त ो लघु: शीत: खर: सू मचलोऽनल: ॥ tatra rūkṣo laghu: śīta: khara: sūkṣmaścalo’nila: || These are the parameters or qualities of Vata Dosha:

1. Rooksha – dryness
2. Laghu – Lightness
3. Sheeta – coldness
4. Khara – roughness
5. Sookshma – Short
6. Chala – movement

Functions or Characteristics of Vata Dosha 

तंचलः उसाहोवास नवास चेटावेगवतनैः  सयगया  च धातनां ू  अाणांपाटवेन  चअनु  गणात ृ  अवकृतः

1. Vata Dosha regulates respiration process,
2. Vata is responsible for all movements.
3. Movement of blood in blood vessels, nutrients, air in lungs etc
4. Locomotion movements of hands and legs etc.
5. Regulates all activities of mind, speech.
6. Initiation of natural urges like Tears, faeces, urination, sneezing, coughing, vomiting yawning.
7. Maintenance of the Dhatus (tissues) in their normalcy and proper functioning of the sense organs.

Effects of increase or Decrease in Vata on body

वत ृ ुकुतेअनलः  कायकायउनकामवकपानाशकृहान्  बलनेियंशलापमदनताः Vata, when increased produces

1. Karshya– emaciation,
2. Karshnya– black discoloration,
3. Ushnakamitva– desire for hot things,
4. Kampa– tremors
5. Anaha– bloating, fullness, distention of the abdomen,
6. ShakrutGraha – constipation,
7. Balabhramsha – loss of strength,
8. Nidrabhramsha – loss of sleep
9. Indriyabhramsha – loss of sensory functions,
10. Pralapa– irrelevant speech,
11. Bhrama– Delusion, Dizziness giddiness
12. Deenata– timidity (peevishness).

Decreased Vata produces symptoms like  

लगंीणेअनलेअगय  सदो  अप  भाषतेहतम ्  संामोहतथा  लेमवय ृ ु  तामाशायसभवः

1. Angasada– debility of the body,
2. Alpa bhashite hitam– the person speaks very little
3. Sanjna moha– loss of sensation (awareness) and of consciousness

Occurrence of all the symptoms of increased Pitta or Kapha

पतं सनेह तीणोणं लघु वं सरं वम । ् pittaṃ sasneha tīkṣṇoṣṇaṃ laghu visraṃ saraṃ dravam

1. Sasneha– slightly oily, unctuous,
2. Teekshna– piercing, entering into deep tissues,
3. Ushna– hotness,
4. Laghu– lightness,
5. Visram– bad smell,
6. Sara– having fluidity, movement,
7. Srava– liquidity are the qualities of Pitta.

Functions or Characteristics of Pitta Dosha

पतंपयूमदशनैः ुतृ चभामेधाधीशौयतनु मादवैः In its normal state, Pitta causes:

• Digestion and metabolism.
• Maintenance of body temperature,
• Maintains vision,
• Causes hunger,
• Thirst, appetite,
• Maintains skin complexion,
• Gives Intelligence, courage, valour
• Leads to softness (suppleness) of the body.

Effects of increase or Decrease in  Pitta on body

Effects of increase of Pitta पीतवमू नेवुतदाहापनताः ृ पतम ् Pitta when increased produces

1. Yellow discoloration of the faeces, urine, eyes, and skin;
2. Excess of hunger and thirst,
3. Feeling of burning sensation and very little sleep

Decreased Pitta causes पते मदो अनलः शीतं भाहानः

1. Mande anala – weakness of digestive activity,
2. Shaitya – coldness

Prabha hani – loss of luster (complexion)

िनध: शीतो गमद: लणो म ु न: िथर: कफ: ॥ ृ snigdha: śīto gururmanda: ślakṣṇo mṛtsna: sthira: kapha: ||

1. Snigdhna – oily, unctuous, Sheeta – cold,
2. Guru – heavy,
3. Manda – mild, viscous,
4. shlakshna – smooth, clear,
5. Mrutsna – slimy, jely,
6. sthira – stability, immobility

Functions or Characteristics of Kapha Dosha

1. Kapha confers stability, lubrication, compactness (firmness) of the joints,
2. Kshama – It is the cause for mental capacity to withstand or withhold emotions, strains etc. It is also cause for forgiveness.

Effects of Increase or Decrease in  Kapha on body

लेमा अिनसदनसेकालयगौरवम ् वैयशैयशलथागवं वासकासातनताः Kapha, when increased produces

1. Agnisadana – weak digestive activity,
2. Praseka – excess salivation,

• Alasya – lassitude, laziness

1. Gaurava – feeling of heaviness,
2. Shvaithya – white discoloration,
3. Shaithya – coldness,

• Shlathangatva – looseness of the body parts,
• Shwasa – dyspnoea, asthma, COPD

1. Kasa – cough, cold
2. Atinidrata – excess of sleep

Decrease of Kapha causes 

कफे मः लेमाशयानां शू यवं वः शलथसिधता

1. Bhrama – Delusion, Dizziness,
2. Shunyatva – emptiness of the organs of Kapha,
3. Shrudrava – tremors of the heart (palpitation)
4. Shlatha sandhita – looseness of the joints