Bacopa monnieri is sometimes called brahmi by the Ayurvedic texts, or more specifically, jal brahmi (water brahmi), because it grows by the sides of creeks. The main Sanskrit name for this divine herb is aindri, one of Indra's favorite plants.

You can learn about the many beneficial properties of aindri in Vaidya Mishra's 35 minute, downloadable audio lecture here.

Aindri is Good for the Brain

Aindri stimulates the medhagni (the transforming power of the brain) so that it can process information more easily. Have you ever felt like your brain was foggy? Information seems to go in, but it doesn't get very far. Or it takes a long time for the brain to do what you want it to do.

This sluggishness of the mind happens because the burners (medhagnis) in the brain have become clogged with physical toxins or vibrational toxins or both. When the brain is bogged down with toxins, it is unable to function properly.

Aindri (bacopa) un-clouds the burners of the brain that process information. It cleans the vibrational and physical brain so that it is no longer bogged down.

When the medhagnis (burners of the brain) are burning cleanly and brightly, there is a healthy appetite for learning (dhi), an ease of assimilation (dhriti), and a quickness of recall (smriti).

The result of having such a fully functioning brain is that you perceive things clearly, and act wisely, avoiding pitfalls which lead to pain and suffering. Physically, your body functions much better, since the brain is the controller of all the organs in the body. And most importantly, when your brain is working properly, your mind easily gets connected to the light of the soul, the source of all wisdom, inspiration and truth.

The Benefits and Risks of Taking Bacopa Orally

Sometimes you need the physical properties of aindri (bacopa), which you cannot get in the Brahmi Herbal Memory Nectar or Brahmi Transdermal Cream. The brain is a physical organ, and sometimes it needs the physical molecules of bacopa to remove toxins and re-ignite the medhagnis.

In addition, aindri is useful for alkalizing the physical body, binding toxins and reducing inflammation. It also gives stamina to the mind, body and emotions. It is recommended by the shastras (ancient texts) for jwara (fever), kas (chronic cough), asrigruja (blood problems), vahni manda (slow digestion and metabolism) and even vibandha (constipation). To receive the physical benefits of aindri you have to take the physical herb, which is why we offer these capsules.

However, it is important to realize that taking the physical herb is not always effective. If you have a lot of toxins in your liver, or have a poor digestive system, the herb will not be digested properly and will end up becoming ama (partially digested material) which contributes to problems in the body instead of helping to alleviate them. And if the liver is full of toxins, the divinity of this herb will be squelched by the highly acidic, reactive toxins sitting there, causing the herb to lose its potency.

Also, bitter taste is one of the physical properties of aindri. Bitter tastes have the effect of stimulating the liver to release any toxins it has sitting inside. If there are a lot of toxins in your liver, it is not wise to take an herb like bacopa orally. The effect will be that a lot of toxins will be purged from the liver at once, which can easily damage the colon, cause diarrhea, or get reabsorbed into the bloodstream and lodge in other organs in the body, including the brain.

Do not take this herb if you have a lot of toxins in your liver. You should first slowly purify the liver, alkalize the channels and the blood, and regain physical balance. Only then, under the direction of a Shaka Vansya Ayurvedic (SVA) practitioner, should you begin using this bitter herb to nourish the brain. In the meantime, use the safer methods of Brahmi Herbal Memory Nectar or Brahmi Transdermal Cream.

You will notice that we do not sell gotu kola as a crude herb, unless it is combined with bacopa. Gotu kola is also a kind of brahmi but is much more powerful than bacopa. It squeezes the liver even more dramatically, and it even causes allergic dermatitis in some people. For this reason, Vaidya Mishra mainly uses the subtle essence of gotu kola, not the whole herb, in his formulations to avoid problems with the physical herb.

You will find crude gotu kola in our Total Brahmi Tablets, but it is used in combination with bacopa to help balance it. Those tablets are more powerful than these Brahmi (Bacopa) Capsules and should be used with even more caution than these capsules.

