Ayurveda The Timeless Science of Life Ayurveda, the "Science of Life," (Ayuh meaning life, Veda meaning knowledge or science), is one of the world's oldest holistic healing systems, originating from the Vedic wisdom of ancient India. Its philosophy is not merely about treating disease but about achieving a dynamic state of balance between the body, mind, spirit, and environment for a long, purposeful, and joyful life.
Objects of Ayurveda
Purpose of Ayurveda
Health and Disease
Parts of Ayurveda
The main goal of Ayurveda is to achieve and maintain good health and longevity. It focuses on preventing illness by promoting a balanced lifestyle in harmony with nature. For those who are unwell, it aims to restore health by identifying and treating the root cause of disease, not just its symptoms. Ultimately, it is a holistic science dedicated to the overall well-being of the body, mind, and spirit.
Ayurveda's ultimate goal aligns with the highest aims of human life (Purushartha). It enables an individual to enjoy a full hundred years of life endowed with Dharma (virtue and righteous living), Artha (material wealth and security), Kama (rightful desires and pleasures)
Health (vasthya) in Ayurveda is a multi-dimensional state of vibrant well-being. A person is established in self (Swa), when the Doshas are in balance, the Digestive Fire (Agni) is balanced, the Tissues (Dhatus) and Waste Products (Malas) are functioning normally, and the Mind, Senses, and Spirit (Atman) are full of bliss. (Sushruta Samhita), while vikara (disease) is abnormality and disequilibrium.
Traditionally, the following eight angas (parts or specialities) of Ayurveda are accepted according to Acharya Caraka (sutra chapter 30):- Kayaciktisa (general medicine), Bala roga/Kaumarabhtya (Paediatrics & Obstetrics), Visha/Agadatantra (toxicology), Shalyatantra (surgery), Halakyatantra (medico-surgery dealing with supraclavicular disease), Rasayana, Vajikarana (Rejuvenation & aphrodisiacs therapy), Graha Chikitsa/Bhutavidya (dealing with invisible agents).
Dosha, Dhatu And Mala
As per Ayurveda, the human body is basically composed of dosha, dhatu, & mala. We must know about them.
Tridosha: The Three Governing Principles
When prana (vitae) enters the material body, the three doshas emerge to take up the physiological functions:
Vata (Air + Ether)
Pitta (Fire + Water)
Kapha (Earth + Water)
The three doshas generally pervade the entire body and are particularly located in the head (Kapha), navel (Pitta)and the moon (Vata) by their functions of movements, receiving and releasing. The body is maintained by three doshas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha) with the respective functions.
Functions of doshas:
The Doshas are the functional intelligences of the body. Health is the state of their equilibrium (Sama-dosha), and disease is their imbalance (Vaishamya).
Vata:
The principle of Movement. It governs breathing, blinking, muscle movement, heartbeat, and all nerve impulses. Balanced, it promotes creativity and vitality. Aggravation of vata gives rise to pain in the abdomen, pain, stiffness, contraction and heaviness in the body, loss of sleep, roughness in skin and instability of mind.
Irregularity of digestion, abnormal taste and dryness in the mouth.
Pitta:
The principle of Transformation. It governs digestion, absorption, assimilation, metabolism, and body temperature. Balanced, it promotes intelligence and understanding. Imbalanced, it causes anger, inflammation, and acidity.
Kapha:
The principle of Cohesion & Structure. It governs muscle growth, body strength, stability, lubrication, and immunity. Balanced, it promotes love & calmness. Imbalanced, it causes lethargy, congestion, and attachment.
Sapta Dhatu: The Seven Tissues
These are the fundamental tissues that nourish and sustain the body in a sequential chain of formation.
Rasa (Plasma)
Rakta (Blood)
Mamsa (Muscle)
Meda (Fat)
Asthi (Bone)
Majja (Bone Marrow & Nervous Tissue)
Shukra/Artava (Reproductive Tissue)
The final essence of all these dhatus is known as ‘ojas’, which has characteristics like those of kapha and provides the power of immunity against disease. The rasa dhatu seated in the heart is pumped by vyana vayu in the body channels and thus nourishes the other dhatus and organs as water flowing in channels irrigates the field. One dhatu nourishes the other successive one, and in this way, they constantly transform and thus the last dhatu. Sukra is unmanifest in childhood, is dried up in old age and is fully manifest and active like a blooming flower in youthful age.
