fitnessblog

Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S

Varga = group

Chatushtaya = four

Varga Chatushtaya means ‘Group of Four’.

Reference – Sushruta Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 1 – Vedotpatti Adhyaya, Verse 44

Varga Chatushtaya as described by Acharya Sushruta

Members of Varga Chatushtaya

Acharya Sushruta, in Sutra Sthana – Chapter 1 of Sushruta Samhita has described Varga Chatushtaya. It comprises four members. They are –

1. Ahara – group of food materials
2. Aushadha – group of medicinal herbs
3. Parthiva – group of materials derived from earth
4. Kalakrita – group of special factors of kala i.e. time

 Related AIAPGET Questions

1. Varga Chatushtaya explained by Dalhana consists of – (Su.Su.1/44)
2. Samswedaja, Jarayuja, Andaja, Udbhija
3.   Ahara, Achara, Parthiva, Kalakrit
4. Sthavara, Jangama, Parthiva, Kalakrit
5.   None of the above

Ans – This question was asked in Gujarat Public Service Commission – Lecturer Screening Test – 2018 – Maulika Siddhanta

Other related questions

2. The Varga Chatushtaya are explained in which chapter of Sushruta Samhita?
3. Su.Su.1
4.   Su.Sha.1
5. Su.Kalp.1
6.   Su.Chi.1

Ans – a. Su.Su.1

3. Varga Chatushtaya described by Acharya Vagbhata are –
4. Vikaranam Prakopanam
5.   Vikaranam Prashamanam
6. None
7.   Both

Ans – d. Both (Su.Su.1/44)

4. Varga Chaturvidha or Varga Chatushtaya which can cause prakopa or prashamana of vikaras are explained by –
5. Acharya Vagbhata
6.   Acharya Sushruta
7. Acharya Charaka
8.   Acharya Sharngdhara

Ans – b. Acharya Sushruta (Su.Su.1/44)

Need for study and Benefits of Understanding the Varga Chatushtaya

Firstly, Acharya Sushruta describes each of these four members in detail i.e. Ahara – the group of foods of plant and animal origins, Aushadha – the group of medicines, Parthiva – the group of earthly things and Kalakrita – those which are derived from the time. Later he concludes by mentioning that the above four shall be considered as Varga Chaturvidha or Varga Chatushtaya.

Need for Study – 

शारीराणां विकाराणामेष वर्गश्चतुर्विधः ।

प्रकोपे प्रशमे चैव हेतुरुक्तश्चिकित्सकै:|| Su.Su.1/44

It is very essential to study and understand this concept for the physicians. The knowledge of the same is also very much essential for a common man. This will help one to understand that the same four groups of things mentioned in Chaturvidha Varga are responsible for both health and diseases, depending on how skilfully or wrongfully one gets exposed to them respectively.

Acharya Sushruta says – ‘The physicians believe that these four groups i.e. ahara, aushadha, parthiva and kalakrita either increase (cause aggravation or exacerbation) or decrease (cause pacification or diminution) of the diseases in the body’.

This simply means to say that, when they are skilfully used, they decrease or pacify the diseases and hence are therapeutic in nature. When the same four are used unskilfully would become victims of many diseases or aggravation of the existing diseases. In short, they would contribute towards pathogenesis of diseases.

Now we will just touch upon these four vargas briefly.

Varga Chatushtaya in a Nutshell

1. Ahara – food

Ahara – food – is said to be the mula i.e. root of sustenance of life for all the living beings. It bestows strength, colour, complexion and vitality on individuals. These features are not just supported by the food, but are also protected by it.

These foods comprise of and are enriched by the shad rasas. Shad Rasas are the six tastes constituted in the food. They are –

–        Madhura – sweet

–        Amla – sour

–        Lavana – salt

–        Katu – pungent

–        Tikta – bitter and

–        Kashaya – astringent

2. Aushadha – means medicinal herbs or medicines

Aushadhas – medicinal herbs – are the dravyas – substances used in treating diseases. In these dravyas are located the Rasas – the six tastes. Not all rasas are located in all the dravyas. Each dravya has a rasa or rasas specific to them. Thus, the six types of rasas are located in their respective dravyas.

There are two kinds of dravyas. They are –

1. Sthavara Dravyas – immobile substances – plant kingdom
2.   Jangama Dravyas – mobile substances – animal kingdom

Sthavara Dravya is of four types. They are –

1. Vanaspati – they do not have flowers but bear fruits
2. Vrksha – they bear both flowers (which manifest first) and fruits (which come later)

iii. Virudha – they spread on the ground or creep on other plants. Creepers and shrubs are included herein.

1. Aushadhi – they exist only until the fruits ripen and perish after that happens.

Parts useful for medicinal purposes – twak (bark), patra (leaves), pushpa (flowers), phala (fruits), mula (roots), kanda (rhizomes), niryasa (resin, gum), swarasa (juice, latex, sap)

Jangama Dravya is of four types. They are –

1. Jarayuja – born from placenta (womb) – examples – cattle, man, wild animals etc.
2. Andaja – born out of eggs – examples – birds, snakes, creeping animals like snakes etc.

iii. Swedaja – born from sweat, warmth and such other dirt – examples – worms, insects, ants etc.

1. Udbhija – born from earth – examples – indragopa (cochineal insect), frogs etc.

Parts useful for medicinal purposes – charma (skin, hide), nakha (nails, claws), roma (body hairs), rudhira (blood) etc.

3. Parthiva Dravyas – materials derived from earth

Among the Parthiva Dravyas, below mentioned are useful –

1. Suvarna – gold
2.   Rajata – silver
3. Mani – precious stones,
4.   Mukta – pearls
5. Manahshila – orpiment
6. Mruttika – mud / earth / clay
7. Kapala – piece of earthen pot

Ores and metals are also included in this category.

