Chapter 11: Tridosha - Knowledge

of doshas 11th chapter of Sutrasthana of Ashtanga Hrudayam explains in detail regarding Tridosha in Ayurveda. Tridosha are – Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Understanding Tridosha concept is your first step towards learning Ayurveda. The chapter is called as Doshadi Vijnaneeya Adhyaya.

Chief constituents of the body :- Dehasya Mulam – दोषधातुमला मूलं सदा दे ह य | Dosha – Vata, Pitta and Kapha Dhatu – Body tissues – Rasa (lymph / product of digestion), Rakta (blood), Mamsa (muscle), Meda (fat), Asthi (bone), Majja (bone marrow) and Shukra (male and female reproductory secretions) Mala – waste products – sweat, urine and faeces Doshas, are the roots of the body. 1.

Functions of normal Doshas – Prakruta Dosa Karma – Functions of Vata Dosha तं चलः उ साहो

वास न वास चे टावे ग वतनैः

स य ग या च धातन ू ां अ ाणां पाटवेन च

अनुग ृ णा त अ वकृतः

Vata is responsible for all movements. (Movement of blood in blood vessels, movement of nutrients, movement of air in lungs, locomotion movements of hands and legs etc. ) In its normal state Vata causes enthusiasm, Vatha Dosha regulates respiration process, Regulates all locomotor movements, Regulates all activities of mind, speech, initiation of natural urges (tears, faeces, urination, sneezing, coughing, vomiting yawning etc) maintenance of the Dhatus (tissues) in their normalcy and proper functioning of the sense organs.

Functions of Pitta Dosha – प तं प ु तृ

यू मदशनैः

च भामेधाधीशौयतनम ु ादवैः

In its normal state Pitta causes digestion and metabolism Maintenance of body temperature, vision, Causes hunger, thirst, appetite, Maintains skin complexion, intelligence, courage, valour, and softness (suppleness) of the body.

Functions of Kapha Dosha ले मा ि थर वि न ध वसि धब ध मा द भः Kapha confers stability, lubrication, compactness (firmness) of the joints, Kshama – It is the cause for mental capacity to withstand or withhold emotions, strains etc. It is also cause for forgiveness 1½ – 3.

Functions of body tissues and waste products – Prakrita Dhatu Mala Karma – Functions of body tissues – ीणनं जीवनं लेपः नेहो धारणपूरणे

गभ पाद च धातूनां े ठं कम

मात ् मत ृ म्४

Rasa Dhatu (product of digestion and metabolism) – provides nourishment Rakta (blood) maintenance of life activities, Mamsa (muscle) – enveloping (covering) – it covers around bones and enables voluntary and involuntary actions Meda (fat) – lubrication, Asthi (bones) – support, forms the framework of the body Majja (bone marrow) – filling the inside of the bones and Shukra (male and female reproduction system)- conception and pregnancy 4.

Functions of waste products – अव ट भः पुर ष य, मू वेद य लेद वध ृ तः

य लेदवाहनम ्

Maintenance of strength of the body is the chief function of faeces; Elimination of moisture (water) is of urine, and Slow elimination of moisture is of the sweat. 5.

Effects of increased Doshas – Vriddha Dosha Karma:Effects of increased Vata – वृ

तु कु ते अ नलः

का यका बल न े ि

यउ नका म वक पाना शकृ

हान ्

य ंश लाप मद नताः

Vata, when increased produces Karshya – emaciation, Karshnya – black discoloration, Ushnakamitva – desire for hot things, Kampa – tremors Anaha – bloating, fullness, distention of the abdomen, Shakrut Graha – constipation, Bala bhramsha – loss of strength, Nidra bhramsha – loss of sleep Indriya bhramsha – loss of sensory functions, Pralapa – irrelevant speech, Bhrama – Delusion, Dizziness giddiness Deenata – timidity (peevishness). 5½ – 6.

