~ History of Ayurveda … A Heritage Of Healing ~

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Air of Circulation: Vyana   

Vyana is the fifth and final air of the Vata and is located in the heart. It diffuses the energy
derived from food and breath throughout the entire organism including the skin. Circulatory in
nature, Vyana functions in the body’s circulation channels, such as the blood vessels, to
transport nutritive juices and blood throughout the body. Vyana also carries sweat from the
glands to the skin and is the force behind bodily expressions such as yawning and blinking.
When vyana malfunctions, there is dryness of the skin and other body extremities, poor
circulation, and diseases such as fever.

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Five Fires of Pitta 

Pitta, formed from the elements of fire and water, also is said to reside in five sites. These
sites are the centers of operation and systemic outreach through which the Pitta dosha
influences the entire organism; they are: pachaka, ranjaka, sadhaka, alochaka and bhrajaka.

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Fire of the Stomach: Pachaka   

Pachaka is referred to in Ayurveda as the first fire of the body. It exists in the small intestine,
duodenum, gall bladder, liver, and pancreas, and supports the remaining four fires, to be
discussed below. Pachaka’s main action is to dissolve and digest  the food we eat. It also
regulates body temperature. Once digestion has taken place, pachaka separates the food’s
nutritive elements from its waste elements. An imbalance in this first fire, pachaka, causes
indigestion as well as a revulsion for food.

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Fire of the Blood : Ranjaka   

True to its name, ranjaka, the second fire of Pitta, controls the formation and preservation of
blood. Located in the liver, spleen, and stomach, ranjaka provides the blood with its colour
and oxygen. When ranjaka is impaired, pile compounds may appear in the blood and
diseases such as anaemia and jaundice may follow.

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Fire of the Heart: Sadhaka   

The finest of the fires, sadhaka, the third fire, is central to the activity of Pitta. It reigns, along
with prana, in the heart. With udana, it governs memory and the retention and wellness of all
mental functioning. When sadhaka is impaired, there may be psychic disturbances, mental
disorientation, extreme emotional states, and craving for extreme foods, drugs, and so on.

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Fire of the Eyes: Alochaka 

Alochaka, the fourth fire of Pitta, exists in the pupils of the eyes. It  gives the eyes their lustre
and diffuses light and its spectrum of colours throughout the body, When the fourth fire is
vitiated, there is impairment of vision and yellowness may appear in the eyes.

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Fire of the Skin : Bhrajaka

The fifth fire, bhrajaka, is located in the skin, given the skin its lustre and gleam. Bhrajaka
protects the body from extreme atmospheric conditions and facilitates the assimilation of light,
wind, water, and oil through the skin. When this fire is disturbed, skin diseases such as
psoriasis, eczema, and leukoderma may result.

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Five Waters of Kapha

Kapha, formed from the elements water and earth, also manifests in five doshic sites, through
these centres of operation and systemic outreach it influences the entire organism. The five
waters of Kapha are: kledaka,  avalambaka, bodhaka, tarpaka and slesaka.

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Water of the Stomach: Kledaka

The first water of Kapha, kledaka, originates in the stomach. It is the cause of mucus
formation in the body. Most important of the waters, kledaka’s moist foamy liquid aids
digestion, liquefies foods, and nourishes the remaining waters of Kapha. When the first water
is aggravated, the digestion process becomes impaired, heaviness of the abdomen prevails,
and nausea may also occur.

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Water of the Heart : Avalambaka

The second water of Kapha, avalambaka, resides in the chest and heart. It provides a plasmic
( fluid ) tissue covering to the heart, thus insulating it from heart & acting as a shockabsorber.
Avalambaka also provides the limbs with their energy. When this water is disturbed, laziness
and lethargy ensure. Heart originating diseases such as rheumatic fever and pains in the
pericardium(tissue around the heart) may also occur.

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Water of the Tongue: Bodhaka

Bhodhaka, the third water of Kapha, is the one which joins the five waters of body’s river. It
sends water to the tongue and palate and gives the perception of taste. It registers each of
the six tastes in nature and sends the appropriate impulses to the receiving tissue long before
the food is ingested. Bodhaka water also liquefies the food.


When this water is disturbed, crimes against the body’s natural instincts are committed, due
to the impairment of taste. This creates Ama, the foul undigested remnants of food which
stick in the tissues and promote diseases such as obesity, bulimia, and anorexia. Generally, a
thick white coating on the tongue indicates the presence of ama in the body.

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Water of Head: Tarpaka

Tarpaka, Kapha’s fourth water, flows in the brain and spinal cord. It soothes the sense organs
and, as a result lubricates and protects the nervous system. When this water is out of
balance, the sense organs become impaired. Loss of memory and dullness of sensory
perceptions are the natural result.

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Water of the Joints: Shlessaka

The fifth water of Kapha, slesaka, is located in the joints. It lubricates the joints and gives
them their solidity. Slesaka’s unctuous gel protects the joints from heat, and gives ease and
flexibility of movement. When this water is impaired, the joints may become swollen, painful,
and dysfunctional.

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PHYSIOLOGICAL ANATOMY

Ayurveda has identified seven constituent tissues whereby the body both lives and dies.
These tissues are called dhatus. Like doshas, dhatus are formed from the five elements –
space, air, fire, water, and earth. The Sapta (seven) Dhatu (tissues) elements form the pillars
of the body that form the means of nourishment and growth while providing support to the
body as well as the mind.


