In this episode of “5 Minutes,” Dr. Robert Svoboda explores Makaradhwaja and its traditional meaning in mythology and Ayurveda.

Makaradhwaja refers to two different but related things. Makara means crocodile, and dhwaja means flag. But dhwaja can also mean an indication, just as a flag is an indication of whatever it represents.

The first meaning refers to the son of Hanuman. There are different versions of the story of how this happened, but I prefer the version that Vimalananda discussed. After Hanuman had finished burning down the city of Lanka with his tail, which had been set on fire but was not harmed because Sita had prayed that his tail should be protected, he had burned Lanka and was feeling extremely heroic.

Hanuman is Mahavira, the great hero, and a small amount of that powerful vitality escaped from him in a drop of sweat. It fell into the ocean, where a female crocodile happened to have her mouth open, and the drop landed inside her. She immediately became pregnant and gave birth to a child named Makaradhwaja.

Later, Hanuman was amazed to discover that he had a son because he had been celibate from birth and had never been interested in having children. But destiny brought this about anyway.

The same name was later adopted in Ayurveda for a particular compound that consists mainly of three substances: mercury, sulfur, and gold.

Mercury is known as the semen of Shiva, and sulfur is known as the menstrual blood of Parvati. Gold has the potential to provide strength, immunity, health, and vitality to the body, but only when it is properly prepared and properly digested.

When mercury and sulfur are combined correctly and thoroughly, with proper purification, all of the mercury becomes bound with the sulfur. This allows the mercury to exert a beneficial effect without interacting negatively with the tissues of the body, because the sulfur holds the mercury firmly.

With the help of mercury, the body’s strength and agni can be increased. Then the properly prepared gold, which is brought into a very refined form, can be properly utilized by the body.

Makaradhwaja can be used when there is a loss of vitality. It is often used for men who wish to have children but may have reduced vitality or a low sperm count. One of the effects of Makaradhwaja, when properly prepared and administered, is that it nourishes all of the dhatus, including shukra dhatu, which supports reproduction and the generation of progeny.

Among the various aphrodisiac substances mentioned in the Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia, one is called nakra retas, or crocodile semen. This may be one reason why the name Makaradhwaja became associated with this medicine.

The word dhwaja does not only mean a flag. It can also indicate the characteristic emblem of a man, referring to the male organ. Therefore, the name of this medicine also suggests its traditional connection with vitality, reproductive strength, and certain forms of erectile and fertility support.