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Description of Harad is found in Ayurvedic books as well as in Nighantu.
Harad helps in curing diseases like cough, diabetes, piles, leprosy, swelling etc.
Swad Ka Safarnama:In order to digest food or to say that it is easy to digest, Triphala powder is definitely mentioned in India. This powder not only ‘softens’ the food, but is also very beneficial for the body. Harad is also included in the three components of Triphala. This dry fruit is very beneficial. Its specialty is that it keeps the body fit and helps in digestion. Harad is also considered better for maintaining the glow of the skin. Harad is being used in many forms in India for thousands of years.
It is described in detail in Nighantu texts.
The use of myrabalan as food is that after soaking it in water at night and putting that water to cook the vegetable, then the vegetable will become suitable for the body. The taste of the food will be different. Actually it is a fruit which has many uses. Harad is considered to be of three types. The unripe fruit, which is plucked before the kernels are formed, is called small myrobalan. Its color is black and yellow. The fruits which are plucked half ripe, their color is yellow and the fully ripe fruit is called Badi Harad. These three have different uses but all three are very beneficial for the body. It is also called Haritaki in Sanskrit and it is described in detail in the new old Ayurvedic books of India as well as in Nighantu.
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Harad is described in detail in India’s Ayurvedic book ‘Charaksamhita’. image-canva
Nighantu are those texts which contain information about single medicinal plants in ancient times. In this, the symptoms of diseases and their diagnosis have been explained. There are about twenty Nighantu, which were written from 1000 BC to 800 or 700 BC. Description of seven types of haritaki is found in various Nighantus. Raj Ballabh Nighantu has said in the specialty of Harad that ‘Yasya Mata Grihe Nasti, Tasya Mata Haritaki. Kadachid Kupyate Mata, Nodarstha Haritaki. Means Haritaki is like the mother of human beings. Sometimes the mother also becomes angry, but the state of the abdomen means the eaten myrabalan is never malefic.
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Purely Ayurvedic Fruit of India
Myrabalan is purely a fruit of India, which is being described in Ayurveda since around 3000 BC. Its tree is found in the lower Himalayan region of the country from the Ravi coast to East Bengal-Assam. In Hindi it is also called ‘Hard’ and ‘Harre’. Ayurveda has known it by the names Amrita, Pranada, Kayastha, Vijaya, Medhya etc. Giving great respect to Haritaki in the medical literature, doctors have called it Amritopam medicine. Its description is found in Tibetan literature. Harad is described in detail in the Indian Ayurvedic text ‘Charaksamhita’ written in the seventh-eighth century BC. The method of making Triphala has been explained in this book. In that method the qualities of myrabalan are described in detail. Apart from this, Harad has also been described in detail separately in the Rasayanpad chapter of the book Uttaro Bhag:.
According to the book, except for the lavana (salt) juice, the remaining five juices are found in Harad. It’s hot, but beneficial. Improves digestion process and gives long life. It provides strength to the intellect and senses (muscles). It gives relief in many diseases like Afara, asthma, heart disease, piles, diarrhoea, jaundice, including cough.
Myrabalan helps in reducing Tridosha
Haritaki is being used in Ayurveda even today. According to well-known Ayurveda expert Acharya Balkishan, who has done extensive research on Indian herbs, fruits and vegetables, haritaki helps in controlling vata dosha apart from kapha and acid. If seen, it helps in reducing all the three defects. It is dry, hot, appetite enhancer, intelligence enhancer, beneficial for the eyes, longevity, gives strength to the body. It helps in removing phlegm, diabetes, piles (arsh), leprosy, inflammation, stomach disease, worm disease, vocal fold, constipation etc.
Harat helps in controlling Kapha and Acid as well as Vata Dosha. Image-Canva
The special thing is that modern medicine also considers myrabalan to be effective. He says that it contains elements that are known to have healing properties including anti-carcinogenic, antibacterial, anti-diabetic and anti-oxidant properties. It is very nutritious containing essential vitamins, minerals and proteins.
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That’s why it is called nectar medicine
Regarding the properties of Harad, former Dean of Mumbai University and Vaidyaraj Dinanath Upadhyay says that its properties are well known in Ayurveda, hence it is considered as nectar medicine. In fact, it is rich in antioxidants, so it has the ability to fight most diseases. Its regular intake keeps the body fit. It cures all three types of diseases. The special elements found in it maintain the radiance of the skin, due to which wrinkles appear late in the body. It keeps hunger under control. Since five juices are found in it together, it also controls diabetes. It purifies the blood, due to which the heart and muscles remain strong and healthy. Its use does not allow fat to freeze in the arteries. It does not have any side effects when consumed in normal amounts. If taken in excess, it will make your mouth drool and you will also feel like vomiting.
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FIRST PUBLISHED : February 22, 2023, 07:00 IST