Rasa Pradoshaja Rogas – Diseases Due To Vitiated Rasa Dhatu
Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa, B.A.M.S
Rasa is the first tissue formed in the sequence of tissue formation as explained in Ayurvedic texts. It is formed immediately and directly from the food juices formed after the digestion of the food. The tissues are formed one after the other and one from the other according to the concepts explained in Ayurveda pertaining to chronology of tissue formation.
If Ras Dhatu is properly formed in terms of its quality and quantity, the successive tissues too will be formed in a proper and healthy way.
Rasa Pradoshaja Roga
Rasa Pradoshaja Rogas – Diseases caused by contaminated Rasa tissue
When Rasa is contaminated by doshas or by ama, it causes many diseases. These diseases are called Ras Pradoshaj Vkaras.
Below enlisted are the diseases caused by contaminated Rasa tissue –
Ashraddha – loss of interest towards taking food
Aruchi / Arochaka – tastelessness, anorexia
Avipaka – indigestion of food
Aasya vairasya – manifestation of opposite tastes, i.e. when food of one taste is taken it is actually perceived as some other taste, example – when sweet taste is consumed it tastes bitter or salty
Arasagnataa – not able to perceive taste of the food in its actual sense
Hrillasa – nausea
Gouravam – heaviness of the body parts
Trupti – early satiety even before adequate quantity of food is consumed
Tandra – drowsiness
Angamarda – pain in the body parts as if someone has beaten
Jwara – fever
Tama – feel as if one is entering into the darkness
Pandutvam – pallor, anemia due to the improper formation of blood tissue which is the second in the series to be formed after Rasa
Hrit Roga – heart diseases
Srotasaam rodaha / Margoparodha – obstruction in the channels of the body
Klaibyam – impotence
Angasaada / Saada – weakness of the body parts
Krushangata / Kaarshya – emaciation of the body parts
Naasho agnehe – deterioration of digestive fire
Ayathakala vali – premature wrinkling of skin
Ayathakala palita – premature graying of hairs
Key points
Simultaneous contamination of rasa, kapha and ama in rasa pradosha – Most of the symptoms of rasa pradoshaja diseases resemble the kapha increase symptoms. This is because rasa is a tissue which belongs to the kapha category of body elements and both these share ashraya ashrayi relationship i.e. among many tissues in which kapha resides, rasa is one. Contamination of rasa will also increase kapha located in rasa. Both these elements will contaminate each other. Therefore the symptoms like slow digestion, heaviness of the body, indigestion, early satiety, weakness, lethargy, drowsiness etc are manifested. The same symptoms are also the symptoms of formation of ama.
Related Reading – Ama – Word Derivation, Meaning, Definition, Formation
Contamination of rasa and disturbance of digestion process takes place interchangeably, cyclically and in the form of feedback mechanism – Most of the symptoms like anorexia, indigestion, lack of interest in food, feeling opposite tastes or not feeling taste of food at all, nausea, heaviness of the body, feeling of early satiety, all these point towards the slowing down of digestive mechanism in the stomach and subsequent formation of ama.
This leads to contamination of rasa tissue by ama and kapha, subsequent weakening of the rasa tissue fire and disturbed metabolism within the said tissue. Since the rasa is not converted into the next tissue i.e. blood tissue there is stagnation in the rasa. As a negative feedback there is lack of interest in the food, tastelessness and relative indigestion. This continues as a vicious cycle. Thus, rasa is contaminated following sluggish digestion and in turn the contaminated rasa would lead to metabolic disturbances apart from not forming the subsequent tissues.
Read related: Anna Visha – When Food Turns Toxic: Causes, Symptoms
Rasa contamination directly related to cardiac disorders – Rasa circulates through heart. Heart is one of the chief roots for rasavaha srotas i.e. channels responsible for carrying rasa. Therefore rasa contamination causes heart diseases.
Contaminated rasa causes blocks in the body leading to many diseases and complications – Rasa contaminated with ama and kapha tends to block the channels and ducts of the body. Due to this the body will be deprived of nutrition and essential components like oxygen etc. this will eventually result in manifestation of body pain, feeling of weakness and darkness in front of the eyes, premature graying and wrinkling, and emaciation.
Rasa Dhatu contamination manifests in the form of fever – Rasa contamination causes indigestion and metabolic disorders of stomach. The fire in the stomach gets displaced to the periphery and causes fever.
Rasa vitiation causes deficit formation of blood and other tissues – Manifestation of anemia points towards the inadequate formation of blood tissue from rasa. Impotence indicates that the subsequent tissues are also not formed.
Rasa vitiation leads to malnutrition and emaciation – Emaciation is a consequence of deficit formation of all the tissues due to contamination of rasa.
Vata and Pitta too may be involved in certain rasa borne diseases – It is not a rule that only kapha contaminates the rasa. When vata contaminates rasa it may cause body pain, weakness, emaciation, untimely wrinkles of skin, impotence, loss of interest in food etc symptoms. Similarly when pitta contaminates rasa, it may cause symptoms like indigestion, premature graying of hairs, heart diseases, pallor, anemia, fever, etc conditions.
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