Effects of increase of Pitta पीत व मू ने प तम ्

व

ु त ृ दाहा प न ताः

Pitta when increased produces yellow discoloration of the faeces, urine, eyes, and skin; excess of hunger and thirst, feeling of burning sensation and very little sleep.6 ½.

Effects of increased of Kapha ले मा अि नसदन सेकाल यगौरवम ्

वै यशै यशलथा ग वं

वासकासा त न ताः

Kapha, when increased produces Agnisadana – weak digestive activity, Praseka – excess salivation, Alasya – lassitude, laziness Gaurava – feeling of heaviness, Shvaithya – white discoloration, Shaithya – coldness, Shlathangatva – looseness of the body parts, Shwasa – dyspnoea, asthma, COPD Kasa – cough, cold Atinidrata – excess of sleep. 7 – 7½.

Effects of increased body tissues – Vriddha Dhatu Karma:रसो अ प

ले मवत ्

र तं वसप ल ह व धीन ् कु ठवाता

प ता गु मोपकुशकामलाः

य गाि ननाशस मोहर त व ने मू ताः

मांसं ग डाबुद ि थग डो दरव ृ ताः

क ठा दषु अ धमांसं च त व मेद तथा

मम ्

अ पे अ प चेि टते अ

वासं ि फ

य यस य धद तां च

म जा ने ा गगौरवम ् पवसु अत

थूलमूला न कुया कृ

तनोदरल बनम ्

ाण अ ं ष च

ीकामतां व ृ ं शु ं शु म मर अ प

Rasa when increased in similar to Kapha, produces the same symptoms of increased Kapha; Rakta (blood) when increased produces Visarpa – Herpes, spreading skin disease, Pleeha – diseases of the spleen, Vidradhi – abscesses, Kushta – skin diseases Vatasra – gout Pittasra - bleeding disease, Gulma – abdominal tumors,

Upakusa – a disease of the teeth, Kamala – jaundice, Vyanga – discoloured patch on the face, Agninasha – loss of digestion strength Sammoha – Coma, unconsciousness, Red discoloration of the skin, eyes, and urine. 8 – 9. Mamsa (muscle tissue), when increased produces Ganda – cervical lymphadenitis Granthi – tumor, Increase in size of the cheeks, thighs, and abdomen, over growth of muscles of the neck and other places 9 – 9½. Medas (fat tissue), when produces similar symptoms and in addition, it causes fatigue, difficulty in breathing even after little work, drooping of the buttocks, breasts and abdomen. 9½ – 10. Asthi (bone tissues), when increased causes overgrowth of bones and extra teeth. 10½. Majja (marrow), when increased produces heaviness of the eyes and the body, increase of size of the body joints and causes ulcers which are difficult to cure. 10½ – 11½. Shukra (semen) when increased produces great desire for the woman (sexual desire) and seminal calculi (spermolith). 12.

Effects of increased waste products – Vriddha Mala Karma – कु ावा मानं आटोपं गौरवं वेदनां शकृत ्

मू ं त ु बि त न तोदं कृ ते अ यकृतसं ताम ् वेदो अ त वेद दौग

य क डूः

Shakrit (feaces), when increased causes distension of abdomen, gurgling noise and feeling of heaviness. 12½ Mutra (urine), when increased produces severe pain in the bladder and feeling of non-elimination even after urination. 13 Sweda (sweat) when increased produces excess of perspiration, foul smell and itching. 13½ एवं च ल येत ् द ू षकाद न प मलान ् बाहु यगु ता द भः The increase of Dushika (excretion of the eyes) and other waste products are to be understood by nothing their increased quantity, heaviness (of their sites) and such other symptoms. 14.

