Basic Principles

The basic principles are the soul of Ayurveda. These unchanging principles are the specialty of Ayurveda and that’s why it has survived  and remained useful even in odd situations.

We find the roots of Ayurvedic philosophy in the Indian philosophy. Based on that, Ayurveda also explains the life , birth, re-birth, death, and all aspects of life. It explains what’s Hita (Wholesome) and what  is Ahita (unwholesome) for life may be in healthy state or in a disease.

Ayurveda identifies doshas, dhatu and mala as the basic constituents of the body. The doshas are three in numbers namely Vata, Pitta and Kapha. These doshas are the basis of various theories.  

Theory of Doshas

This is main theory of Ayurveda. Health is nothing but the perfect balance of doshas where as disease is the imbalanced state of doshas. The balance of doshas is maintained with proper daily regimen, proper food habits, proper seasonal regimen, proper thinking and behavior etc. Any change in such factors affects the doshas and that leads to diseases. So the treatment is basically finding out the reason for the imbalance of doshas and elimination of it to restore the balance.  

One would wonder, there are so many varieties of diseases. How they get evolved from only three basic constituents? The answer is, it’s like music or an art of drawing. The whole music has been derived from 8 basic nodes or the whole art of drawing picture is based on 3 – 4 basic colors. In the same manner the whole world of diseases is not devoid of the doshas.  

The dosha theory not only provides a firm unchanging ground to understand health and disease, but also makes it applicable globally and at any time. Even the newer diseases can be explained and dealt with the theory of doshas. Hence the theory of doshas is the main basic principle incorporating other theories. Let us consider them in brief.  

Theory of Panchamahabhutas

Prithvi (earth), Jala ( water ), Teja ( Fire ), Vayu ( Air ) and Akasha ( ether ) are the five basic constituents of the whole universe and of the body also. The human being is a microcosm of the universe. There is a relationship between these elements and doshas for viz. Vayu and Akasha – Vata dosha; Teja – Pitta dosha; Prithvi and Jala – Kapha dosha.

So depending upon the nature of our diet, activities we can understand the elements involved and so also the dosha e.g. substances which are sweet in taste are having a predominance of Prithvi and Jala and hence they increase Kapha in the body which has been derived from these two elements. So a patient suffering from chr. sinusitis may be consuming  more sweets and that becomes the reasons for the imbalance of Kapha, leading to sinusitis. To get cured he should stop eating sweet and consume something which will reduce Kapha.  

Theory of Samanya  and Vishesha

To know the effect of  food etc. over body constituents, the theory of samanya (similarity) and vishesha  (dissimilarity) should be understood. The things that we consume, if they are similar to the body constituents directly or even by quality or activity; then they increase those constituents e.g. the meat is directly similar to the meat of the body and hence it will increase the meat ( Mansa Dhatu ) in the body. The qualities of  milk such as guru, sheeta, snigdha are similar to the qualities of the Kapha dosha in the body. In the same manner inactiveness or laziness increases  Kapha dosha as the activity is similar to the activity of Kapha Dosha.

 On the other hand the dissimilar things reduce the concerned constituents e.g. use of oil reduces the Vata dosha as qualitatively they are opposite to each other. In the same manner exercise reduces Kapha dosha. So on the basis of the five elements and this similarities and dissimilarities one can take an account of the causative factors for the imbalance of doshas and there by find out the solution also for treatment.

Based on these three principles, the texts give elaborate description about the maintenance of  health and manifestation of diseases and treatment of diseases as well. One needs to understand thoroughly, the causes of imbalance in every person and rectify them with proper treatment.