Karyaphala: Examination Of Attainment Of Health
By Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa, B.A.M.S
Karyaphala means outcome or results of action. In the treatment process bringing about the balance of doshas and establishing health is the action. Obtaining health by the patient is the desired positive outcome of a comprehensive treatment approach.
Karya = action
Phala = fruits / outcome / result
Kaaryaphala is the 5th factor to be examined according to Charaka’s ten factors to be examined i.e. dashavidha parikshya bhavas. The earlier four factors are –
- Kaarana – the cause – physician is the cause for establishing balance of doshas
- Karana – the instruments – medicines used by the physician to treat the diseases
- Karyayoni – source of action – the imbalance of the doshas and body components which demands action to be taken by the physician
- Karya – action – bringing the doshas to a state of balance and its sign is disappearance or cure of disease
In short, the physician, with the help of medicines, targets the imbalance of doshas and body components in the patient’s body which is the target of his action (to be taken) and brings about a balance in them. This action leads to disappearance of the disease the patient is suffering from. Karyaphala explains the outcome of the action taken.
Read – Roga, Rogi Pareeksha: Examination Of Disease And Patient
Table of Contents
Definition of Karyaphala by Master Charaka
The result expecting to achieve which, the doer would initiate an action is called as karyaphala. It can be considered as object for which the action is initiated.
The ultimate result of an effectively implemented treatment is establishment / attainment of health.
Read – Chikitsa: Treatment Types, Ayurvedic classification
Examination of outcome of treatment
The sign of this outcome of treatment and comprehensive health is pleasure or state of health in the mind, intellect, senses and body. As far as the physician is considered happiness or pleasure is the ‘attainment of a state of freedom from disease’ in the patient and this itself is the outcome of the treatment.
Read – 10 Factors Of Patient Examination – Dasha Vidha Atura Pareeksha
Karyaphala in terms of research
When we consider a researcher in place of physician karyaphala i.e. outcome can be considered as outcomes of the research study.
Outcome of the research study shall be described as – ‘variables which are capable of providing us with the most clinically relevant evidence related to the primary objective of the trial’.
Kinds of endpoints / outcomes of research study –
- Direct endpoint – It is directly related to the primary objective of the research trial.
- Surrogate endpoint – It is the laboratory measurement or a physiological sign. It is used as a substitute for a clinically meaningful endpoint. It measures how a patient feels, functions or survives directly.
Both these endpoints of clinical research which a researcher tries to achieve through various methods of operation can be correlated with the karyaphala – outcome explained by master Charaka.
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