Sukshmjeevanu in Vedas: The Forgotten Past of Microbiology in Indian Vedic Knowledge
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Sukshmjeevanu in Vedas: The Forgotten Past of Microbiology in Indian Vedic Knowledge Urvashi Kuhad1 • Gunjan Goel2 • Pawan K. Maurya2 • Ramesh C. Kuhad2
Received: 21 July 2020 / Accepted: 3 October 2020 Ó Association of Microbiologists of India 2020
Abstract No one questions the existence of presumptive knowledge of invisible organisms causing disease, decay and destruction mentioned before the discovery of the microbial world by Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, who was the first to describe the invisible world as per literature available today. However, the knowledge about microbial world by Indian Rishis presented in Sanskrit shlokas or suktas of our traditional manuscripts such as Vedas remained unseen, where the Rishis had predicted the role of microorganisms known as Krimi or Jeevanu years before Leeuwenhoek. This note is an attempt to bring an emphasis to revisit our traditional Vedic knowledge and establish them through research based facts for wider acceptance globally. Keywords Microbiology Vedas Krimi Kanva India is treasure of traditional knowledge which has been disseminated through non-institutional means from generation to generation and is, for the most part, undocumented. In this context, the ‘invisible’ world of microorganisms, inhabiting different components of biosphere, is also not an exception. Indian ancient Vedic literature reveals the presence of these tiny creatures named as ‘Krimis’, a term coined by Rishi Kanva and as well described about their beneficial and harmful effects [1, 2]. Moreover the Krimis have been represented by other names like Adrishta, & Ramesh C. Kuhad [email protected] 1
Department of English, Ram Lal Anand College, University of Delhi, New Delhi 110021, India
2
Central University of Haryana, Mahendergarh, Haryana 123031, India
Jantuanava, Sudrajantu, Pischach and Durnamaha [2]. The discoveries of Rishi Kanva and his descendants Atri, Yamadagnni and Agasti against microbial infection are highlighted in Atharvaveda. However, the branch of Microbiology is not well established in Ayurveda in comparison with the modern science. In modern age, Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, known as ‘Father of Microbiology’ was the first person to observe microorganisms with the help of primitive microscope he developed and called them as ‘animalcules’. This work was published by the Royal Society of London in the year 1677, while the discovery of Sage Scientist Kanva and other saints remained unseen within the Sanskrit shlokas of Vedic texts. If we look back to the Atharvaveda (thousands of year BC) we come across three chapters where the description of microbial world is available [3]. Apart from Vedas, the ethno-ecological introspection into Bhagawatgeetaa also reports the relationship of human with the available bioresources [4]. Rishi Kanva and his descendants have composed many mantras in ‘Suktas’: krimijmahanam, kriminasanam and krimighnam, which gives information about the microbes and their characteristics [5]. The word ‘Krimi’ points to the microbes and Jamvana / N
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