Acharya Kashyapa’s Contribution In the direction of Distinctive Approach of Understanding the Srotas

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

 AIAPGET Factors

1.   Kashyapa Samhita is also called Vriddha Jivaka Tantra.
2.   Acharya Kashyapa has categorised Srotas into two varieties – Mahan Srotas and Sukshma Srotas.
3.   Acharya Kashyapa has mentioned Srotas within the 4th chapter of Sutrasthana part – ‘Sharira Adhyaya’.
4.   Mahan Srotas are 9 in quantity. 7 of them are situated within the head – 2 openings for eyes (sockets), 2 ear openings, 2 nostrils and 1 oral cavity.
5.   Nabhi – navel and Romakupa – hair follicles (sweat shops) have been talked about as Sukshma Srotas. Romakupa is a srotas and never srotomula in response to Kashyapa.
6.   Totally different contexts the place Acharya Kashyapa has mentioned / talked about Srotas is – illnesses Jwara & Ajirna, therpaies – Vamana, Swedana and Basti & gynecological situations – Vandhyatva and Puspaghni.

Kashyapa’s Idea of SROTAS

The outline of Srotas in Kashyapa Samhita is completely different from that of Charaka and Sushruta Samhitas. On this article allow us to get an outline of Srotas as described in Kashyapa Samhita.

Associated Studying – Srotas

We all know that there’s a detailed rationalization of Srotas and its varieties in Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita. The Sroto Mulas and illnesses associated to every Srotas and their cures even have been defined intimately.

Why Kashyapa’s description of Srotas is just not detailed and is completely different from Charaka and Sushruta’s rationalization?

1. Kashyapa wished to the touch the subject and restrict its description to Bala Tantra – Acharya Kashyapa was an knowledgeable in Bala Tantra i.e. Ayurveda Pediatrics. So, his description of Srotas is proscribed to the context of physiology, embryology, pathology of sure illnesses like fever, indigestion and so forth. (frequent in kids) and therapeutic purification as associated to pediatrics.

So, by all prospects, Acharya Kashyapa didn’t discover it essential or related to cowl the outline of Srotas intimately.

2. Different sources for learning Srotas intimately had been obtainable – Those that wished to have a deep information of Srotas would peep into Charaka or Sushruta Samhitas.
3. Kashyapa wished to keep away from repetition – The opposite attainable motive was that he didn’t need to repeat the identical srotas which have already been described by his ancestral or up to date Acharyas.
4. Misplaced Pages – We all know that some pages of Kashyapa Samhita are lacking. They might encompass some pages having descriptions of Srotas.

Context of Dialogue of Srotas in Kashyapa Samhita

Acharya Kashyapa has mentioned Srotas within the 4th chapter of Sutrasthana part – ‘Sharira Adhyaya’.

Reference – Kashyapa Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 4, Verses 18-25

Classification of Srotas

Acharya Kashyapa has categorised Srotas into two major varieties. They’re –

1.   Sukshma Srotas – delicate or minute channels and duct techniques
2.   Mahan Srotas – gross or larger channels

Once we have a look at this classification, it’s clear that their physiology can also be restricted. In line with Charaka or Sushruta, the Srotas would carry one thing like meals, air, water, constructing blocks of tissues, excreta and so forth and are additionally made up of the identical constructions (particularly the tissues) which they carry. They convey doshas, dhatus and malas. When these srotas are obstructed or broken, they trigger a big selection of illnesses and imbalances.

 Kashyapa’s Srotas don’t fulfill these situations and therefore are completely different (in another way offered).

Physiologically we will see that Kashyapa’s Srotas underscores compared to the reason and elaborate physiological, pathological and therapeutic description of Srotas given by Charaka or Sushruta.

We are able to see {that a} separate chapter has not been allotted to the outline of Srotas as has been carried out by Acharya Sushruta not has Kashyapa Samhita gone into detailing the sorats, sroto-mula, sroto-dushti lakshanas and their cures.

Then again, the textual content integrates Srotaas with broader ideas like anga pratyanga (physique half enumeration), illnesses like jwara and ajirna, vrana and therapies like shodhana, basti and so forth i.e. we will discover scattered reference and point out of srotas in these contexts.