Functions decreased Doshas – Ksheena Doshakarma Decreased Vata produces symptoms like – ल गं

ीणे अ नले अ ग य सदो अ प भा षते हतम ्

सं ामोह तथा ले मव ृ

यु तामाशायस भवः

Angasada – debility of the body, Alpa bhashite hitam – the person speaks very little Sanjna moha – loss of sensation (awareness) and of consciousness and occurrence of all the symptoms of increased Kapha. 15. Decreased Pitta causes प ते म दो अनलः शीतं

भाहा नः

Mande anala – weakness of digestive activity, Shaitya – coldness and Prabha hani – loss of luster (complexion). 15½. Decrease of Kapha causes कफे

मः

ले माशयानां शू य वं

वः शलथसि धता

Bhrama – Delusion, Dizziness, Shunyatva – emptiness of the organs of Kapha, hrudrava – tremors of the heart (palpitation) and Shlatha sandhita – looseness of the joints. 16.

Symptoms of decrease of Dhatu (body tissues) – रसे रौ यं

मः शोषो ला नः श दास ह णुता

र तेअ ल श शर ी त शराशै थ य मांसे अ मेद स अ अ शु े

ताः

ला नग डि फ शु कतासं धवेदनाः

व नं क याः ल हो व ृ ः कृशा गता

यि थतोदः सदनं द तकेशनखा दषु नां म ज न सौ षय चरात ्

मः त मरदशनम ्

स येत शु ं शो नतमेव वा

तोदो अ यथ व ृषणयोम म ् धूमायतीव च

Decrease of Rasa dhatu produces dryness, fatigue, emaciation, exhaustion without any work and noise intolerance. Decrease of Rakta produces desire for sour and cold things, loss of tension of veins (and arteries) and dryness. 17. Decrease of Mamsa causes debility of the sense organs, emaciation of cheeks, buttocks and pain in the joints. 17½. Decrease of Medas causes loss of sensation in the waist, enlargement of spleen and emaciation of the body. 18. Decrease of Asthi causes pain in the joints, falling off of the teeth, hairs, nails etc. 18½. Decrease of Majja causes hollowness (of the bones inside) giddiness and seeing of darkness 19. Decrease of Shukra results in delay in ejaculation, ejaculation accompanied with bleeding, severe pain in the testicles and a feeling of hot fumes coming out of the urethra. 20.

Symptoms of decreased waste products – पुर षे वायुर कु ौ

ा ण सश दो वे टयि नव

म त या यू व

मू े अ पं मू ये कृ वेदे रोम यु तः

पा व पीडयन ् भश ृ म्

ात ् ववण सा मेव वा

त धरोमता

फुटनं वचः

मलानाम त सू माणां द ुल यं ल येत ्

यम ्

वमलायनसंशोषतोदशू य वलाघवैः

Decrease of faeces gives rise to gurgling noise in the intestines and bloating, vata moves in upward direction in the intestine causing discomfort and pain in the region of the heart and flanks. 21. Decrease of urine causes scanty urination, dysuria, urine discoloration or hematuria. 21½. Decrease of sweat leads to falling of hair, stiffness of hair and cracking of the skin. 22. Decrease of Malas which are of little quantity is difficult to perceive, it should be inferred from the dryness, pricking pain, emptiness and tightness of their sites of production and elimination. 23. दोषाद नां यथा वं च व या वृ

वृ

यौ भषक्

येण वपर तानां गुणानां वधनेन च ं मलानां स गा च

यं चा त वसगतः

The decrease of Dosha Dhatu etc can be observed by the increase of opposite qualities. The increase of Dosha Dhatu etc can be observed by the increase of similar qualities. The increase of Malas is observed by their non-elimination (too much of waste product accumulation leading to obstruction) and their decrease by too much of elimination in little quantities. 23½ – 24½. मलो चत वात ् दे ह य

यो व ृ

तु पीडनः

Body being accustomed to accumulation of waste products (in intestines and bladder) , the decrease of waste product formation is more troublesome than their increase. 25.

