Dinacharya.

DAILY REGIMEN ACCORDING TO THE ASHTANGA SANGRAHA:-

According to the ashtanga sangraha;many rules and regulations are tobe followed by a person in day to day life so as tobe praised by the people in the society as aresult of possessing good health, good qualities and thus;the good character.

It suggests the healthy person,in order to protect his life,should get up from his sleep in the Bramha muhurta (any time from 3.00 A.M. to 6.00 A.M.),after considering the condition of digestion of food of previous night whether properly done or not.

MALOTSARGA(VOIDING THE EXCREMENTS):-

After getting the urge of urine and faeces naturally,the person should eliminate them,facing north and if still dark,facing south;silently,sitting in hygienic conditions and not corrupting any beautiful or public place.

At times of fear(of being seen by others and of thieves,wild animals etc.) and persons who are debilitated,may void the excrements as they wish.

With urge of elimination being patent,one shouldnot attend to any other work,just as no other therapy is undertaken without getting rid of the curable disease.

The point to note here is neither to initiate the urges voluntarily nor to suppress it when manifest.Both these are the causes for many diseases.

ACHAMANA(PURIFICATORY RITE):-

Achamana(sipping small quantity of water) shouldbe done after contact with inauspicious things like tissues(blood,muscle,fat etc.) excreta,tears,muscle-fat,hairs,nails etc. of animals,which have been cast off;after taking bath,at the beginning and end of meals,getting up from sleep,after sneezing,at the commencement of worship of Gods,after a chariot ride and the usual daily ablutions.

Even now a days;Bramhins follow the act of achamana in which they take pure water in Panchapatra(tumbler of copper or alloy of five metals) a copper spoon is held in the left hand,little quantity of water is transferred with it to the palm of the right hand and sipped without making any sound.Afterwords the moist right hand is placed on different parts of the body,accompanied with chanting of sacred names of Gods.

DANTA DHAVAN(CLEANING OF TEETH):-

Twigs of roots(branches) of vata,asana,arka,khadira, karanja,karaveera,sarja,irimeda,apamarga,malatee,kakubha or such other known trees which posses astringent,bitter and pungent tastes; the twigs shouldbe the thickness of the little finger,straight,devoid of knots and obtained from the trees grown in good place,it shouldbe of twelve anguli in length.Its one end is made like a brush by chewing and the teeth cleaned with it in the morning and after meals,twice daily.

After cleaning the teeth,the gums are also cleaned without hurting them,by rubbing with nice powder of vapya(kushtha) and three groups of three drugs (trikatu,triphala and trijataka) mixed with honey.

Next the tongue is tobe cleaned by scraping it,comfortably with a tongue scrapper(made from metal etc.).This will remove the dirt,bad taste and smell of the tongue,mouth and teeth.It produces better taste,cleanliness and softness of the mouth, and dispels the diseases of the tongue,mouth and teeth.

Those suffering from indigestion,vomiting,dyspnoea,cough, fever,facial paralysis,thirst,ulcers of mouth,diseases of heart,eyes,head and ears shouldnot make use of the tooth brush while danta dhavana vidhi.

The lower row of teeth shouldbe brushed first.

Keeping the mouth filled with water for gargling;the eyes are tobe splashed with water every morning with cold water which reduces the tension and tiredness of the eyes and improves vision.

PRANAMA(OBEISANCES):-

Gods and elders shouldbe worshipped,the one hundred and eight sacred names of Gods shouldbe repeated;next the person should see his image in ghee kept in vessels of gold,which brings good luck and dispels evils.