Nabhi – navel and Romakupa – hair follicles (sweat shops) have been talked about as Sukshma Srotas. The reason to point out nabhi as a central convergence level and roma kupa as delicate shops – displays a holistic view of circulation, nourishment and elimination.

Mahan Srotas – Gross Channels

They’re 9 in quantity. The distribution of those 9 gross channels is as beneath specified –

1. 7 srotas within the area of head (cranial openings) – consists of

–        2 Netra – openings of eye

–        2 Nasa – openings of nostril, nostrils

–        2 Karna – openings of the ears,

–        1 Mukha – mouth / oral cavity

The Mahan Srotas i.e. openings within the head could be thought of as cranial channels, although an in depth account of the identical has not been given in Kashyapa Samhita as in Charaka or Sushruta Samhita.

1. 2 srotas within the decrease a part of the physique (caudal) is said to urinary (genital) and urinary shops – consists of

–        1 Mutra / Shukra Srotas – urethral opening

–        1 Purisha Srotas – anal opening

By inference, we will think about Mutravaha and Purishavaha Srotas within the above stated srotas.

Attribute Options –

–        These Mahan Srotas are seen.

–        They’re bigger openings.

–        They’re pathways for bulk transport, accumulation and excretion.

–        They’re susceptible to gross problems like sanga – obstructions or atipravritti – extra stream.

–        The roots of those srotas (srotomula) haven’t been talked about as talked about within the yogavahi srotas of Charaka and Sushruta.

Sukshma Srotas – Delicate Channels 

They’re effective and imperceptible channels. All of the remaining srotas aside from the 9 Mahan Srotas are included beneath Sukshma Srotas.

Examples of Sukshma Srotas –

1. Nabhi – umbilicus or navel area. It’s the central hub or ampulla. It’s the seat of convergence for all of the srotas since it’s concerned in garbha poshana krama – foetal circulation and nourishment. All srotas could be thought of to have their origin from Nabhi for the reason that preliminary circulation of vitamins and nourishment of the rising fetus takes place by means of the navel. It’s the portal of connection between mom and youngster. It’s also the seat of vata problems like Anaha.
2. Romakupa – hair follicles or pores. They’re lots of in quantity and are equal to the depend of the variety of physique hairs. They’re variable in accordance to particular person prakriti (start structure) and start.

Romakupa consists of exterior shops for sweda (sweat), delicate doshas and toxins. They’re additionally entry factors for exterior components like graha – evil spirits and so forth (infections and so forth).

It’s the similar Romakupas by means of which the medicines (medicinal properties) utilized within the type of natural oils (abhyanga, samvahana, dhara and so forth), pastes (lepa), poultices (upanaha) and so forth are absorbed and conveyed to the inside of the physique. Due to this fact they type the inner pathways for delicate substances. Their blockages trigger ache, irregularity or deep-seated imbalances.

Acharya Kashyapa has given distinctive classification of Srotas as Mahan and Sukshma Srotas towards the outline and sample of rationalization given in Brihat Trayis. These srotas align with pediatric give attention to delicate nourishment and elimination in infants.

Mula Sthana or roots or websites of origin of Srotas

Acharya Charaka and Sushruta have given the roots of origin of each srotas. We are going to now attempt to perceive the mula sthanas from the course of Acharya Kashyapa’s perspective.

From the attitude of srotas, Mula Sthana refers to many issues i.e. seat of formation, storage or elimination for the substances (tissues, excreta and so forth.) transported by every srotas. When any abnormality, blockage or harm happens in these roots, additionally they have an effect on the complete system.

Nabhi is the central mula sthana for many of the sukshma srotas. It’s the seat of accumulation of ama. It’s also the basis of origin of vata as in Udavarta illness.

 Romakupa is the origin for exterior delicate shops, linked to twak – pores and skin and sweat channels.

Capabilities of Srotas

From the attitude of rationalization of Acharya Kashyapa, the beneath talked about explanations could be inferred –

The srotas carry prana (nostril), anna (mouth), udaka (mouth), doshas, dhatus and malas and excrete wastes (anal and urethral opening). Gross Srotas are concerned in excretion whereas the Delicate Srotas nourish the tissues.

