Vata Dosha and its qualities. Effects of change in Vata Dosha

Ayurveda aims holistic treatment i.e. body and soul both. Our body is made of 5 elements Fire, Water, Earth, Air & Ether. But functional aspect is governed by of three primary life forces or humors. Vata, Pita, Kapha.

The state of balance or equilibrium between these three doshas in the body is called health and the state of imbalance or disequilibrium is disease. The imbalance may be in one, two or all the three doshas.

What are tridoshas?

As mentioned in the Ayurveda Test books — AshtangHaridya

वायु: पतं कफचेत यो दोषा: समासत: ॥ वकृताऽवकृता देहं नित ते वतयित च ।

vāyu: pittaṃ kaphaśceti trayo doṣā: samāsata: || vikṛtā’vikṛtā dehaṃ ghnanti te varttayanti ca |

Vayu/ Vata, Pitta and kapha are the three Doshas of the body.
Perfect balance of three Doshas leads to health, imbalance in Tridosha leads to diseases

The Tridosha are present all over the body, but their presence is especially seen in particular parts. If you divide the body into three parts, the top part upto chest is dominated by Kapha Dosha, between chest and umbilicus is dominated by Pitta, below umbilicus part is dominated by Vata.

Types of Prakruti – Body Types

शु ातवथै: जमादौ वषेणैव वषकृमे: ॥ तैच त: कृतयो हनमयोतमा: पथकृ ् । समधात: समतास ु ु ेठा नया वदोषजा ॥

śukrārtavasthai: janmādau viṣeṇaiva viṣakṛme: || taiśca tisra: prakṛtayo hīnamadhyottamā: pṛthak | samadhātu: samastāsu śreṣṭhā nindyā dvidoṣajā ||

Like the poison is natural and inherent to poisonous insects, similarly, the Prakruti (body type) is inherent to humans. The body type is decided during conception, based on qualities of sperm and ovum.

Qualities of Vata Dosha:-

As per the sholkas

त ो लघु: शीत: खर: सू मचलोऽनल: ॥

tatra rūkṣo laghu: śīta: khara: sūkṣmaścalo’nila: ||

• Rooksha – dryness
• Laghu – Lightness
• Sheeta – coldness
• Khara – roughness
• Sookshma – Short
• Chala – movement

Functions of Vata Dosha –

तंचलः उसाहोवास नवास चेटावेगवतनैः सयगया च धातनां ू अाणांपाटवेन चअनु गणात ृ अवकृतः

• Vatha Dosha regulates respiration process
• Vata is responsible for all movements.
o Movement of blood in blood vessels,
o movement of nutrients,
o movement of air in lungs
o Locomotion movements of hands and legs etc.
• Regulates all activities of mind, speech.
• Initiation of natural urges
o Tears,
o Faeces,
o Urination,
o Sneezing,
o Coughing,
o Vomiting
o Yawning etc
• Maintenance of the Dhatus (tissues) in their normalcy and proper functioning of the sense organs.

Effects of increased Vata –

वत ृ ुकुतेअनलः कायकायउनकामवकपानाशकृहान् बलनेियंशलापमदनताः

Vata, when increased produces
• Karshya – emaciation,
• Karshnya – black discoloration,
• Ushnakamitva – desire for hot things,
• Kampa – tremors
• Anaha – bloating, fullness, distention of the abdomen,
• Shakrut Graha – constipation,
• Bala bhramsha – loss of strength,
• Nidra bhramsha – loss of sleep
• Indriya bhramsha – loss of sensory functions,
• Pralapa – irrelevant speech,
• Bhrama – Delusion, Dizziness giddiness
• Deenata – timidity (peevishness).

Decreased Vata Symptoms –

लगंीणेअनलेअगय सदो अप भाषतेहतम ् संामोहतथा लेमवय ृ ु तामाशायसभवः

• Angasada – debility of the body,
• Alpa bhashite hitam – the person speaks very little
• Sanjna moha – loss of sensation (awareness) and of consciousness
• Occurrence of all the symptoms of increased Pitta or Kapha

At Ayulife, our doctors analyze the patient based on their “prakruti” and then figure out the imbalanced doshas.

The Ayurveda treatment is based on this “Prakruti” analysis only and the success of treatment depends on how experienced the doctor is to analyze the imbalanced Tridoshas.

Please note so far there is not any instrument which could measure the imbalance in Tridoshas and at Ayulife our doctors and staff is well experienced into it.