What is Doshas?

 

              What is Doshas?

“In Ayurveda, the three Doshas  are considered to be universal principles that function in all aspects of material creation, including the mineral, plant, and animal kingdoms, the time of day, the seasons of the year, even the planets and galaxies. In this way, the human physiology is inexorably connected to the whole of existence. The Doshas have been correlated with systems theory in the field of physics, providing a sound theoretical basis for this Ayurvedic concept, and research utilizing a bio-statistical approach to quantify the Doshas reveals a sound empirical basis as well. A pilot study revealed the possibility of utilizing Prakriti to correlate phenotypes with genotypes in the human population, which could have wide-ranging implications for health care”.

A dosha is one of three substances that are present in a person's body according to Ayurveda. Beginning with twentieth-century literature, there was an idea called "The Three-Dosha Theory". Authoritative Ayurvedic treatises describe how the quantity and quality of these three substances fluctuate in the body according to the seasons, time of day, diet, and several other factors. Doshas are the forces that create the physical body. They determine conditions of growth, aging, health and disease. Typically, one of the three doshas predominates and determines one's constitution or mind-body type. 

Doshas : These are the three body energetics, made of qualities, which support right body function in right amount, and destroy right body function in excess or deficiency

                   - Vata, Pitta and Kapha are eternally present in the body of living beings either as normal or abnormal.

Tridosha (vata, kapha, pitta): According to Ayurveda, our body consists of three type energies Vata, Pitta and Kapha and believed to govern physiological activity.whereas these three energies constitute of five energy(panchatatva): Ether (Akash), Wind (Vayu), Fire (Agni), Water (Jal) and Earth (Prithvi). Differing proportion of these tridosha leads to disease

           - pitta: fire(Agni), Water (Jal).

           - kapha: Ether (Akash), Wind (Vayu).

           - vata:  Water (Jal) and Earth (Prithvi).

 Their differing proportions determine individual temperament and physical constitution. In simple words, doshas are these three attributes or energies that make up every individual.

       •Vata - it is a  energy that controls motion such as blood circulation, breathing, blinking, and heartbeat.

       •Pitta - it is a type of Energy which controls metabolic work s such as digestion, absorption, temperature.

       •Kapha - this type ot dosha/energy supplies water to all body parts and balance  immune system.

Satvik food is one of the best food to balance tridoshas. Means balances motion, metabolism, water supply and immunity of body by providing al vital nutrients in moderate amount.

                                 .......( Refrance: Ashtanga Hrudaya Sutrasthana)

How Doshas are generated in body?

During the process of conversion in the body of food into successive dhatus, rasa known as the clear essence of food and the excretion known as the waste products are produced. The excretion generates sweat, urine, feces, Vata, Pitta and Kapha; as well as other body secretions.

       [ Dhatus : dhatus are tissues in the body, which includes rasa, rakta, mamsa, medas, asthi, majja, and shukra( In English they are plasma, blood, muscle, fat, bone, marrow / nerve, and reproductive tissue respectively.)]

               - In simple words, Doshas are the waste product produced from digestion

                                        (Refrance :  Su12#13,  Su28#4)

Qualities of Doshas

• Vata : non-unctuous, cold, light, subtle, mobile, non-slimy and rough. 

• Pitta: slightly unctuous, hot, sharp, liquid, sour, mobile and pungent, fluidity.

• Kapha : heavy, cold, soft, unctuous, oily, sweet, immobile, slimy. 

                                                    (Refrance : Su1#60)

Beneficial and Detrimental Effects of the Doshas:

• Pitta :  Pitta having the nature of heat, is responsible for digestion in living beings but when vitiated it causes many disorders. 

• Kapha : Kapha in normal state, is responsible for strength[solid tissues] but when abnormal becomes excretion [ama/ wastes/ mucus]. 

• Vata : Vata is taken as breath of the living beings but in abnormal state it produces disorders even obstructing the life breath.

Seasonal Influence on the Doshas:

• Pitta : Pitta is accumulated, vitiated and pacified in rainy season autumn and early rains, respectively. 

• Kapha : Kapha is accumulated, vitiated and pacified in early winter, spring and summer respectively. 

• Vata : Vata is accumulated, vitiated and pacified in summer, rainy seasons and autumn, respectively.

                              ( Refrance : Su17#114, by P.V. Sharma, p.124, Vol I )

Violation of Doshas

1) Vitiated(increased) vata

• Vata affect in which location?

urinary tract, colon, waist, legs, feet, bones, and especially the intestines

• Disorder due to vata : cracking in soles, pain in foot, foot drop, numbness in feet, pain in ankles, stiffness in ankles, cramps in calf, sciatica, tearing pain in knees, stiffness in thighs, loss of movement in thighs, lameness, prolapse of rectum, pain in anus, twitching in scrotum, stiffness in penis, pain in groins, pain in pelvis, pain in defecation, upward movement of V (‘udavarta’), limping, hunch back, dwarfism, stiffness in sacral region, stiffness in back, compression in sides, twisting pain in abdomen, cardiac dysfunction, tachycardia, shivering in chest, constriction in chest, chest pain, wasting of arms, stiffness of neck, stiffness of sternomastoid, hoarseness of voice, pain in jaw, cracking of lips, pain in eyes/cleft palate, pain in teeth, loose teeth, dumbness [inability to speak], stammering, astringent taste in mouth, dryness of mouth, loss of taste sensation, loss of smell sensation, ear-ache, “dizziness, in ears” , hardness in hearing deafness, stiffness in eyelids, contraction in eyelids, loss of vision, pain in eyes, squint, twisting of eyebrows, pain in the temporal region, pain in forehead, headache, cracking of scalp, facial paralysis, monoplegia, hemiplegia, polyplegia, convulsions, tetanic convulsions, feeling of darkness before the eyes, giddiness, tremors, yawning, hiccup, malaise, excessive delirium, roughness, coarseness, blackish and reddish luster, insomnia, and instability of mind.

