Swarna Bindu Prashana is an Ayurvedic technique to improve immunity in children. It is a method of administering gold calx (Swarna Bhasma) in very minute quantities to improve immunity, strength, memory and intelligence in children. The original reference for this technique is mentioned in Kashyapa Samhita.
Swarna Bhasma
Administering Gold calx in very minute quantities has been hailed since the times of Kashyapa and Vagbhata.
Vagbhata – in Ashtanga Hrudayam 7th chapter says,
Na Sajjate Hemapange padmapatre ambuvat visham ||
In a person who has been given Gold bhasma for a long time, the poison can not do any harm, similar to a water drop that can not touch the leaf of the lotus. The person gains long life.
suvarnaprashana hi etat medhagni bala vardhanam | ayushya mangala punya vrushyam grahaapaham ||
maasaat parama medhavi vyaadhibhirna cha daayate | Shadbhi maasai: Shrutadhara suvarna paanat bhavet ||
(kashyapa Samhita Sutrasthana)
Benefits
Administering small quantities of Swarna causes-
Medha Vardhana – improvement in intelligence
Agni Vardhana – improvement in digestion strength
Bala Vardhana – improvement in strength and immunity
Ayushya Vardhana – Improvement in life expectancy
Mangala, Punya – Auspicious
Vrushya – Aphrodisiac
Grahapaha – relieves bad evils.
By administering Swarna for a month time, child becomes super-intelligent.
By administering for up to six months, person becomes Shruta Dhara – can remember whatever she hears.
Apart from above details, Swarna bhasma has many other uses.
Read more about Swarna Bhasma benefits
Dosage
The dose of Swarna Bhasma, as explained in text book is – 1/8 – 1/4 Ratti.
1 Ratti means 125 mg. So, dose is 15 – 30 mg per day.
The pediatric dose – From infancy to 5 year old is 1- 3 mg per day.
From 5 – 10 years – 3-5 mg per day
From 10 – 16 years – 5-10 mg per day.
Method of administration
How Swarna Prashana is administered now-a-days –
Swarna Bhasma is mixed with a Brahmi Ghrita – Ghee made of brain tonic herbs such as
Brahmi – Bacopa monneiri,
Vacha – Acorus calamus
Shankha Pushpi – Convolvulus pluricaulis
Guduchi – Tinospora cordifolia
Yashti madhu – Licorice
Ashwagandha – Indian ginseng etc
So, it is a mixture of Brahmi Ghrita (ghee) plus Swarna Bhasma.
Usual mixing proportion is –
1 gram of Swarna Bhasma (1000 mg) in 100 ml of Brahmi Ghrita.
Usually 2 drops of this ghee mix is administered along with 2 drops of honey. This makes the total dose of Swarna Bindu Prasha to be – 4 drops. Most of the Ayurvedic centres prescribe 4 drops as the dose.
2 drops of ghee mix would contain around 1 – 2 mg of Swarna Bhasma
Please note that this is general calculation and the mixing proportions may vary from centre to centre.
Swarna Bindu prasha is administered during Pushya Nakshatra day.
Dose based on age
From 3 months to 2 years – 1-2 drops of (Brahmi Ghrita + Swarna Bhasma) + 2 drops of Honey – for six months and then stop it forever.
From 2 years – 5 years – 3 drops of (Ghrita+ Bhasma) + 3 drops of honey – for six months and then stop it forever.
From 5 – 10 years – 4 drops of (Ghrita+ Bhasma) + 4 drops of honey – for six months and then stop it forever.
From 10 – 16 years – 6 drops of (Ghrita+ Bhasma) + 6 drops of honey – for six months and then stop it forever.
For above 16 years – 10 drops of (Ghrita+ Bhasma) + 10 drops of honey – for six months and then stop it forever.
FAQs
Is Brahmi ghrita specifically told to be administered mixed with Swarna Bhasma?
No. But it makes huge sense. Because, Brahmi ghrita is a very good brain tonic and immunity booster. So also is Swarna Bhasma. hence, administering it with Ghrita is justifiable.
What is the significance of administering Swarna Prashana in Pushya Nakshatra?
If you look at the Kashyapa’s verse given above, the Swarna (gold) administration is advised on daily basis for one month to up to six months. Pushya Nakshatra day is nowhere mentioned.
