Panchakarma

The five fold therapy for purification is another peculiarity of Ayurveda. The main principle of Ayurveda is theory of doshas. The doshas namely vata, pitta and kapha are the basic constituents of our body. When they work in harmony and in a balanced state, they maintain perfect health. But if by any means, the balance is disturbed, then that leads to diseases. For example, if one is fond of eating ice creams and keeps on eating even in winter season daily, then it gives rise to increase of kapha dosha in the body. This may further lead to sinusitis / bronchitis /asthma etc. Now to get cured; one has to stop eating ice cream, as that is the cause of the disease. Depending upon the quantum, the frequency and the period of consumption; the accumulation of ‘dosha’ would vary. If one were eating ice creams for long period, very frequently and in large quantities naturally the accumulation of dosha would be much more and longstanding. If you stop consumption, gradually the effects will go away and the person will be freed from the disease. But this will take quite a long time, since the accumulation is more. If we start consuming which will nullify the effects of ice creams say for example, ‘ginger’; then the recovery would be faster. But if we are able to expel out the accumulated kapha dosha in one stroke the recovery would be much faster. This is really a peculiarity of Ayurveda. It’s a very good way to recover faster. There are in all five such purification processes.

1. Vamana
    2. Virechana
    3. Basti
    4. Nasya
    5. Raktamokshana