2) Vitiated(increased) pitta

• Pitta affect in which location?

sweat, chyle, lymph, blood, and especially the stomach

• Disorder of pitta : heating, scorching, burning, intense burning, fuming, hyper-acidity, burning in the stomach and esophagus, internal burning, burning in scapular region, pyrexia, over-perspiration, foul smell in body, tearing of body parts, excessive moisture in blood (possibly uraemic conditions), moistening of muscles, burning in skin, tearing of skin, thickening of skin [[scleroderma]], urticarial patches, pustules, internal hemorrhage, haemmorhagic patches, greenishness, yellowness, bluishness, herpes, jaundice, bitterness in mouth, bloody smell from mouth, foetid smell form mouth, excessive thirst, loss of contentment, stomatitis, inflammation in throat, inflammation in eyes, inflammation in anus, inflammation in penis, discharge of pure blood, fainting, green or yellow color in eyes, urine and feces.

3) Vitiated(increased) kapha

Kapha affect in which location?

chest, head, neck, joints, stomach, fat, and especially the chest.

Disorder due to kapha : saturation, drowsiness, excessive sleep, cold sensation, heaviness in body, lassitude, sweetness in mouth, salivation, mucous expectoration, excess dirt, excess mucous, indigestion, “plastering” of heart, plastering of throat, accumulation in vessels, goitre, over-plump-ness, urticarial eruptions, urticarial patches, white lustre, whiteness in urine, eyes and feces.

Additives for doshas

If changes do occur, then this leads to an imbalance in the organism, or a modified version of the organism is formed, the survival of which will depend upon its ability to adapt to its environment. Ayurvedic principles are drawn heavily from Samkhyan Philosophy.

“In Ayurveda, the three Doshas are considered to be universal principles that function in all aspects of material creation, including the mineral, plant, and animal kingdoms, the time of day, the seasons of the year, even the planets and galaxies. In this way, the human physiology is inexorably connected to the whole of existence. The Doshas have been correlated with systems theory in the field of physics, providing a sound theoretical basis for this Ayurvedic concept, and research utilizing a bio-statistical approach to quantify the Doshas reveals a sound empirical basis as well. A pilot study revealed the possibility of utilizing Prakriti to correlate phenotypes with genotypes in the human population, which could have wide-ranging implications for health

The five elements combine to form the Tridoshas in biodiversity

“According to Ayurveda, the universe evolved out of the ‘un-manifested’ (Avyakta), which implies Prakriti (primordial matter) and Purusa (primordial consciousness). Mahan (intellect) then evolves from Avyakta, and Ahamkara (ego) follows. Ego has three different qualities (Gunas): Sattva (the pure), Rajas (the dynamic), and Tamas (the inert). Sattva and Rajas together then produce eleven Indriyas (sense and motor organs known as Jnanendriyas and Karmendriyas) and Manas. The Gunas, Tamas and Rajas combine to produce five Tanmatras (energy quanta), which in their turn produce the five Mahabhutas (elements in the ancient sense, sometimes also called proto-elements). From these Mahabhutas the entire material world is made up… Living beings consist of the Mahabhutas as well as the Indriyas”.

Dash, in his book Fundamentals of Ayurvedic Medicine (pg. 16, 17), has explained the inter-relatedness of man with the environment and how the Pancha Mahabhutas have evolved in man to form the different body organs and organ systems. He says, “…man has five senses and through these senses he perceives the external world in five different ways. The sense organs are the ears, the skin, the eyes, the tongue and the nose. Through these sense organs, the external object is not only perceived, but also absorbed into the human body in the form of energy. These five types of senses are the basis on which the entire universe is divided, grouped or classified in five different ways, and they are known as five Mahabhutas.… According to Ayurveda, the body of the individual is composed of five Mahabhutas. Similarly, other things of the world are also composed of five Mahabhutas. In the human body these five Mahabhutas are explained in terms of Doshas, Dhatus and Malas…”

The play of the five proto-elements or the Pancha Mahabhutas is not restricted to the physical body only. It finds expression in the mind too, which also is purported to be made up of the five elements. Frawley in his book Ayurveda and the Mind is of the opinion that the mind transcends all the five gross elements because through the mind we can perceive all the elements and their inter-relationships. He further says that all the forms of earth, water, fire, air and ether can be observed, imagined and contemplated on. “Yet the elements do provide a key to how the mind works. Though the elements in the mind are more subtle than those in the body, they retain the same basic attributes and actions. We can understand the mental elements through the analogy of the physical”.

Charaka Samhita expresses this idea in verses 46–47 (as stated in Mental Health in Ayurveda) as follows: “Mind, Soul and the Body—these three constitute a tripod, upon the meaningful combination of which the world is sustained. They constitute the substratum for everything, which is endowed with life. This (combination of the above three) is Purusha who is sentient and who is the subject matter for this science. It is for this that Ayurveda has been brought to light”. Verse 1-55 also states: “The body and the mind are the abodes of diseases as well as health. Proper body-mind interaction is the cause for happiness”.

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Refrance : charak samhita, Sushruta samhita, Wikipedia, ncbi