Doshas

There are three Doshas  in the body : Vata, Pitta and Kapha.

Vata Dosha  or Vayu  literally means the wind or air in the external atmosphere.  In the human body, it governs all actions and the energy of the body and also acts as a vehicle for proper functioning of Pitta and Kapha Doshas.  It is the originator of all movement in the body and it mainly governs all nervous functions.

There are five kinds of Vata or Vayu : Prana, Udana, Vyana, Samana and Apana.

1.      Prana : Prana vayu controls the five senses.  It is responsible for breathing and swallowing of food, is located  in the head and  is also responsible for functioning of the heart.

2.      Udana : Udana vayu controls speech and intellect.  It is responsible both for the production of various sounds and speech, and the action and the effort to keep up the strength of the body, mind, memory, and intellect.  It is located in the chest region.

3.      Vyana : Vyana vayu controls all intentional body movements.  It helps in perspiration, and controls the opening and closing of eyelids, as also other movements of the body.  It is situated in the heart.

4.      Samana :  Samana vayu controls digestion.  It helps in the action of digestive enzymes.  It separates the essences vital for nourishment of the body and sends the wastes to the large intestines.  It is situated in the stomach.

5.       Apana :  Apana vayu is situated in the part of the digestive tract, the urinary system, and the reproductive organs.  Its function is to hold faeces, urine, menses, and semen up to a normal period, and then expel them through various orifices of the body. 

Pitta  is the basic energy – generating constituent necessary for all metabolic operations of the body.  Pitta governs mainly enzymes and hormones.

There are  five kinds of Pitta : Pachaka, Ranjaka, Sadhaka, Alochaka and Bhrajaka.

1.      Pachaka :  Pachaka pitta is mainly responsible for the digestion of food.  It divides the food juice into the useful and waste parts, and then helps the other four pitas to function normally in the body.  It is located in the duodenum.

2.     Ranjaka: Ranjaka pitta forms blood or rakta.  It adds colour to the food juices when they travel from the stomach to the liver.  It is situated in the stomach.

3.      Sadhaka :  Sadhaka pitta has its seat in the heart and is the finest of all pitas.  It helps in the normal functioning of the intellect and memory.

4.     Alochaka : Alochaka pitta is responsible for the maintenance of normal vision in the eyes.  It is present in the eyes.

5.     Bhrajaka :  Bhrajaka pitta is situated in the skin of the body and is responsible for normal  pigmentation of the skin.

Kapha  literally means the adhesive material which in the body acts as the assembling constituent.  Kapha is responsible for connections of joints, and strength.

There are five types of Kapha : Khgedaka, Avalambaka, Bodhaka, Tarpaka and Shleshaka.

1.      Khedaka :  Khedaka Kapha assimilates food.  It is responsible for moistening food in the stomach.  It nourishes the other kaphas by its special humid properties.  It is situated in the stomach.

2.      Avalambaka :  Avalambaka Kapha works as a lubricant for the throat and heart.  It has its seat in the thorax, and protects the heart from excessive heat by its cooling influence and gives a special power to the heart.

3.     Bodhaka : Bodhaka kapha imparts the perception of taste.  It moistens any substance that comes in contact with the tongue and helps the individual to recognize the taste of substances ingested.  Its seat extends from the root of the tongue to the throat.  It plays a part in increasing appetite.

4.      Tarpaka :  Tarpaka Kapha dominates intelligence.  It cools the sense organs of sight and hearing.  It is situated in the head.

5.      Shleshaka : Shleshaka Kapha is situated in the joints of the body.  It lubricates the joints and maintains them in good order so that various parts of the body not only remains firm, but also have the flexibility to move.