4. Kala Krita – effects of time

Kala means time factor. Below mentioned are the special factors of time which are beneficial for treatment purposes –

1. Pravata – heavy breeze
2.   Nivata – mild breeze
3. Atapa – sunlight
4.   Chaya – shade
5. Jyotsna – moonlight
6. Tama – darkness
7. Shita – cold
8.   Ushna – heat, warmth
9. Varsha – rains
10. Ahoratra – day and night
11. Paksha – fortnight
12. Masa – month
13. Rutu – seasons
14.   Ayana – solstice
15.   Samvatsara – year etc.

The above mentioned are various variants and presentations of kala. They by their basic nature would cause sanchaya (accumulation), prakopa (aggravation, increase), prashama (pacification) and pratikara (cure) of doshas. Therefore, kala is useful in treatment of aggravated doshas and the diseases caused due to them.

Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S

Langhana – Any treatment, medicine, activity or non-medicine which brings about Laghutva i.e. lightness in the body and mind is called Langhana. This action is brought about by either shodhana – cleansing therapies like Panchakarma or shamana – palliative medicines.

Differences in types of Langhana – Charaka vs Vagbhata

Acharya Charaka has described ten types of Langhana while Acharya Vagbhata has described twelve types of Langhana.

Common Description of Langhana Types in Charaka Samhita and Ashtanga Hridaya (Vagbhata)

1. Vamana – therapeutic emesis
2. Virechana – therapeutic purgation
3. Niruha Vasti – decoction enema
4. Nasya – nasal medication – cleansing type of errhines (Charaka) / Shirovirechana – head purging / cleansing errhines (Vagbhata)
5. Pipasa (Charaka) / Trt (Vagbhata) – withholding thirst
6. Maruta – exposure to wind
7. Atapa – exposure to the heat of the sun
8. Pachana – ama digesting medicines
9. Upavasa – fasting (Charaka) / Kshut – withholding hunger (Vagbhata)
10.                   Vyayama – exercise

Additional types of Langhana described by Acharya Vagbhata (not described by Acharya Charaka)

In addition to the ten types of Langhana described by Acharya Charaka, Acharya Vagbhata describes two additional types of Langhana. They are –

11.                   Deepana – medicines which would enhance agni – digestive fire and improve digestive activity
12.                   Raktamokshana – bloodletting

Adding these two therapies, Langhana would be of twelve types according to Acharya Vagbhata.

To add up 

Acharya Vagbhata gives a broad classification of Langhana.

They are – Shodhana and Shamana.

Shodhana – The five kinds of cleansing therapies (Panchakarma) are included under Shodhana. They are – Vamana, Virechana, Niruha Vasti, Shirovirechana and Raktamokshana.

Shamana – The other seven kinds of therapies are included under Shamana i.e. palliative treatments. They are – Pachana, Dipana, Kshut, Trt, Vyayama, Atapa and Maruta.

So, we can see that among the additional types of Langhana described by Acharya Vaghbata,

–        Deepana is included under Shamana and

–        Raktamokshana is included under Shodhana

Related AIAPGET Questions

1. Which additional forms of Langhana has Acharya Vagbhata described which are not described by Acharya Charaka?
2. Pachana and Raktamokshana
3.   Dipana and Raktamokshana
4. Pachana and Dipana
5.   Upavasa and Raktamokshana

Ans – b. Dipana and Raktamokshana

2. Which Shodhana has been additionally mentioned by Vagbhata among the types of Langhana in comparison to Charaka?
3. Shirovirechana
4.   Niruha Basti
5. Raktamokshana
6.   Vamana

Ans – c. Raktamokshana

3. Which Shamana has been additionally mentioned by Vagbhata among the types of Langhana in comparison to Charaka?
4. Upavasa
5.   Pipasa
6. Pachana
7.   Deepana

Ans – d. Deepana

4. Among the below mentioned pairs of Langhana, one pair is not accepted by Charaka. Which is the correct option?
5. Dipana and Pachana
6.   Dipana and Raktamokshana
7. Pachana and Raktamokshana
8.   Raktamokshana and Vamana

Ans – b. Dipana and Raktamokshana

Possible hypothesis why Acharya Vagbhata might have added Deepana and Raktamokshana in the list of Langhana therapies

Scope and need for adding new therapies in later treatises – Ashtanga Hridaya was written after Charaka Samhita. Ashtanga Hridaya is highly influenced by Charaka Samhita. There was a scope of improvisation, additions and deletions in the later treatises. So, in spite of accepting and including Charaka’s Langhana, Acharya Vagbhata felt the need to include Deepana and Raktamokshana in the list of Langhana therapies.

Need for adding Deepana – Deepana was an integral part of the treatments even in Charaka era, but not important to be included under types of langhana, as it was in Vagbhata era. This probably hints towards decline of the capacity of agni towards a lower side of the graph with evolution of humanity, which justifies its inclusion.

Need for including Raktamokshana – Acharya Charaka was elective in indicating Raktamokshana and has done it with precise clarity as and when needed. Example – Raktamokshana has been indicated as a first line of treatment in Vatarakta Chikitsa (treatment of gout and peripheral vascular diseases?) in Charaka Samhita. Acharya Charaka did not probably feel it important to include Raktamokshana amongst types of Langhana, which was a therapy adequately used by surgeons, which was not the school of Charaka.

We can assume that with the evolution of Ayurveda down the timeline, Raktamokshana was more adequately used as main therapy in many conditions. Acharya Vagbhata considered it as a Langhana form, for a type of shodhana it always was. This also points towards the influence of Sushruta on Vagbhata and the latter’s possible acceptance of Rakta – the blood as the fourth dosha as described by Acharya Sushruta.