Dasha Pranayatana: Meaning, Importance of its Knowledge for Physician

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

Dasha = ten
Prana = life element, life force
Ayatana = place, abode, seat

Dasha Prana Ayatanas are the 10 seats in the body where the vital life element is located.

Life is present in each and every cell of the body but Master Charaka has specified these ten abodes of Prana, the understanding of which is very important for every physician.

In this article we will try to understand these ten ‘abodes of life’ as explained by Acharya Charaka.

Reference – Charaka Sutra Sthana, Chapter 29 – ‘Dasha Pranaayataneeya Adhyaya’, Verses 3 and 4

Dasha Prana Aaayatanani: Ten abodes of Prana: The vital life energy

दशैवायतनान्याहुःप्राणायेषुप्रतिष्ठिताः |
 शङ्खौमर्मत्रयंकण्ठोरक्तंशुक्रौजसीगुदम्||३||
 तानीन्द्रियाणिविज्ञानंचेतनाहेतुमामयान्|
 जानीतेयःसवैविद्वान्प्राणाभिसरउच्यते||४||

There are ten most important abodes / seats wherein Prana – the vital life energy is located. They are called as Dasha Prana Ayatana and are as below mentioned –

1 & 2 – Shankau – two temples – left temple and right temple
3, 4, 5 – Marma Trayam – three vital organs / structures i.e. Hridaya – heart, basti / vasti – urinary bladder (urinary system) and shira – head (brain)
6 – Kantha – throat / neck
7 – Rakta – blood tissue
8 – Shukra – semen
9 – Ojas – essence of all the seven tissues in the body, represents the immune system
10 – Guda – anus, rectum / ano-rectum

It is very important for a physician to have ‘in-depth knowledge’ of these abodes of Prana. Master Charaka further says that a physician would be designated as ‘Pranabhisara’ i.e. saviour of life, when he or she is very well versed and acquainted with the knowledge of these ten abodes of life.

Apart from this, the Pranabhisara Vaidya should also have precise knowledge of indriyas – sense organs, vijnana – intelligence, chetana – soul, hetu – etiological factors of the diseases, amaya – diseases and their signs and symptoms and chikitsa – treatment of the diseases.

The Bigg TEN of Acharya CHARAKA

Shankhau

The two temples serve important functions. They protect the temporal lobes of the brain on both sides and also the cranial nerves. They also contain in them the hearing organs. Fracture or damage of these bones can cause haemorrhage, vertigo and hearing loss, nystagmus and facial paralysis and many other serious issues. The temporal lobes play an important role in processing emotions, language and visual perception. They are also involved in understanding language, learning and remembering verbal information, mainly the left lobe.

Shankha is also an ‘asthi marma’ – a vital area rich in bone tissue. Muscles, blood vessels, ligaments and joints are present in lesser quantities. It is a Sadyo Pranahara Marma – i.e. the injury of these marmas cause ‘immediate death’. This marma comprises temporal bones / region, superficial and middle meningeal arteries. Since it is a marma, it is also a seat of prana.

Wearing helmets is compulsory for those riding bikes. We see the helmets covering the temples also.

Tri Marmas

Heart, Urinary Bladder and Head are considered as the three great Marmas – vital organs. The injury to these three structures immediately takes away life.

Hridaya – heart and its blood vessels, structures of mediastinum is considered to be a Sadyo Pranahara Marma. The term Hridaya may also include the lungs. It is a sira marma – a vital organ predominant in veins / blood vessels. The circulation of blood, oxygenation and nutrient supply to each and every cell of the body is carried out by a healthy heart, throughout the life. It is also said to be a chetana sthana i.e. abode of life and consciousness. It is the root of rasavaha srotas – channels transporting / conveying nutrition, pranavaha srotas – channels conveying the vital air and manovaha srotas – channels conveying emotions and thoughts.

Basti / Vasti – Urinary bladder / apparatus – is a Snayu Marma – vital organ rich in ligaments and is also a Sadyo Pranahara Marma. Immediate death following the injury to urinary bladder can be caused due to obstruction to the flow of urine, blockage of urine causing udavarta (retrograde movement of vata) and excessive urination within pelvic and abdominal cavity. Basti also includes the other members of the urinary apparatus i.e. kidneys, ureters, urethra and renal blood vessels. It also includes nerves supplying the urinary bladder and also structures of the pelvic cavity. We are coming across many chronic kidney diseases now-a-days wherein cure has become a mirage and illusion and people are pouring all that they have hard earned throughout their lives on dialysis. These diseases are taking a toll on the longevity of people.

Shira – head is an important Marma. It has not been counted as a Marma according to Acharya Sushruta but most of the Jatrurdhwa Marmas – vital organs and structures located above the level of collar bone as explained by Sushruta are located in the head. It is an abode of indriyas – sense organs, brain and nerves. It is also considered as uttamanga – best organ in the body. Human body is said to be an inverted tree and its roots i.e. head is located at the top. So, the head (cranium) and its contents are the root of the human body. All our sensory and motor functions are dependent on the shira. It is also a seat of Prana.

Kantha

Kantha means throat. The meaning can also be expanded to include the neck. Throat forms the bridge between the trunk and head. The Nila Dhamanis and Matrukas i.e. the great blood vessels to and from the head, connecting to the heart pass through the neck. The neck consists of our vocal system, the source of our communication and speech – which is an important karma indriya – organ of action. Our evolution depends on it. It is the pathway of movement of Prana and Udana Vayu, which represents life element and strength (immunity) respectively. We might have watched in many movies, someone easily killed by slitting his or her throat.

