Indian Journal of Ancient Medicine and Yoga Volume 2 Number 4, October -December 2009 Utility of Samskara in pharmaceutics w.s.r to Sandhana Kalpana Sanjay Gupta* Shuchi Mitra** P.K. Prajapati*** ABSTRACT Asavas and Arishtas, the main products of Sandhana Kalpana is quite popular in the community of Ayurvedic physicians due to their action at the level of deeper dhatus, the liquid dose form easier for ingestion to all age group and moreover with long self life.This Kalpana is utilizing multitude of Samskara. Key words: Asava , Arista , Sandhana, Samskara. INTRODUCTION Samsiddhika guna - forever stable Naimittika guna - can be altered by Samskara is one of the important concepts of samskara. Ayurveda. The importance of samskara can be The variation with Samskara as the root cause ascertained form the fact that, routinely used can be rationally deducted with the help of Gurvadi gunas can be modified with the help of Pancamahabhuta Siddhanta. Samskara. For this matter, its Significance has been Usually Guna-Karma of any dravya depends identified even with the routine food as one of the on Conjugation and configuration of Mahabhutas factor of Astau ahara-vidhi-visesa-ayatanas. The present in it. This Pharmacology can be modified concept of Samskara according to Acharya with Samskara due to alteration in pancabhautika Charaka is - composition. A clear cut understanding of the Samskaro hi Gunantradhana uchyata— Samskara with the exposition of Pacamahabhuta (Ca.Vi. 1/21) will give the Physician, an advantage to The Samskara performed in this way confidently employ the Samskara. Here in this superimpose various guans due to paper an attempt has been made to understand metamorphosis in the nature of a dravya which is basic concept of samskara and its utility in the field explained by the term gunanatradhana. This of pharmaceutics. metamorphosis is manifested in terms of change in guans. Thus samskara are meant for physical as WHAT IS SAMSKARA ? well as chemical changes. These guans are the manifestation of pancabhautika composition. Nirukti of Samskara can be given as Samyak Karoti anena iti Samskarah Author’s Affiliations: *Lecturer, Department of Sanskriyate anena iti sanskarah Panchkarma, Sai Ayurvedic Medical College, Aligarh, Uttarpradesh. ** Lecturer, Rasa Shastra & Bhaisajaya kalpana The process or tool by which Dravya is State Ayurvedic P.GC ollege, Lucknow Uttar Pradesh. modified as required is termed as Samskara. ***Professor, H.O.D, Rasa Shastra & Bhaisajaya Kalpana, IPGT & RA , G.A.U, Jamnagar, Gujarat. DEFINITION : The definitions of Samskara given Reprint Requests: Sanjay Gupta, Lecturer Department of by Various Ayurvedic scholars are as follows:- Panchkarma, Sai Ayurvedic Medical College, Aligarh, Uttar Samskaro hi Gunantradhana uchyata(Ca.Vi. 1/21) Pradesh, India, E-mail: [email protected], Tel.: 9411754007. © Red Flower Publication Pvt. Ltd. 230 Sanjay Gupta, Shuchi Mitra, P.K. Prajapati Acarya Caraka defines Samskara as i.e. in Sutra Sthana 7th Chapter (221 to 231verse). transformation of the inherent attributes of a substance. Various commentators have tried to DARSANA define Samskara as follows: Cakrapani quotes it as - Samskaro hi Gunantradhana uchyata In Vaisesika Darsana 3 types of Samskara (Ca. Vi. 1/21) arementioned, which are as follows:- i.e. imbibing different Gunas on the original 1. Vegakhya Samskara Gunas of a Dravya. 2. Sthiti Sthapaka Samskara 3. Bhavnakhya Samskara Gunadhanam doshapariharo va Sanskarah A.D. 5/1/36-44) ROLE OF AGNI IN i.e. increasing useful gunas and removing TRANSFORMATION OF GUNA harmful dosa. According to Cakrapani, This above said gunantaradhana (change in gunas) by Samskara is possible only in case of naimittika Every dravya is having it’s specific gunas, not in the case of samsiddhika gunas. pancabhautika composition. The alteration in pancabhautika composition is taking place at every moment, due to Agni Mahabhuta present in it. But LITERARY REVIEW OF SAMSKARA rate of transformation or alteration is too slow to VEDIKA KALA identify. After specific period only, these alterations are identified in the form of decrease of In vedic kala references are found showing potency etc. For e.g. Drugs which are potent different Samskara involved in method of becomes less potent after some period. Potency of preparation. 