Audio Lectures on Bacopa (Aindri) by Vaidya Mishra

Learn more about this very important herb for the mind by listening to an audio lecture about aindri (bacopa) by Vaidya Mishra. You can download a 35 minute lecture on aindri (bacopa) for 99 cents each here.

You may also want to listen to Vaidya Mishra's 27 minute lecture on gotu kola (mandukaparni) to gain a full understanding of both forms of brahmi. You can even download the MP3 files and listen to them in your car.

Ingredients

Aindri (bacopa monnieri)

Bottle Size

60 tablets - 500 mg each

Directions

Take as directed by your Shaka Vansya Ayurveda practitioner.

Use under the guidance of a Shaka Vansya Ayurveda practitioner.  As with all herbs, please consult with your physician before using.

Brahmi In Our Other Herbal Products

Brahmi in our products means the balanced combination of aindri (bacopa) and mandukaparni (gotu kola). If used separately, they are listed as bacopa or gotu kola.

Brahmi Herbal Memory Nectar

• Contains only the essence of the herbs with their subtle vibrations.
• Bypasses the digestive system and liver, which may be weak, to deliver the vibration of these divya aushadhi (divine herbs) directly to the brain.
• Should be added to 1 to 2 liters of cool water and sipped throughout the day.

Brahmi Transdermal Cream

• Delivers the combination of aindri and mandukaparni directly to the brain without having to go through the digestive or metabolic systems, which are often weak or corrupt in modern society.
• Contains only the essence of the herbs with their subtle vibrations.
• Is suspended in a lipid-based cream to easily deliver brahmi to the brain, which is a lipid-predominant organ.
• Allows for slow release of brahmi over several hours through the skin.

Brahmi Herbalized Soap

• Transdermal absorption of brahmi bypasses the liver and digestive systems, which are often weak.
• Is an easy way to nourish your brain while you bathe.
• Has a delightfully subtle aroma.
• Does not contain any sodium laurel sulfate, or other harsh, chemical foaming agents or preservatives found in most soaps.

Neem and Brahmi Liquid Soap and Body Wash

• Delivers the essence of brahmi through the skin to nourish your brain while you bathe.
• Can be used as a liquid soap, or even as a detergent for washing dishes at the sink.
• Bypasses a poor digestion or weak liver.
• Has a stimulating peppermint aroma.

Total Brahmi Tablets

• Contains both aindri and mandukaparni for the most balanced and powerful effect on the mind.
• Delivers the physical properties of the herbs, which is sometimes necessary to get the full benefits.
• Can get corrupted by poor digestion or weak liver, proving it to be ineffective.

Gotu Kola Herbal Memory Nectar

• Provides the essence of the agni-predominant herb, mandukaparni, with minimum heating quality.
• Is suspended in the cooling nectar of squashes to further balance the herb's warming effect.
• Bypasses the digestive system and liver, saving the divine vibration of the herb from corruption.
• Delivers the sukshma bhag (subtle essence) and prabhava (special properties) of gotu kola directly to the brain.

Bacopa (Dried Herb)

• Gives the full physical properties of aindri (bacopa) for use in herbal water.
• Can stimulate the liver more than the Herbal Memory Nectar or Transdermal Creams.
• May get corrupted by weak digestion or liver.

Vata Massage Oil

• Brahmi is the first ingredient of this sesame oil based massage oil.
• Delivers the lipid soluble fraction of brahmi through the skin directly to the brain.
• Calms the mind with other herbs and oil, while awakening it with brahmi.
• Has a delightful, warming aroma.

Lustrous Hair Capsules

• Contains brahmi as a secondary ingredient.
• Helps balance skin and hair by reducing toxins in the blood caused by pragyaparad, as described above.
• Can get corrupted by poor digestion or weak liver.

Disclaimer

This product and statements have not been evaluated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and are not intended to be used to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. All of the information above is intended to be used for educational purposes only and may not be used to replace or complement medical advice.