Mala: The Waste Products
The three primary waste products are Purisha (faeces), Mutra (urine), and Sweda (sweat). Their proper formation and timely elimination are crucial for health, indicating efficient metabolic processes.
The three primary Mala are:
Purisha (Stool): The waste product of digestion formed in the colon. Its proper elimination is vital for preventing the accumulation of toxins (Ama) and is governed by Apona Vayu, a sub-dosha of Vata.
Mutra (Urine): The waste product of the urinary system, primarily formed in the kidneys. It is a key indicator of the body's water metabolism & the balance of fluids.
Sweda (Sweat): The waste excreted through the skin. It helps regulate body temperature, eliminates excess water and salts, and is linked to the health of the skin.
Concept of Health & Disease in Ayurveda
In Ayurveda, health or Swasthya, which originates from the Sanskrit words Sva (one’s true self) and Stha (to abide or remain). This defines true health as “abiding in one’s innate and natural state of being”— A unique and harmonious equilibrium that integrates body, mind, and spirit in a dynamic, personalized balance.
Balance of Natural Energies (Tridosha): Health is equilibrium of Vata, Pitta & Kapha, the 3 fundamental energies.
Holistic Well-Being: True health is a harmonious state of:
Body does efficient digestion, strong tissues and proper elimination.
Mind a calm, clear and content state. Spirit is a deep sense of inner peace and connection.
Pathogenesis (Samprapti- The Disease Process)
As said earlier, disequilibrium of dosa is the genesis of diseases. The aggravated dosa circulates in the body, reaches and strays at the point of obstruction in channels affecting the tissue therein which is termed as dusya (affected tissue). The involved organ is known as adhisthana (site). Thus the combination of dosa and dusya produces disorder (vyadhi).
Disease occurs due to a six-stage process of imbalance:
Accumulation (Sanchaya): A Dosha begins to accumulate in its home site.
Aggravation (Prakopa): The accumulated Dosha becomes vitiated.
Spread (Prasara): The aggravated Dosha overflows and circulates in the body.
Localization (Sthana Samshraya): The Dosha lodges in a weak tissue (Dushya), creating a site of disease (Adhishana).
Manifestation (Vyaktavastha): Clinical signs and symptoms of the disease become apparent.
Complication/Differentiation (Bhedavasta): The disease becomes chronic and clearly differentiated.
Principles of Therapeutics in Ayurveda
The basic approach of Ayurveda towards the treatment of diseases is to assist nature, which is already doing the best possible for it. Ayurveda believes in nature-cure, e.g. in the event of illness, nature itself takes prompt action to alleviate disorder and to restore health; the role of the physician is only to assist it so that the recovery takes place smoothly and shortly. The object of the physician’s interference is to expedite the elimination of these impurities and to revive the fresh series of normal doshas and tissues. Because of recognising the importance of the role of nature, Ayurvedic treatment emphasises kala (time factor).
Conceptually, Ayurvedic treatment consists of sodhana (purification of the body by eliminating malas) followed by samana (pacification of vitiated dosas). For sodhana, five measures are employed which are collectively known as paricakarana (five measures). They are – Vamana (emesis), Virecna (Purgation), Asthapana (non-unctuous enema), Anuvasana (unctuous enema) and Sirovirecana (head–evacuation or snuffing). It has been modified further by including raktamoksana (blood letting) and combining the two types of enema in one ‘basti’. For samana or dosas, the sadupakramas (six therapeutic measures) described earlier are applied. But if ama dosa is present, it has to be tracked first with digestive measures sodhana is administered.
In the whole process, the strength of the patient has to be maintained. The pathology should go down and the strength of the patient should go up – this should be the aim of the physician.
Pathyapathya plays an important role in Ayurvedic treatment. One should not concentrate on drug therapy only, but should also take a wholesome diet and observe good behaviour, and avoid unwholesome ones as directed by the physician. Therapy has been said as of three types according to the measures applied:
Daivavyapasraya (Propitiatory to gods)
Yuktivyapasraya (Rational medicine)
Sattvavajaya (Psychiatric measures)
