THE TASTES OR RASAS

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taste

One of the important concepts in Ayurveda is Rasa or taste. You might think what impact, the tastes have on us. Let us see in detail.

THE TASTES OR RASAS

There are six types of tastes:-

  1. Swadu or sweet
  2. Amla or sour
  3. Lavana or salt
  4. Tikta or bitter
  5. Ushana or pungent
  6. Kashaya or astringent

These rasas or tastes are dependent on the substance.

HOW DOES THE TASTES AFFECTS THE DOSHAS

Yes, the tastes have a great influence on the doshas. 

  • Vata:- 

The tastes that alleviate or decrease the Vata are Sweet, Sour and Salt. Whereas those result in the aggravation or increase of the dosha are Bitter, Pungent and Astringent.

  • Pitta:-

Astringent, Bitter and Sweet are the tastes that result in the alleviation of the doshas. At the same time, Sour, Salt and Pungent tastes cause the aggravation of the dosha.

  • Kapha:-

Kapha gets increased by Bitter, Pungent and Astringent tastes and gets decreased by Sweet, Sour and Salt.

ANURASA

Along with a primary taste, a secondary taste may also be present and that taste is called as Anurasa.

Along with Anurasas, various combinations of tastes can be found in different substances.

This is the wonder of nature and this is why we say food should be the medicine and not the other way. According to your body condition you can decide, the type of food you should take, thus can make an equilibrium among the doshas.

PRAKRITHI

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According to Ayurveda, each and every individual’s body constitution is decided by the predominant dosha in them. The predominance of doshas is determined during the fertilization. Many factors influence this.

  • Whichever dosha is predominant in the ovum and sperm helps to form the body constitution.
  • The food that is taken by the mother during the pregnancy also has a great influence in this.
  • The behaviour of the mother during pregnancy and the emotions during the time period also affects a lot.
  • The nature of the uterus, even the season also determines the prakrithi of an individual.

There are mainly seven types of prakrithi or body constitution, according to the combination of doshas.

  1. Vataja:- This constitution is formed from the predominance of Vata.
  2. Pittaja:- The predominance of Pitta makes this constitution.
  3. Kaphaja:- Kapha’s predominance helps in the formation of this constitution.
  4. Vata Pittaja:- Vata and Pitta combines to form this body constitution.
  5. Vata Kaphaja:- When Kapha along with Vata become predominant, they forms this constitution.
  6. Pitta Kaphaja:- Pitta and Kapha constitutes this prakrtri.
  7. Tridoshaja:- When all the three doshas are predominant, they constitute tridoshaja prakrithi

A person’s appearance, nature, character, hair, body, strength, span, health etc. are all influenced by the prakrithi of the person. A physician can help you to assess your prakrithi.

Tridoshas

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You might have heard about Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Many are only aware that they cause diseases. But actually they constitute the body and help to function it. When these doshas maintain a normal state, they support the body and when they are deranged, they destroy the body.

WHERE THE DOSHAS ARE LOCATED?

Even though, these doshas are present all over the body, they are more concentrated on certain parts of the body. Let us first consider that the body is having three parts:-

  1. The part below the uṁbilicus
  2. The part between the umbilicus and heart
  3. The part above the heart

The Vata can be seen in the first part of the body, the Pitta, in second part and the Kapha in the third part.

These doshas also function at different phases of life, day, night and the digestion. The Vata influences the later stages of life, day, night and digestion, whereas the Pitta is active during the mid stages and Kapha functions during the primary stages.

AGNI OR THE DIGESTION

As we mentioned above, the doshas influence the digestion. Let us see about the results of the action of doshas on the digestive fire:-

  • Vishama:- The unstable digestive activity is due to the action of Vata.
  • Tikshna:- Pitta is the cause of high and intense digestion.
  • Manda:- Poor digestion is the result of Kapha’s action.
  • Sama:- When the three doshas maintain an equilibrium, the digestion will be normal.

KOSHTA OR THE ALIMENTARY TRACT

Do you have a constipated and irregular bowel? Then, it is the action of Vata. Similarly, a soft bowel is the result of the action of Pitta. Such people may have to eliminate the fecus more than once a day. Kapha makes the bowel movements in a normal way. When all the doshas are in normal and balanced state, the bowel functions normally.

 

DEHA PRAKRITHI OR THE BODY CONSTITUTION

Even the body constitution is decided by the predominance of the doshas. We can discuss this in another article.

The scope of doshas does not limit to what we have discussed in this article.