Science and tradition are allies, not adversaries. They can be partners on a shared journey of discovery. While the language of millennia-old Sanskrit texts may differ from that of modern laboratory reports, the truth remains the same. We celebrate the time-honored wisdom of Ayurveda while embracing the rigors of modern scientific exploration, in a plural and holistic approach to knowledge.
The responsibility of every stakeholder of Ayurveda is to present this millennial science in a contemporaneous way with respect to its traditional values and principles. Ayurveda could sustain an unbroken continuity since time immemorial because of this ability to remain rooted in the classic and yet get renewed constantly as needed at all transition points in its history. If this was impossible, Ayurveda would have been a thing of the past and not a living tradition as we see it now. The challenges posed by the current transition phase could be addressed effectively with the collaboration of traditional medicine and modern science. At SAMA we believe this is the right approach to make products, services, education, and research effective and acceptable to the modern world.
Toeing the line of the erstwhile Golden Triangle Partnership Scheme of AYUSH (tripartite MoU between AYUSH, SAMA and AVP giving rise to the first online database for published Ayurveda research articles, DHARA), but not limiting to validation and development of drugs, we support the coming together of expertise in traditional medicine, modern medicine, and modern science to enable the translation of the traditional wisdom to suit the needs and demands of our times.
This readiness to support comes from our conviction that it is only to help Ayurveda meet the modern requirements as the standards set are influenced by modern science, that this engagement is with due respect to the collaborating disciplines, and that the epistemological identity of the tradition should be guarded, without getting lost in the process.