faces grief, anxiety, detachment and frightful situations. Her every presence and look are assuring and exciting to him.