Review Article International Ayurvedic Medical Journal ISSN:2320 5091

CONCEPT OF – AN AYURVEDIC REVIEW 1 2 Durgesh Gupta , A.C. Kar 1M.D. (Ayu), 2 Professors, 1,2Department of Vikriti Vigyan, Faculty of , IMS, BHU, Varanasi, India

ABSTRACT Agni is responsible for strength, health, longevity; vital breath and it determine the quantity of food to be consumed. The word agni bala is used to denote the superiority, mediocrity and inferiority nature of agni and accordingly it digest the good amount, moderate amount and less amount of food respectively. Ingested food is to be digested, absorbed and assimilated, which is necessary for the maintenance of life, and is performed by the Agni. According to the functions and site of action, Agni has been divided into 13 types, i.e. one Jatharagni, five Bhutagni and seven Dhatvagni. Jatharagni is the most important one, which digests four types of food and transforms it into Rasa and Mala.This article revolves around the details of Agni described in various texts of Ayurveda. Keywords: Agni, bhutagni, dhatvagni, jatharagni.

INTRODUCTION Ayurveda has described an important agni’ asserts Caraka.2 The term ‘Pitta’ factor of digestion and metabolism in is used to designate its physical or our body as Agni. In Ayurveda, the material form and the term “Agni” to term “Agni” is used in the sense of designate its functions. Sometimes digestion of food and metabolic these are used interchanging also. products. Agni converts food in the Further, Agni is subdivided into form of energy, which is responsible thirteen kind’s viz., one- Kosthangni, for all the vital functions of our body. five-Bhutagnis and seven- Therefore, Ayurveda considers that Dhatwagnis. Kosthagni is the chief of Dehagni is the cause of life, all the other kinds. It is present inside complexion, strength, health, the amasaya (stomach and small nourishment, lusture, oja, teja (energy) intestines) and pakwasaya (large and prana (life energy)1. The intestine), it attends to the function of audaryagni present inside the abdomen digestion of food and contributes of animals is known by various names moities of itself to the other agnis also, such as Vaiswanara, Audarya tejas, thereby providing them with strength. Kayagni, Jatharagni, Kosthagni, and It is also known as Pachaka pitta. Pachakagni. This agni is not in the Though composed of all the form of flame as the terrestrial fire but panchamahabhutas it is predominantly is in the form of liquid which is called tejas (agneya), though it is liquid in as ‘Pitta’ in Ayurveda. ‘There is no form it is devoid of the qualities of agni apart from pitta and pitta itself is liquid viz. sita (cold), snigdha (moist), Durgesh Gupta, A.c.Kar: Concept Of Agni – An Ayurvedic Review etc and is called Anala (fire) due to its dosas and also have their own predominant functions of paka agnis. These are also related to (cooking, digestion)3.Bhutagnis are kosthagni6. An attempt has been made five in number, and present in the to understand Agni through Ayurvedic kosthagni or pachaka pitta itself. perspective. In this article definition, These are known as parthivagni Kosthagni Vyapara, Importance of ,apyagni, taijasagni, vayavyagni and Agni, Agni Samya and Vaisamya Effect nabhasagni. They help the kosthagni of Agni Vaismaya, will be descibed. in the digestion of food, especially to Kosthagni Vyapara (functions of digest those kinds of foods which are digestive fire)- The food ingested, is of identical nature4.Parthivagni acted upon by the normal Kosthagni specially helps in the digestion of vis a vis pachaka pitta and cooked parthiva kind of food, apyagni the properly to produce two substances, apya kinds of foods and so on. These the Sarabhaga or the Ahara rasa (the bhutagnis derive their strength essence of food) and Kitta bhaga (the (functional capacity) from the waste products of food). The kosthagni itself. Dhatwagnis seven in sarabhaga or ahara rasa undergoes number, are present, one in each of the further changes being acted upon by seven dhatus (tissues) of the body5, the bhutaganis and gets converted into and each one is called by name