The basic philosophy of ayurveda

1.Panchamaha bhuthas

The basic philosophy of ayurveda is based on the panchamahabhutas theory,

According to ayurveda all things on the earth are formed by Panchamaha bhuthas ,there is not a single thing  on the earth ,which is not made out of these mahabhutas,  the elements are found in nature as well as human body. The medicines as well as eatables, which we use in our day today life, are formed by panchamahabhutas

1.       PRITHVI (EARTH)

2.       AP (WATER)

3.       TEJAS  (FIRE)

4.       VAYU  (AIR)

5.       AKASHA (SPACE)

PRITHVI (EARTH)

 

 

 

 

GUNA (properties):-

The particle of the earth element is heavy, rough, dense, hard, tough, big in size, neither too hot nor too cold

RASA (Taste):-

Swadu (sweet) and Astringent

Sense organ and sense:-

Nose –smell (gandha)

Organs in human body:-

Muscle, viscera, skin and Malas (the excreta product through out of human body)

Functions:-

·         Shape to human body

·         Weight to human body

·         Imparts stability to human body

Food or eatable

Meat, wheat, rice and etc

AP (WATER)

Water is present in nature in the natural resources like well, river, sea etc

It’s present in the different organs and parts of body. In human body in deferent proportions over all if you see human body is made water in major proposition, as its contains 70 % of water

Characters:-

Heavy, liquid, particles are big in size, cold, moisture, permeable, soft and viscous

Organs:-

Secretion of body, urine, sperm, blood, lymph, saliva etc

Taste:-

Sour, salty and astringent

Sense organ & sense:-

Tongue – taste

Functions:-

·         Cooling the temperature of the body

·         Weight of the body

·         Acts as lubricating agent in the body(I e Synovial fluid present in joint

·         Nourishment to the body

·         Keeps all the cells and tissue together

Eatable:-

Citrus fruit, water, milk etc

           TEJAS (FIRE)

In the natural form it is present in the form of sunlight in the nature; in the same manner fire is present in the human body in different organs like eyes as well as bile secreted in the gall bladder of the liver, gastric juice secreted in the stomach etc

Character:-

Light, minute, sharp, hot, lightening

Taste (rasa):-

Pungent, salt and sour

Sense &sense organ

Eye – eye sight

Organs:-

Eyes, bile, gastric juice, enzymes etc

Functions:-

·         Maintain eye sight

·         Distinguish the colours

·         Maintain the body temperature

·         Digestion of the food

VAYU (AIR)

In the natural form it’s the Air. Which we inhale, it is present in the human body in different parts of body, its important pancha mahabhutas which if not received to animals or plants they cannot survive for a long time

Gunas (character)

Light, dry, rough, minute, cold, transparent and more tangible than ether

Rasa (taste)

Astringent and bitter

Sense & sense organ

Skin – touch

Organs

Intestines, skin and bones, etc

Function

·         Helps in respiration

·         Excretion

·         Feelings the sense of touch

Eatable

Pop corn, bread and cake etc

AKASHA (SPACE)

In the nature it’s the sky. It is said to be the first element originated .this is element is important all other as rest as get place to stay in this mahabhutas. In similar manner in human body also this element also provides space for different organs, because without space of this whole world would have been a big mass

It has no particles nor does it have any taste

Sense and sense organ

Ear-hearing

Organs

Abdomen, intestines, bones, ear, and all cavities in the body

Functions

·         In the human it provides space to respective place   of all organs

·         Keep different organs and cells separate from each other

·         Function of hearing is particularly by space element

Foods

Pop corns, bitter guard, capsicum etc

These pancha mahabhutas theory is also helpful in curing various disease, because it’s said in the theory of ayurveda that medicine or food stuff having qualities as characteristics similar to the aggravate the symptoms of the disease, whereas if we use the food stuff of opposite characteristics it helps in curing the disease by reducing the aggravated mahabhutas in the disease for e.g.  If a person suffering from hyper acidity if he is still continuously eating the food stuff which is rich in fire element naturally his symptoms of the disease will be aggravated more, where as food stuff rich in prithvi mahabhutas helps in decreasing the symptoms of acidity