Chapter 1: Ayushkameeya “Desire for long life” Flashcards
Purpose of life: Essential quality to learn Ayurveda
To achieve the purpose of life, that is
- Dharma – following the path of righteousness
- Artha – earning money in a legal way
- Kama – fulfilling our desire
- Moksha – achieving Salvation
Branches of Ayurveda
- Kaya Chikitsa – General medicine
- Bala Chikitsa – Paediatrics
- Graha Chikitsa – Psychiatry
- Urdhvanga Chikitsa – Diseases and treatment of Ear, Nose, Throat, Eyes and Head
(neck and above region) - Shalya Chikitsa – Surgery
- Damshrta Chikitsa – Toxicology
- Jara Chikitsa – Geriatrics
- Vrushya Chikitsa – Aphrodisiac therapy
How Thridosha are spread in body and in a day?
The Tridosha are present all over the body, but their presence is especially seen in particular
parts. If you divide the body into three parts, the top part upto chest is dominated by Kapha
Dosha, between chest and umbilicus is dominated by Pitta, below umbilicus part is dominated by
Vata.
Types of digestive fires
Vishama Agni
Teekshna Agni
Manda Agni
Sama Agni
Vishama Agni
Vishama Agni – Influenced by Vata. A person with Vishama Agni will sometimes have high appetite, and sometimes, low appetite.
Teekshna Agn
Teekshna Agni - Influenced by Pitta. A person with Teeksna Agni will have high digestion power and appetite.
Manda Agni
Manda Agni - Influenced by Kapha. A person with Manda Agni will have low digestion power and appetite.
Sama Agni
Sama Agni - Influenced by perfect balance of Tridosha – Where person will have proper appetite and digestion power. Digestion occurs at appropriate time.
There are three types of digestive tracts (Koshta):
Kroora Koshta
Mrudu Koshta
Madhya Koshta
Kroora Koshta
Kroora Koshta wherein the person will take long time for digestion. The bowel evacuation will be irregular. It is influenced by Vata.
Mrudu Koshta
Mrudu Koshta – Sensitive stomach, has a very short digestion period. Even administration of milk will cause bowel evacuation.
Madhya Koshta
Madhya Koshta – Proper digestive tract, bowel evacuation at appropriate times. It is influenced by Tridosha balance.
Qualities of Vata (Shloka)
tatra rūkṣo laghu: śīta: khara: sūkṣmaścalo’nila: ||
Dryness
Rooksha – dryness
Lightness
Laghu – Lightness
Coldness
Sheeta – coldness
Roughness
Khara – roughness
Minuteness
Sookshma – minuteness
Movement
Chala – movement
Qualities of Pitta Shloka
pittaṃ sasneha tīkṣṇoṣṇaṃ laghu visraṃ saraṃ dravam |
Slightly oily
Sasneha – slightly oily
Piercing, entering into deep tissues
Teekshna – piercing, entering into deep tissues
Hotness
Ushna – hotness,
Lightness
Laghu – lightness
bad smell
Visram – bad smell
having fluidity, movement
Sara – having fluidity
Qualities of Kapha ( Shloka)
snigdha: śīto gururmanda: ślakṣṇo mṛtsna: sthira: kapha: ||
oily, unctuous,
Snigdhna – oily, unctuous,
cold
Sheeta – cold,
heavy
Guru – heavy
mild, viscous,
Manda – mild, viscous,
slimy, jely,
Mrutsna – slimy, jely,
stability, immobility
Sthira – stability, immobility
smooth, clear
shlakshna – smooth, clear,
Samsarga
the increase, decrease of individual Doshas, or imbalance of couple of these Doshas
Sannipata
And imbalance of all the three Doshas together is called as Sannipata
Rasa
Rasa - the first product of digestion, Soon after digestion of food, the digested food turns into Rasa. It is grossly compared to lymph or plasma. But it is not a complete comparison.
Rakta
Rakta – Also called as Asruk. – Blood
Mamsa
Mamsa – Muscle
Medas
Meda - Fat tissue
Asthi
Asthi - Bones and cartilages
Majja
Majja - Bone marrow
Shukra
Shukra – Semen / Ovum or entire male and female genital tract and its secretions are grossly covered under this heading.
What are three waste products of the body?
Mala (faeces), Sweda (sweat) and Mootra (urine)
Sweet taste
Svadu – Madhura – sweet
Sour taste
Amla – Sour
Salty taste
Lavana – Salt
Bitter taste
Tikta – Bitter
Pungent
Ushna – Katu
Astringent
Kashaya
What tastes mitigates Vata and increases Kapha?
Sweet, sour and salt
What tastes mitigates Kapha and increases Vata?
Bitter, pungent and astringent
What taste mitigates Pitta?
Astringent, bitter and sweet
What taste increases Pitta?
Sour, salt and pungent
Types of food substances:
Shamana
Kopana
Swasthahita
Shamana
Shamana – Food that brings down the increased Dosha to normalcy
Kopana
Kopana – Food that increases the lowered Dosha to normalcy
Swasthahita
Swasthahita - Food that maintains the normalcy of Tridosha and health.
Types of Potency (Veerya)
Ushna veerya (Hot potency) Sheeta veerya (cold potency) -
Ushna veerya (Hot potency)
Ushna veerya (Hot potency) -Some food items are hot in nature. For example pepper
Sheeta veerya (cold potency)
some food items are cold in nature. For example milk.
