Introduction to Ayurveda II: Theory of Dosha

Ayurveda is a life-science with its own theories of health, illness and solutions to those illnesses. In this article, I will elaborate on some of the common terminologies and the basic principles involved in ayurvedic health management.

First and the most important principle is ‘ Lokapurush Nyaya’. Ayurveda considers every living organism a universe in itself. An organism let’s us say a human being consists of the same elements that the universe is made up of. The elements Ayurveda refers to are Aakash (space), Vaayu (air), Tej (fire), Jal (water) and Prithvi (earth) and collectively known as Panchamahabhuta. These five elements with an enormous number of permutations and combination form the humans, animals, the earth, essentially each and every entity, whether living or non-living. The same elements in context with living organisms form three bodily energies that are responsible for well-being or dis-ease of those organisms. These bodily energies are known as Vata (dominated by space and air), pitta (dominated by fire and a little bit of water) and Kapha (dominated by water and earth). The reason to say ‘dominated’ is that they are not entirely made up of two elements. Each dosha is made of all the five elements, although one or two element dominate and in turn determine the characteristics of that particular dosha. A unique combination that a human being is born with is referred to as Constitution or Prakriti Constitution does not change until the person is alive. The combination is decided at the time of conception and depends on which energy and forces dominate the egg and the sperm at that time. As body is driven by these doshas, there are subtle dynamics in the combination of dosha in response to our Ahaar (eating), Vihaar (routine) and state of our mind. Some of the changes throw the dosha off the balance and cause dis-ease. Health is regained with re-balancing of the dosha and maintaining a living which favours the re-balancing. Sometimes the imbalance of doshas persists for a longer period of time and causes conditions (of body and mind) that require health management beyond following a healthy lifestyle in the form of herbal supplements, panchakarma therapies and restrictions on ahaar, vihaar (diet and routine). Further away you divert from a dosha balancing lifestyle (specific to your own constitution) more difficult it is to achieve health. Hence Ayurveda emphasizes on maintaining health and preventing disease in the first place.