Friends, it seems that an interesting discussion has started again. There is a story in Yoga Vashishtha also. In this, a cannibalistic demon becomes a tiny needle due to some curse. She drinks people’s blood but is unable to taste it because her mouth is very small. Visuchika means cholera or diarrhea caused by its bite. “Vi” means special and Visuchika means special suchika means needle-like shape. Even in ancient times, people had an idea of bacteria. Of course, due to lack of microscope they could not see them. It is clear that microorganisms also have consciousness, but they are not able to feel happiness, sorrow or good or bad. Let’s delve into some details.
The Curious Case of Soochika: Demon or Microbe?
The ancient Indian text, the Yogavasishtha, tells the story of Soochika, a terrifying demoness who feasted on human blood. But unlike other bloodthirsty creatures, Soochika’s curse was not her hunger, but the fact that her minuscule mouth prevented her from ever tasting and enjoying her meals. This strange detail has led some to wonder if Soochika might be more than just a demon; could she be an allegory for an unseen enemy – the microbe?
Soochika’s Link to the Unseen
The Yogavasishtha portrays Soochika as an invisible entity, a characteristic that aligns perfectly with the nature of microbes. These tiny organisms, invisible to the naked eye, were unknown in ancient times. People often attributed sickness to supernatural forces, and Soochika’s form could be seen as a reflection of this lack of scientific understanding.
Similarities to Infectious Diseases
Soochika’s ability to inflict illness without any apparent cause resonates with the concept of contagious diseases. In the absence of knowledge about germs, the Yogavasishtha might have attempted to explain the spread of illness through the figure of Soochika.
Vasistha’s Cure: A Metaphor for Yoga Healing?
The story mentions Vasistha, a revered sage, curing Soochika by stripping away her demonic form. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the power of medicine and spiritual practices in overcoming illness. The method of treatment could also be that Rishi Vashishtha made his mind as detached as that visuchika through Kundalini Yoga. Detached means a mind which feels equality in good and bad, and which does not taste worldly things with attachment. This may have given him the invisible power to understand the vishuchika and control it, because only iron cuts iron. Meaning, this could be an allegorical story of yoga or pranic healing.
Unraveling the Mystery
While the possibility of Soochika symbolizing microbes is intriguing, it’s important to acknowledge the limitations of this interpretation. The Yogavasishtha primarily portrays Soochika as a demonic entity, and attributing a scientific meaning to the story might be a stretch.
Had Leeuwenhoek discovered the microorganism
Ancient Indian system was aware of bacterial cause of diseases. There comes this type of topic in the yogvaasishtha, an ultimate vedantic scripture till date. Bacteria have been guessed there in dirty places as a cause of enteritis. The bacteria have been named as jeevasoochikaa (jeeva =organism, soochikaa =micro). This has been described as lady Damon (raakshsikaa) blessed by the God to turn into invisibly small body to eat flesh of live people ad lib as per her begging but side by side having too small a mouth to have a sense of taste so regretting to having been blessed.
A Call for Further Exploration
The tale of Soochika offers a fascinating glimpse into how ancient cultures perceived illness. Whether she is a literal demon or a metaphorical representation of disease, her story sheds light on humanity’s ongoing battle against the unseen forces that threaten our health. Further exploration of the Yogavasishtha and other ancient texts could provide valuable insights into the history of medicine and our relationship with the invisible world.
Demystifying Kundalini 