Rakta

Blood is a tissue which connects each and every cell of our body and nurtures them through the nutrition and oxygen (prana in this context) it carries to them. In a way, it connects all systems which make our body. Rakta is also called Jiva – which means life. Loss of blood is called Jivadana i.e. loss or escape of vital life energy from the body. Its channels i.e. Raktavaha Srotas are rooted in Yakrit – liver and Spleen – which form an integral part of the Reticuloendothelial System. Liver is also an important organ concerned with growth and development of the foetus in the mother’s womb i.e. the foetal circulation takes place through the liver of the child. So, the prana, through blood and nutrition and oxygen are supplied to the Garbha – embryo / foetus through the liver. So, blood is the first life for the growth and development of each and every individual. Increase, decrease of affliction of rakta by doshas would lead to a wide array of systemic disorders. Bleeding within or out of the body is lethal and immediately takes away life.

Shukra

Shukra means semen. It also means sperms or reproductive units. The health of shukra in terms of its qualitative and quantitative balance is of utmost importance for maintenance of the overall health of an individual. Shukra also represents love, affection and emotion. The capacity of reproducing the progeny depends on shukra dhatu, which is also called as bija. So, life begins from shukra and hence it is an abode or depot of prana.

Ojas

Ojas is the essence of all the tissues in the body. Ojas represents the collective integrity of all the tissues, a good immunity and endurance and good health, when it is properly formed and well balanced. A portion of it is located in the Hridaya and the other part is represented in the entire body. It is said that the human body stays (is alive, going and healthy) as long as the ojas is stable in the body and when the ojas is destroyed, the person no longer lives i.e. causes death. The child born in the 7^th month is said not to live or die immediately after birth since the ojas is unstable in this month. Therefore, ojas represents prana and is also the abode of the same.

Guda

Guda is a term which includes the lower portion of the colon / large intestine i.e. anus and rectum. It is also a Sadyo Pranahara Marma and a Mamsa Marma – a vital organ predominant in muscle tissue. It is also a Karmendriya – organ of action. It represents the gateway of the evacuation system. It is a seat of Apana Vata, which is a vital force by itself, which is involved in evacuation of excreta from the body, which when retained is dangerous for the functioning of the body, amongst other functions.

Facts worth observing

Most of the structures mentioned among the ten abodes of prana are Marmas – vital organs / structures / tissues. Marmas are those structures which when injured or damaged would cause – immediate or delayed loss of prana (life element) i.e. cause death, severe pain, deformity or crippling and death when the foreign body is removed. This indicates that these structures are abodes of prana. Two Shankas, Three Marmas i.e. head, heart and bladder and Guda – ano-rectum are actually counted amongst the list of Marmas. Kantha, Rakta, Shukra and Ojas are not counted among the Marmas but their damage or loss may cause effects similar to those caused by damage of marmas, as discussed above. So, it is obvious that Prana is located in these structures.

These structures represent different systems in the body.

–        Shankha – represents bones of the body. Injury to any part of the head is dangerous but by mentioning Shankha, Master Charaka emphasizes to protect the head from the crown, down to the temples. It is the most sensitive part of the head which is in close proximity to the brain and hearing apparatus. It is also near to the eyes and its injury may also involve destruction of perception of sound, sight and smell. It also represents the sensory system.
–        Hridaya – represents the entire circulatory system – arterial, venous and lymphatic system. Since the rasa – nutrition circulates through Hridaya, it also mirrors the health of the digestive system. Hridaya also represents the respiratory system since it is closely associated with the circulatory system.
–        Shira – represents the central and peripheral nervous system and also the endocrine system.
–        Basti / Vasti – represents the urinary system / excretory system.
–        Kantha – represents the pathway for important structures of circulatory and respiratory systems, and also houses the esophagus.
–        Rakta – represents Reticuloendothelial System.
–        Shukra – represents the reproductive system.
–        Ojas – represents the immune system and reflects the health of all the tissues.
–        Guda – represents the excretory system.

In a way, the entire organs and organ systems which govern all the activities of our life are enrolled into the list of Dasha Pranayatana.

Importance of knowing / studying Pranayatanas

Master Charaka emphasizes the knowledge of these abodes for a physician because they mirror one or the other system. They are all integrated in a loop by a common factor called ‘PRANA’.

They not only house and represent Prana, but also are woven through this Prana energy.

Knowledge of Prana Ayatanas for a physician is important because the primary role of the physician is to protect and guard the vital life element in the people i.e. Prana energy. Any medicine, diet or therapy administered is to protect or resuscitate the prana of a person, a structure, organ, tissue or organ systems.

The knowledge of the same helps a physician to understand the deep philosophical meaning of the word Prana and how the entire system is integrated through the Prana loop.

Most often we see that if one organ is treated the other organs get resuscitated and healthy. This is because the Prana in them is interconnected. Similarly, if one root disease is cured, the other associated diseases also get cured because of reinstallation of the Prana in the entire body.

While treating the diseases or while administering the therapies, Ayurveda advocates a physician to do that while taking care that the ‘prana is well protected and shielded’.

Is Prana Vata the same as ‘Prana’ mentioned in the context of Pranayatana?

Yes and No. No, because there are other abodes of Prana energy in our body other than Vata. Prana Vata is said to be located in the Murdha i.e. head / brain and represents nervous, endocrine and sensory / motor systems. It is said to be a direct representative of Prana. Prana Vata also is operational in other parts of the body, mainly in the chest and throat / neck. It has its influence up to Apana Vata zone i.e. lower portion of the body, as evidenced by the explanation of ‘Pranavrita Apana’ i.e. functional interference of Apana Vata by Prana Vata, in the context of Avarana. Prana Vata represents part of the entire PRANA, but is not the only representation of PRANA.