We start with a story...
The Story of Chyawan and the Young Princess
Long ago, there was an old sage named Chyawan. This sage lived in the forest and spent much of his time in meditation and seclusion. Often, he would go into such deep states of meditation that he would become covered in moss, twigs, leaves, branches and ants.
One morning, Chyawan was a deep state of meditation when a young princess named Sukanya came along the path. By chance, the princess' hand grazed the head of the sage and disturbed his meditation.
The young princess Sukanya was quite shocked when she realized that she had touched Chyawan. Never in her life had she touched a man, and the laws of the country at that time said that she could only touch one man in her lifetime. As a result, the young princess would have to ask the old sage Chyawan to be her husband!
Chyawan agreed to marry Sukanya under one condition: he needed a few months to prepare himself. It was quite obvious to both parties that Chyawan's age and ascetic lifestyle would be an impediment to their matrimonial bliss. To solve this problem, Chyawan went into a deep state of meditation.
In his meditation (or some say, through the Ashwin's, the gods of medicine), Chyawan was granted a combination of herbs to help him restore his youthfulness and vitality, so that he could make his young bride happy. This formula is called Chyawanprash (or "Chyawan's jam").
As the story goes, this herbal jam was so effective in restoring Chyawan to a youthful state that the happy bride Sukanya asked that his recipe be shared with all of humanity.
And so it is!
What is Chyawanprash?
Chyawanprash is a traditional Ayurvedic herbal jam used to nourish and strengthen the body. It is composed of a combination of herbs, cane sugar and ghee, and is a powerful tonic for vata, pitta and kapha.
Chyawanprash boosts energy and immunity, nourishes all bodily tissues, helps rebuild the body-mind from the effects of stress, and is said to postpone aging (as it did for Chyawan).
This formula can be take at any time, but is ideal for the winter, and is especially recommended for nourishing children and the elderly.
Chyawanprash is most effective after a cleanse (such as panchakarma).
Benefits of Chyawanprash
Boosts the immune system
Protects from colds and coughs
Pacifies vata, pitta and kapha dosha
Supports healthy aging, and to promote beauty, intelligence, and memory
Rejuvenates all tissues in the body, and promotes healthy muscle mass
Supports overall strength and energy
Builds ojas for supporting a healthy immune response and youthfulness
Supports healthy function of the heart and respiratory systems
Tonifies the reproductive system
Increases sexual desire, virility and general strength in males, and boosts fertility in both men and women
Gently boosts agni (digestive fire) and promotes a healthy metabolsim
Dosage:
1–2 teaspoons, once or twice daily after meals, or as directed by your health practitioner.
Can be taken on its own, mixed into a cup of warm milk (dairy or nut) or water, or spread on toast.
To purchase:
Chyawanprash is available at most health food stores and Indian stores, as well as online.
Enjoy, and be sure to write to me if you have any miraculous transformations as a result of this jam!
Briya
About the Author
Briya (Rachel) Freeman is a facilitator specialized in meditation, ayurveda and modern
spirituality. She is passionate about exploring the potentials of human consciousness in a way that respects, unites and transcends global culture and tradition.
Briya is a long-term student of Berdhanya Swami Tierra, a female mystic and shaman of South American origin. She also holds studies in ayurveda at Anjali School of Ayurveda (Kerala, India) and a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Ottawa.
Briya is based in Ottawa, Canada and can be reached at briyafreeman@gmail.com.