With the help of the digestive fire, the dhatus form the body’s protective biological system. In
other words, they nourish and defend the internal immune system. If one dhatu is defective,
each successive dhatu is affected, thereby triggering a chain reaction of impairment
throughout the entire tissue system.


The concentric formation of dhatus occurs through the ingestion of food substances. Infinitely
well expressed by Charaka, the use of naturally healthy foods is essential to the quality of
nutrients responsible for sustaining the dhatus: “The availability and consumption of a
wholesome diet are essential to promote the healthy growth of a person; likewise, indulgence
in unwholesome foods promotes diseases.” Equally relevant is the recognition that mental
unrest or a negative outlook contaminates even the most wholesome foods once these have
been ingested.


Through an enormously sophisticated process of chemical reactions (main digestive fire
called jatharagni)*, spurred by both the energy in the food and the energy vibrations of bodily
tissues and mental thoughts, the nutrient called ahara rasa is produced.


The main digestive fire lies in the umbilicus region called jatharagni(macroscopic- can be
seen as hydrochloric acid,pancreatic juice etc ). Every dhatu has its own digestive fire called
dhatwa-agni (microscpic-on the tissue and cellular level, cannot be seen), which is a subtle
part of the jatharagni and is totally dependent on the jatharagni. So if the jatharagni of a
person is strong and well working all the dhatwagnis will be working properly and the all the
tissue formation (each cell) will be of superior quality and vice the versa.


The nutrient, once absorbed into the digestive tract, is synthesized by the rasa- dhatu
digestive fire i.e rasadhatwa-agni to form the first of seven tissues, rasa dhatu. This tissue, a
milky, sticky, cold chyle resembling the quanlities of Kapha, is the body’s plasma tissue and
derives its existence from the water element. The proper conversion of the primary nutrient,
ahara rasa, into plasma is dependent upon the quality of the foods, the state of mind, health
of bodily prana (prana vayu), the main digestive fire i.e JATHARAGNI and the tissues
digestive fire (rasadhatwa-agni). In wholesome conditions, these factors contribute to the
production of plentiful rasa. In unhealthy conditions, they contribute more to the production of
wastes in the form of mucus i.e ‘ama’, rather than to the production of healthy plasma.


Each of the six subsequent dhatus is fed by the previous dhatu.  Once rasa tissue is formed,
The nutrients are refined through a  process by raktadhatwa-agni and transported to form
blood tissue, rakta dhatu. Again, if the nutrients quality is defective, the production of bodily
waste in form of bile is produced at expense of healthy blood tissue. The main universal
element comprising blood is fire. Rakta (blood) Dhatu – Regarded as the basic of life, it not
only nourishes the body tissues, but provides physical strength and colour to the body.


Not surprisingly, then, once the hemoglobin of the blood is nourished, the nutrients are further
refined by mamsadhatwa-agni , to provide the fuel necessary to produce muscle tissue,
mamsa dhatu. Masma Dhatu – The muscle tissues  main function is to provide physical
strength and support for the meda dhatu.  Muscle tissue’s dominant element is earth, the
most matter-like element of the five elements from which the dhatus derive their form. The
body’s muscle tissue shares earth’s nature of matter. Next in the dhatu nourishment is the fat
tissue from medadhatwa-agni, called medas dhatu which is pervaded by water element. It’s
main function is lubricating the entire body system.


The bone and cartilage tissue, (asthi dhatu) from the asthidhatwa-agni which is pervaded by
the elements air and space is next in the dhatu nourishment lineage. Ashti Dhatu –
Comprising of bone tissues, including cartilages, its main function is to give support to the
majja dhatu and provide support to the masma dhatu.


The continuously refined nutrients are then transported and converted by majjadhatwa-agni
to the tissue comprising the body’s red and white bone marrow, majja dhatu. Majja Dhatu –
Denoting the yellow and red bone marrow tissue, its main function is to fill up the ashti and
give fullness to  the body.


Finally, the refined nutrient remaining after all these dhatus have been fed replenishes the
sperm and ovum tissues, shukra and artava respectively by their shukradhatwa-agni. This last
dhatu, once formed, is fed by the subtle essences of the nutrients refined through the
synthesis of all the previous dhatus. It is the subtle pervasive essence remaining in the body
before it becomes the material for procreation. If this dhatu is contaminated or not properly
formed, due to pollution of the nutrients, the new life formed from the union of sperm and
ovum is usually adversely affected in some way or other.


Since the dhatus support and derive energy from each other, affecting one can influence
others. For instance, interference in the manufacture of the plasma affects the quality of the
blood, which in turn affects the muscle. As mentioned earlier each tissue type has its own
agni (digestive fire- dhatwa-agni) which determines metabolic changes in the tissues and
forms by-products*, which are either used in the body or excreted. Menstural periods for
example are a by-product of rasa. The tissues are also governed by the three doshas, and
any imbalance in them also causes imbalances in dhatus.

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Oja: The Glow of Health

Oja is the cumulative essence remaining after the cycle of dhatu nutrition is complete. Our
physical, mental, and spiritual strength is totally dependent on oja. Our personal aura, the
strength and glow we are meant to exude, is produced from an abundance of oja. This is our
best safeguard against mental and physical disease. As oja thrives, so does the body’s
natural immunity. Mental clarity and cognitive memories  flourish. If, on the other hand, the
body has insufficient rasa, the tissues become dry and contaminated, resulting in the
depletion of oja. Decreased oja also fosters an increase in the ama, or wastes, produced by
the body thus hampering the physical and mental capacity of an individual.