Relationship between Dosha and Dhatu त ा था न ि थतो वायःु , प तं त ु ले मा शेषेषु, तेनैषां आ या आ

वेदर तयोः यणां मथः

येदक य तद य य वधन पणौषधम ् अि थ मा तयोः नैवं Vata resides in Asthi (bones) Pitta resides in Sweda (sweat) and Rakta (blood) Kapha resides in rest of the Dhatu and Mala. In case of Pitta and Kapha, when there is an increase of Pitta or Kapha, there is also respective increase of tissues and waste products associated with them. For example, if Pitta increases, then sweat and blood vitiation also increases. The same rule applies to decrease as well. But in case of Vata, if Vata decreases, then Asthi increases. They are inverse proportionately related with each other. 26 – 27.

Cause for increase or decrease of Dosha ायो व ृ

ह तपणात ्

शले मणा अनुगता त मात ् स

यः त वपययात ्

वायुना अनुगतो त मा च व ृ

य समु वान ्

वायो य , त जां तु तैरेव उ

मयोिजतैः

वकारान ् साधयेत ् शी ं

मात ् ल घनबं ृहणैः

The increase of Doshas, Dhatus and Mala is usually due to excess nutrition (Tarpana), which is followed later on with increase of Kapha. Whereas the decrease of Doshas, Dhatus and Malas is due to loss of nutrition which is followed, later with increase of Vayu (Vata).

Hence, the diseases arising from increase of Dosha and Dhatu should be usually treated quick by adopting Langhana (therapy causing thinning of the body, reducing the quantity) The diseases arising from the decrease of Dosha and Dhatu should be treated with Brimhana therapy (causing stoutening the body, increasing the quantity etc.) But in case of Vata, the order is reverse. If Vata is increased, then Brihmana therapy (nourishing therapy) should be adopted and if Vata decreases then Langhana therapy should be adopted. 28 – 29. वशेषा

तव ृ

यथ ु ान ् र त ु त वरे चनैः

मांसव ृ भवान ् रोगान ् श

ाराि नकम भः

थौ यका य पचारे ण मेदोजानि थस

जाता

यात ्

ीरघ ृतैि त तसंयुतैबि त भ तथा

व व ृ जानतीसार

यया, व

यो वान ्

मेषाजम यकु माषयवमाष वया द भः मू व ृ

यो थां च मेहकृ

यायामा य जन वे दम यैः

च क सया वे द यो वान ्

In particular the disease arising from - increase of rakta should be treated with- a. blood letting and b. Purgations. Increase of mamsa by use of - a. sharp instruments (surgery), b. caustic alkalies and, c. fire cautery. Increase of medas by therapies indicated for obesity, and decrease by therapies indicated for emaciation. Decrease of asthi by enema therapy using - a. milk, b. ghee and, c. bitter drugs. Increase of vit / feces by the use of - a. abdominal viscera of ram or goat, b. half steamed pulses, c. barley and, d. the two varieties of masha etc. as food. Increase and decrease of mutra / urine - By adopting treatments indicated for diabetes and dysuria respectively. Decrease of sveda / sweat by adopting - a. physical exercises, b. oil bath, c. sudation therapies and d. use of wine.

Kayagni व थान थ य काया ने रंशा धातुषु सं

तेषां सादा तद ि त यां धातव ु ृ

पूव धातुः परं कुया व ृ ः

ताः

यो वः

ीण च त वधम ्

Kayagni present in its own place, has portions of itself, present in the dhatus also. Their decrease in qualities, quantities or functions give rise to increase and decrease of dhatus respectively. The proceeding dhatu which is either increased or decreased gives rise to the succeeding dhatu of the same condition.

Effects of vitiated Doshas – Dusta Dosha Karma – दोषा द ु टा रसैधातूनन ् द ूषयि त उभये मलान ् अधो

वे , स त शर स, खा न

मला मलायना न

वेदवहा न च

युयथा वं ते वतो गदाः

The Doshas which are vitiated [become abnormal undergoing either increase or decrease] cause vitiation of the Rasa and other Dhatus (tissues) next; Both Doshas and Dhatus together vitiate the Malas (waste products) which in turn, vitiate the Malayanas (channels of their elimination). Malayana – routes of elimination of waste products are – two below – anus and urethra, seven in the head, and the channels of sweat; from these vitiated channels develop their connected diseases. 34½ – 36.

