Biographies of Homeopaths

Who Was Kaviraj? The Untold Story!

Written by Iman Navab

Iman Navab, who was a close friend of V.D. Kaviraj, offers a rememberance of him, including some stories in Kaviraj’s own words.

On March 2nd of 2013 at 6:30 p.m., to our sorrow we had a great loss as Vaikunthanath Kaviraj left to a new journey. Like Hahnemann, he passed away in France. He is now free of the constraints of his earthly-life. Kaviraj was known as a pioneer in Agro-Homeopathy and as doctor of plants. However, to his pupils and those who know him well, certainly he was much more than that. Kaviraj proved to be a remarkable philosopher, author, a loving father, restless activist, a natural healer and a true Hahnemmanian homeopath. Wisdom was a God given gift to him, which no one can learn in any school. Kaviraj always recognized the truth and defended the truth without compromise. Indeed, Kaviraj deserves to be regarded as Prince of Homeopathy due to his genius, deep knowledge and outstanding skills in classical homeopathy.

His name, Vaikunthanath Kaviraj, was an honorary title granted to him by his spiritual guru in India. Kaviraj was not a religious person, but he followed the Vaisnava spirituality beliefs and he had a very strong faith in the Lord. Once Kaviraj said: “I owe, I owe, it’s off to work I go. I don’t owe anything to anyone, but owe my skills to God and he does not charge any interest.”

Kaviraj was a unique, cool, talented individual; he knew five different languages; among his favourite music was Mantra; his favourite animal was the horse; and he liked French made cars. Among the modern scientists, he favoured Albert Einstein. In art, Kaviraj really enjoyed Surrealism and among his favourite artists was Hieronymus Bosch.

Kaviraj was born on October 31st of 1946 in the Netherlands. According to Kaviraj, at the age of 14, he held his first job at a tree-nursery, with adjacent herb garden. The master gardener became his first teacher. A few years later, he learned more from a woman called Mellie Uyldert, a famous Dutch herbalist and astrologer.

It is difficult to encompass his biography in such a short article. In a nutshell, he was a homoeopath and scientist with more than 30 years experience and he was the developer of homoeopathy for agriculture. In this regard, he said: I am a homoeopath. Learned in Vriindavan UP Bharat, as an apprentice of Dr Chatterjee, who had 70 years of experience. He taught me very well. I discovered that the principles of homeopathy stem directly from the spiritual plane as described in SB 1/5/33. I developed Agrohomeopathy from a chance experience with a client in 1986.

In 1964, for personal reasons, Kaviraj took his first trip to India. This was the beginning of an extraordinary chapter in his life. In his own words, Kaviraj explained:

“I was a restless soul – and finally found direction in the art of healing. In the village of Vrindavan, I learned homeopathy. I came to stay 3 nights, because that is the maximum, when visiting a Holy Dham – a sacred place. On the first day I got sick – great purification, because all the sins of youth came out. So I could not travel. I tried herbs to no avail – being an herbalist and acupuncturist at that time – and my needles did not do it either. I went to see allopathic and Ayurvedic doctors, Mantra-Wallahs, who I have personally seen cure people, but none could help me. After 11 weeks of this, I lost a lot of weight. Finally, one day I walked into the market and asked for a homeopath. One of my friends, a cloth merchant, told me where to go. I arrived and was asked what the trouble was? I replied, forceful explosive diarrhea every hour, day and night, with good appetite and thirst, eating and drinking aplenty. So he gave me 3 little pills and told me to come back in three days. I asked, what are you giving me? He replied, I don’t like self medication, so I won’t tell you. “But I want to know”, I said. Be here every day at 6 am and I’ll teach you, he said. And that is how I became a good homeopath. I lived in a rented house, where I practiced, just across from the maternity hospital. I served many people and those from as far away as Nandagram. So by Radharani’s mercy I was allowed to stay and treat countless patients in a period of 10 years. I would open at 7am. In the evening I used to go to the market and get fresh vegetables.”

“Loi Bazar market is where all the mukut wallahs have their shops and where you can buy everything, from sweets, to cloth, to food and deities. You see them making them, right in front of your eyes. There are some very good tailors there too. The monkeys of Vrindavan are the smartest in the world by far. They go on rampages. They all sit on the roofs. Then the biggest male jumps up a pole from which all the electricity wires hang to the next pole. He will furiously shake it, till those wires touch each other and the market is dropped into darkness. Then they all come down from the roofs and go on a stealing spree – 300 of them. The merchants panic, grab lights, and while they light an oil lamp, the monkey steal his fruits, nuts, cookies, vegetables, and anything directly edible.”

