There is a beautiful story behind Chyavanrprash. Once King Sharyati and his beautiful daughter Sukanya were in a forest hunting. The princess accidentally woke up ChyavanMaharishi who was in deep meditation.The angry maharishi rose to curse the king and his daughter. The king begged for forgiveness and offered his daughter in marriage. The sage accepted his offer and was married to princess sukanya. But he was concerned that his old and weakened body will be a problem in his marital life. The divine physicians celestial twins Aswini Kumaras came to his rescue, they gave him a rasayana a medicine that gave back his youth. The Maharishi was happily married to princess and live happily thereafter.
The rasayana in the story is chywanprash. This was made with all potent divine herbs most of them found in Himalayas. Rasayanas are unique formulations through which a person acquires intelligence, memory, radiance of body, freedom from disease, longevity, strength of the senses, increase in sexual vigour, great increase in the strength of the digestive fire, improvement of the complexion, and the restoration of vata to its normal course.
The name Ashtavarga chyvanprash is attributed to the group of very rare eight potent herbs – Ashtvarga
- Ridhi
- Vridhi
- Medha
- Mahamedha
- Jeevak
- Rishabh
- Kakoli
- Ksheerkakoli
They are some of the magic rare divine herbs available in Himalayas. The ancient acharyas understanding their unavailability to common people also have mentioned substitutes to herbs unable to find. Over the period of time various formulas for Chywanpransna have been developed from the ancient ingredients. Every manufacturer differ from each other in the number of ingredients. However in all cases Amla will be the prime ingredient
The preparation of chywanprash is a very complex process. 500 Amlas are tied in a big cloth andboiled in mixture of herbs and water. The amla will be cooked till the decoction of herbs is reduced to 1/4rth. The amla is deseeded, the pulp is ground and fried with ghee and til oil, the decoction prepared and sugar syrup are added to the amla mixture and heated till ghee seperates and semisolid state is attained. Upon self cooling powdered herbs and other additives are added, Honey is added last when the mixture cools down.The final product will be dark shiny brown in colour with jam like consistency.
Uses of chywanprash
The creator of Chywanprash the celestial twin have chosen the formula so that it acts as detoxifier, rejuvenator as well as immunomodulator at the same time. The actionof herbs are in such a way that it improves all aspects of health. It repairs, streamlines and ensures the proper functioning all most all systems of body-Digestive system, Respiratory system, cardiac system, reproductive system endocrine system, immune system. Several ingredients Several of chywanprash possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
According to the Charaka Samhita, Chyawanprash is the foremost of all rasayanas, whoever uses Chyawanprash as a rasayana will get all the benefits of kayakalpa (Restoration of youth) – reversal of ageing, reclaiming beauty, strength, youthful skin, so on.
Who can use Chwanprash
Chyawanprash can be used by all age group young, old weak, healthy people, it nourishes the weak, the wounded, the old, and children.
How often we can use it
It can be used daily but avoid during cold cough fever any illness,you still continue chyavanprash under doctors instructions in certain conditions.
How to select a chyavanprash?
Chyvanprash should be of course without added preservatives. Not too much watery, sticky or thick semi solid in consistency. It should sink in when dropped in water. The sour taste of amla should be more predominant more than its sweetness.
Dosage of Chwanprash
- There is no particular dosage fixed for chywanprash. It depends on the agni of the person, adults should not exceed 20gm
- Children below 3-5 years 1/4-1/2 teaspoon with milk in the morning or as per doctors advise.
- Children above 5 years 1 teaspoon with milk in morning or as per doctors advise
Chyavanprash can be taken as long as needed under doctors advise.