'Soma Nirmana. Vidhi’ is one of the Curnas of any dravya remains for specific period of well known example in which various Samskaras 6 months Moreover, the factors outside like desa, like Kuttan, Pesana, Nispidana are there, though kala etc, are also affecting the pancamahabhutas not mentioned separately as a Samskara. present in a dravya. So, after thinking minutely, it becomes clear that after change in dravya (in the SAMHITA KALA form of alteration in pancabhautika composition) Change in guans takes place, which is called as gunantaradhana. In Brhat-trayi, directly types of Samskara are At the level of Pancamahabhutas, Prthvi is not mentionedIn Samhita kala also, at majority of adhara for all the process and Akasa is providing the places Samskara word is used for different space for that. Remaining three Mahabhutas, processes such as Svedana, Mardana, Bhavana, namely Jala, Agni and Vayu are responsible for Manthana etc. transformations or changes taking place in a In Caraka Samhita, the oldest treatise of substance.So, in any Pancabhautika substance also, Ayurveda, after quoting definition of Samskara, a continuous changes or transformations are taking list of various processes useful for making place due to presence of Agni Mahabhuta in it. But Gunantaradhana are given. the rate of transformation may differ according to Though Susruta Samhita and Astanga Hrdaya quantity of Agni Mahabhuta present in it and other had not contributed much about the types and helpful conditions. By providing Agni from concept of Samskara, Astanga Samgraha had outside, one can increase the rate of given good contribution by mentioning various transformation, Followed by Vayu and Jala (22) examples of Samskara collected at one place Mahabhutas respectively. Indian Journal of Ancient Medicine and Yoga Utility of Samskara in Pharmaceutics w.sr to Sandhana Kalpana 231 That’s why in all the process mentioned as a available, Scope of the concept of Samskara lies in Samskara, Toya Sannikarsa and/or Agni the broader use of dravya’s i.e. with minimum cost Sannikarsa are Mandatory. The proportion and maximum effects obtained. As with the help of amount may differ in different processes. Samskara, one can alter Pancabhautika Here, it is also important to note that, during composition, thereby forming various new dravya process of transformation either heat is formed i.e. from a single dravya as per requirement, a broad liberated, known as exothermic reaction or heat is field is obtained for the use of single drug in required for the process of transformation, known treatment of different diseases as well as different as endothermic reaction. The difference between stages of the same disease. transformation and Samskara is that By use of this concept only, one is able to use transformation can takes place in any manner toxic substances as medicines and if Samskara is forming any dravya. But Samskara is making not done properly, the medicine can act as a toxic transformation in a proper way, by providing substance. required conditions, to get the expected resultant. Thus process which is creatively done in proper YOGATA API VISHAM way is termed as Samskara. TIKSHNAM UTTAMAM BHESAJAM So, in a broad sense, Samskara as a process can be BHAVET (CA.SU. 1/126) classified under following 3 headings 1. Toya Sannikarsa Samskara as a Guna is a causative factor 2. Agni Sannikarsa responsible for new ability introduced in a dravya. 3. Toyagni Sannikarsa As karma, Samskara is a process or method of Samskara introducing new ability in a dravya. The drug can be made effective according to different diseases or different stages of the same Toyasannikarsa Agni sannikarsa Toyagnisannikarsa disease, (i.e. Yogyatva) & potency can be increased by giving bhavana of same drug (i.e.Sampat). In Sauca Desa Manthana short, to increase qualities of bhesaja, Samskara is Dhavana Kala Bhavana Nimajjana Kalaprakarsa Nirvapana the only important tool which is in the hands of Sincana Paka Pesana physician. Vasana etc. Daha Svedana etc. Acharya Charaka had mentioned samskara in Avapana Mardana Sosana etc paradi guans, which are called as Cikitsopayogi guans. This indicates importance of Samskara in UTILITY OF SAMSKARA IN the treatment modality. PHARMACEUTICS Samskara is also one of the important factor of Astau-AharaVidhivisesa ayatanas, indicating it's importance in dietetic field. In this era of modernization and civilization, the people are becoming more aware about the Any Samskara could not be employed to any usefulness of Ayurvedic drugs and formulations. dravya. for e.g. The dravyas having apa So, everyday new Ayurvedic Pharmacies are mahabhuta dominance will be more effective in getting established. Demand for Ayurvedic drugs cold infusion i.e. Hima kalpana. Dravyas having is increasing day by day. In current era, many of agni mahabhuta dominance will be more effective the valuable drugs mentioned in Ayurvedic in hot infusion i.e. phanta kalpana. But this is again classics are unavailable or rarely available due to depends on the patient, type of disease, stage of these reasons. If this process will go on continuing, disease, status of dosas etc. in which dravya is to be the time will come that very less drugs will