of the Rasadhatu- the first dhatu (first tissue) dhatu in which it is present such as of the body. The activities of kosthagni Rasagni, Raktagni, etc. Each of them is and bhutagnis together form the Ahara specific by itself (in its composition paka or digestion of food. The and function) and suitable only to rasadhatu contains the nutrient particular dhatu in which it is present materials derived from the food and (dhatu visista). Each dhatwagni attends required by the dhatus (tissues), This to the digestion of Posakansa (nutrient rasa dhatu circulates all over the body material) supplied to that dhatu by supplying the nutrients to all the other circulating rasa dhatu. The dhatwagni dhatus, which utilize this material for present in the mamsa dhatu can digest their growth (metabolism)7. the nutrient material required for Importance of Agni - Bala (strength), mamsa dhatu only but cannot digest varna (colour), swasthya (health), those of other dhatus, similarly is the utsaha (enthusiasm), upacaya case with the other dhatwagnis. This is (development of the body), prabha what is known as visista or specificity (complexion), ojas (strength), tejas of dhatwagnis. The dhawagnis also (valour), vaya (age), and even ayu derive their strength from kosthagni (life) - all depend on Agni and its itself, and so depend on it for their function (fire-like activity). So long as functioning.If the kosthagnis is normal, agni is normal, man can have a healthy the dhatwagnis are also normal, if the and long life, loss of Agni leads to loss kosthagnis are weak, the dhatwagnis of life8. Foods containing the nutrient are also weak and if the kosthagnis is materials of the dhatus can be of help powerful the dhatwagnis are also to the dhatus, only after they are powerful. Vagbhata says that even the cooked (digested) well by the Agni. 3086 www.iamj.in IAMJ: Volume 3; Issue 10; October - 2015 Durgesh Gupta, A.c.Kar: Concept Of Agni – An Ayurvedic Review Agni Samya and Vaisamya (normalcy sensation inside the abdomen, sour and abnormalcy)- Existence of all the belchings, thirst, feeling of hot fumes different kinds of agnis in their coming out and such other troubles required pramana (quantity), gunas to the body. It is normally found in (qualities) and karmas (functions) is persons of pitta prakriti (bilious known as Agni Samya (normalcy). constitution), develops in others by While vrddhi (increase) and kshaya the use of pittakara ahara vihara (decrease) in these aspects is known as (food and activities causing increase Agni Vaisamya (abnormalcy) Vrddhi of pitta) and gives rise to diseases of (increase) and kshaya (decrease) are pitta origin. known as tikshna (strong, powerful) 4. Mandagni (the weak) is that which and manda (weak) respectively. Both cannot digest even little quantity of these are abnormal, and give rise to food in the scheduled time, produces many diseases in the body. heaviness of the abdomen, stasis of Kosthagni: The kosthagni (gastric fire, food for long period inside, difficulty digestive activity) present in man, is of in breathing and such other troubles the following four kinds9: to the body. It is normally found in 1. Samagni (the normal one), is that persons of kapha prakriti which digests the food in the (phlegmatic constitution), develops scheduled time without giving any in others by the use of kaphakara trouble to the body. It is conducive to ahara viharas (foods and activities health and so ideal. It is normally which increase kapha) and gives rise found is persons of samsarga and to disease of kapha origin. sammishra prakriti (constitution Except samagni, the first type, originating from the combination of which is prakrta (normal), the two and all the three remaining three are vaikrta (abnormal), respectively.) and lead to the production of various 2. Visamagni (the erratic) is that which diseases10. The number of diseases changes from one time of food to the produced by mandagni (weak digestive other in its functioning, producing activity) is more than those produced flatulence, pain in the abdomen, by the other two. Hence a categorical obstruction to the