Vata Dosha Notes
Vata Dosha Notes
Dr Thejaswini R
Associate Professor
Department Of
Kriya Shareera
AMC, RC &H
Bengaluru
Table of Contents
Vyutpatti (derivation).
Nirukti (etymology) of the term Vata.
General locations.
General properties.
General functions of Vata.
5 types of Vata (Prana, Udana,Samana, Vyana, Apana).
Specific locations, specific properties, and specific functions of Pancha
Vata.
Introduction
Vata dosha has special importance amongst the tridosha, as it is the governing
and principal force in the human body.
Vata is responsible for movement, communication, transportation, respiration,
circulation, elimination, perception of senses, thinking etc.
Without normal functioning of Vata; pitta, kapha, dhatu & mala are considered
lame (pangu), because they function in accordance with the movement of vata,
just as the clouds are been carried by the wind.
In Ayurveda it can be analysed that all functions of nervous system in the
human body are represented by Vata dosha.
‘ ’ +‘ ’ =
Where ‘ ’ refers to :
‘ ’ ॥Su Su 21/5॥
means : -knowledge, म - movement , -perception
means : – enthusiasm / all that initiates any kind
of movement.
Thus, vata is the factor which brings about all kinds of movement &
perception in the human body.
चल
ल
पवन
न
॥Ah Sa Su 20/1॥
Vayu + Akasha mahabhuta = Vata Dosha
Describe Guna And General Locations Of Vata Dosha.
According to Charaka :
According to Sushruta :
ल ल ॥Su Su 42/7॥
-
-
ल -
-
– blocking
Vata functions in dual & opposite manner, depending upon its union with
dosha. If vata combines with dosha having ushna guna, it affects the ushna in
the shareera though it is having sheetha guna.
When it combines with sheeta it cools down the body.
As per Vagbhatta:
िक्ववशयकटीसन्तिश्रोत्रवन्तथर्स्पशानेन्तियम् |
थर्वनं ववतस्य, तत्रवपि िक्ववधवनं पवशेषतः ||Ah Hr Su 12/1||
– large intstine
– lumbo scarum / low back region
सन्ति – lower limbs
श्रोत्र – ears
– bones
स्पशानेन्तिय – skin
तद्यर्व-
बन्ततः िु रीषवधवनं कपटः सन्तिनी िवदववथर्ीपन िक्ववशयश्च ववतथर्वनवपन, त
त्रवपि िक्ववशयो पवशेषेण ववतथर्वनं ||Cha Su 20/8||
बन्ततः - urinary bladder
िु रीषवधवनं - rectum
कपटः - lumbo sacral / low back
सन्तिनी - thighs
िवद – legs
स् – bones
िक्ववशयश्च - large intestine
िक्ववशयो is the special seat of vata
As per Sushruta:
According to Vagbhatta :
तं चलः |
उत्सविो,च्छ्ववस, पनश्ववस, चेष्टव, वेगप्रवता नैः ||१||
सम्यग्गत्यव च धवतू नवम, क्षवणवं िवटवेन च|
अनुगृह्णवत्यपवकृतः ||Ah Su 11/1,2||
उत्सवि – enthusiasm
च्छ्ववस - expiration
पनश्ववस - inspiration
चेष्टव – movement
वेगप्रवता न – initiation of natural urges
According to Charaka :
According to Sushruta :
Pancha Vata
प्रवणोदवनसमवनवख्यव्यवनविवनैः स िञ्चधव |
दे िं तन्त्रयते सम्यक् थर्वनेष्वव्यवितश्चरन् | |Ch Chi 28/5||
Prana, udana, samana, vyana & apana are the 5 types of vata
च ॥Ah Su 12/ ॥
प्रवणोऽत्र मूधागः |
उरः कण्ठचरो बुन्तिहृदयेन्तियपचत्तधृ क् ||
ष्ठीवनक्षवर्ूद्गवरपनः श्ववसवन्नप्रवेशकृत् | |Ah Su 12/4,5||
Sthana – मूधा
Sanchara sthana - उरः कण्ठ पजह्ववस्यनवपसकवः
Karma – ष्ठीवन,क्षवर्ू,द्गवर,श्ववसव,िवरवपद
Sthana – , , ,
Karma – maintains proper functions of the अन्त ( )
4. VyanaVata : Sthana, Sanchara Sthana, Karma :
9 VATA DOSHA | DR THEJASWINI R , DEPT OF KRIYA SHAREERA, AMC
व्यवनो हृपद न्तथर्तः कृत्स्नदे िचवरी मिवजवः |
गत्यिक्षेिणोत्क्षेिपनमेषोन्मेषणवपदकवः |
प्रवयः सववाः पियवतन्तस्मन् प्रपतबिवः शरीररणवम् | |Ah Su 12/6,7||
Sthana – हृपद न्तथर्तः (heart )
Sanchara Sthana – कृत्स्नदे िचवरी मिवजवः (all over the body)
Karma – (movement), (downward movement/relaxation),
(upward movement / contraction), म (closure of eyelids), म
(opening of the eyelids), controls almost all the activities of the human
body.