“In 1982, I received initiation in the Bhakti tradition from Srila Bhakti-rakshak Sridhar deva Goswami, in the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya or disciple succession. In 1983, I received my second initiation, after which the title Kaviraj was bestowed upon me.” (kaviraj comes from kavi – healer; and raja – king; king of healers. All Ayurvedic doctors are called kaviraj).

“In 1986, while spending a few weeks in Europe to renew my visa, I accidentally began my experiences with plants, which led to the publication of a book on the subject in 2006. In 1990 I moved to Australia, where I did many experiments with remedies for sick plants on a large scale. In 1997, I received another shamanic initiation, this time from Aboriginal Men of High Degree, (the literal translation of their titles as medicine men) during a corroboree in Arnhem Land. Since 2000, I have lived in Holland, where I spent my time writing about homeopathy and medicine in general. And in 2007, I moved to the United Kingdom, and continued my services.”

Throughout his career Kaviraj received many honourary titles and awards for his selfless contributions to homeopathy and people in distress. He volunteered many times to travel and help the helpless in situations such as Haiti’s earthquake. He wrote countless articles and some essential books on homeopathy for farm and garden. He was the founder and CEO of the Similicure Company, and an advisory board member of the Applied Research in Homeopathy Foundation of Canada.

Kaviraj was part of my family, he was my own spiritual guru, and after Hahnemann, to me he was the godfather of homeopathy. He touched and saved so many lives including trees, plants, bees and animals. We miss him every day, his light will always remain in our hearts, and we love him forever.

I always keep in mind this quote by Kaviraj “Mother-Nature is the best teacher and if we want to read her book, we must walk its pages. She will reveal all to the sincere who want to understand.”

God bless his soul.

About the author

Iman Navab

Iman Navab is a certified classical Homeopath and doctor of alternative medicine from Canada. He is the President of the Applied Research in Homeopathy Foundation of Canada (www.ARHFC.ca). He is the author of 'Miasma of Cancer', and is a historian of Homeopathy. Iman teaches History and Philosophy of Homeopathy at the Canadian College of Holistic Health. Navab gives lectures and seminars to raise awareness about the rich history of Homeopathy.

14 Comments

  • Thank you so much Dr Iman Navab for letting us to know Our great Homeopath from so close. I know this was just a brief introduction about his work, which has touched so many lives, how knowledgeable he would have been to you, who was fortunate to be in his association. It’s a blessing from Almighty!

  • Thank you for letting us know more about this great soul Kaviraj. Please write more about him. Some people, like The Plant Doctor, should never dye.

  • Thank You very much Dr Navab for letting me to knew about kaviraj, i never knew that he is such good homeopath,unfortunately i never knew about kaviraj.
    Thanks

  • Thank you sir for the article about my Guru Vaikunthanath Kaviraj. I came in touch with this Guru from 2010 while I got the opportunity to be a member of HWC. At the very beginning I requested him to include me as his disciple, he just said ‘I am not such soul, very simple person and it would be his duty to wash my feet’. He was really a great soul. When ever I requested his help he did so happily that he was so known to me. But I never know him. Regularly I chatted with him. He never get annoyed at me. Next October we were supposed to meet in India. It is my bad luck that I missed him. May God keep my Guru’s departed soul in heavenly peace.

  • Dear Dr Iman, thank you for your article on Kaviraj. It really touched me. I have had some contact with him, and was deeply impressed by his sound understanding of Hahnemannian homeopathy.
    Thank you again for your article on him.

    Ralf Jeutter

  • THank you Iman…….
    In his native language
    To kaviraj i say;” hartelijk dank” (thank you verry much in dutch)
    And may he RIP

  • I came across Kaviraj while browsing the hpathy website. I was curious about the use of homeopathy in agriculture. I wrote about a plant-problem to Kaviraj, and was pleasantly surprised to get a prompt response. I tried the solution prescribed, and it was a miracle. We have lost a true Nature Lover who practiced what he preached. He was a true doctor and a Great Soul. Thanks Dr Inam for this lovely article about Guru Kaviraj.

  • Thank You Iman , this is for all of us a splendid opportunity
    for know much better our teacher/brother/friend KAVIRAJ ,
    and for HIM a good occasion for stay with us.

    GRAZIE IMAN

  • It was quite painful and sad to know about the demise of our great Homeopath KAVIRAJ. Whenever and where ever any help was required, he was ready to do the needful. He will always remain in our hearts. A Great Soul who will be remembered for ever.

    Dr Imam, have you any idea, what was the reason or cause of his sudden death. Whether he was having any trouble or any illness.

  • Oh dear I am very saddened to hear of the death of Kaviraj. Such a unique and inspiring guy. Met him at the Pan-African Homeopathy Congress May 2012 in Kenya. He will be missed indeed by all who have been in his captivating presence. Farewell

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