ROLE OF SWARANPRASHANA IN GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILD – A CASE STUDY

*Gandhi Vishal, Sharma Sujata and Pandey Reena

ABSTRACT

Administration of processed gold in children is a unique practice mentioned in Ayurveda as “ Swaranprashana” by Acharya Kashyapa thousands of years back. Swaranprashana in children can be mainly implicated in two contexts of Ayurveda; Lehana(supplementary feeds) and Jatakarma Samskara (newborn care). This review is an effort to critically evaluate the available data, which may be helpful in clearing some of the existing fallacies on the topic. This review proposes that the benefits of Swaranprashana can be achieved at multiple levels like as a general health promoter and in specific to enhancement of intelligence, digestion, metabolism, immunity, physical strength. Ayurveda recommends only purified and processed form of gold for internal administration. The age at which Swaranprashana should be administered and its duration can be determined depending upon the desired effect in children as a positive health care program. In the present study total 678 children of age 0-16 yrs were administered Swaranprashana on every pushyanakshatra for 1 yr. The Swaranprashana was prepared by adding Swarana bhasma in Siddha Ghrita containing Brahmi, vacha, Yashtimadhu etc. along with madhu. The dose of Swaranprashana was decided on the basis of age of child. The assessment was done on the scale of physical growth and its respiratory and mental health effect. The study concludes that maximum weight increase in age group 0-3 months, maximum height increase in age group 3-6 months, maximum percent of relieve in respiratory difficulty in age group 6-9 months, maximum relieve in mental health in age group 8-9 yr.

Keywords: Swarna Bhasma, Lehana , Jatakarma, Pushyanakshatra.