Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S
AIAPGET Points
- Hrdaya is the mula – root of three srotas – Pranavaha, Rasavaha and Manovaha Srotas
- According to Acharya Charaka – the roots of Pranavaha Srotas are Hrdaya and Mahasrotas. According to Acharya Sushruta, the roots of Pranavaha Srotas are Hrdaya and Rasavahini Dhamanis.
- According to Acharya Charaka – the roots of Rasavaha Srotas are Hrdaya and Dasha Dhamanis. According to Acharya Sushruta, the roots of Rasavaha Srotas are Hrdaya and Rasavahini Dhamanis.
- The Mulas of Rasavaha Srotas and Pranavaha Srotas according to Acharya Sushruta are the same i.e. Hrdaya and Rasavahi Dhamanis.
- Manovaha Srotas has not been included in the major classification of Srotas but these srotas have been contextually mentioned in the chapters dealing with Unmada and Apasmara Chikitsa.
- The Dasha Dhamanis taking their origin from Hrdaya are the Manovaha Srotas.
- The Dasha Dhamanis taking their origin from Hrdaya also carry Ojas.
- References – Charaka Vimana Sthana Chapter 5, Charaka Indriya Sthana Chapter 5, Charaka Sutra Sthana Chapter 29, Charaka Chikitsa Sthana Chapter 9 & 10, Sushruta Sharira Sthana Chapter 9, Madhava Nidana Chapter 20,
Hridaya, the heart – is not just an important organ but is also a Marma – vital structure according to Ayurveda.
Hrdaya is an abode of ten great vessels, shadanga – six divisions of the body, anga – internal organs, vijnana – consciousness, indriyani – motor and sense organs, artha panchaka – objects of sensory perceptions, saguna atma – soul along with its attributes and saguna chaitanya – mind and its objects. (Cha.Su.29/3,4).
It is also the supreme location of para ojas and the locus of chaitanya – consciousness. (Cha.Su.29/7).
Very importantly, the hrdaya is a mula – root and also a portal for multiple srotas – channels in the body and is hence connected to different organ systems and their physiological functions through these srotas.
In this article we will have a look at Hrdaya as a portal of multiple srotas in the body.
Hrdaya – the mula, the multi-srotas portal
Hrdaya is connected to three of the major Srotas. In fact Hrdaya is one of the roots of these Srotas. They are – Pranavaha Srotas, Rasavaha Srotas and Manovaha Srotas.
Pranavaha Srotas
तत्र प्राणवहानां स्रोतसां हृदयं मूलं महास्रोतश्च।(च.वि.५/७)
तत्र प्राणवहे द्वे तयोर्मूलं हृदयं रसवाहिन्यश्च धमन्यः।(सु.शा.९/१२)
Both Acharya Charaka and Sushruta have mentioned Hrdaya among the roots of Pranavaha Srotas. So, it becomes the portal of supply of life energy to all the cells of the body, which includes oxygenation. Since the symptoms of injury or damage of these srotas are mainly respiratory symptoms, the lungs and heart collectively form the pranavaha srotas.
Apart from Hrdaya, Acharya Charaka mentions Mahasrotas as another root of Pranavaha Srotas. Mahasrotaas means the great channel which includes Amashaya and Pakvashaya. So, the digestive tract is also considered as the root of Pranavaha Srotas which includes the digestive section – amashaya (stomach and small intestines) and the excretory section – pakvashaya (colon), which is also the prime seat of Vata.
Acharya Sushruta mentions Rasavahini Dhamanis i.e. channels of transportation of nutrition (nutritive juices) as the other roots of Pranavaha Srotas. The plural meaning of Dhamanyaha indicates the branches and sub-branches of the blood vessels / arteries (arterioles) which convey not only oxygen but also nutrition to all the cells in the body.
Dasha Prana Ayatana – There are ten more principal seats of prana i.e. life force. They are –
– Shankha – temples – 02
– Marmas – vital organs – 03 – hridaya (heart), shira (head, brain, nervous system) and vasti (urinary bladder, kidneys, urinary system)
– Kantha – throat – 01
– Rakta – blood – 01
– Shukra – semen / reproductive fluid – 01
– Ojas – essence of all the tissues – the vital fluid and
– Guda – anus (and rectum) – 01
These ten sites may also be considered to be connected with pranavaha srotas. The disorders affecting these 10 sites will also affect Pranavaha Srotas. The vice versa is also true.
