Kuti Praveshika Rasayana – Rejuvenation Therapy In Health Chambers

By Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa, B.A.M.S
Now days the modern man has started believing that happiness and peace of mind is not available in the towns and cities they live, it is not available even in homes and families. They need a place where they can go and relax, refresh, reboot their body and mind, get rejuvenated, come back and start afresh.

Introduction

Health resorts took their origin in 20^th century to mark a remarkable renovation in the form, presentation and sophistication of health services, the best and costliest ones made available for people who can afford to stay there and get full attention and pampering while getting free from stress and pain related to body and mind.

They have even become part of international tourism packages and Ayurveda is an essential part of it. In fact, the health resorts or sanatoriums have become synonymous with “Ayurvedic” health resorts. While this is a privilege and a reflection of international interest, trust and love towards the ancient health system Ayurveda, it also reflects that majority of people worldwide are now aware about Ayurveda and its wonder as far as its contribution towards comprehensive healthcare is concerned.
Read – Lifestyle Tips For Healthy People And Patients In Ayurveda

Ayurveda was the first health science to explain the concept of requirement of a separate and isolated place for getting rejuvenated in totality, the first ever concept of a well planned resort. The concept of Kudi Praveshik Rasayanam explains this.

Sanskrit verse

Rasayana classification

Classification of Rasayana on the basis of facility of Rasayana
Depending on the place and conditions in which the rejuvenation therapies are carried out, Rasayana is divided into two types. They are –

Kuti Pravesika Rasayanam – In this method, the rejuvenation therapy is conducted in an isolated place, inside a special chamber constructed with the purpose of providing rejuvenation. This type of Rasayana will come with its package of restrictions and special instructions, following which patient has to consume Rasayana.

Vatatapika Rasayana – In this method, the rejuvenation therapy is conducted in the place of the person who is to be rejuvenated. There will be no isolation, no special constructions or instructions and restrictions to be followed. The person can lead a normal day-to-day life and yet take the Rasayana.

Vatatapika means vata + atapika i.e. while living or getting exposed to the vata i.e. air and atapa i.e. heat of the Sun. In our day to day life we get exposed to air and sun, this is the norm of life. Rasayan consumed while being in the stream of day to day life is called Vatatapika Rasayana.

In this article we shall discuss about the oldest concept of Ayurvedic health resorts or Ayurvedic Sanatoriums or geriatric sanatoriums as explained in Ayurvedic classics, i.e. Kudi Pravesika Rasayanam.
Read – Meaning and Definition Of Rasayana Therapies (Rasayana Paryaya)

Word meaning

Kuti Praveshik Rasayan – Rejuvenation therapy in health sanatoriums
Kuti = cabin, cottage
Praveshika = by entering
Rasayana = Rejuvenation therapy, immunity medicine, Geriatric care

Kuti Praveshika Rasayana = method of consuming Rasayana by entering into an isolated and specially constructed cabin and staying therein until the completion of therapy.

Procedure

Method of conducting Kuti Praveshiga Rasayanam
Pre-therapy procedure

Kuti construction

1. Construction of Kuti – rejuvenation cottage
Among the preparations for administering Rasayana, construction of rejuvenation cottage is of prime importance. The concept of Kuti Praveshik Rasayan tells that every time and for every patient / client a new cottage needs to be constructed.

Land examination

Examination of land where kuti is intended to be constructed – Initially a good place should be selected for the construction of Kuti. That land where kuti would be built should have the below mentioned characteristic features –

• Nripa, vaidya, dwijaateenaam saadhoonaam punya karmanaam – It should be a land where people who are divine and involved in pious and good deeds, kings, physicians, Brahmins, warriors, businessmen and noble people reside.
• Nirbhaya – a place where in one can stay fearlessly.
• Shasta – place chosen should be auspicious and good enough.
• Prapya upakarane – place where all the necessary amenities and essential things are easily available

Kuti should be constructed on an even surface of good quality land such that it faces East or North.
Read – Rasayana Therapy (Anti Ageing, Rejuvenation) Meaning, Derivation

Structure, amenities

2. Structure, features and amenities in the Kuti
The Rejuvenation therapy chamber should be constructed in the below mentioned form and should consist of the below mentioned facilities.

Vistara utseda sampannam – The cottage should be constructed to geometric precision i.e. its length, breadth and height should be sufficient enough and proportional enough such that it should be good enough for a person to reside in it.

Trigarbha – Trigarbha means triple chamber. The cottage is constructed in such a way that it includes 3 chambers one inside the other. The third chamber is the innermost. This is the room in which the person taking Rasayana is supposed to live until the course is completed. Outside it is the 2^nd chamber which is enclosed by first chamber. The second chamber is interposed between the first and 3^rd chamber and separates them.

