Brahmasri VMC Sankaran Namboodirippad
Date of Birth:- February 28, 1918
Place of Birth:- Palakkad, Kerala
Details of family:- Sri VMC Sankaran Namboodirippad was born to Sri Damodaran Namboodirippad and Uma Antarjanam. He lost his father at the young age of three years. The, the family in which he grew up had a rich tradition in Ayurveda, especially Vishachikitsa; hence, he had an affinity towards this science. His grand-uncle Sri Agni Sharma, his first Ayurveda teacher, greatly influenced him to learn Vishachikitsa, including “MantraChikitsa”.
Educational Qualifications:-
Sri VMC Sankaran Namboodirippad became well-versed in Astangahridaya when he was just 12 years of age. He learned Vishachikitsa initially from Sri Pannavur Krishnan Namboodiri, a disciple of Sri Cherukulaparam Krishnan Namboodirippad for five years, and later directly from Sri Cherukulaparam Krishnan Namboodirippad. He was trained in Balachikitsa (Paediatrics) and Daivavyapasaraya Chikitsa (Spiritual healing)from Sri Cherukulaparam Krishnan Namboodirippad. From the same Guru, he learned other Samhita of Ayurveda like Charaka Samhita & Astanga Samgraha, as well as different Vishachikitsa texts like Visha Vaidya Jyotsnika, Prayogasammuchayam
Clinical expertise and practice
Sri Namboodirippad was an expert in Kaya chikitsa (General medicine), Balachikitsa, and Vishachikitsa equally. His expertise was in Roganirnaya (Diagnosis of disease), Avastanirnaya (Diagnosis of the stage of disease), Amanirnaya (Diagnosis of presence/absence of toxic by-products), Agninirnaya (Diagnosis of normal/abnormal digestion and metabolism), and deciding the Chikitsa (Treatment) precisely. His prescriptions were straightforward, usually having one or two medicines, and he rarely wrote more than two. His modifications in drug combinations were unique and adorable. He modified the ingredients of yoga as per the requirements of the condition.
Expertise in Visha chikitsa:- Sri Namboodirippad had expertise in unique modalities of treatment for poisoning. He has treated more than five hundred severe snake bite cases & other poisonings like the scorpion and spider poisons and rarely got a single mishap. He treated poison cases day and night without receiving any monetary benefits. In Visha chikitsa ,he practiced nasya (nasal administration) and anjana (collyrium) with simple medicines effectively. He extensively practiced Oothuchikitsa (blowing medicines into the patient’s ears and vertex). He also performed Karuprayoga (application of mercury on an artificially made wound on a patient’s scalp or in a natural orifice), one of the unique treatments for snake poison cases. He also performed Jaladhara (water pouring treatment) for viper poisoning cases.
As an accomplished teacher:- Sri Namboodirippad was also an accomplished teacher. Though hailing from an orthodox Brahmin family, he was not tied up with the thought of orthodoxy; instead, he had a liberal mindset to teach the sastras, that he learned to the young aspirants beyond the boundaries of caste, religion, or sex. It was interesting that he taught Astanga Hrdayam to his disciples in a unique way. He used to teach the first 14 chapters (of Sutra sthana) of Astanga Hrdayam, followed by Nidana Sthana, Chikitsa Sthana, and Sarira Sthana.
Books written by Sri Namboodirippad
- Ayurveda adistanatatwangal (Basic principles of Ayurveda). The book explicitly explains the fundamental principles of Ayurveda in a simple language.
- Redaction of “Visha Vaidya sara sammuchyam”, published by Mamgalodayam Printer in the year 1961. Visha Vaidya sara sammuchyam is one of the popular and widely practiced text of toxicology by the Visha Vaidyas of Kerala. The book contains simple and effective formulations and treatment principles.