Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S
Ghee is a crucial and integral part of our each day meals. It is likely one of the elite members of our kitchen household. It’s also a favourite meals inclusion for individuals of all age teams. It too has aged by means of human evolution.
Ghee – an age-old and historically well-liked meals and drugs
Ghrta or Sarpi vis-à-vis ghee additionally has a therapeutic and preventive perspective and has been richly used as a medication or base and automobile for a lot of medicines within the conventional apply of Ayurveda drugs. It’s also used for snehana procedures – oleation and for exterior therapies like tarpana.
Ayurveda has additionally included Ghrta as Nitya Rasayana (Charaka Chikitsa Sthana Chapter 1) i.e. it’s a Rasayana which can be utilized day by day. There are solely two Nitya Rasayanas talked about within the Achara Rasayana practices i.e. Ghrta and Kshira – milk. Until specified, milk of cow and ghee extracted from cow milk needs to be most popular. So, ghee can be an Achara – every day apply.
Ghrta – part of non secular practices and rituals
Ghrta can be utilized in conventional and non secular practices for worship and rituals like homa, Havana and so forth. It’s also an auspicious factor. In lots of situations Ayurveda has advocated seeing and touching ghee as auspicious.
Ghrta – a potent ‘pitta antagonist
Coming to crucial half, Ghrta is a praised ingredient to fight excessive pitta situations and is taken into account as ‘pitta antagonist’. It could possibly readily be used to relax abnormally elevated pitta.
Medicated Ghrta is used as Shodhana Sneha i.e. for making ready the affected person for Shodhana (cleaning therapies) within the type of snehapana – oleation / lubrication, in severely aggravated pitta and ailments brought on by it.
Ghrta can be used as Shamana Sneha – palliative oleation in delicate to reasonable improve of pitta whereby cleaning / expelling of pitta is just not required.
Ghrta is used as Brmhana – stoutening, bulk selling or power selling drugs when used with meals.
As mentioned earlier, it’s also a Rasayana which will be consumed day by day.
Pitta for vata and kapha issues?
However the query is, ‘can ghrta be used for combating different doshas i.e. vata and kapha additionally? Can it’s used to deal with the ailments brought on by vata and kapha?
Under talked about is a reference of clarification extracted from Sushruta Samhita. This golden rule shall be remembered by Ayurveda physicians whereas planning or utilizing ghrta of their scientific apply therapeutically.
Therapeutic indications to be used of Ghrta – ghee in several dosha issues
केवलं पैत्तिके सर्पिातिके लवणान्वितम् ।।
देयं बहुकफे चापि व्योषक्षारसमायुतम् ।।१९।।
Reference – Sushruta Chikitsa Sthana, Chapter 31, Verse 19 (Su.Chi.31/19)
Under talked about are the rules and strategies of utilizing ghee in issues / ailments brought on by totally different doshas –
Kevalam Paittike
In ailments of Pitta origin i.e. these brought on by extreme aggravation of ‘solely pitta’ – ‘solely ghee’ needs to be administered. This implies to say that ghee administered in these situations needs to be unmixed with natural decoctions or powders of medicinal herbs. This additionally implies that, ‘simply ghee’ is sufficient to fight pitta aggravation and ailments brought on by the identical.
Although medicated ghee can be utilized for making ready the affected person for vamana or virechana after going by means of their indications, plain ghee itself can be sufficient and ideally suited.
Sarpih Vatike Lavananvitam
In ailments of Vata origin i.e. these brought on by extreme aggravation of ‘solely vata’ – ghee needs to be administered for consumption after mixing lavana – salt (rock salt) with it. Ghee calms vata and salt fortifies the motion since it’s also a vata calming style. Ghee can be higher absorbed and utilized when used together with salt, particularly in excessive vata situations. In conventional Indian properties the infants and youngsters are fed with rice blended with amount of ghee and a pinch or two of salt. This combo nourishes the physique of the rising youngsters effectively and retains them lubricated and energetic. It’s also good for maintaining the thoughts at steadiness.
Taila – Oil is claimed to be the most effective for Vata. But when ghee must be utilized in vata issues, it’s at all times higher to make use of it together with salt.
Bahu Kaphe Vyosha Kshara Samayutam
Ghee is just not instantly indicated in excessive kapha situations or kapha issues. In ailments of Kapha origin – i.e. these brought on by predominantly aggravated kapha, ghee needs to be administered with Vyosha – Trikatu (Lengthy pepper, Black pepper and Ginger) and Kshara – Yavakshara – alkali obtained from the entire plant of barley, particularly in situations whereby kapha is severely aggravated.
Madhu – honey is claimed to be the most effective one to fight kapha. If ghee must be utilized in Kapha situations or Kapha issues, it shall not be used independently. It shall be used blended with Trikatu and Kshara as mentioned above.
Word – In all of the above situations, we’re talking about use of ‘ghee solely’ as in pitta issues or ‘solely ghee’ blended with specified substances in vata and kapha issues. When medicated ghrtas are used for snehapana, these additions won’t be required or could also be non-compulsory as per the judgment of the doctor. The medicated ghrtas could also be used as indicated within the Shastra. If nothing is specified the principles / rules talked about right here could also be utilized by default.