Doshas are the biological units of the living body which are responsible for its all functions. Dosha are of three viz Vata Pitha and Kapha, and each of which is malso made up of Mahabhuta.

  • Vayu(Air) and Akasha(Space) form Vata
  • Agni(Fire) and Jala(Water) form Pitha
  • Prithvi(Earth and Jala(Water) form Kapha

The word Dosha is derived from the verb Dhushya which means to vitiate. In the normal state of equilibrium they support the body and when vitiated produce the disease. Dosha plays an important role in the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of the diseases.


Dhatus

The word Dhatu derived from the verb Dha which means to hold. The matters which hold the body are termed as dhatu. In general, it is a term signifying bodily fluids and tissues. Datu are of seven types.

  • Rasa (Nourishing fluid of Plasma)
  • Rakta (Blood)
  • Mamsa (Muscular Tissue)
  • Meda (Fatty Tissue)
  • Asthi (Bone and Connective tissues)
  • Majja (Bone Marrow)
  • Shukra (Vital Substances)

Trimala

Malas are various waste products of the dhatus produce during the normal metabolic process.
The three malas are

  • Purisha(Faeces)
    Purisha is the waste left back after nutrients of digested food have been absorbed in the small intestine.While water & salt got absorbed in the large intestine, the residue converted into solid faeces excreted from body.
  • Mutra (Urine)
  • Sweda (Sweat)

Trigunas

Satwa (Essence), Rajs (Movements) and Tamas (Inertia) are three foundations for all existence.

Satva characterised by lightness, consciousness, pleasure and clarity, is pure, free from disease and cannot be disturbed in any way. It activates the senses and is responsible for the perception of knowledge.

Rajas, the most active of the gunas, has motion and stimulation as its characteristics. All desires, wishes, ambitions and fickle-mindedness are a result of the same.

Tamas is characterised by heaviness and resistance. It produces disturbances in the process of perception and activities of the mind. Delusion, false knowledge, laziness, apathy, sleep and drowsiness are due to it.

Rajas and Tamas as with the dosas, can be unbalanced by stress and negative desires as kama (lust), irshya (malice), moha (delusion and hallucination), lobha (greed), cinta (anxiety), bhaya (fear) and krodha(anger).

Healthy Life in Ayurveda

Ayurveda is an ancient science of life since time immemorial. Ayurveda, apart from providing various therapeutic measures for diseases, emphasizes on maintenance, promotion of health and prevention of diseases through diet and lifestyle regimens. As per Ayurveda, life is sustained by a tripoid of mental, physical and spiritual factors constituted by body (Sharir), senses (Indriyas), mind (Satwa) and spirit (Atma). The physical world including the human body is derived from the specific combinations of five fundamental entities viz. Akash, Vayu, Teja, Jala and Prithvi which are known as Panchamahabhutas and the soul. Panchamahabhutas form the Tridoshas viz. VataDosha, Pitta Dosha and KaphaDosha, Dhatus (tissues) and Malas (excretory products). Tridoshas carry out the physiological activities and are responsible for the integrity of the human body.

Due to the faulty diet and lifestyle normalcy of the Tridoshas is disturbed and they aggravate in the body. Vitiated Tridoshas disturb the normalcy of Dhatus and Malas causing their vitiation which manifests as various diseases in the body. Thus the health of an individual depends upon the normalcy of the Doshas, Dhatus and Malas.

Health of an individual can be known by following aspects.

  • Proper nourishment.
  • Proper strength.
  • Desire and appetite for intake of food.
  • Proper digestion of food ingested at proper time.
  • Sleep at proper time.
  • Feeling of freshness after waking up in the morning.
  • Proper evacuation of faeces, urine, and flatus at the proper time.
  • Proper functioning of mental faculties, intelligence and senses in all respect.
  • Absence of any kind of pain.