Administering it in Pushya Nakshatra day is derived by the Ayurvedic centres.
This day is given lot of significance in Ayurveda. This day is told as good for collection of medicinal herbs for medicine preparation.
Hence, there is no harm in administering it during Pushya Nakshatra day.
But, administering it only once a month makes the dose very diluted and quite insignificant.
But, it is safe to administer once a month, considering the fact that lot of taboo exists with “Bhasma” – metallic content, kidney failure etc.
Do you recommend using it on daily basis?
I would, for six months. But the dose can be further diluted.
If you ask me to prepare Swarna Bindu Prashana, here is the method that I would recommend.
Buy 125 mg X 8 = 1000 mg = 1 gram of Swarna Bhasma.
Dabur, Dhootapapeshwar, Baidyanath, Uma Ayurvedic Pharmacy are good, as per my knowledge and experience. (Does not mean that others are bad)
Dabur Swarna Bhasma is available here (aff) – – Buy Dabur Swarna Bhasma
Take 100 grams of Brahmi Ghrita – available in any Ayurveda store.
You can even use common cow ghee, in place of Brahmi Ghrita.
Mix 1000 mg of Swarna Bhasma to 100 grams of Brahmi Ghrita. Each gram of Ghrita will have 10 mg of Swarna Bhasma.
10 drops of ghrita will make 1 ml. So, 1 drop will have 1 mg of Swarna Bhasma.
Based on age, While administering it, mix it with half a teaspoon of honey and administer it.
Best time to administer:
Morning, on empty stomach. Do not give anything for 15 minutes after administering this.
To whom this can be given?
For children more than 2 month old.
Can this be given during fever?
No. Avoid it during fever and cold.
Is it the only way to administer Swarna to children?
There is another method called Swarna Vacha, which is equally effective. Read more about Swarna Vacha.
Is it mandatory for all children?
No. It is not mandatory.
Is it poisonous in anyways?
No.
After giving it daily for six months, can it be continued further?
After giving Swarn Bindu for six months, it can be stopped. If you still want to continue, it is best to continue it just “once a month” for many years.
What to do if the ghee + Bhasma mix solidifies in the winter?
You can heat it slightly over a water bath till it liquefies. For this, take a wide mouthed vessel, put water to it. On this, put your smaller vessel containing the ghee+bhasma mix – heat the water vessel mildly till ghee liquefies.
OR,
If you are sure about the quantity to be administered, you can administer it in solid form itself.
But before doing that, mix it thoroughly, because, Gold Bhasma particles, being heavy, tend to settle at the bottom of the vessel.
Can it be given during cold, cough? Under what circumstances, it should be stopped?
It can be continued while the child has cold and cough. Only when there is extreme weak digestion with vomiting, it is best to stop prashana temporarily.
Price:
Within India – Rs 1750 including courier charges.
Please write to me – Dr Hebbar – email – [email protected]
Swarna prashana
Cow Ghee is considered as an ingredient to boost immunity. It increases Ojas. It is also considered as Medhya – improves immunity.
Gold, being the noble metal is appreciated in nano particle form as the super anti oxidant, free radical scavenging agent, disinfectant and anti microbial agent.
The golden jewels are worn on the body with a belief that micro particles of gold enter into the body, improving immunity and longevity. Ayurveda believes that not only wearing the gold, intake of gold in minute dose can be of immensely beneficial for good health.
Swarnaprashana ghrita, which is becoming popular is mentioned in Kashyapa samhita textbook (3000-4500 years old) and Charaka samhita (3500-5000 year old).
Ayurveda texts like Kashyapa samhita-khilasthana explaines various herbs for the restorative, immune modulating, rejuvenating and disease preventing intentions.Aindri, shamkhapushpi, mandookaparni, yashtimadhu, vacha,punarnava etc drugs were highlighted as the top priorities for this purpose. But in later period , based upon the necessity of the time and availability of the herbs several modifications were made among the physicians. As a result physicians of different geographical area started preparing the formulation Swarnaprashana ghrita with the theme of increasing the immunity and rejuvenation, especially for the children.