(Ref – Cha.Su.29/3)
Related Reading – Pranavaha Srotas
Rasavaha Srotas
रसवहानां स्रोतसां हृदयं मूलं दश च धमन्यः।(च.वि.५/७)
रसवहे द्वे तयोः मूलं हृदयं रसवाहिन्यश्च धमन्यः।सु.शा.९/१)
Hrdaya is also a root and portal for Rasavaha Srotas. Rasa stands for the first dhatu formed from the ahara rasa – nutritional juices formed after proper digestion of food by agni.
Both Acharya Charaka and Sushruta have mentioned Hridaya as the root of Rasavaha Srotas. This explanation also points out towards the involvement of the heart in supplying the nutrition to each and every cell of the body.
After the digestion of food by Agni, the essence i.e. ahara rasa is formed. This ahara rasa reaches the hrdaya and from here it is distributed to the whole body. But how?
Acharya Charaka has mentioned Dasha cha Dhamanyaha as the other root of Rasavaha Srotas, which means the ten vessels (great arteries taking their origin from heart). On the other hand, Acharya Sushruta has mentioned Rasavahinyascha Dhamanyaha which means ‘dhamanis or vessels carrying rasa’. Important thing to note is that like Charaka, Sushruta has not mentioned the number of dhamanis but has used the plural word ‘dhamanyaha’ which refers to innumerable vessels. While Acharya Charaka has mentioned the main blood vessels taking their origin from hrdaya, Sushruta covers their branches and sub-branches also in the word ‘dhamanyaha’. But the summary is the same – rasa is distributed and circulated from the hrdaya through its dhamanis – big and small vessels.
Relted Reading – Rasavaha Srotas
Manovaha Srotas
मनोवहानां स्रोतसां विशेषेण हृदयं आश्रितत्वात् मनसः तत् आश्रिता दश धमन्यो मनोवहा अभिधीयन्ते।(च.इ.५, टीका)
स्रोतांसि च मनोवहानि इत्यनेन हृदय देश संबन्धि धमन्यो विशेषेण मनोवहानि दर्शयति।(मा.नि.२०/५, मधुकोश टीका)
Hrdaya is also the root of Manovaha Srotas. Ayurveda has neither described Manovaha Srotas amongst the list of Srotas nor has clearly mentioned their roots but we can definitely find indirect references of the same.
While describing ominous dreams in Indriya Sthana Chapter 5, Acharya Charaka (Chakrapani) has said- ‘Since the specific seat of Manas is Hrdaya, the dasha dhamanis (ten vessels) which are located and take their origin therein are obviously the channels which carry the manas’ i.e. the dasha dhamanis are themselves the manovaha srotas.
While describing the samprapti – pathogenesis of unmada (insanity, psychoses) we can find Madhukosha commentary quoting Acharya Charaka’s pathogenesis of the disease to clarify the location of Manovaha Srotas. Acharya says – ‘Manovaha Srotas means the dhamanis which are related to the Hrdaya’.
Therefore, we can conclude by saying that the roots of Manovaha Srotas are in Hrdaya and the Dasha Dhamanis related to them, the same as the roots of Rasavaha Srotas explained by Acharya Charaka.
Related Reading – Manovaha Srotas
To Sum Up
Hrdaya is the root and a portal for three main srotas i.e. pranavaha, rasavaha and manovaha srotas. Mathematically, the functions and health of these three srotas are interconnected and interrelated. Disturbance or vitiation of one of these srotas can have a bad impact on the other srotas and also on hrdaya. The same effect can be explained when one of these srotas is diseased. Similarly, diseases related to the hrdaya can have a bad impact on these srotas as well. It is a biphasic phenomenon.
We can also see that this concept / discussion establishes a clearcut physiological interconnection between respiratory, circulatory and nervous systems and mind functions. All these are connected to the health of the gastrointestinal system and also the ten seats of prana. So, collectively they are responsible for a wide array of bodily functions connected within a closed circuit. Hrdaya is an important organ which holds all these channels and their functions together, just like a port harbours ships coming from and reaching different destinations.
Special Takeaway..!!
तेन मूलेन महता महामूला मता दश| ओजोवहाः शरीरेऽस्मिन् विधम्यन्ते समन्ततः||८||
Hrdaya is a seat of Para Ojas. Acharya Charaka states that the ten great vessels (dasha dhamani) arising from hrdaya carry ojas. These dhamanis pulsate in this body and suffuse the body thoroughly.
