Wisdom of the Seers

We are often awestruck by the sheer looks of the golden or silverwares that the royal/aristocratic people often used in the past for eating and drinking purposes. We wonder what was the purpose of using these costly utensils for eating and drinking when a cheaper metal could have been used for the same purpose. And we conclude that it was just a show-off and nothing else. But that conclusion of ours is wrong if we study the Ayurvedic texts that explain the useful properties of various types of utensils that we use while eating and drinking. Ayurveda says - Properties of Utensils used for eating food - * Eating in Golden utensils removes all insufficiencies in diet, is beneficial for the eyes and enhances the qualities of the food served in them. * Eating in Silver utensils is beneficial for the eyes, pacifies Pitta, increases Kapha and Vata (Vata, Pitta and Kapha are biological humors). * Eating in Kansa (Bronze) utensils enhances intellect, enhances the taste of the food and c

नार्थार्थं नापि कामार्थमथ भूतदयां प्रति| वर्तते यश्चिकित्सायां स सर्वमतिवर्तते||५८|| [Charak Chikitsa 1.4.58] A person who pursues medical profession just out of compassion for the living being and not for Artha (wealth) or Kama (satisfaction of the worldly desires) excels all others. ଯେଉଁ ଚିକିତ୍ସକ ନା ଅର୍ଥ ନିମନ୍ତେ, ନା କୌଣସି ମନୋରଥର ପ୍ରାପ୍ତି ନିମନ୍ତେ, ବରଂ ସମସ୍ତ ପ୍ରାଣୀଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ଦୟା ଭାଵ ପ୍ରଦର୍ଶନ କରିବା ନିମିତ୍ତ ଏହି ବୃତ୍ତିକୁ ଆଦରି ନେଇ ଥାଆନ୍ତି, ସେ ଅନ୍ୟ ସମସ୍ତ ଚିକିତ୍ସକଙ୍କୁ ଅତିକ୍ରମ କରି ନିଜ ସମାଜରେ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ସ୍ଥାନ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରିଥାନ୍ତି । कुर्वते ये तु वृत्त्यर्थं चिकित्सापण्यविक्रयम्| ते हित्वाकाञ्चनं राशिं पांशुराशिमुपासते||५९|| [Charak Chikitsa 1.4.59] A physician, who practices his profession as a commercial commodity for earning wealth, is (as a matter of fact) running after heap of ash instead of gold. ଯେଉଁ ଚିକିତ୍ସକ ଏହି ଆଦର୍ଶ ବୃତ୍ତିକୁ କେବଳ ମାତ୍ର ନିଜର ଜୀବିକା ନିର୍ବାହ ପାଇଁ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରି ଏହାକୁ ଏକ ପଣ୍ୟ ଦ୍ରବ୍ୟ ରୂପେ ବ୍ୟବହାର କରନ୍ତି, ସେ ସୁବର୍ଣ୍ଣ ରାଶି ପ୍ରତିବଦଳରେ କେବଳ ଧୂଳିକଣା ହିଁ ସଂଗ୍ରହ କରିଥାନ୍ତି । [English Text Sourc