ANALYSIS OF AAHARASAKTHI AS ONE AMONG DASAVIDHA · PDF fileANALYSIS OF AAHARASAKTHI AS ONE...

ANALYSIS OF AAHARASAKTHI AS ONE AMONG DASAVIDHAPAREEKSHA

Amrutha.B.L1, Elgeena Varghese2, Prathibha Kulkarni3

1,2 P.G. Scholar, 3 Associate Professor and Head, Department of Shareera KriyaSri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College of Ayurveda & Hospital, Hassan, Karnataka, India

INTRODUCTIONDasa vidha pareeksha is mentioned in

Rogi Pareeksha to assess the Bala of a pa-tient1. The term bala is indicating both Dehaand Dosha balas, the assessment of which isvery important in the contest of planningtreatment. Out of which Aaharasakthi is thefactor which determines the Agnibala of thepatient. Out of the Trividha pareeksha i.eDarsana, Sparshana and Prashna, Aa-harasakthi can be assessed by Prashnapareeksha. Agni is the factor which main-tains the equilibrium of all doshas, dhathusand malas of the body, the derangement ofwhich is the cause of almost all diseases.The Aahara which is ingested is acted uponby the Agni and converts into homogeneousfactors responsible for the nourishment ofthe body entities. No transformation in thebody is possible without the action of Agni.Aahara and its importance: The Aaharawhich is ingested should have certain

qualities for the proper maintenance ofdoshas and dhathus. Our body as well as thediseases is originating from Aahara only2. Itis the main controlling factor regarding thestatus of Agni. Aahara and Aushada dravyascan be classified into guru and laghudepending on their swabhava and samskara.Guru aahara is supposed to be consumedonly in less quantity compared to laghuaahara as they have a tendency to diminishthe digestive power. Quantity of food,whether it is guru or laghu have a major rolein undergoing proper digestion. It should bedetermined according to the Agnibala of aperson3. In Aharavidhi vidhanas4 andAahara vidhi visheshayathananis5 theimportance of proper quantity of food(Matravat Aahara) is being highlighted. Thequantity of food which is not supposed toalter the equilibrium od doshas andundergoing proper digestion at proper timeis considered as Matravat Aahara6.

Review Article International Ayurvedic Medical Journal ISSN:2320 5091

ABSTRACTDasavidha Pareeksha is explained in the context of Rogi Pareeksha. Aahara sakthi is one

among the Dasavidha Pareeksha which is the only factor helps in the determination of the statusof Agni. Determination of status of Jataragni is very important in the further step of treatmentplanning. Status of Agni can be assessed by looking into the quality and quantity of food intakeand how properly it is getting digested in proper time. The Lakshanas of Jeernahara helps inassessing whether the intaken food had undergone proper digestion. Along with Jeernahara Lak-shanas, Mala Pareeksha can also be considered as criteria for the determination of the status ofdigestive power in an individual.

Amrutha.B.L Et:Al: Analysis Of Aaharasakthi As One Among Dasavidha Pareeksha

2227 www.iamj.in IAMJ: Volume 3; Issue 11; November- 2015

Aahara Sakthi: Aahara sakthi is determinedby two factors i.e Abhyavahara Sakthi andJarana Sakthi7.Abhyavaharana Sakthi :- It is nothing butthe quantity of food a person can consumefor a specific meal. Abhyavaharana Sakthivaries from person to person and is deter-mined or influenced by certain factors likePrakruthi and type of aahara consumed.Prakruthi is the innate characteristics of anindividual. Evidently a Pitta prakruthi per-son should consume more food compared toa Vata or Kapha prakruthi person due to theTeekshna and Ushna gunas of Pitta dosha.A Kapha prakuthi person is explained toconsume only less quantity of food anddrinks. So Abhyavahara Sakthi is any quan-tity of food consumed and undergoingSamyak jarana in proper time. The time pe-riod required for proper quantity food to getdigested is considered as 4 yama and that foraushada is 2 yama8. In classics humans areinstructed to have food only two times i.e inmorning and evening. Having food in be-tween is strictly prohibited . But now-a-dayswe are having food 3-4 times a day.Jarana Sakthi :- Capacity for digestion is thesecond factor which determines the Aaharasakthi. It mainly depends on the factor Agniof a person. According to Anumana pra-mana Agni bala of a person can be assessedby the power of digestion9 i.e Jarana Sakthi.Agni, which is an purely an objective factor,cannot be assessed from outside. So in orderto assess the Agni one should consider howproperly timely digestion of ingested foodtakes place.Jeernahara lakshanas:- They are the signsand symptoms from which one should inferthe proper and timely digestion of food.