free elimination of statement that “all diseases are due to faces and flatus and such other Mandagni”11 troubles to the body. It is normally Effect of Agni Vaismaya: When the found in persons of vata prakriti three kinds of abnormal agnis (nervous constitution), develops in (digestive activity) stated above are others also by over indulgence in present, digestion of food will not be vatakara ahara vihara (foods and proper. In Mandagni, the food will be activities which increase vata) and Apaka (inadequately digested or not given rise to diseases of vata origin. digested at all), in case of Tikshnagni it 3. Tikshnagni (the powerful or strong) will be dagdhapaka (overburnt ) and in is that which digests even large case of Visamagni it will be pakwa- quantities of food earlier to the apakwa (mixture of digested and scheduled time, producing burning undigested) and also different from one 3087 www.iamj.in IAMJ: Volume 3; Issue 10; October - 2015 Durgesh Gupta, A.c.Kar: Concept Of Agni – An Ayurvedic Review period of digestion to the other12. In all 4. Sharma R. K. and Bhagwan Dash, these conditions there will be Charaka Samhita (English accumulation of Ama (undigested translation), Volume iv, Reprint materials remaining over) in the Rasa 2009, Chaukhamba Sanskrit Series, dhatu. The quantity of such Ama Varanasi, cha.chi. 15/13 ,p/9. materials will be copius (large) in 5. Vagbhata, Ashtanga Hridaya Mandagni and less in the other two. Samhita with Englisih translation CONCLUSION by Srikantamurthy K.R.’s, 9th Explaining briefly the digestive Edition, 2013, Krishnadas and metabolic functions of Agni, academy, Varanasi A.H.Su.11/34, Acharya Charaka has mentioned that p/162. various types of di etic materials are 6. Vagbhata, Ashtanga Hridaya digested by their own Agni (Bhutagni), Samhita with Englisih translation encouraged and enhanced by by Srikantamurthy K.R.’s, 9th Antaragni (Jatharagni), which is Edition, 2013, Krishnadas further digested and metabolized by academy, Varanasi A.H.Sha. 3/49 , Dhatvagni to associate the body with p/404. the nutritional strength, complexion 7. Sharma P. V., and happy life along with providing (English translation), Vol I, Reprint energy to the seven dhatus. The 2010, Chaukhamba Vishwabharati, Tridosas, Dhatus and Malas are Varanasi, Su. Sut.. 14/3, p/142-43. maintained normal and healthy by the 8. Sharma R. K. and Bhagwan Dash, Agni itself, present in each of them. Charaka Samhita (English Such is the importance of Agni to life. translation), Volume iv, Reprint REFERENCES 2009, Chaukhamba Sanskrit Series, 1. Charaka S, Sashtri Kashinath, Pt, Varanasi, cha. chi. 15/3-4 ,p/1-2. Chaturvedi Gorakhnath., Dr . Ibid 9. Sharma P. V., Sushruta Samhita verse 15/4. Varanasi: Chaukhamba (English translation), Vol I, Reprint Bharti Academy; 2004. 2010, Chaukhamba Vishwabharati, Chikitsanthana, 15/3; p. 452. Varanasi, Su. Sut.. 35/25. 2. Sharma R. K. and Bhagwan Dash, 10. Sharma R. K. and Bhagwan Dash, Charaka Samhita (English Charaka Samhita (English translation), Volume 1st, Reprint translation), Volume iv, Reprint 2008, Chaukhamba Sanskrit Series, 2009, Chaukhamba Sanskrit Series, Varanasi, cha. sut. 12/11 , p/240- Varanasi, cha. Chi. 15/4 & 13/9, 41. p/1-2. 11. Vagbhata, Ashtanga Hridaya 3. Vagbhata, Ashtanga Hridaya Samhita with English translation Samhita with Englisih translation by Srikantamurthy K.R.’s, 9th by Srikantamurthy K.R.’s, 9th Edition, 2013, Krishnadas Edition, 2013, Krishnadas academy, Varanasi A.H.Ni.12/1, academy, Varanasi A.H.Su.12/10- p/113. 12, p/168. 12. Vagbhata, Ashtanga Hridaya Samhita with English translation 3088 www.iamj.in IAMJ: Volume 3; Issue 10; October - 2015 Durgesh Gupta, A.c.Kar: Concept Of Agni – An Ayurvedic Review by Srikantamurthy K.R.’s, 9th Edition, 2013, Krishnadas academy,Varanasi A.H.Su.13/25,p/187.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Dr. Durgesh gupta M.D. (Ayu) Department of Vikriti Vigyan, Faculty of Ayurveda, IMS, BHU, Varanasi, India Email: [email protected]

Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: None Declared

3089 www.iamj.in IAMJ: Volume 3; Issue 10; October - 2015