Dravya

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The term ‘dravya’ means matter, substance, or anything with a quality and activity. Dravya is an entity with an inseparable relationship (samavaya) with the attributes of quality and action. (SAT-A.176)[1] Among the six categories (shatpadartha), dravya is essential to understand the existence of the other five categories. Dravya is the basis of any clinical studies as a drug or formulation. It is a cause (karana) behind the effect (karya) as per the cause-and-effect theory (karya-karana bhava).

In contemporary science, dravya is considered a substratum, matter, or substance. A substratum is the underlying support or foundation. It is a substance that is a permanent subject of qualities or phenomena. It is the material from which something is made and derives its special qualities. It is matter or substance that has mass and occupies space.

The universe has countless dravya with multimodal properties. Permutation and combination of dravya and its properties leads to infinite numbers of effects. It becomes challenging to study them separately and to practice them individually. So, dravya are classified in different ways for easy understanding of the dravya for its application in therapeutics.

Dravya
Section/Chapter/topic Concepts / Dravya
Authors Bhojani M.K.1, Durga Rani1, Tanwar Ankur kumar1
Reviewers T.Saketh Ram2, Basisht G.3, Khandel S.K.4
Editor Deole Y.S.5
Affiliations

1 Department of Kriya Sharira, A.I.I.A. , New Delhi, India

2National Institute of Indian Medical Heritage, C.C.R.A.S. Hyderabad, India

3 Rheumatologist, Orlando, Florida, U.S.A. 4Arogyalaxmi Ayurveda Consultancy, Jaipur, India

5 Department of Kayachikitsa, G.J.Patel Institute of Ayurvedic Studies and Research, New Vallabhvidya Nagar, Anand, Gujarat, India
Correspondence email meera.samhita@aiia.gov.in, carakasamhita@gmail.com
Publisher Charak Samhita Research, Training and Development Centre, I.T.R.A., Jamnagar, India
Date of first publication: June 30, 2022
DOI In process

Etymology & derivation

The Sanskrit word ‘dravya’ is derived from ‘dru-gatau’ dhatu (verb) having ‘yat’ pratyaya (suffix). It means anything which has movement and attainment or which changes to resultant.

Synonyms

Vitta, dhana, vasu, sadhana, grantha, drug, elementary substance, wealth, properties, modesty, medication or anything used in medicine.

Definition

Dravya is the substratum that shelters quality (guna) and action (karma) in an inseparable relationship (samavayisambandha) with each other. [Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 1/51] [Vai.Da.1/4]Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many [Su.Sa.Sutra Sthana 40/3][2]

Panchabhautikatva of dravya

All dravyas have a specific composition of panchamahabhuta with an appropriate combination and separation (samyoga and vibhaga). There is a dominance of a particular mahabhuta. This defines them as akashiya (akasha dominant), vayavya (vayu dominant), agneya (agni dominant), apya (apa dominant) and parthiva (prithvi dominant).[Vai. Da. 1/5]Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many

Importance of dravya

The importance of dravya is described through multiple assumptions. No transformation (paka) can occur without potency (virya); no potency (virya) without tastes (rasa) and no tastes (rasa) without dravya. Thus, dravya is the substratum of all the padartha like, rasa, guna etc. The seven padartha are responsible for actions (karma) that reside in the dravya. They do not have independent existence without dravya. Therefore, dravya is most important in all padartha.

Guna residing in a dravya is like soul living in a body. The body gives shelter to soul and manifests its various desires and qualities. Dravya gives support to rasa and guna, and manifests its actions or effects. Hence, the dravya is considered as prime (pradhana) in all padartha.[Su. Sa. Sutra Sthana 40/3][2]

The reasons for the importance of dravya are described below. [Su. Sa. Sutra Sthana 40/3][2]

