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| Principles of Ayurveda |
Re-printed
with permission from Baidyanath Pharmacy,
Kolkata India and courtesy of AllAyurveda.com |
| The
Tridoshas |
The Tridoshas (tri
meaning three and doshas being the basic physical energies) are the primary
and essential factors of the human body that govern our entire physical
structure and function. Derived from the Panchmahabhutas, each dosha –
which like the elements cannot be detected with our senses but their qualities
can be – is a combination of any two of the five bhutas with the predominance
of one. Called Vata, Pitta and Kapha in Sanskrit, these three are responsible
for all the physiological and psychological processes within the body
and mind – dynamic forces that determine growth and decay. Every physical
characteristic, mental capacity and the emotional tendency of a human
being can therefore be explained in terms of the tridoshas. |
Most of the physical
phenomena ascribed to the nervous system by modern physiology for example,
can be identified with Vata. Just as the entire chemical process operating
in the human body can be attributed to Pitta, including enzymes, hormones
and the complete nutritional system. And the activities of the skeletal
and the anabolic system, actually the entire physical volume of an organism,
can be considered as Kapha.
Vata
(Air and Space) |
Pitta
(Fire and Water) |
Kapha
(Water and Earth) |
|
Light
|
Light
|
Heavy
|
|
Cold
|
Hot
|
Cold
|
|
Dry
|
Oily
|
Oily
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Rough
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Sharp
|
Slow
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Subtle
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Liquid
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Slimy
|
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Mobile
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Sour
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Dense
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Clear
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Pungent
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Soft
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Dispersing
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Erratic
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Astringent
|
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Each
dosha thus shares a quality with another (although there remain
slight differences in the nature of shared quality), the third having
just the opposite quality. Also, each has an inherent ability to
regulate and balance itself, coming from the antagonistic qualities
that arise from the doshas constituent elements. |
When
the doshas are in balance i.e. in a state of equilibrium, we remain
healthy. As Charaka, the great ayurvedic sage, explained: "Vata,
pitta and kapha maintain the integrity of the living human organism
in their normal state and combine so as to make the man a complete
being with his indriyas (sense organs) possessed of strength, good
complexion and assured of longevity." It is only when that there
is imbalance within the three that disease is caused. And since
it is the strongest dosha in the constitution that usually has the
greatest tendency to increase, one is most susceptible to illnesses
associated with an increase of the same. |
It
is important to realise that these three are forces and not substances.
Kapha is not mucus; it is the force that causes mucus to arise.
Similarly pitta is not bile; but that which causes bile to be produced.
And they are called doshas – literally meaning `faults’ or `out
of whack’- as they indicate the fault lines along which the system
can become imbalanced. |
It
is equally important to understand that the three doshas within
any person keep changing constantly, due to the doshic qualities
of specific lifestyle and environment, such as time and season.
And that these three are not separate energies but different aspects
of the same energy, present together in an infinite variety of combinations,
wherein their qualities overlap and interrelate. |
Ayurveda
however considers only three types of constitution – in monotypes
just one dosha predominates, in duo types two have near similar
strength, and in the very rarely found third type all three are
equally powerful. Within this broad classification, there are in
the first category various sub-types that are listed below for easier
reference. |
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