Thin Gruel

Peya is a thin gruel prepared with more water and less rice grains. It is light, appetizing, digestive, and helps in normalizing the downward movement of Vata. It induces perspiration and is beneficial in fever, thirst, and weakness of digestive fire. Peya is heavier than Manda but lighter than Vilepi (thick gruel). It is recommended in the initial stages of Panchakarma therapy and during convalescence.

• Deepana (appetizing)
• Pachana (digestive)
• Vatanulomana (normalizes Vata)
• Swedajanana (induces perspiration)

Dadhi Sara – yoghurt water, whey from curds mixed with Guda (jaggery), Panchaprasruta Peya – thin gruel prepared from one Prasruta each of ghee, sesame oil, muscle fat, marrow and rice (tandula).

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Snehavidhi oleation therapy

Next, Kapha Dosha is excited in the patient by administering peya (drink) / thin gruel prepared from fish, Masha (black gram) ,Tila (Sesame) etc.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Vamana Virechana Vidhi

27 ततः सायः भाते वा ु वान ् नातः सुखा बुना भु जानो र तशा य नं भजे पेय ा दकं मम ् Then, either in the evening or next morning, after feeling hungry, after bath with warm water, he can eat mass prepared with red rice or if he not feeling hungry he should adhere to the following regimen of Peya (Thin gruel) etc.

— Astanga Hridaya Sutrasthan, Vamana Virechana Vidhi

In case of diminution of mutra, sugarcane juice, varuni type of wine, manda (thin gruel), liquid food articles and substances having madhura, lavana,and amla tastes and sticky nature should be administered.

— Charaka Samhita, Sharira Sthana — Human Body & Embryology, Chapter 6: Analysis of the Body (Sharira Vichaya Sharira / शरीर विचय शरीर)

Peya (thin gruel) should be prepared by cooking with pippali (piper longum), pippalimoola (root of piper longum), chitraka (Plumbago Zylanica), gaja pippali(Scindapsus officinalis Schoott.

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 14: Hemorrhoids Treatment (Arsha Chikitsa / अर्शचिकित्सा)

Intake of this peya (thin gruel) by adding sour fruits and sizzled with ghee and oil cures hemorrhoids.

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 14: Hemorrhoids Treatment (Arsha Chikitsa / अर्शचिकित्सा)

Peya (thin gruel) prepared form changeri (Oxalis corniculata), nagkeshar (Mesua ferrea), nilkamal (Nelumbo nucifera), bala (Sida cordifolia), prashniparni (Uraria picta) instantaneously cures bleeding hemorrhoids.

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 14: Hemorrhoids Treatment (Arsha Chikitsa / अर्शचिकित्सा)

Intake of peya (thin gruel) and manda (very thin gruel) along with this medicated ghee cures a serious type of diarrhea even if caused by sannipata (simultaneous aggravation of all the three dosha).

— Charaka Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana — Therapeutic Principles, Chapter 19: Diarrhea Treatment (Atisara Chikitsa / अतिसारचिकित्सा)

After consuming Vasa or Majja, thin gruel (Manda) is the comfortable after-drink.

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Uttara Khanda, Chapter 1: Snehapana Vidhi (Oleation Therapy)

The purged person should be fed Yavagu (thin gruel) prepared with Shali rice, Shashtika rice, Mudga (green gram), etc.

— Sharangadhara Samhita, Uttara Khanda, Chapter 4: Virechana Vidhi (Purgation Therapy)

A thin gruel (peya) that is appetizing, digestive, light, and fever-removing is beneficial at mealtime for fever patients, prepared with appropriate digestive herbs.

— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 39: Jvarapratishedha

A thin gruel should be given to one with weak digestion and thirst.

— Sushruta Samhita, Uttara Tantra, Chapter 39: Jvarapratishedha

This should be administered to those with recently accumulated doshas and those who have drunk thin gruel.

— Sushruta Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 43: Vamana-dravya-vikalpa-vijnaniya Adhyaya - On Emetic Drug Preparations

This should be administered to those with recently accumulated doshas and those who have drunk thin gruel.

— Sushruta Samhita, Vamana-dravya-vikalpa-vijnaniya Adhyaya - On Emetic Drug Preparations