Ayushkamiya-Sutrasthana, Ashtanga Hridyam-BAMS

Subject : Ashtanga Hridyam
Section: Sutrasthana
Chapter: Ayushkamiya

Welcome to Sanskrit Gurukul. In this chapter of Ashtanga Hridyam – Sutrasthana (Ayushkamiya) written by Acharya Vagbhata, we will learn further about the basics of ayurveda through shloka and their detailed explanation.

Types of digestive fires

In this shloka of Ayushkamiya chapter of Sutrasthana- Ashtanga Hridayam, Acharya Vabhata explains the three types of digestive fire according to each dosha.

तैर्भवे‌द्विषमः तीक्ष्णो मन्दश्चाग्निः समैः समः ॥

Agni is visham due to Vata, tikshna due to Pitta and manda due to Kapha. Since Vata-Pitta-Kapha are equal, Agni is also in equilibrium.
Notes:-Agni, literally fire, refers to the fire-like activity in the alimentary canal, responsible for digestion of food.

This activity is influenced by the condition of the dosas. When all the three doshas are in equilibrium, the digestion of food will be perfect in all respects and that is samāgni-normal digestion. But when the doshas get aggravated (increased) they bring about their own characteristic changes in the digestive activity also.

Whenever Vata is aggravated, the digestion becomes irregular, erratic different from time to time and accompanied with flatulance etc., such a digestive activity, is vishamagni. When Pitta is aggravated the digestive activity is very intense, even large quatities of food get digested very quickly. There is burning sensation, thirst, etc. during digestion; such a condition is Tīkshnagni.

When Kapha is aggravated the digestive activity is very dull, poor, inadequate, even small quantities of food get digested after a long time. There is heaviness of the abdomen, lassitude, etc. during digestion, such a condition is Mandagni. All these three types are abnormal and give rise to many diseases of the causative doshas.

Kinds of alimentary tract

In this shloka of Ayushkamiya chapter of Sutrasthana- Ashtanga Hridayam, Acharya Vabhata explains the three differnt kinds of alimentry tract (Koshta)

कोष्ठः क्रूरो मृदुर्मध्यो मध्यः स्यात्तैः समैरपि ।

Kostha: (nature of alimentary tract or nature of bowels) : Due to Vata, the koshta is krura (hard), due to pitta koshta is mradu (soft), and due to kapha the koshta is madhya (medium neither soft nor hard). Due to the equilibrium of Vata-Pitta-Kapha, madhyam Koshtha is also formed.

Deh Prakarti

In this shloka of Ayushkamiya chapter of Sutrasthana- Ashtanga Hridayam, Acharya Vabhata explains the differnt kinds of body types (deh Prakriti) and how they are produced at the time of birth in nature.

तैश्च तिस्रः प्रकृतयो हीनमध्योत्तमाः पृथक् । समधातुः समस्त सु श्रेष्ठा, निन्या द्विदोषजाः ॥१०॥

At the time of birth, Vata-Pitta-Kapha present in sperm and ovum form the three natures (Prakriti) of human beings. These Prakriti are heen (inferior) due to Vata, madhyam (average) due to Pitta and uttam (superior) due to Kapha. And when Vata-Pitta-Kapha are equal, then it is Sam Prakriti, it is the best among them all. The Prakarti formed by the combination of two doshas, namely, Vata-Kapha, Vata-Pitta and Pitta-Kapha, are condemned.

Qualities (Guna) of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha

In the following shloka Ayushkamiya chapter of Sutrasthana- Ashtanga Hridayam, Acharya Vabhata explains the different qualities (guna) of vata, pitta and khpha dosha.

तत्र रुक्षो लघुः शीतः खरः सूक्ष्मश्चलोऽनिलः ।

Vata is

• Ruksha (dry),
• Laghu (lightness),
• Sheet (cold),
• Khara (roughness),
• Shuksham (subtle), and
• Chanchal (movement).

पित्तं सस्नेहतीक्ष्णोष्णं लघु विनं सरं द्रवम् ॥ ११ ॥

Pitta is

• Sasneha (slight oily, unctousness),
• teekshna (penetrating deep into the tissue),
• ushna (hot, heat producing),
• laghu (light in weight),
• visra (bad smell),
• sara (free flowing) and
• drava (liquidity).

स्निग्धः शीतो गुरुर्मन्दः श्लक्ष्णो मृत्स्नः स्थिरः कफः ॥

Kapha is

• Snigdhna (oily, unctuous),
• Sheeta (coldness),
• Guru (heavy),
• Manda (mild, viscous),
• Shlakshna (smooth, clear),
• Mrutsna (slimy, jelly),
• Sthira (stability, immobility).

The increase, decrease of individual Doshas, or imbalance of couple of these Doshas is called as Samsarga. And imbalance of all the three Doshas together is called as Sannipata.

Body tissue (Sapta Dhatu) and waste

In this shloka of Ayushkamiya chapter of Sutrasthana- Ashtanga Hridayam, Acharya Vabhata explains the seven different tissue and waste present in human body.

रस असृक् मांस मेदो अस्थि मज्ज शुक्राणि धातवः ।
सप्त दूष्याः मलाः मूत्र शकृत् स्वेदादयोऽपि च ॥

Body tissues are seven in numbers as follow:

• Rasa (Plasma),
• Rakta (blood),
• Mamsa (muscle),
• Meda (fat),
• Asthi (bone),
• Majja (bone marrow) and
• Sukranu (sperm), these are called Dushya also (as they get dushit by dosha).
  Some Acharyas consider Auj as a 8 dhatu also.

The three malas are
Mutra (Urine),
Shakurut (feces),
Sweda (sweat).
They are called malas because they make the body dirty.
While the nutritious juice of the body is produced from the eaten grain, the remaining fecal part is also formed from its essence. Where fire is produced by burning of coal, Ash is also formed there. This ash is formed more or less depending on the fuel.

वृद्धिः समानैः सर्वेषां विपरीतैर्विपर्ययः ।

Whatever is similar to it, it increases it. And the opposite leads to decline. blood increase from blood, muscle increase from muscle. From running, jumping and singing vata increases. From Dates, melon increases the kapha. The oil decreases the vata or dryness whereas the sleep, lazyness decrese the vata.

Sadh Ras (Six Taste)

In this shloka of Ayushkamiya chapter of Sutrasthana- Ashtanga Hridayam, Acharya Vabhata explains six type of taste.

रसाः स्वाद्वम्ललवणतिक्तोषणकषायकाः षड् द्रव्यमाश्रितास्ते च यथापूर्व बलावहाः

Sweet (Madhur), Alam (Sour), Lavana (Salt), Tikta (Bitter), ushna/katu (Pungent), Kashya (Pungent), are the six types of tastes (Rasa).
These 6 tastes are associated with the substances and having more strength in their preceding order.
That is, Madhur rasa is the most powerful among all therasa; then is Alam, then lavana (salt), then tikta (bitter), then Katu (pungent) and the least powerful is kashya (astringent) ras. These include Madhur rasa like ghee, Jaggery etc.; Tamarind, Kanji etc. Alam ; Saindhava etc. lavana, absinthe, Neem Nadi Tikta; Chilli, black pepper dry ginger-peepal-upan (tikta); Mango kernels, blackberries etc. are kashya rasas.

With this, we have finished the second 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, and Instagram.

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