There are references for Jeernahara Lak-shana10 in many classics. They can bebroadly classified into Sareerika and Mana-sika. Sareerika(physical) signs include Ud-gara sudhi (pure belching), yadhochitavegotsarga (timely elimination of malas)and Swasta vrithanuvriti (continuation ofbeing healthy). Manasika(mental) signs in-clude Utsaha (cheerfulness). Symptomswhich can be elicited by a physician in-cludes Sareerika (physical) i.e eructation ofthree stages of Avastha paka, absence ofDaha in chest and stomach, lightness ofwork, feeling of appetite, aptitude to work,sturdiness etc. Manasika (mental) symptomsinclude Vishudha (sense of cleanliness),Visada (clearness of mind), Sukha (pleas-ure), Kanksha (desire for food) and Pipasa(thirst).Factors Affecting The Status Of Agni (Jarana sakthi ):- The status of Agni is de-termined by certain factors like Prakruthi,Rtu and Vaya.Prakruthi and Agni (Jarana Sakhi):- InVata prakruthi individuals due to the influ-ence of Vata dosha in Agni adhishtana thestatus of Agni will be mostly Vishama11. InPitta prakruthi individuals, due to theTheekshna and Ushna gunas of Pitta thestatus of Agni will be Theekshna11 and inKapha Prakruthi persons due to the influ-ence of Kapha dosha the status of Agni willbe Manda11. But according to the TaraTama bhava of the gunas of doshas recidingin koshta, the status of Agni may vary.Prakruthi and Rtu :- Six seasons are

broadly divided into Adana and VisargaKalas. Sisira, Vasantha and Greeshma rtusare included under Adana kala. DuringAdana Kala there is predominance of Ag-



neya gunas due to the influence of sun12. Sothere will be increase in Agni bala. Varsha,Sarat and Hemantha rtus come underVisarga kala where the influence of moon isbelieved to be more. So there will be in-crease in soumya gunas thereby decrease inthe status of Agni13.Prakruthi and Vaya :- In Bala and Vridhaavastha the status of Agni is Manda whereasin Yauvana, Agnibala will be Pravara orTheekshna13.Type of Aahara and Status of Agni:- Guruaahara is having an adverse effect on thestatus of Agni i.e by nature guru Aaharas aresuppressors of appetite14. Laghu aahara bynature are considered as stimulants of appe-tite15.MALA PAREEKSHA: Mala pareeksha isone among the Astasthana Pareekshas. Animportant criteria of normal digestion isrelated to the nature of fecal matter or Malavoided by an individual. The parameters tobe observed during Malapareeksha are time,

number and quantity of motions, Akriti orappearance of stool, Samhatatva orconsistency, Colour and Gandha or smell ofPurisha.Jala Pareeksha of Pureesha :- When thesample of pureesha is taken in a bowl ofclean water and see whether it sinks or float.If it sinks we can infer that Aahara pachahas satisfactorily taken place in AdhoAmashaya. Sinking also indicates adequatewater absorption has taken place in the Pak-vashaya. If feces combined with dosas sinksdown in water, has excessive foul smell andis passed out frequently in profuse quantityis known as Ama (immature) which is anindicator of Jataragni Mandhya16. So thefunctional ability or status of both Pak-

vashaya and Adho Amashaya are inferredfrom the examination of Mala. So properlyformed Pureesha expelled in proper timeand quantity is a lakshana of properly func-tioning Jataragni.

