Normal And Abnormal Dosha Imbalance – Prakrita, Vaikrita Dosha Dushti

Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa, B.A.M.S

Introduction

The three doshas i.e. Vata, Pitta and Kapha being the prime contributory factors and initiators of a disease process are inevitably involved in the pathogenesis of a disease.

The dosha vitiation is a mandatory stage in the production of a disease process. The dosha vitiation is caused due to exposure to etiological factors. 

There are various types of dosha vitiation.
Related reading – Types of Dosha Dushti or dosha vitiation

Prakrita Dosha Dushti and Vaikruta Dosha Dushti are one among various types of dosha dushti. These two are mutually opposite forms of dosha dushti but will be considered together for better understanding the contrast forms of dosha vitiation. In this article we shall discuss about this form of dosha vitiation.

Prakrita Dosha Dushti

Prakrita Dosha Dushti (Normal vitiation of doshas)
Prakruta Dosha Dushti means normal vitiation of doshas. Vaikrita Dosha Dushti means abnormal vitiation of doshas.

Now what is this normal and abnormal vitiation? Let us understand this –
Prakruta Dosha Dushti is that type of dosha vitiation which is produced by inevitable and natural factors, but in a natural way. These natural factors may be due to –

• Seasonal changes (Rutu Prabhava)
• Diurnal changes (Dina-Ratri Prabhava) or
• Various stages of digestion (Ahara Parinama Prabhava)

Due to seasonal variations

1. Prakrita Dosha Dushti due to seasonal variations

Particular doshas get vitiated in particular seasons. Example, Vata will get vitiated in rainy season, Pitta vitiates in autumn season and Kapha gets vitiated in spring season. This type of vitiation is quite natural for these doshas and takes place as a rule in everyone. Therefore this is Prakrita Dushti – normal vitiation of doshas in their related seasons

If seasonal regimen – Rtucharya is properly followed, the dosha gets pacified and settles down to normal proportions in the upcoming season, even without treatment. Example, Vata subsides in Sharad Rtu, Pitta subsides in Hemanta Rtu and Kapha subsides in Grishma Rtu.

If Rtucharya is not followed properly, the doshas which have undergone vitiation will further aggravate and proceed through other stages of kriya kala (stages of disease) and cause samprapti (pathogenesis) of diseases.

Due to diurnal variations

1. Prakrita Dosha Dushti due to diurnal variations

Just like the seasons, each dosha has a particular timein the day in which they tend to get increased. This vitiation is temporary.

Example, vitiation or increase of Kapha in the early part of the day (morning), increase of Pitta in the noon and increase of Kapha in the evening are quite natural and occur as a rule. Therefore they are categorized as Prakrita Dushti of those doshas in their respective time.

These doshas will settle down to normal proportions in the next part of the day, i.e. Kapha subsides by noon, Pitta subsides by evening and Vata naturally subsides by night or early morning.

Due to stages of digestion

1. Prakrita Dosha Dushti due to different stages of digestion

Just as in relation to seasonal and diurnal changes, each dosha will get vitiated during a particular phase of digestion (anna kala). This vitiation too is temporary and will subside during the next phase of their digestion.

Example, Kapha increases during first part of the digestion of food (ama avastha), Pitta increases during the second stage of digestion when the food is in the process of getting digested (pachyamana avastha) and Vata increases after the complete digestion of food (pakva avastha). This dosha dushti is considered quite normal to these doshas, i.e. prakrita dosha dushti and occurs as a rule.

These doshas get settled in the next phase of digestion of food, i.e. Kapha settles down in the pachyamana avastha, Pitta settles down at the onset of Pakva avastha and Vata settles down at the onset of ama avastha.

Vaikruta Dosha Dushti

Vaikruta Dosha Dushti (Abnormal vitiation of doshas)
Vaikrita Dosha Dushti means abnormal vitiation of doshas.

When a particular dosha gets vitiated in an season in which it should not get vitiated, it is considered as Vaikrita Dushti of that particular dosha.

Example, instead of Sharad Rtu (season for natural vitiation of pitta), if pitta gets vitiated in Vasanta Rtu (season for kapha vitiation) or Varsha Rtu (season for vata vitiation), the pitta is said to be abnormally vitiated. Thus it is considered as vaikruta dushti of pitta.

Similarly, vitiation of Kapha in Sharad Rtu or Varsha Rtu instead of Vasanta Rtu and vitiation of Vata in Sharad or Vasanta Rtu instead of Varsha Rtu are vaikrita dushti of those doshas respectively.

This type of vitiation of doshas is not easy to treat because they do not subside with the onset of change of season as it normally and naturally occurs in the prakrita dushti.

Importance of Dosha Dushti types

Importance of having knowledge of Prakrita and Vaikrita Dosha Dushti
Knowledge of Prakrita and Vaikrita Dosha Dushti simply means knowing normal and abnormal things happening due to different activities of doshas. This will help in differentially knowing and diagnosing the vitiation of doshas accurately.

Knowing normal and abnormal vitiation of doshas will enable the physician to derive at a correct decision making in relation to treating the pathological conditions based on identification of the symptoms of vitiated doshas.

Just Before Finishing –
In this article we have covered about normal and abnormal vitiation of doshas, the methods and clues to identify them and make use of this knowledge in clinical diagnosis of pathological conditions involving vitiated doshas and treating them comprehensively.
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