Generally, substances that have Astringent, bitter and sweet tastes are _________ in nature
coolant
Sour, salt and pungent tastes are ________ in nature.
hot
Vipaka
Vipaka refers to conversion of taste after initial phase of digestion.
Three types of Vipaka
Madhura Vipaka (sweet) Amla Vipaka (Sour) Katu Vipaka
Madhura Vipaka (sweet)
Madhura Vipaka (sweet) – Generally, Sweet, and salt tastes undergo this Vipaka.
Amla Vipaka (Sour)
Amla Vipaka (Sour) – Sour taste undergoes this Vipaka
Katu Vipaka
Katu Vipaka – rest of the tastes – Bitter, astringent and pungent tastes undergo this Vipaka.
Twenty types of qualities ( shloka)
guru manda hima snigdha ślakṣṇa sāndra mṛdu sthirā: | guṇā: sasūkṣma viśadā: viṃśati: sa viparyayā: ||
heavy
guru
light
laghu
Slow
Manda
Quick, fast
Tikshna
Cold
Hima
Hot
Ushna
Unctuous
Snighda
Dry
Ruksa
Smooth
Slakshna
Rough
Khara
Solid
Sandra
Liquid
Drava
Soft
Mrdu
Hard
Kathina
Stable
Sthira
Moving, unstable
Cala
Stable, small
Suksma
Big, gross
Sthula
Non slimy
Vishada
Slimy
Picchila
Types of disease:
Nija roga
Agantu Roga
Nija roga
Nija roga – Disease caused due to imbalance in internal factors. For example, eating excessive hot substances, leading to gastritis.
Agantu Roga
Agantu Roga - Disease caused due to external factors. Such as injuries. Both these types of disease can occur to body and mind.
Types of mental Doshas
Rajas and Tamas
Rajas
Rajas – quality of mind, that drives us to take actions,
Tamas
Tamas – that leads to inaction and lethargy
How to test patient?
Darshana – by means of inspection, observation. Sparshana - by means of touching
Prashna – by means of asking
Examination of disease:
Nidana Purvarupa Rupa Upashayaa Samprapti
Types of medicines:
Shamana
Shodhana
Shamana
Shamana - Palliative treatment – which brings the Dosha to normalcy, useful in initial stages of diseases
Shodhana
Shodhana – Purification treatment – which expels imbalanced Dosha out of body. – Useful in aggravated stages of diseases.
Examples:
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.
Treatment for mental imbalance:
Dhee – improving intelligence
Dhairya – improving courage
Atmavijnana – Self realization are the means to treat mental imbalance.
Chikitsa Chatushpada
Bhishag (Doctor), Dravya (medicine), Upastha (Nurse) and Rogi (patient) are the four factors in treatment. Each of these four have further four qualities.
Qualities of doctor:
Qualities of doctor:
Daksha – Alert, disciplined
Shastra – Having detailed knowledge about diseases and treatment. Drushtakarma – Having practical experience
Shuchi – Cleanliness
Qualities of medicine:
Bahukalpa – Ability to formulate in different dosage forms, like decoction, powder, herbal oil etc
Bahuguna – Having enormous qualities
Sampanna – Endowed with virtues
Yogya - suitable and appropriate for specific diseases.
Qualities of nurse:
Anurakta – Compassion towards patients Shuchi – Cleanliness
Daksha – Alert, active
Buddhiman – Intelligence
Qualities of patient
Adya - Rich
Bhishagvashya – 100 % obedience towards doctor
Jnapaka – Good memory
Satvavaan – Having good strength to tolerate disease and treatment.
Sadhya
Disease that can be cured
Sukha Sadhya
Disease easy to cure
Krichra Sadhya
Disease difficult to cure
Asadhya
Asadhya - Disease Which can not be cured
Yapya
Asadhya - Which can not be cured. It is of two types – Yapya (medicine is required for as long as patient is alive)
Anupakrama
Asadhya - Which can not be cured. It is of two types – Anupakrama (nothing can be done. )
Qualities of diseases which can be cured easily: Yunaha
Yunaha – Young patient
Qualities of diseases which can be cured easily: Jitatmanaha
Jitatmanaha – Patient having good control over sense organs, who follows abstinence
Qualities of diseases which can be cured easily: Amarmaga
Amarmaga – If the disease is not affected sensitive areas like brain, heart, kidney
Qualities of diseases which can be cured easily: Alpahetu
Alpahetu – If the cause for disease is mild
Qualities of diseases which can be cured easily: Alparoopa
Alparoopa – Mild symptoms
Qualities of diseases which can be cured easily: Anupadrava
Anupadrava – no complications
Qualities of diseases which can be cured easily: Atulya dushya desha rutu prakruti
Atulya dushya desha rutu prakruti – If the Dosha involved, Dhatu (body tissue) involved, Desha (place), Rutu (season) and Prakruti (body type) are not influenced by one particular Dosha,
Qualities of diseases which can be cured easily: Pada sampadi
Pada sampadi - If all the sixteen qualities of Doctor, patient etc explained above are present,
Qualities of diseases which can be cured easily: Graha anuguna
Graha anuguna - If astrology is in favour of the patient
Qualities of diseases which can be cured easily: Eka Doshaja
Eka Doshaja - Disease due to only one Dosha
Qualities of diseases which can be cured easily: Eka Marga
Eka Marga - If only one body channel is affected
Qualities of diseases which can be cured easily: Nava
Nava - Disease of recent origin / onset.
