Page 44 - NAMAH-Oct-2018

Namah Vol. 26, Issue 3, 15th October 2018

perishes.It is interesting to note that in the an elaboration of this fundamental message.
classical texts of Āyurveda, the word dossa has The entire teachings of Āyurveda explain
been used to denote the factors responsible what deranges the dossas and what keeps them
for the sustenance of the body. This is a in balance as well as how to bring back the
warning that the physiological mechanisms dossas to balance when they get deranged.
of the body are susceptible to imbalance and
breakdown. On the other hand, the body What we do with our mind and body makes
has been referred to as deha. The word deha the difference. Even a wrong thought or
is derived from the root dih upacaye, which emotion can imbalance the dossa. For example,
means that which continuously reconstructs vāta is disturbed by lust, sorrow and fear. A
itself. While the dossas have a tendency to wrong behaviour can imbalance a dossa. For
break down, the body is trying to reconstruct example, vāta can increase by keeping awake
itself perpetually. Sustaining that inner drive at night. A wrong diet can imbalance the
for the continuous reconstruction of the body dossa. For example, vāta can increase by eating
is the key to health and longevity. pungent, bitter and astringent substances.

The cradle that nurtures life can turn into But before we learn how to balance the
a grave in no time. The dossas can make dossas, we need to understand the nature and
and break life. Life is stable and fragile at behaviour of the dossas itself first.
the same time. One moment it looks stable
and in another moment, it becomes fragile. • Vaata is derived from the root, vaagatigandhanayoh.
This is the challenge that nature has thrown This means the principle of movement and
before us. It is the challenge thrown at human sensation. In other words, vaata represents the
freewill. A conscious choice has to be made. ability of the body to sense external stimuli
We have to keep the dossas in balance. In fact, and respond to them.
we should not allow them to behave like dossas
(faults) but rather as gunnas (merits). Āyurveda • Pitta is derived from the root, tap santape.
is necessary because we have to know how This means to heat and transform. Pitta represents
to keep the dossas in balance. Āyurveda is the principle of transformation and represents
possible because we can learn how to keep chemical reactions that happen in the human
the dossas in balance. But the very factors that body.
sustain the body are faulty, because they have
a tendency to derange and destroy the body. • Kapha means kena jalena phalati iti. This
This is the bad news. means, that which expresses the function
of water. It is the principle of nourishment,
However, the good news is that the body support and structure of the human body.
is constantly engaged in an attempt to
reconstruct itself. By strengthening this The dossas have not been defined, but their
process, we can keep the dossas in check and characteristics are being described at the outset.
prolong lifespan and health span. The dossas pervade the entire body. Yet vaata is
specifically associated with the region below
The classical teachings of Āyurveda are just the heart and navel, pitta with the region

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