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<p style="text-align:justify;">'''d. Anumana pariksha (knowledge by inference)''' to determine normalcy of faculties of manas (mind) [Cha.Sa. Vimana Sthana 4/8] Since manas is atindriya ( supersence or imperceivable by ordinary senses), so are it’s faculties which can serve as potential markers for assessment of its functions. [10] The proper functioning of manas itself is inferred by altered or inappropriate mental perceptions even in presence of appropriately functioning indriya (senses) and their respective sense objects whereas the mental faculties can be inferred as follows:-</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">'''d. Anumana pariksha (knowledge by inference)''' to determine normalcy of faculties of manas (mind) [Cha.Sa. Vimana Sthana 4/8] Since manas is atindriya ( supersence or imperceivable by ordinary senses), so are it’s faculties which can serve as potential markers for assessment of its functions. [10] The proper functioning of manas itself is inferred by altered or inappropriate mental perceptions even in presence of appropriately functioning indriya (senses) and their respective sense objects whereas the mental faculties can be inferred as follows:-</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">This inferential knowledge can help an individual become self-aware of his own psyche (sattva). A self-aware individual has an upper hand at avoiding mental illness because these often go unnoticed until they develop some organic manifestations.
<br/>Thus, by means of above discussed assessment methodologies, a physician can assess the degree of derangement in mental faculties and hence the manovaha srotas, irrespective of development of specific signs and symptoms of any psychiatric disorder (vyadhi lakshana).</p>
==Treatment Guidelines==
<p style="text-align:justify;">Manovaha srotas disorders follow the line of treatment same as described for disorders of manas (mind). Following are therapeutic and preventive practices beneficial for both vitiated manovaha srotas (channels of psyche) and manas obscured by rajas - tamas dosha.</p>
'''*'''Manas dosha can be alleviated through a comprehensive five-fold psychotherapeutic regimen - jnana (spiritual knowledge or self-awareness), vijnana (scriptural or scientific knowledge), dhairya (mental fortitude), smriti (recollection of past successes to regain faith in own abilities) and samadhi (spiritual healing practices to focus mind inwards away from negative external stimuli). [Cha.Sa. Sutra Sthana 1/58]
Restoration of dhi (intellect), dhairya (mental fortitude) and atmadi vijnana (knowledge of self-consciousness) has therapeutic effect in alleviating disorders of manovaha srotas obstructed by manas dosha.
'''*Sattvavajaya chikitsa (treatment to regulate mind)'''
Sattvavajaya chikitsa is a non-invasive therapeutic module for psychological derangements and psychosomatic ailments, analogous to contemporary psychotherapy. ‘Sattva’ stands for mind and ‘avajaya’ translates to win over. Hence, it emphasizes withdrawing the mind from unwholesome objects of senses (factors vitiating rajas and tamas) and diverting it to positive sensory and emotional stimuli. Thereby consciously negating disturbed emotions and behavioural patterns. [Cha.Sa. Sutra Sthana 11/54]
'''*Ashtanga yoga (eight steps of yoga)'''
<p style="text-align:justify;">Ashtanga yoga can be considered as one of the dimensions of satvavajaya chikitsa. It integrates eight steps of yoga to tame mind from traversing paths in life which are spiritually and mentally harmful for that individual. Of the eight steps, first four viz. yama (principles for moral code), niyama (observances for personal discipline), asana (yogic postures) and pranayama (regulating breath) are termed as bahiranga yoga (external path). These practices gradually alleviate aggravated manas dosha, making the mind less reactive towards external stimuli. The last three limbs viz. dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (enlightenment or complete realisation) are termed as antaranga yoga (internal paths). These practices transform the mind, eliminating the fluctuations of mind, thereby strengthening positive habits and outlook on life as well as inner self. Ashtanga yoga maintains a harmonious balance between inner environment (mind and spirit) and external environment (objects of sensory perception). Mind thus gets liberated from worldly pursuits and all psychological sufferings in a stepwise manner.</p>
'''*Achara rasayana (rejuvenating codes of behavioural conduct)'''
<p style="text-align:justify;">Achara rasayana is an adravyabhuta (non-pharmacological) rasayana (practices rejuvenating physical and mental health). It includes behavioural conducts which aim to enhance health and longevity by teaching practical methods to potentiate sattva guna of mind. [Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 1, 4th pada, shloka 30-35] An individual can imbibe easy lifestyle modifications to develop a positive and strong character of mind, thereby avoiding potential etiological factors (for dosha aggravation) and negative psychosocial patterns. Achara rasayana can be divided into five domains of good mental, social, personal, moral and religious conduct. [6]</p>
'''*Sadvritta (good codes of conduct)'''
<p style="text-align:justify;">Sadvritta refers to good code of conduct. These are a set of practices, which serve as lifestyle guidelines to prevent mind from falling prey to temporary material pleasures and impulsive thoughts and actions that cause impairment of manas dosha and manovaha srotas. It encompasses guidelines over personal hygiene, personality development as well as for social hygiene and peaceful social interactions. [Cha.Sa. Sutra Sthana 8/18]</p>
Both achara rasayana and sadvritta help to maintain control over sense organs. They majorly add to the preventive and promotive aspect of mental health.
