Written by : M. K. Gandhi
Translated by : Sushila Nayar

First Edition, 10,000 Copies, October 1948
Second Edition, 10,000 Copies, January 2002
Total : 1,35,000 Copies
Price : Rs. 5/-
ISBN 81-7229-071-3






01. Human body

It is necessary to understand the meaning of the word health, before entering upon a description of the human body. In health, means body ease. He is a healthy man whose body is free from all disease; he carries on his normal activities without fatigue. Such a man should be able with ease to walk ten to twelve miles a day, and perform ordinary physical labour without getting tired He can digest ordinary simple food. His mind and his senses are in a state of harmony and poise. This definition does not include prize fighters and such like. A man with extraordinary physical strength is not necessarily healthy. He has merely developed his musculature, possibly at the expense of something else.

It is necessary to have enough knowledge of the human body which is expected to attain the above standard of health.

God alone knows what kind of education was prevalent in ancient times. Research workers on the subject may be able to tell us something, but only something, about it. But all of us have some experience of modern education in this country. It has no relation with our everyday life. Thus, it leaves us almost utterly ignorant about our own body. Our knowledge of our own village and our fields shares a similar fate. We are taught on the other hand, much about thing that have no bearing on our daily life. I do not mean to say that such knowledge is of no use. But every thing has its own place. We must first know enough of our own body, our own house, our village and its surroundings, the crop that grow there and its history before going on to anything else. General knowledge broad-based on this primary knowledge, alone can enrich our life.

The human body is composed of what the ancient philosophers have described as the five elements. These are earth, water, vacancy, light and air.

All human activity is carried on by means of the mind aided by the ten senses. These are the five senses of action, i.e. hands, feet, mouth, anus and the genitals, and the five senses of perception, i.e. the nose, of taste through the tongue, of seeing through the eyes and of hearing through the ears. Thinking is the function of the mind and some people have called the eleventh sense. In health all the senses and the mind act in perfect co-ordination.

The inner working of the human machine is wonderful. The human body is the universe in miniature. That which cannot be found in the body is not found in the universe. Hence the philosopher's formula, that the universe within reflects the universe without. It follows therefore that our knowledge of our body could be perfect we would know the universe. But even the very best of doctors and hakims and maids have not been able to acquire it. It will not presumptuous for a laym...

Show full text: 58,122 characters