It means causative factor. The broad meaning of Nidana includes diagnosis and knowledge of disease. The section Nidana Sthana deals with knowledge of disease in detail.

Synonyms

  • Hetu - purpose ,reason, intention
  • nimitta-shakuna(omen or prognostic), instrumental or efficient cause, target, indication
  • ayatana-means the site which provide shelter.
  • karta -perpetrator; that which act as cause of disease
  • karana-fundamental cause
  • pratyaya-cause used in terms of faith also
  • samutthana- the origin of disease

Types

Nidana is of three types:

  1. Asatmyendriyarthasamyoga (unsuitable contact of sense organs with their objects)
  2. Pragyaparadha (intellectual errors or knowingly engaging in harmful activities), and
  3. Kala (time, seasonal, temporal factors).

More information

Jwara Nidana