Preface

Vol. III of Rasa-jala-nidhi was published as far back as December 1929. The present volume is published after more than six years. This undue delay is due to my shortness of leisure and ill-health owing to hard labour. I have, however, by grace of God, recovered my normal state of health and am in a position to proceed with the publication of the remaining volumes. Vol. V has already been sent to the press, and is expected to be out in six months.

It has already been stated that the Rasa-chikitsa-vidya or the science of Iatro chemistry, as dealt with in the present publication, is the best part of the science of Ayurveda (i.e., the indigenous system of medical science prevalent in India.) The present state of degradation of the followers of this science is due to Rasa-chikitsa-vidya being almost forgtten under circumstances referred to in the preface of vol. 1. This is a perfect system of medical science. No disease is incurable with the adept votaries of this science. It has been possible for me to cure, by means of the knowledge constituting in this revived science, innumerable cases (the majority of which were given up as incurable by the leading physicians of Bengal) of phthisis, cancer, leprosy, asthma, and other diseases, generally considered incurable. I would request physicians all over the world to try the recipes, given in my books, in accordance with the procedure laid down. I am confident, they will recieve immense satisfaction, if they do so.

So far as India is concerned, the prospect about the revival of this science is awfully gloomy. There is every reason to apprehend that all that is best in the real science of Ayurveda is going to die out in course of the next twenty years. It is a poor apologia of Ayurveda and not Ayurveda proper that is being taught in the so-called colleges of Ayurveda, established all over India. This is a remark which I made several years ago in the preface of vol 1, and I am sorry to say that nothing has happened in the meantime to make me change my views. The majority of the students receiving diplomas from these colleges have failed to prove successful physicians and have brought discredit not only on themselves but on the science as well.

There is anothe very strong menace to the revival of Ayurveda. Some Allopaths have taken to the profession of Ayurvedic physicians. Some of them have done so without properly acquainting themselves with the science of Ayurveda. No wonder that a few of them have been preaching from the platform and through the press, the desirability of commingling Allopathy with Ayurveda without trying to revive Ayurveda proper. It is not the place to dwell upon, in details, the gravity of the mischief done to the cause of Ayurveda by those physicians who are not ashamed of advertising their attitude and misleading the lay public including young students of Ayurveda. May God let good sense dawn upon these gentlemen. They are not perhaps aware of the fact that Allopathy is not yet a science at all but is still in the making; and Ayurveda cannot profit by borrowing from Allopathy. All that is really required to restore this neglected science of Ayurveda to its ancient glory is to master that part of the science which is dealt with in my publication as well as the rudiments of Ayurveda as dealt with in Charaka, Sushruta, and Bhavaprakasha.

BHUDEB MOOKERJI

20 Grey Street, Calcutta
The 21st April 1936.