A living being is made up of five mahabhutas and the atma. Panchamahabhutas form the material aspect of the body while atma forms the spiritual aspect. The panchamahabhutas are space, air, fire, water and earth. The constant interaction between agni or fire, and jala or water under the influence of vayu is the fundamental nature of all body mechanisms. Hence the three that is agni, jala and vayu are called as the tridoshas. Vayu corresponds to vata, agni to pitta and jala to kapha. The meaning of dosha is impurity. In normal states the tridoshas maintain the health of a person and when they are in imbalance, they cause disease.
These tridoshas are found all over the body and in every cell and organ. They govern the body mechanisms. All the doshas have the panchamahabhutas but in varying proportions. Vata is predominant in vayu and space or ether. Pitta is predominant in agni and jala. Kapha is predominant in jala and prithvi.
Each of us, when we are born has a particular prakruti. This is because we have different proportions of the doshas. No two people have the same prakruti. The prakruti is unique to a person. The prakruti of a person can never be changed.
Vata produces the movements, pitta the transformation and kapha acts as the substratum. A body is subjected to creation which is done by kapha, preservation which is done by pitta and expulsion done by vata.
In Ayurveda the body is converted into three regions. The region between the umbilicus or nabhi and the hrdhhaya or heart is the pitta sthana. The area between the head and the hrdhaya is kapha sthana and below the nabhi is the vata sthana.
The three doshas are dominant during different parts of the day. Vata is between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. and between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. It is because of this that the ancient texts have said that you should get up between 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. as expulsion will be easy.
Vata
The term vayu means to move. Vata is the moving force which propels all physical and mental movements. It is responsible for breathing, circulation of dhatus and elimination of waste. Its properties are cold, rough, light and moving.
There are five types of vata:
Prana is that vata that maintains life. Moola sthana is the head. It is responsible breathing, swallowing of food and mental activities.
Udana is the vata that moves upwards between nose, naval and throat. Its sthana is the chest. It is responsible for speech, stamina, strength and memory.
Vyana is the vata that moves in every part of the body. Its sthana is the hridhaya or heart. Its function is to supply nutrition to all the parts of the body and movement.
Samana is the vata that is found in the digestive system. It stimulates the digestive fire and separates the sara or essence from the kitta or waste.
Apana. This moves downwards. It is present in the rectum and is responsible for expulsion of wastes, menstruation, reproduction and childbirth.
. . . to be continued
Mrs. Mira Swami, Department of Ayurveda