'''*Medhya dravya (medicines enhancing intellectual functions)'''
<p style="text-align:justify;">Medhya dravyas are the plant based pharmacological agents that promote prajna i.e., dhi (intellect), dhriti (perseverance) and smriti (memory). Researches conducted prove their efficacy in minimizing the cognitive decline among individuals with neural abnormalities. For example, ushna (hot potency) and tikshna nature drugs like jyotishmati and vacha are said to remove blockages caused by kapha, ama or tamas dosha in the manovaha srotas. Once purified, manas can regain unvitiated connect with indriya via manovaha srotas. [8]
<br/>Ayurveda thus provides a bird’s eye view over different aspects of manovaha srotas through interconnected references in the classics highlighting its physiological importance like the other thirteen major srotas systems in the human body.</p>
==Contemporary view==
<p style="text-align:justify;">Mind as per contemporary literature is debatable concept because in some contexts it is identified as conscience, while in others it is seen as the function of conscience. The philosophical dimension of mind was conceived by Plato who considered mind as an inner (soul’s) experience. [11]
<br/>The western system of medicine addresses brain at the core of majority of psychological distresses, whereas western philosophy involves the concept of psyche (which denotes mind). ‘Psyche’ is a Greek word meaning ‘soul in a living man’.
<br/>William James, referred to as the father of American Psychology, laid the foundations of physiological aspect of mind. To him mind was a function of brain which conducts mental life in the form of a constant stream of consciousness.[9] At some places he too admitted mind to bear consciousness and tried to assign attributes to consciousness as a separate psychological function thus formulating the Theory of Functionalism which established causal relationship between internal states (perception) and external reactions or behaviour (sensation). He concluded that repeated actions cause adaptive changes in nervous system. This is the fundamental ideology behind the concept of Neuroplasticity – i.e. adaptive structural and functional changes in brain by development of new neuronal pathways due to intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli. [12]
<br/>James’ counterpart Titchener, an English Psychologist, proposed that consciousness is mind’s awareness of its own functions. Consciousness is something superior to mind itself. He formulated the Theory of Structuralism which aimed at analysing the interrelationship between mental experiences, feelings, and sensations. He used introspection as a tool to break down these complex phenomena of consciousness down to their basic elements without breaking their original structure.
<br/>Mind is hence regarded as the cumulative effect of all mental processes that have occurred in the lifetime while the consciousness can be understood as the cumulative effect of all mental processes occurring in present moment. Eventually brain was somehow regarded to control the neural activity responsible for accumulating all this sensory data.
<br/>Many theories were formulated and overruled by their successors with time. Today the concept of mind and consciousness remains yet to be clearly defined. It is observed that mind is often identified as consciousness and they both are accepted as individual closely linked entities. Mind bears synonymity towards consciousness, spirit, and psyche. Some theories view both mind and consciousness as spirit. But mind is invariably understood as the interaction between psychological personality and the external environment, i.e., a subject – object relationship.
<br/>The neurophysiological basis of minds and the channels of transport of its constituents is yet a challenge in field of neuroscience. In order to bridge this gap, contemporary scientists hypothesise that mental representations and their contents are represented by neural network and their supporting cells thus hinting towards Central Nervous System and it’s peripheral nerves as the channels of mind. [13]</p>
==Research works on manovaha srotas==
Various review articles have been published and researches been carried out in the domain of Ayurveda to understand the conceptual as well as pathophysiological aspect of manovaha srotas. Few of them are as follows :-
'''# Critical Review of Concept of manovaha Srotas with special reference to Brain'''
This review article conceptualizes the contemporary understanding of manovaha srotas in context to CNS due to functional similarity between manas and brain obtained after an extensive research and analysis throughout ayurveda treatises. Further brain was considered as synonymous to hridya ie. mulasthana (site of origin) of manovaha srotas and ‘dasha dhamani’ as the cranial nerves exiting from the 10 major foramen at base of skull. Sanskrit literature considers hridaya as regarded as a central organ similar to brain. 14
'''# Circumstantial view on clinical knowing of manovaha srotasa & its physiology'''
The review article reconstructs a comprehensive picture of manovaha srotas from the scattered references available in Ayurveda texts, supplementing it with additional information from contemporary science as follows-
'''*'''A detailed description of neuroanatomy and physiology has been drawn parallel to Ayurveda point of view about manas’ rachna and kriya sharir.
'''*'''Effect of Triguna and tridosha (especially vata) in context of physiological functions and disorders of manas and manovaha srotas have been discussed.
'''*'''Correlations between functions of five subtypes of vata and both CNS and ANS has been attempted Pariksha krama (examination of nervous system) has been exemplified taking into consideration both Ayurveda and modern methodologies that can be employed for manovaha srotas (nervous system) examination.10
'''*'''Concept of stress factor assessment concerning ‘perseverance test’ in light of ayurveda” – a review This article highlights the importance of understanding the etiological factors of vitiation of manovaha srotas and manas in all kinds of psychiatric as well as psychosomatic disorders. Imbalance of manas dosha can be treated by means of yoga, meditation and pranayama. Often emotional disturbances remain unattended in diagnosed cases of psychiatric illness which can be managed at home by incorporating wholesome diet (pathya ahara) and moral code of conduct (sadvrutta) in daily routine. Lack of peace and chronic stressors have been observed as major causes of vitiation of channels of mind. 15
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