Hello learners. Welcome to Sanskrit Gurukul. In this post, we will learn about cooked food prepared from rice and other grains, such as Manda, Peya, Vilepi, and Odana. Each differs in their liquid-to-solid ratio.
This is the third part of Chapter 6, Annaswarupa Vijnanlya Adhyaya of Ashtanga Hridyam, written by Acharya Vagbhta.
मण्ड-पेया-विलेपीनाम् ओदनस्य च लाघवम् ॥ 26 ॥
यथा-पूर्वं शिवस् तत्र मण्डो वातानुलोमनः ।
तृड्-ग्लानि-दोष-शेष-घ्नः पाचनो धातु-साम्य-कृत् ॥ 27 ॥
स्रोतो-मार्दव-कृत् स्वेदी संधुक्षयति चानलम् ।
Manda, peya, vilepi and odana are preparations of rice or other grains cooked food in water.
- Manda – The thin fluid resembling water, drained out immediately after boiling, is known as manda.
- Peya – slightly thicker than manda, but still, only liquid is peya;
- Vilepi – the next stage with more of solid grain and less of fluid is called vilepi, and
- Odana – the last stage, which is solid without a fluid portion, is known as odana.
Manda, peya, vilepi and odana are more easily digestible in their preceding order of enumeration.
Manda – easiest to digest. Odana is comparatively harder to digest.
Manda – (thin fluid drained out) Manda is the best. It facilitates the easy movement of faeces and flatus, relieves thirst and exhaustion, and nullifies residual doshas. It is used as a diet after Panchakarma, wherein all the Doshas are eliminated. Manda helps digestion, restores tissue normalcy, causes softness in the channels, promotes perspiration, and stimulates digestive activity. 26-27 ½
क्षुत्-तृष्णा-ग्लानि-दौर्बल्य-कुक्षि-रोग-ज्वरापहा ॥ 28 ॥
मलानुलोमनी पथ्या पेया दीपन-पाचनी ।
Peya (more liquid, less solid) relieves hunger, thirst, exhaustion, debility, diseases of the abdomen and fevers, if it causes easy elimination of faeces, good for all, kindles appetite and helps digestion.
विलेपी ग्राहिणी हृद्या तृष्णा-घ्नी दीपनी हिता ॥ 29 ॥
व्रणाक्षि-रोग-संशुद्ध-दुर्-बल-स्नेह-पायिनाम् ।
Vilepi (less liquid more solid) with holds discharge of fluids from the body, good for the heart, relieves thirst, kindles appetite, ideal for all, especially for those suffering from ulcers, eye diseases, those who have been administered Panchakarma purification therapies, who are weak and who have been given fats for drinking as part of Snehana therapy (before Panchakarma). 29
सु-धौतः प्रस्रुतः स्विन्नो ऽ-त्यक्तोष्मा चौदनो लघुः ॥ 30 ॥
यश् चाग्नेयौषध-क्वाथ-साधितो भृष्ट-तण्डुलः ।
विपरीतो गुरुः क्षीर-मांसाद्यैर् यश् च साधितः ॥ 31 ॥
Odana (solid) prepared with grains which have been washed well, in which the entire water has evaporated and which is devoid of hot fumes is easy to digest; likewise that prepared along with addition of decoction of medicinal substances of hot potency or that prepared with fried grains are also easily digestible; the opposite of these that prepared with addition of milk, mutton etc., are hard to digest.
इति द्रव्य-क्रिया-योग-मानाद्यैः सर्वम् आदिशेत् ।
In this manner, the effects of the grain, kind of processing, admixtures, quantity and other aspects should all be determined. 30-31 ½
Summary:
Kirtanna food, a group of prepared dishes, primarily refers to rice or grain preparations like Manda, Peya, Vilepi, and Odana, each differing in their liquid-to-solid ratio and digestibility. Manda, the thinnest liquid, is the easiest to digest and highly beneficial for balancing “doshas,” aiding digestion, and promoting overall well-being. Peya, slightly thicker, is also good for relieving various ailments like hunger, thirst, and fevers, while Vilepi, with more solids, is beneficial for heart health, ulcers, and those recovering from purification therapies. Odana, the solid form, is easiest to digest when prepared with well-washed, thoroughly cooked grains, or with hot-potency herbs or fried grains; however, when mixed with ingredients like milk or meat, it becomes harder to digest. The text emphasizes that the overall effects of these preparations depend on the type of grain, processing, added ingredients, and quantity.
