In a recent legal face-off between two of India’s biggest Ayurvedic names, the Delhi High Court has stepped in and asked Patanjali Ayurved to take down advertisements that take a dig at Dabur’s Chyawanprash.
The court’s temporary order came on Thursday after Dabur filed a lawsuit accusing Patanjali of running misleading and disparaging commercials. The judge, Justice Mini Pushkarna, is yet to release a full copy of the order.
At the heart of the dispute is a Patanjali ad that features Baba Ramdev. In the video, he throws shade at rival Chyawanprash brands, questioning how anyone lacking knowledge of Ayurveda and Vedic traditions could make a product true to the heritage of sages like Charak and Chyawan Rishi.
One particular statement in the ad sparked Dabur’s outrage: it refers to a 40-ingredient Chyawanprash as “ordinary.” Dabur took this as a not-so-subtle swipe at their product, which proudly highlights the use of over 40 herbs and currently dominates more than 60% of the market.
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According to Dabur, the commercial doesn’t just belittle their brand — it spreads misinformation, casts doubts on their commitment to authentic Ayurvedic practices, and falsely elevates Patanjali’s own product. They argued that these ads risk misleading consumers and discredit an entire category of products that are tightly regulated under Indian law.
Chyawanprash, Dabur reminded the court, isn’t just any over-the-counter product — it’s a classical Ayurvedic formulation bound by the rules of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. So when Patanjali implies that other versions might be subpar or unsafe, it’s not just competitive banter — it’s potentially harmful, they said.
Dabur’s lawyers also noted that Patanjali has had past run-ins over similar ad campaigns. They even pointed to previous contempt proceedings before the Supreme Court, saying this isn’t the first time the company has crossed the line.
The legal teams on both sides were heavy-hitters. Dabur’s side included Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi along with R Jawahar Lal, Anirudh Bakhru, and Meghna Kumar. Patanjali was represented by Senior Advocates Rajiv Nayar and Jayant Mehta, backed by a large team including Rohit Gandhi, Simranjeet Singh, and others.
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While the full court order is awaited, the message is clear: competitive jabs have limits — and Ayurveda, with all its tradition and trust, shouldn’t be used as a battleground for misleading marketing.
