Ranjaka Pitta

Ranjaka pitta is mainly present in the liver and spleen, and also in the stomach as intrinsic factor. The Sanskrit word ranjaka means to give color. Its governing element is water. Ranjaka pitta in the liver gives color to all tissues—skin color, hair color, and the color of eyes are all related to ranjaka pitta. It is responsible for erythrogenesis, the creation of red blood cells in the bone marrow, which are mixed with rasa dhatu (plasma). Thus ranjaka pitta gives color to the blood.

The liver (Sanskrit: yakrut, where ya means circulation and krut means action) is a complex biochemical lab and a vital organ. The function of ranjaka pitta in the liver is the disintegration of hemoglobin, which produces heme and globin. From heme, bile is produced, and that bile is ranjaka pitta. Its job is to give color to the urine, feces, and sweat. The liver has an important function in the digestion of fat and synthesis of proteins through the action of amino acids. It also helps to circulate ranjaka pitta through the hematopoietic system.

Ranjaka pitta in the stomach is intrinsic factor, responsible for the production of blood in the bone marrow. The intrinsic factor and vitamin B₁₂ enter the blood and general circulation, go into the bone marrow, and stimulate erythrogenesis. The building material of the bone marrow is kapha, but the functional aspect of red blood cell production is pitta, governed by rakta agni and ranjaka pitta.

Ranjaka agni is the thermodynamic energy of ranjaka pitta, present in the liver, spleen, and stomach. It is the fire component released from disintegrated red blood cells, and it governs the transformation of rasa dhatu into rakta dhatu (blood tissue). Ranjaka agni incorporates bhuta agni within its functions, giving color to rasa dhatu and transforming it into immature (asthayi) rakta dhatu.

There is a fine but important distinction between ranjaka agni, bhuta agni, and rakta agni. Bhuta agni is the specialized function of ranjaka agni in the liver that converts food and other substances into their elemental components. Rakta agni performs the further transformation of immature rakta into mature (sthayi) rakta dhatu, which is essential for the maturation of red blood cells.

The liver (yakrut) is an important seat of fire and the seat of anger, hate, envy, and jealousy. According to Ayurveda, all of these emotions need to be processed and metabolized. To metabolize an emotion means to be fully aware of that emotion. Paying total attention to a feeling or emotion allows the agni of the liver to release it. With awareness and maturity, anger, fear, or anxiety can then leave naturally.

Repressed, unmetabolized emotions create stress in the organs. These emotions want to come out, but if suppressed, they accumulate in the tissues and lead to disease. Ayurveda does not separate emotions from the organs; body, mind, and consciousness are treated as an integrated whole.