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[[Sutra Sthana]] Chapter 26:

==([[Sutra Sthana]] Chapter 26, Chapter on the Discussions between Atreya and Bhadrakapya)==

 

(Chapter on discussions between Atreya and Bhadrakapya)

The significance of wholesome (hita, pathya) and unwholesome (ahita, apathya) foods was dealt with in the previous chapter (Yajiapurishiya). In this chapter named after Lord Atreya and a renowned sage Bhadrakapya, Certain concepts and pharmacological principles explain the workings of hita and ahita ahara/dravyas. The sages, in the company of other learned exponents (acharyas), assembled to discuss the "correlation between rasa (taste) and diet (ahara)," the gist of which is discussed here. Principles of Ayurvedic pharmacology like rasa (taste), veerya (potency), guna (quality), vipaka (metabolite) and prabhava (specific principle) are discussed to understand the mechanism of action of drugs.  Certain food articles and their combination are incompatible to the body and lead to disease due to their antagonistic properties. These are categorized under viruddha. This concept is described in details in the present chapter.

The significance of wholesome (hita, pathya) and unwholesome (ahita, apathya) foods was dealt with in the previous chapter (Yajiapurishiya). In this chapter named after Lord Atreya and a renowned sage Bhadrakapya, Certain concepts and pharmacological principles explain the workings of hita and ahita ahara/dravyas. The sages, in the company of other learned exponents (acharyas), assembled to discuss the "correlation between rasa (taste) and diet (ahara)," the gist of which is discussed here. Principles of Ayurvedic pharmacology like rasa (taste), veerya (potency), guna (quality), vipaka (metabolite) and prabhava (specific principle) are discussed to understand the mechanism of action of drugs.  Certain food articles and their combination are incompatible to the body and lead to disease due to their antagonistic properties. These are categorized under viruddha. This concept is described in details in the present chapter.

Keywords: Rasa (taste), guna (quality), veerya (energy or potency of active drug molecule), vipaka (metabolite), prabhava (specific principle), mahabhuta, therapeutic value.  

 

Introduction:

'''Keywords''': Rasa (taste), guna (quality), veerya (energy or potency of active drug molecule), vipaka (metabolite), prabhava (specific principle), mahabhuta, therapeutic value.  

 

=== Introduction ===

 

The scope of Ayurveda was envisaged by the acharyas under three key principles: hetujnana (knowledge of etiology), lingajnana (symptomatology) and aushadhajnana (knowledge of therapeutics). Etiology includes the immediate and distant causes of diseases. Symptomatology includes the signs and symptoms of diseases and health. In continuation of the series on anna-pana chatushka (tetrad on dietetics), the present chapter is on understanding the basic principles of Ayurvedic pharmacology (aushadhajnana). Aushadhajnana encompasses materia medica and therapeutics. Dravya (matter), guna (quality), karma (action), samanya (that which results in similarity), vishesha (that which results in exclusivity) and samavaya (inseparable or permanent relationship or concomitance) constitute karana (causes, reasons or means) for achieving good health by restoration of dhatu samyata (equilibrium of dosha, tissue elements).  

The scope of Ayurveda was envisaged by the acharyas under three key principles: hetujnana (knowledge of etiology), lingajnana (symptomatology) and aushadhajnana (knowledge of therapeutics). Etiology includes the immediate and distant causes of diseases. Symptomatology includes the signs and symptoms of diseases and health. In continuation of the series on anna-pana chatushka (tetrad on dietetics), the present chapter is on understanding the basic principles of Ayurvedic pharmacology (aushadhajnana). Aushadhajnana encompasses materia medica and therapeutics. Dravya (matter), guna (quality), karma (action), samanya (that which results in similarity), vishesha (that which results in exclusivity) and samavaya (inseparable or permanent relationship or concomitance) constitute karana (causes, reasons or means) for achieving good health by restoration of dhatu samyata (equilibrium of dosha, tissue elements).  

Dravyas are of three categories - some alleviate doshas, some vitiate dhatus, and some are good for the maintenance of positive health. Dravyas act with the help of their inherent qualities (guna). Dravya acts by its nature or with the help of its inherent qualities. It is emphasized that no medicine should be prescribed for incurable diseases and curable conditions should be treated with bheshaja (medicine) possessing opposite qualities (to those of the conditions being treated), administered with due regard to desha (the area or region where the drugs are produced or collected), matra (appropriate dose) and kala (seasonal variations as well as the age of the patient). The success of the treatment primarily depends on the principles involved in processing and prescribing the drugs that are collectively called paradi gunas (10 general attributes). The key factor responsible for the manifestation of the effect of the drug is referred to as veerya. Veerya is the power that performs karya (work or activity). The site of action of one drug is referred as adhikarana, and bodily components like dosha, dhatu, mala, agni, srotas and mind may be considered as adhisthanas. Upaya indicates the mode of administration and the consequent outcome of the upaya is phalam (which ideally should be the restoration of equilibrium of all the functions of body & mind). About principles of drug action rasa, guna, veerya, vipaka and prabhava are considered to be the prime factors that trigger the drug’s actions. This is referred to as gunaprabhava (literally, effects of the qualities).

Dravyas are of three categories - some alleviate doshas, some vitiate dhatus, and some are good for the maintenance of positive health. Dravyas act with the help of their inherent qualities (guna). Dravya acts by its nature or with the help of its inherent qualities. It is emphasized that no medicine should be prescribed for incurable diseases and curable conditions should be treated with bheshaja (medicine) possessing opposite qualities (to those of the conditions being treated), administered with due regard to desha (the area or region where the drugs are produced or collected), matra (appropriate dose) and kala (seasonal variations as well as the age of the patient). The success of the treatment primarily depends on the principles involved in processing and prescribing the drugs that are collectively called paradi gunas (10 general attributes). The key factor responsible for the manifestation of the effect of the drug is referred to as veerya. Veerya is the power that performs karya (work or activity). The site of action of one drug is referred as adhikarana, and bodily components like dosha, dhatu, mala, agni, srotas and mind may be considered as adhisthanas. Upaya indicates the mode of administration and the consequent outcome of the upaya is phalam (which ideally should be the restoration of equilibrium of all the functions of body & mind). About principles of drug action rasa, guna, veerya, vipaka and prabhava are considered to be the prime factors that trigger the drug’s actions. This is referred to as gunaprabhava (literally, effects of the qualities).

Veerya is either of two gunas (sheeta and ushna) or eight gunas:  guru, snigdha, hima, mridu,  laghu, ruksha, ushna, and tikshana  

Veerya is either of two gunas (sheeta and ushna) or eight gunas:  guru, snigdha, hima, mridu,  laghu, ruksha, ushna, and tikshana  

Vipaka is expressed in the form of either two gunas (guru & laghu), or three rasas (madhura, amla, and katu).  

Vipaka is expressed in the form of either two gunas (guru & laghu), or three rasas (madhura, amla, and katu).  

 

अथात  आत्रेयभद्रकाप्यीयमध्यायं व्याख्यास्यामः||१|| इति ह स्माह भगवानात्रेयः||२||

अथात  आत्रेयभद्रकाप्यीयमध्यायं व्याख्यास्यामः||१|| इति ह स्माह भगवानात्रेयः||२||

athāta ātrēyabhadrakāpyīyamadhyāyaṁ vyākhyāsyāmaḥ||1|| iti ha smāha bhagavānātrēyaḥ||2||  

athāta ātrēyabhadrakāpyīyamadhyāyaṁ vyākhyāsyāmaḥ||1|| iti ha smāha bhagavānātrēyaḥ||2||