Romakupas facilitate shodhana – cleaning of wastes (sweat). Nabhi however is concerned in deep detoxing.

The srotas keep the stream of issues and therefore assist in prevention of illnesses. Then again, if there are blockages within the srotas, they result in jwara – fever, ajirna – indigestion or visarpa – erysipelas.

In infants, the srotas does poshana karma i.e. nourishes and helps progress of the kid. Nabhi does poshana for embryonic channels. Romakupa does poshana for sara analysis (vitality evaluation).

From the pathological perspective – the vitiation of srotas causes srotodushti and associated signs.

Reference: Sutrasthana 4 (verses ~18–25)

Particular contexts and therapies involving Srotas from Kashyapa Samhita

Taking a look at few illnesses defined in Kashyapa Samhita,

Within the context of Jwara – fever, it has been talked about that the doshas block rasavahini (delicate channels) converge at Nabhi, earlier than spreading.

Within the context of Ajirna i.e. indigestion – Swedana needs to be administered in case of delicate imbalances involving sukshma srotas. Vamana needs to be administered in case of involvement of Mahan srotas or if there’s gross imbalance of doshas.

In case of vrana i.e. wounds the ripening of doshas transferring in veins and muscle tissue is monitored through doshas flowing within the channels.

From the therapy perspective

Shodhana – cleaning therapies purifies Srotas. Vamana is the most effective one for Mahan Srotas. Nasya Karma is useful and preferrred for delicate cranial channels. Acharya Kashyapa explains that Basti – enema remedy targets Sukshma Srotas associated to Nabhi and helps in expulsion of Vata.

Yusha i.e. medicinal soups are helpful in illnesses affecting sukshma srotas for deep penetration (of medicinal properties) and for speedy aid of signs triggered because of involvement of Mahan Srotas.

Swedana – sudation would open up the romakupa to facilitate dosha elimination).

Reference – Kashyapa Samhita Sutra Sthana, Chapter 4 / verses 19-25 (Ajirna / Jwara) & Chapter 4 / verses 18-20 (for Basti).

Different factors of curiosity

Artavavaha Srotas – In Sutra Sthana 28/6, Acharya Kashyapa counts Vandhyatva as one of many eighty problems implying points with reproductive channels. With out mentioning Artavavaha Srotas, Acharya Kashyapa discusses situations like Puspaghni (irregular menstruation / ovulation failure) and sure causes of vandhyatva (infertility) associated to the vitiation of channels carrying Artava – menstrual blood or ovum, in contrast to different Acharyas who’ve described these channels as answerable for menstrual stream and ovum transport. In Khila Shtana 6/33 we will discover dialogue on Puspaghni, (irregular menstruation resulting in an incapacity to conceive or repeated fetal expulsions) which factors in the direction of dysfunctions throughout the channels of the reproductive system in females.

Within the context of explaining Panchakarma therapies, Kashyapa Samhita mentions that extreme Vamana – therapeutic emesis could cause vyadhanam – ache within the srotas. In Siddhi Sthana Chapter 3, it’s mentioned that extreme vamana, virechana and so forth therapies can vitiate vayu probably destroying bija (sperm or ovum) and pushpa (menstruation or ovulation), resulting in infertility.

These references level out Acharya Kashyapa’s give attention to pediatrics, gynecology and distinctive facets of srotas inside these frameworks. This distinguishes his work from the strategy of Charaka or Sushruta. We are able to be aware that Kashyapa Samhita refers back to the feminine reproductive system and associated situations not directly inside discussions on vandhyatva and pusphaghni as defined above.

Acharya Sushruta mentions the mula sthanas of two artavavaha srotas are garbhashaya (uterus) and artavavahi dhamanis (uterine or ovarian blood vessels). Damage to those srotas would end in infertility, amenorrhea and painful sexual expertise (dyspareunia). Then again, Acharya Kashyapa’s strategy is mostly extra built-in into the broader context of mother-child well being, specializing in the outcomes of reproductive well being fairly than a definite anatomical description of the srotas themselves.