The first chamber is the outermost room which encloses both the 2^nd and 3^rd rooms within it. Each chamber has an entrance, the main entrance is found in first chamber such that the patient enters the first chamber, enters the second one and later goes into the deepest 3^rd interior room where the minimum facilities have been made which are sufficient enough for him to stay during the course of his treatment.

Sukshma Lochanam – Each chamber has small windows for ventilation and light.
Ghana bhittim – Kuti should be made up of thick walls.
Rtu sukham – It should be compatible for all seasons.
Suspashtaam – The cottage and rooms within it should have right things placed in right places. It should have specific places meant to do definitive activities and arranged according to planned engineering.
Manasaha Priyaam – It should be such that it creates pleasant mind.
Shabdaadeenaam ashastaanaam agamyam – It should be constructed in such a way that there should be no scope for any harsh and unpleasant sounds, visuals, smell etc to enter the cottage.
Stree Vivarjitam – Women should not be permitted to enter the kuti.
Ishta Upakaranopetam – Cottage should be equipped with all materials which are pleasing to mind of the person who undergoes the rejuvenation therapy and also all those materials of need.
Sajja vaidhya aushadha dwijaam – The physicians, medicines and Brahmins should always be accessible.

Patient admission

Admission of the patient / client into the rejuvenation resort
1. Examination of the person undergoing rejuvenation therapy
Just before admitting the person into rejuvenation cottage, he should be examined thoroughly. Any physical and mental ailments should be ruled out. The person intending to take rejuvenation therapy should be physically and mentally sound and healthy.

Charaka tells that the person who is enriched with dhee i.e. intellect, smriti i.e. memory and strength is fit to be admitted into the rejuvenation resort. He should also be careful and have control over himself and situations. He should have got rid of the contaminants of the mind i.e. raja and tama qualities.
Read – Urine Test And Diagnosis In Ayurveda – Taila Bindu Pareeksha

Rituals

2. Activities and rituals to be done before entering the rejuvenation and resort
Person should be compassionate towards other living beings including the people and animals around him, he should pray for their wellness and welfare. He should worship the Gods, Brahmins and pious people. He should have haircut and get himself trimmed.

After following all the above said rituals, he should enter the resort when the Sun is in Northern solstice, during Shukla Paksha i.e. bright lunar fortnight, on an auspicious date and star constellation, having well equipped to stay in the cottage so as to undergo rejuvenation therapy in a proper and religious way.
Read – Achara Rasayana – Behavioral Therapy For Calm Mind And Long Life

Panchakarma therapies

Admission of cleansing therapies and rejuvenation therapy inside the rejuvenation chamber

1. Shodhana – cleansing before administration of Rasayana
After entering the kuti, the person should be administered with purification therapy so as to cause cleansing of his body. Purification therapy should be administered in the form of
emesis, purgation,
enema and nasal instillation.

Cleansing treatments will get rid of the body toxins, morbid doshas and excreta. Benefits of Rasayana will not be obtained to optimum if consumed by a person whose body has not been cleansed.

After taking the cleansing treatments, once the person gets devoid of any illnesses, when there are no more discomforts in the body and when the person would have gained his strength back after having followed the diet schedules after cleansing treatments i.e. samsarjana krama, the Rasayanas should be consumed.
Read – Ayurvedic Panchakarma Treatment: simple explanation for easy understanding

Detox medicines

Formulation for shodhana – Haritakyadi Yoga
Equal quantity of the powders of below mentioned herbs should be taken –

• Haritaki – Terminalia chebula
• Saindhava lavana – rock salt
• Amalaki – Emblica officinalis
• Guda – jaggery, molasses
• Vacha – Acorus calamus
• Vidanga – Embelia ribes
• Haridra – Turmeric
• Pippali – Piper longum, long pepper
• Shunti – Ginger

Powder of 12 grams approximately is mixed in hot water and given to the patient for drinking after having subjected the patient to oleation and sudation.
This Haritakyadi powder causes purging / cleansing of the body.
After body gets cleansed, peya, vilepi etc gruels in different forms should be given as diet.

Gruel administration

2. Administration of Yavagu for expelling the purana mala i.e. old stagnant excreta and morbidity
After this, yavagu or medicated gruel prepared from old barley should be given mixed with ghee. The person who had mild cleansing should take yavagu for 3 days, person who had taken moderate cleansing should take yavagu for 5 days and who had taken optimum cleansing should take for 7 days.

Alternatively, yavagu should be given until all the old and accumulated wastes of the body are eliminated.
Read – Right Method Of Rasayana Therapy – Dr CR Agnives

Rasayana administration

3. Administration of Rasayana
After analyzing proper signs of cleansing, the physician who has precise knowledge about the age, constitution, pathology and different kinds of rasayanas which need to be administered in different conditions and to different types of patients should administer Rasayana to the aspirant of rejuvenation staying in the Kuti.
Click to Consult Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ayu) – Email / Skype