Ethical and classical ayurvedic practitioners prepare Swarnaprashana ghrita by processing the ghee along with the rejuvnative, memory enhancing and immune boosting herbs along with classical and standardized Swarna bhasma of their own or obtained from Standard GMP pharmaceutical companies. So, in today’s practice usually single package of 10 ml of Swarnaprashana ghrita possesses approximately 150 mg of Swarna bhasma. Even though the percentage of Swarna bhasma may vary, in good quality SPG it should be within the range of 120-200 mg of Swarna bhasma in 10 gram/ml. I have observed good result out of such confident and standard products of Swarnaprashana ghrita. The majority of the physicians manufacture this product for their own set of patients or only among the limited number of physicians.Brahmi-shankhapushpi-purusharatna-bal;a-pippali-shunthi-maricha-vacha-musta etc are commonly added in such preparations, while preparing the medicated ghee.
My experience with Swarnaprashana ghrita:
Since the time of my Post graduation from IPGT and R, Jamnagar(Gujarat-2002), I am practicing this among my patients community. I have observed highly significant results in few of the cases regarding which I want to write over here.(However the readers can use this preparation, only after the consultation with your family physicians).
I usually advise this in the following dose for the children:
6 months to 2 years- 1 drop
2 Years to 6 years- 2 drops
6 months to 16 years- 3-4 drops
( in adults , I prescribe it in the dosage of 30-4 drops daily once)
Preferably it is advised to take in empty stomach. As per the need, nothing wrong if it is taken along with milk or honey (no antagonistic effect, as we are administering ghee as a formulation). For added benefits, after the intake for another 15-20 minutes it will be good if nothing is taken.
Even though it is not having any absolute contra indications, I usually ask my patients to avoid Swarnaprashana ghrita among the kids who are having the issues like phlegm, excess salivation/nausea and vomiting, as the drug is not ingested appropriately.
The question of administration is always among the public. Because, most of the institutions / hospitals have highlighted it as to be administered on the occasion of Pushya nakshatra. Undoubtedly some significance may be there behind this rationality. But, if the patients /parents are affordable and feasible, it is always good and wise to administer it once in two days or once in 3-4 days for its full benefits. I have observed its good effects only when administered often and regularly.
I want to document here two of my experiences with this Swarnaprashana ghrita:
Case 1: The male child of 7 years from Puttur(Karnataka)- he(parents) was complaining of confusion, loss of concentration in the studies, loss of interest, mood alteration every now and then etc. When I started administering this medicine-Swarnaprashana ghrita once in 2 days regularly for a period of approximately 40-45 days, the child was reported with excellent health benefits. Later they continued the medication in the gap of once in 4-5 days and later, once in a week and so on. Even though it is not the platform to disclose, he remained as the third topper to the state ( Disclaimer- I declare here that mere medicine will not work without hard effort !)
Case 2: A male child of 11 years from neighboring Kerala state (Kasargod) was brought to my clinic seeking help to reduce the anger, stubborn nature and more over a complaint of episodic cold and rhinitis every now and then from recent past 1 year. I prescribed Swarnaprashana ghrita 3-4 drops once in a week followed with Swarna vacha- once in two days. The combinations worked well to him and within 2-3 months they reported that he felt significantly better. Later, I asked them to continue the same for couple of weeks.
I do not believe in the miracles. Rational usage of genuine medicaments will work wonders. Proper diet and supporting medicaments will facilitate such drug actions.
Svarna Prashan as vaccination
In the context of wrong food combinations and how to treat them, Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthana 26th chapter, verse number 104 explains that one of the remedies to toxic effects of wrong food combination is –
तथाविधैश्च द्रव्यैः पूर्वमभिसंस्कारः शरीरस्येति|
tathāvidhaiśca dravyaiḥ pūrvamabhisaṃskāraḥ śarīrasyeti|
This means, the body should be previously exposed to ingredients very similar to toxic wrong food combinations, in a small way.
This is a method even followed in vaccination.
In Swarna Prasanam, the ghee and honey are administered in equal quantities along with Swarna Bhasma. The Swarna Bhasma has anti-toxic qualities, it is used in treating poisonous conditions and is useful to improve immunity. Here, ghee and honey in equal quantities act as a very mild tolerable poison given to the child, and Swarna bhasma acts as its antidote So, in a small way, the child is already exposed to poisonous combination and has developed immunity against it.
This is very similar to modern vaccination, wherein a weakened or dead micro organism is introduced, so as to create antibodies against it in the body. This helps in preventing many diseases.