अिवनोऽिवनगः श्रोपणबन्ततमेढरोरुगोचरः |
शुिवता वशकृन्मूत्रगभापनष्क्रमणपियः | |Ah Su 12/5||
Introduction :
Respiration is a vital physiological process necessary for the existence of life ,it
begins from the time of birth until the death.
We find references about the process of respiration in Yajurveda, where air is
referred to prana & apaane (udana vata ) which enters & moves out through the
nasika respectively.
In Ayurveda, physiology of respiration / Shwasana Prakriya is explained
by Acharya Sharangadhara in Sharagadhara Samhita, Purva khanda
5/48,49.
Interpretation
Nabhi –
In intrauterine life it is through this umbilicus that baby is attached by umbilical
chord to placenta of mother and receives food as well as oxygen supply through
maternal blood.
As per Ayurveda nabhi is the point of origin of all the siras (veins/blood
vessels), but in to modern physiology we witness that site of origin and end of
blood vessels is heart. In Ayurveda there are many instances where, nabhi and
hrudaya are used as synonyms. Hence we can consider nabhi as heart in this
context.
Prana Vayu –
Under of types of vata it was discussed that prana vayu is located in murdha
pradesha and travels in urah and kantha.
But in this context, prana vayu is said to travel from nabhi towards upwards.
Thus it cannot be the same prana vayu explained under the types of pancha vata
. This could be interpreted as :
Respiration during the fetal life.
Phenomenon of breathing i.e. Inspiration of oxygen and expiration of
carbon di oxide.
12 VATA DOSHA | DR THEJASWINI R , DEPT OF KRIYA SHAREERA, AMC
Hrudkamalantaram :
Hrit / hrudaya describes heart.
It also describes the other organs related to hrudaya i.e. Phupphusa.
Hrudaya is said to be in the shape of ‘kamala mukula’(inverted bud of lotus),
this is because heart expands and contracts like the bud of the lotus opens in the
day and closes in the evening.
Similar to hrudaya, even the phupphusa also contracts and relaxes in the process
with each act of breathing.
Hence in this instance hrudkamalantara can be understood for phupphusa also.
The prana pavana(CO2) located in nabhi(right ventricle of the heart carrying
deoxygenated blood), touches / enters the hrit kamalantara (lungs).
To conclude the first 2 lines of the shloka indicates the primary respiratory
process and the rest of the shloka indicates the cellular metabolism.
Rate of Respiration
Acharya Shatapatha Brahmana has described the number of respiration in 24hrs as below :
13 VATA DOSHA | DR THEJASWINI R , DEPT OF KRIYA SHAREERA, AMC
, , ।
, म च ॥
- 100
न – 100* 100 = 10,000
न = total no of prana & apana in 24 hours will be
10,800 – prana / inspiration
10,800 – apana/ expiration
10,800 + 10,800 = 21600
21600 /24 = 900 per hour
1 hour = 60mins
900 / 60 = 15
1min = 15 times
Thus average normal respiratory rate per min = 15 breaths.
Introduction :
Speech is considered as one of the highest function of brain and is defined as
the expression of thoughts by production of articulate sound, bearing a definite
meaning.
It is a multiphase phenomenon and is an outcome of combined effort of acoustic
signals, articulatory system and the muscles attached to respective organs along
with nervous assistance.
In Ayurveda it is stated that when Vayu circulates in, the shabdhavahi dhamani
through which sound or words are produced with the help of Udana vata.
Sthana of udana vata is uras, it circulates from Nabhi to Nasa. This, shows the
connection between Shirah Pradesh and Urah Pradesh with respect to the
Shabda Nirmana.
If we analyse the function takes place in the oral cavity , vaagindriya/ tongue
which is a karmendriya.
Tongue is a broad muscular organ situated in the oral cavity. The pointed part of
the tongue touches various parts of the mouth like teeth, lips, cheeks and
produces different types of words and sounds.
Swaravaha srotas :
Acharya Sushruta, while describing swara behda has mentioned swaravaha
srotas and in Madhukosha tika of Madhavanidana we get referces of 4 swara
vaha srotas.
Vayu through dhamani stimulates swaravaha srotas and jihwa for the production
of speech.
Akasha mahabhoota plays a significant role.
Classification of Shabdha :
I. Based on Cause of Production of shabdha.
a) Samyogaja Shabda- it is produced by conjunction of two things like stick or
hands with drum. Eg - Clapping
b) Vibhagaja Shabda- it is produced by separating of two things. Eg- tearing of
paper or splitting of bamboo-stick.
c) Shabdaja Shabda- Speech/ talk of a person.
Vriddhi Lakshana :