The Classical Doctrine of Indian Medicine: Its Origins and its Greek Parallels c9.102

c9.102

Another echo of the same type, and quite near, is to be found with reference to the organic element, which in the classical texts of the medicine is called *ojas*. The same word *ojas* signifies “force” in the Veda and designates, for example, sometimes the force of Indra; sometimes that of Vṛtra.⁵ The word goes back to Indo-Iranian because it is found in the Avesta as *aojah*, associated with *vərəthra*, and in the sense of "force that is naturally infused in the limbs".¹ In medical texts it is "vital juice", a substance whose presence in the body is necessary for active life: "ojas is of the nature of Soma, unctuous, white, fresh, substantial, fluid, pure and sweet; it is the principal seat of life".² This substance appears only during the eighth month of the life of the embryo and it is its absence which renders the young premature babies unviable.³ It is essentially that which contributes vigour to the organism, whose nourishing substance is the *rasa*. It is near *rasa* because it has the nature of soma and because, at the same time, it is *tejas*, a calorific radiation of activity, whereas the *rasa* is also, though belonging to the category of liquids such as the soma, impregnated with activity by an internal fire. "The *tejas* accompanying the bodily elements from the *rasa* up to the sperm⁴, is certainly the *ojas*. This is what is called "force", according to the decision of our own text. Because of the force inherent in it the flesh becomes firm and develops, there is easiness in all the movements, clearness of voice and of the skin, the internal and external organs fulfil their respective functions".⁵ It can be seen that it is not only because of the name that the *ojas* of the medical texts is identified with that whose possession was attributed by the Veda to the warrior Indra.