Subject: Ashtanga hridyam
Section: Sutrasthana
Chapter: Ayushkamiya
Namaskar, good to see you again (if you are visiting for the first time, I am very glad to see you here also). In this post we will finish Ayushkamiya, the first chapter of Ashtanga Hridayam Sutrasthana written by Acharya Vagbhata.
Table of Contents
Effect of tastes on Tridosha
In this shloka of Ayushkamiya chapter – Sutrasthana of Ashtanga hridyam, Acharya Vagbhata explains the effects of six tastes on individual dosha.
तत्राद्या मारुतं घ्नन्ति त्रयस्तिक्तादयः कफम् ।।१५।।
कषायतिकमधुराः पित्तमन्ये तु कुर्वते ।
Among these, the first three rasas, i.e. Madhur (sweet), amla (sour) and Lavana (Salt), decrease the vata and increase the Kapha; And Tikta(bitter), Katu (pungent) and Kashya (astringent) – these three rasas decrease the Kapha and increase the Vata. Kashya (astringent), Tikta (Bitter) and Madhur (Sweet) these three rasas reduces the pitta where as Amla (sour), Lavana(salt), and Katu (pungent) increases the pitta.
Type of food substances
In this shloka of Ayushkamiya chapter – Sutrasthana of Ashtanga hridyam, Acharya Vagbhata explains the three types of food substance which are actually the effect of food on tridoshas.
शमनं कोपनं स्वस्थहितं द्रव्यमिति त्रिधा ॥ १६ ॥
There are three type of food substances:
Shamana– Food that bring down the increase dosha to normal. For example, oil, due to its snehan(lubrication), ushna (heat) and Guru (heavy), reduces the vata having qualities opposite to its own.
Kopana– Food that increase the lowered dosha to normal.
Swasthahita– Food that maintains the tridosha and health.
Virya (Potency) and Vipak
In this shloka of Ayushkamiya chapter – Sutrasthana of Ashtanga hridyam, Acharya Vagbhata explains the two types of virya and three types of vipak.
उष्णशीतगुणोत्कर्षात्तत्र वीर्य द्विधा स्मृतम्।
त्रिधा विपाको द्रव्यस्य स्याद्वम्लकटुकात्मकः ॥१७॥
Virya means the power that is present in any substance. On the basis of predominance of qualities in any substance, two types of virya have been described. Ushna veerya (hot potency) and Sheet virya (cold potency). Generally, substances that have Astringent, bitter and sweet tastes are coolant in nature and Sour, salt and pungent tastes are hot in nature.
After the completion of the process of digestion, all the substances will be converted into one of the 3 tastes viz., sweet, sour or pungent. The process of transformation is called as vipāka.
Madhura Vipaka (sweet) – Generally, Sweet, and salt tastes undergo this Vipaka. Amla Vipaka (Sour) – Sour taste undergoes this Vipaka. Katu Vipaka – rest of the tastes – Bitter, astringent and pungent tastes undergo this Vipaka.
Guruvadi Guna
In this shloka of Ayushkamiya chapter – Sutrasthana of Ashtanga hridyam, Acharya Vagbhata explains the 20 types of qualities of substance. You can click on this link to read more about gurvadi guna in padarth vigyan.
गुरु मन्द हिम स्निग्ध श्लक्ष्ण सान्द्र मृदु स्थिराः ।
गुणाः ससूक्ष्म विशदाः विंशतिः स विपर्ययाः ॥
Cause for health and disease
In this shloka of Ayushkamiya chapter – Sutrasthana of Ashtanga hridyam, Acharya Vagbhata explains the cause of disease and health.
कालार्थकर्मणां योगो हीनमिथ्यातिमोत्रकः ।
सम्यग्योणश्व विशेयो रोगारोग्यैक कारणम् ॥१९॥
Hina (inadequate, poor), mithyā (improper, perverse) and ati (excess), yoga (association, contact, union) of kāla (season), artha (objects of senses) and karma (activities, functions) are the chief causes of diseases; whereas their samyak yoga (proper contact, association) is the chief cause of health.
Roga-(disease, types), mansik dosha
In this shloka of Ayushkamiya chapter – Sutrasthana of Ashtanga hridyam, Acharya Vagbhata explains the roga, types of roga and mental dosha.
रोगस्तु दोषवैषम्यं, दोषसाम्यमरोगता ।
निजागन्तुविभागेन तत्र रोगा द्विधा स्मृताः ॥२०॥
The imbalance in dosha is roga (disease), whereas the balance in dosha is health. In this the roga are of two types- nija (internal) roga and Agantu Roga.
