By Vinod Popat
During the war in Lanka, there came a moment when time itself seemed to stand still between life and death.
Lakshman had been struck by the devastating Shakti weapon unleashed by Meghnad, Ravana’s son. He was critically injured. His condition was grave. Everyone on the battlefield understood that ordinary treatment would no longer be enough.
That was when Lanka’s royal physician was called – Acharya Sushen. Acharya Sushen examined Lakshman’s condition and immediately realised one crucial fact:
There was very little time. To save Lakshman, rare and specific medicinal herbs had to be brought from the distant Himalayan region of Dronagiri. Time was running out. Lakshman’s life was in danger. And then unfolded one of the most extraordinary episodes in India’s spiritual and cultural memory.
Hanuman set out for the Himalayas in search of Sanjeevani.
But when he could not identify the exact herb, he made an extraordinary decision. Instead of wasting precious time searching for a single plant- he lifted the entire mountain. He returned before sunrise, bringing with him what was needed for Lakshman’s treatment.
For generations, some self-described intellectuals have dismissed this episode as nothing more than a “beautiful magical story.”
But here is a question worth pausing for – Should every event that lies beyond our present understanding automatically be dismissed as imaginary or false?
Or could the episode of Hanuman, Sanjeevani and Acharya Sushen point towards levels of ancient Indian medical knowledge whose full meaning may still remain beyond our understanding?
1. Ayurveda: More Than Home Remedies
Today, Ayurveda is often reduced to kitchen remedies. Tulsi. Ginger. Turmeric.Cumin. And a few wellness routines. But Ayurveda was never limited to that.
Ayurveda literally means the science of life.
It represents an ancient system of knowledge that explored the human body, food, lifestyle, medicinal plants, toxic substances and different methods of treatment. Ancient Indian physicians did not see nature merely as a forest to be admired.
They saw it as – a living laboratory of medicine.
Which part of a plant could be useful? When should it be used? Under what conditions could a particular herb be effective? How could different natural substances be used for different conditions?
The answers to such questions were not developed overnight. They emerged through generations of observation, experience, experimentation and accumulated knowledge.
The episode of Lakshman and Sanjeevani offers us a remarkable glimpse into that tradition.
2. Diagnosis on the Battlefield: When Knowledge Raced Against Time
Lakshman had not suffered an ordinary injury. He had been struck by a powerful and destructive weapon. Acharya Sushen did not simply say – “Bring some medicine.”He examined the condition. He identified the need for a specific treatment. And he recognised that the treatment had to be administered within a limited period of time.
Three elements stand out – Diagnosis. Specific treatment. Timely intervention.
Even modern emergency medicine recognises the importance of time after a serious injury. In many critical situations, how quickly the right treatment is provided can make a significant difference.
The episode involving Acharya Sushen suggests something equally important – that different medicinal substances were not viewed as interchangeable. There was an understanding that different herbs possessed different properties and could serve different purposes. This is far more sophisticated than simply saying – “Bring a medicine.” It points towards a structured tradition of medicinal knowledge.
3. Sanjeevani: A Herb or an Unsolved Mystery?
In the Ramayana, Sanjeevani is described as an extraordinary medicinal herb. Some traditional descriptions also speak of it as radiant or luminous—a herb that could be recognised even in darkness. To the modern mind, such a description may sound miraculous.But nature itself is full of mysteries.
Even today, we know of living organisms and natural phenomena whose properties appear extraordinary when compared with ordinary experience. Some organisms produce light. Some plants survive extremely harsh conditions. Others can remain dormant for long periods and become active again when favourable conditions return. The Himalayas and the Indian subcontinent still contain immense botanical diversity, much of which continues to be studied and explored.
Plants such as Selaginella bryopteris have, in popular discussions, sometimes been associated with the idea of Sanjeevani.
Was it the same Sanjeevani described in the Ramayana? We do not have a definitive answer. But perhaps the more important question is this –
If we have not yet identified something, is that enough reason to deny that it ever existed?
Human knowledge does not always move forward in a straight line. Some knowledge advances. Some knowledge changes. And some knowledge can disappear with time. Human civilisation did not acquire knowledge only through laboratories. Continuous observation of nature, lived experience, experimentation and the transmission of knowledge from one generation to another have also been among humanity’s greatest sources of learning. Perhaps the story of Sanjeevani invites us to consider another possibility—
that some knowledge about nature known to earlier civilisations may have been lost over time.
4. Does Ancient Mean Primitive?
There is no doubt that modern technology is advanced. But does that automatically mean that everything ancient must have been primitive? Does the age of knowledge determine its quality? People thousands of years ago did not have the machines we have today. But they had something else.
- A continuous relationship with nature.
- Knowledge of forests.
- Familiarity with plants.
- Long-term observation of the human body.
- And knowledge accumulated across generations
Ancient Indian thinkers attempted to understand nature, elements, plants and the human body not as isolated subjects, but as parts of an interconnected system of life. Their language was not the language of modern science. Their instruments were not the instruments we use today.
But- A different language of knowledge does not necessarily mean an absence of knowledge.
5. Hanuman’s Decision: Something Greater Than Strength
There is a deeply practical moment in the entire story of Sanjeevani. Hanuman could not identify the exact herb. Time was running out. Lakshman’s life was at stake. So Hanuman found another solution.
If the one herb could not be identified—bring the entire mountain. This decision was not merely an expression of extraordinary physical strength.
It represented – Responsibility. An understanding of urgency. And – the determination to go to any length to save a life. That is why Hanuman’s journey is not merely a story of strength. It is also a story of – trust in knowledge, service, responsibility and decisive action.
6. Science, the Unknown and the Limits of Human Understanding
When we look at ancient knowledge, we often encounter two extreme responses.
The first is – blind acceptance.
The second is – blind rejection.
Blind acceptance can discourage questions. Blind rejection can prevent questions from being asked at all. A curious mind takes a different path. It does not reject everything simply because it cannot yet be explained. Nor does it declare everything proven without understanding it.
Sometimes, the most honest response is simply – “I don’t know yet.” And perhaps those three words are where genuine knowledge begins. Because the limits of human understanding are not necessarily the limits of truth. To make a final judgement about something simply because it lies beyond our present understanding may sometimes reflect more arrogance than knowledge.
Final Thought: Is Sanjeevani Still Waiting to Be Found?
Hanuman’s journey for Sanjeevani was perhaps never just about bringing back a medicinal herb.
It was—
a race for life. A battle against time. Trust in the knowledge of a physician. Faith in the healing powers hidden within nature.
And – a reminder of an age when nature was not seen merely as scenery, but as a vast living pharmacy capable of healing and preserving life.
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The mystery of Sanjeevani remains unresolved even today. Perhaps its exact identity is still waiting to be discovered. Perhaps the knowledge associated with it was lost over time.
Or perhaps—
we have not yet begun asking the right questions.
But thousands of years later, this ancient episode still leaves us with one question—
Do we really know so much that we can dismiss the knowledge of our ancestors with a single word—“myth”?
Or perhaps—
there are still some Sanjeevanis hidden within the mountains of human knowledge, and we have only just begun looking for them.
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