DISCUSSIONAgni which is an unique concept of Ayur-

veda is the factor which is responsible forthe transformation of ingested food intoSaara and Kitta. In modern science Agni canbe correlated to the enzymes secreted byvarious digestive glands in the GI tract incase of convertion of food into feces afterundergoing proper digestion. Agni is respon-sible for nourishment of all the body com-ponents in its state of equilibrium. Ham-pered Agni in turn will cause the destructionof body entities. Being a subjective param-eter it can be assessed only from outsidelooking into various signs and symptoms.Aaharasakthi is the factor mentioned byAcaryas in classics for the determination ofthe status of Agni in case of examination ofa Rogi. Agni plays an important role in de-termining the Sadhyasaadhyatha of the rogaand further steps in the process of treatmentplanning. Considering the quality and quan-tity of Abhyavaharana (ingestion) and Ja-rana (digestion) which are the two factorswhich determines how properly digestion istaking place in the intestine, the efficiencyof digestive power in an individual can beassessed. As Mala is the only end product ofdigestion which we can examine with oureyes (i.e Prathyaksha pramana), it can alsobe considered as a criteria which aids in de-termining the Agnibala.CONCLUSION



Aahara Sakthi is one among the Dasavidapareeksha meant to analyze the Agnibala ofa patient. Out of Abhyavaharana and Jaranasakthi, the major factor determining the Ag-nibala is the Jaranasakthi. Aaharasakthi ofa person varies according to various factorslike Prakruti, Rtu, Vaya, type and Matra ofAahara, Vihara etc. Preservation of Ag-nibala is essential for maintaining Swasthya.Proper formation and expulsion of Mala canalso be considered as criteria in assessingthe status of Jaranasakthi. Only after as-sessing the Aaharashakti further treatmentcan be planned in a Rogi.REFERENCES1. Yadavji T.Vimana Sthana Chapter 8

verse 94. Charaka Samhita with Ayur-veda Dipika Commentary. Reprint edi-tion.Varanasi: Chaukhamba Orien-talia;2013.p.276

2. Yadavji T.Suthra Sthana Chapter 28verse 45. Charaka Samhita with Ayur-veda Dipika Commentary. Reprint edi-tion.Varanasi: Chaukhamba Orien-talia;2013.p.181

3. Yadavji T.Vimana Sthana Chapter 5verse 3. Charaka Samhita with AyurvedaDipika Commentary. Reprint edi-tion.Varanasi: Chaukhamba Orien-talia;2013.p.36

4. Yadavji T.Vimana Sthana Chapter 1verse 24. Charaka Samhita with Ayur-veda Dipika Commentary. Reprint edi-tion.Varanasi: Chaukhamba Orien-talia;2013.p.236


6. Yadavji T.Suthra Sthana Chapter 5 verse4. Charaka Samhita with AyurvedaDipika Commentary. Reprint edi-tion.Varanasi: Chaukhamba Orien-talia;2013.p.36


8. Murthy SKR. Sutra Sthana Chapter 11verse 37.Ashtanga Samgraha ofVagbhata.3rd edi-tion.Varanasi:Chaukhamba Orien-talia;2000.p.255

9. Yadavji T.Vimana Sthana Chapter 4verse 8. Charaka Samhita with AyurvedaDipika Commentary. Reprint edi-tion.Varanasi: Chaukhamba Orien-talia;2013.p.248

10. Murthy SKR. Sutra Sthana Chapter 11verse 37.Ashtanga Samgraha ofVagbhata.3rd edi-tion.Varanasi:Chaukhamba Orien-talia;2000.p.257








16. Yadavji T. Uttara Sthana Chapter 40verse 17. Susrutha Samhita with Ni-bandhasangraha commentary ofDalhana.reprint edition. Vara-

nasi:Chaukhamba SanskritSansthan;2013.p.698

CORRESPONDING AUTHORDr. Amrutha. B. LP.G.Scholar, Department of Shareera KriyaSri Dharmasthala ManjunatheshwaraCollege of Ayurveda & Hospital, Hassan,Karnataka, India

Source of support: NilConflict of interest: None Declared

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