Ojas – the essence of Dhatus :ओज तु ते जोधातूनां शु ा तानां परं

म ृतम ्

दय थम प या प दे हि थ त नब धनम ्

ि न धं सोमा मकं शु ं ईषत ् लो हतपीतकम ्

य नाशे नयतं नाशो यि मंि त ठ त त ठ त न प य ते यतो भावा व वधा दे हसं याः Ojas is the essence of the Dhatus; It is mainly located in the heart. It is present all over the body and regulates health.

Qualities of Oja – Snigdha – unctuous, oily Somatmaka – watery Shuddha – clear (transparent), Ishat Lohita Peetakam – slight reddish yellow in colour; Loss of Ojus leads to loss of life. All aspects of health are related to Ojas. Cause for decrease of Ojas ओजः

ीयेत कोप

ु

यानशोक

वभो त द ुबलो अभी णं

द ुः छायो द ुमना

मा द भः

याय त य थतेि

ो भवे

ाम च त

जीवनीयौषध ीररसा या त

भेषजम ्

यः

ये

Ojas undergoes decrease in quantity by anger, hunger (starvation), worry, grief, exertion etc., Symptoms of Ojas decrease – The person becomes fretful, debilitated, repeatedly worries without any reason, feels discomfort in sense organs, develops bad complexion, negative thoughts and dryness; Treatment – Use of drugs of Jivaniya group (Enlivening) (mentioned in chapter 15) milk, meat juice etc. 39 – 40. Notes :- Many more causes of decrease of Ojas have been mentioned in other texts of Ayurdeva, they are Ativyayama - too much exercise Anashana – fasting for long periods of time Alpasana - eating less quantities of food Rooksapana (intake of alcoholic beverages which cause dryness), Pramitasana (intake of mixture of good and bad foods), Bhaya (fear), Prajagara (waking up at night), Abhighata (injury), Abhishanga (assault by evil spirits; micro organisms like bacteria, virus etc.), Dhatukshaya (depletion of tissues such as by haemorrhage etc.), Ativisarga (too much of elimination) of Kapha, Sonita (blood), Sukra (semen) and Mala (waste products); Visha (ingestion of poison) Increase of Ojas ओजोव ृ ौ ह दे ह य तुि टपुि टबलोदयः Increase of Ojas makes for contentment, nourishment of the body and increase of strength. 41.

यद नं

वेि ट यद प

ाथयेता वरो ध तु

त येजन ् सम नं च तौ तौ व ृ

यौ जयेत ्

The increase of Doshas should be controlled by avoidance of foods which are disliked. The decrease of Doshas should be managed by foods indulgence of food that are desired. 42. कुवते ह व ृ ाः

च ं दोषा वपर तसमानयोः

ीणा च भू य ठं ल य यबध ु ा तु न

The Doshas which have undergone increase and decrease generally produce desire for foods which are dissimilar and similar (in properties to those of the Doshas) respectively; but the unintelligent person do not recognize them. 43. यथाबलं यथा वं च दोषा व ृ ा वत वते पा ण, जहा त

ीणाः, समाः

वं कम कुवते

The Doshas, when increased produce their respective features (signs and symptoms) depending upon their strength; when decreased they do not produce signs and symptoms and when normal, they attend to their normal functions. 44. य एव दे ह य समा वव ृ ये त पव दोषा वषमा वधाय । य मादत ते हतचययैवं

या वव ृ े रव र णीयाः ॥ ४५ ॥

The very same Doshas, which when normal, are the causes for growth of the body, become the causes for its destruction when abnormal. Hence by adopting suitable measures, the body should be protected from their decrease and increase 45.

Thus ends the chapter called Doshadi Vijnaneeya Adhyaya.