  1. Specific stability (vyavasthitatva): Dravya is fixed & stable. But the rasas are not stable and can change. e.g. The rasa of an unripe fruit may not be observed in the ripe one due to physiochemical changes concerning time. Whereas the drug or dravya remains the same.
  2. Eternity (nityatva): The dravya is eternal due to its constant nature. While properties may be changed to different forms like paste or decoction, cold and hot infusion. It means, in various preparations, the drug is the same but other properties are inconstant. Therefore, dravya is considered to be of primary importance.
  3. Geno-specificity (svajatyavasthanatva): The substance belonging to a group remains the same. It will not change to another. Drugs in prithvi mahabhuta remain as parthiva and do not become apya or any other.
  4. Perceived through all the senses (panchendriyagrahyatva): Dravya is perceptible through all the sense organs. However, the rasa and guna cannot be assessed by all the sense organs. The rasa is only perceived by gustatory sense, and more than one sense can assess guna.
  5. Abode (ashrayatva): Dravya gives shelter to the five padartha i.e. rasa, guna, veerya, vipaka, and prabhava.
  6. Initiation of treatment (arambhasamarthya): Dravya is selected for treatment procedures. Dravya is considered for initiation of a specific pharmacological action used in treatment.
  7. Classical reference (shashtrapramanya): Ancient classical literature described the properties and actions of different dravya and their utilities in therapeutics. Even though the properties are responsible for depletion or increase of dosha, properties are not directly indicated for treatment.
  8. Degree of the maturity of drug and qualities (karmaapeksitatva): Rasadi constituents of dravya depend on dravya itself. In an immature state, constituents residing in the dravya are also immature. As the dravya matures, the rasadi constituents change to acquire the mature state.
  9. Utility or fractionalization (ekdeshasadhyatva): A different part of dravya can be used for treatment, while rasadi cannot be used partly. E.g. latex of Euphorbia nerifolia L. (snuhi) can be used in many diseases, but its rasa cannot be.
  10. No-grading (taratamayoganupalabdhi): Gradation of properties (tara tamayoga) is only seen in rasa and guna (like madhuratara, madhuratama and laghutara and laghutama grading according to mild, moderate and severe). This kind of grading is not possible with dravya. So, the constituents may vary in nature. Dravya remains stable, therefore, dravya is important.
  11. Possibility of various formulations (vikalpa samarthya): Dravya can be utilized in multiple formulations like paste, decoctions, juice, powder, etc. But the rasa , guna cannot be used in this manner.
  12. Occupying the space (pratighata samarthya): Among all the constituents, dravya is the only one that possesses some definite form, shape, and structure, and occupies the space while others do not. Hence dravya is stated to be superior.

Classification

Two fold classification: Karana dravya and karya dravya [Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 1/48]

Karana dravya

Karana dravyas are the causative factors that are responsible for all results.[Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 1/48] There are nine karana dravyas described by Charak, Sushruta, Nyaya, Vaisheshik darshan for any creation (karyautpatti). They are - Akasha, vayu, agni, jala, prithvi, atma, manas, kala, and disha.

Karya dravya

All karya dravya in the universe is the result of karana dravya.[Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 26/20] Karana dravya is the causative factor behind any action, whether visible or not visible. Karya dravya has its further classification.

Chetana dravya (living or with consciousness): All living substances with sense organs show visible internal and external activities categorized under chetana dravyas.[Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 1/48] [Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 26/10]

a) Antaschetana (plant kingdom): Antaschetana are those substances that only have internal consciousness and activity. They are devoid of sense organs. They were classified into four groups- [Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 1/72] [Su.Sa.Sutra Sthana 1/29]

  • Vanaspati: Trees that bear fruit without having a flower come under vanaspati. e.g. Ficus bengalensis (vata) and Ficus racemosa (udumbara) etc.
  • Vanaspatya: Trees that have fruits and flowers are called vanaspatya or vriksha. e.g. Amra and Jamuna.
  • Virudha: Those plants whose branches twine and crawl around the tree or any other objects come under virudha. It has two types- lata and gulma (climbers and shrubs). e.g. Guduchi.
  • Aushadha: Plants that perish after yielding their mature fruits are called aushadha. e.g. wheat, pulses and rice.

b) Bahischetana (jangam dravya or animal kingdom): They are substances with internal and external consciousness and activity with all the sense organs.[Su.Sa.Sutra Sthana 1/30][2]

They are further classified into four groups

  1. Jarayuja: Living beings that take birth from the placenta e.g. Human and Mammals.
  2. Andaja: Those who reproduce through the eggs. e.g. Birds.
  3. Swedaja: They take birth from sweat or moisture. e.g. Yuka, Likha, Krimi.
  4. Udbhija: Creatures that come out of earth or soil. e.g. Indragopa (earthworm) & Manduka (frog).


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References

  1. ↑ National AYUSH Morbidity and Standardized Terminologies Electronic Portal by Ministry of AYUSH Available on http://namstp.ayush.gov.in/#/Ayurveda
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Sushruta. Sushruta Samhita. Edited by Jadavaji Trikamji Aacharya. 8th ed. Varanasi: Chaukhambha Orientalia;2005.
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