Nija roga – Disease caused due to imbalance in internal factors. For example, eating excessive hot substances, leading to gastritis.
Agantu Roga – Disease caused due to external factors. Such as injuries. Both these types of disease can occur to body and mind.
तेषां कायमनोमेदादधिष्ठानामपि द्विधारजस्तमश्च मनसो द्वौ च दोषावुदाहृतौ
Both the body and the mind are the receptacles of the diseases.
Sattva, rajas and tamas are the qualities of manas (mind) and can be called as mahaguņas. Out of the triguņas, sattva guņa being good, is conductive to health, but rajas and tamas are considered as the two dosas of the mind causes the psychological disorders.
Rogi-roga pariksa
In this shloka of Ayushkamiya chapter – Sutrasthana of Ashtanga hridyam, Acharya Vagbhata explains the methods of examination of the patients and disease.
दर्शनस्पर्शनप्रश्नैः परीक्षेत च रोगिणम् ।
रोगं निदानप्राग्रूपलक्षणोपशयाप्तिभिः ।।2 2 ।।
Patient is to be examined by the following methods:
- Darshana pariksha (inspection), by means of inspection, observation.
- Sparshana pariksha (palpitation), by means of touching.
- Prashna pariksha (interrogation), by means of asking.
Notes: Sushruta has refuted them by calling darshan, Sparshana and Prashna as one opinion, whereas Charak consider it impossible to examine with toungue, has asked to examine by Anuman Praman. Therefore, generally the examination should be done with the help of senses and through questions or Anuman Praman.
And the diseases can be diagnosed with the help of Nidana panchaka.
- Nidana (causative factors)
- Prag/Purva rupa (prodromal symptoms)
- Lakshana/Rupa (signs and symptoms)
- Upashaya/Anupashaya (therapeutic test)
- Samprapti (pathogenesis)
Desha, kala, and Ausadha bheda (habitat, time and therapies)
In this shloka of Ayushkamiya chapter – Sutrasthana of Ashtanga hridyam, Acharya Vagbhata explains the habitat, time and therapies.
भूमिदेहप्रभेदेन देशमा हुरिह द्विधा ।
जाङ्गलं वातभूयिष्ठमनूपं तु कफोल्वणम् ॥२३॥
साधारणं सममलं त्रिधा भूदेशमादिशेत् ।
Desha: In Ayurvedic literature, Desha (habitat) is of two kinds-
Bhumi desha (region of land) and,
Deha desha (body).
Bhumi Desha is of three kind-
- Jangala- which is prominent of vata (desert-like land with no mountain or hills)
- Anupa- which is prominent of kapha (marshy land with more water, more vegetation, very less sunlight and heat).
- Sadharan- which has all the dosha in the normal condition (moderate type with few mountains, hills, moderate water, vegetation and sunlight).
क्षणादिर्व्याध्यवस्था च कालो भेषजयोगकृत्
Kala (time) which is relevant to the (administration and selection) drug is of two kind: Shana (commencing with moment) and that of stage of disease.
शोधनं शमनं चेति समासात् औषधं द्विधा ॥
शरीरजानां दोषाणां क्रमेण परमौषधम् ।
बस्तिः विरेको वमनं तथा तैल घृतं मधुः ॥
Briefly saying the therapies are of two types: Shodhan and Shaman.
Shodhan: Bringing normalcy of dosha by eliminating the vitiating dosha from the body with the help of panchkarma.
Shaman: To bring normalcy without eliminating the vitiating dosha and simply by adopting the palliative measures.
For Vata – Basti (suppositories) is the Shodhana treatment, and oil is Shamana treatment.
For pitta – Virechana (Purgation) is Shodhana and Ghee is Shamana.
For Kapha – Vamana (emesis) is Shodhana and Honey is Shamana.
धीधैर्यात्मादिविज्ञानं मनोदोषौषधं परम् ।।2 6 ।।
Dhi (discrimination), dhairya (courage) and atmadi vijnana (spiritual teachings) are the best medicines for psychological disorders (or) manasika doshas.
With this we have finished third part of Ayushkamiya chapter of Sutrasthana- Ashtanga Hridyam by Acharya Vagbhata. In the next post we will cover the remaining shlokas. Dont forget to like, share and comment on the post. You can also follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, whatsapp, twitter and Instagram.
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