Chapter 6 - Method of Nomenclature

We shall now proceed to study man’s behaviour in the maintenance of health and in his fight against diseases.

Dhatu (dhātu):

The living organism includes in its category unicellular life—the tiny speck of undifferential protoplasm as well as the man with his highly differentiated organs, tissues and cells. The cell is the functional and structural unit of life Many lower forms of lives consist only of a single cell. Moreover, man who is so highly evolved a creature, has commenced his life at the unicellular stage, namely the fertilized ovum. The fundamental phenomena of life are identical in all living organisms.

In unicellular life, structure is hardly visible or definable but life-phenomena are all the same as those observed in higher forms of life.

Though the material form of existence is too insignificant to be noticeable, it is made up of dynamic systems manifesting ceaseless activities. These dynamic systems which fully sustain life and carry out effectively life-functions are the three primary organizations. As they are the fundamental physiological systems sustaining life in co-ordination with that insignificant speck of protoplasm they earn the significant name of (dhātu) or the upholders, a word derived from the root (√dhṛ—“to support or sustain”).

In higher life this protoplasm becomes greatly increased m proportion and gets differentiated into various forms in order to carry out the special functions assigned to them; and we find in man several different kinds of tissues or body-elements evolved (rasa etc.) playing a significant role in the maintenance of the physical body. This differentiation and specialization of tissues is to augment the power of the primary triumvirate of organizations Hence in man the three primary organizations, Vata, Pitta and Kapha, as well as specialized tissues of his physical body viz, (rasa) etc, evolved for special functions, are both given equal importance and included in the category of (dhātu) or the upholders or sustainers of life

The highly logical spirit of that age impelled them to be very accurate and meticulous in all matters, especially in definitions and nomenclature

The human body lives on the food which it ingests everyday. It assimilates out of the food ingested some portion and throws out the rest. Among the primitive unicellular life, this process occurs immediately. But in man with his highly specialized tissues and systems the process of separating the useful from the unuseful material takes place at one region, the process of assimilation at another and that of elimination at yet another region

The body absorbs according to its needs and capacity, a portion of the useful, the remaining unused and unuseful portion is gradually thrown out by the body. The process of elimination takes some time in the complex machinery of the human body. The matter separated for elimination is often useful and definitely not harmful in the usual course and which during its sojourn through the excretory channels may be even rendering some service to the body-elements, or body-organizations. Thus this waste matter meant for ultimate elimination, though not forming a part of the regular body-elements, does exist in the body enjoying perfect health and is probably rendering service to it. Hence it is also included in the category of Dhatu (dhātu) in a general way though it is usually given the significant name of (mala) or waste matter in particular

Thus the word Dhatu (dhātu) includes in its category:—

1.The primary three functional organizations, i.e. the triumvirate which is the primary organization in each and every unit of life.

2.The seven body-elements or tissues of the physical body and structural systems evolved to augment and refine the work of the primary organizations of the triumvirate

3.The waste or excretory material, healthful in action.

Dosha (doṣa):

All the Dhatus may become vitiated and may vitiate locally their neighbouring parts, but the general (dūṣayitāraḥ[?]) or the vitiators of the whole body are the triumvirate of organizations. This generalized (dūṣaṇasvabhāva) or vitiating nature is the most common in the triumvirate organization because they are all-pervasive and in constant action to maintain perfect effectiveness of the whole body in ever changing environmental factors.

Thus the word Dosha (doṣa) is used for—

1.The three biological organizations of triumvirate

2.Secretions and excretions, which are formed as immediate, intermediary or end products as the result of the functioning, of these three biological organizations are also identified with Dosa toxic matter and are often termed Dosa.

(3) (mala) or the waste matter is also often designated Dosha as its dominant quality, is to, pollute.

Mala:

The word Mala is also used in two senses—

1. The end-products of the digestive process are classified in two parts: one that is assimilated in the body and which becomes a part of the body-elements is called Prasada (prasāda—clean matter) while the other part not so assimilated gets converted into some secretory and excretoy products serving some auxiliary purpose in the body-functions and gets finally disposed of or eliminated from the body. This is called Mala or Kitta (kiṭṭa—unclean matter) But this being the normal or physiological function, this Mala or Kitta-waste matter is included under the term Dhatu (dhātu) or upholder of body (vide Caraka Sūtrasthāna 28.4)

2. The other meaning of Mala as given in Caraka, (Śārīra 6.17) is all morbid matter in the body which is harmful to it. Under this heading the author puts the following things.—

1. Excretory matter issuing outwards from the orifices of the body in various forms.
2. Over-mature body-elements.
3. Irritated Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
4. Such other things residing in the body tending to injure it.

Thus healthful is un-assimilated portion of food ingested, existing in the healthy body while harmful is harmful matter of any kind existing in the body and doing harm to it

The word “Dosa” is derived from (duṣ—“to vitiate or pollute, to become impure, to be bad or corrupted”).

Each or all the Dhatus or upholders of the body just described viz, the triumvirate organization, body-tissues and the excretory and secretory matter become vitiated in disease condition. But the main part as vitiator is played by the triumvirate organization Once they are vitiated, they spread their vitiating effects to all the other body-parts and channels, for they are pervading in the whole body.

[Carakasaṃhitā Vimānasthāna 5.9]

“The vitiated body-channels spread the corruption to other body-channels alone, and the vitiated body-elements to other body elements where as the three vitia, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, if vitiated, pollute the entire organism, being as they are of a vitiating nature”.

[Carakasaṃhitā Sūtrasthāna 20.9]

“Vata, Pitta and Kapha moving in the whole body produce good and ill effects on the entire system according as they are normal or provoked”.

From the definitions of (Doṣa, Dhātu and Mala) discussed above, we see that the term (“doṣa”) is used:—

(1). Mainly for the three primary organizations which are specially liable to be disorganized and which spread their effects in the whole body and vitiate any or all other parts of the body

(2). The body secretions pertaining to the functions of each of the triumvirate organization are given the same term as Vata, Pitta and Kapha, the physiological triumvirate of organizations. As for example-

[Carakasaṃhitā Cikitsāsthāna 15.9]

“Just after ingestion, the food prepared from the six categories of tastes becomes first sweet of taste being digested and leads to the formation of Kapha or of mucus-like fluid which is of frothy appearance”.

[Carakasaṃhitā Cikitsāsthāna 15.10]

“Further digestion being continued, the food becomes acid in the next stage of digestion and while it is coming out of the stomach it excites the secretion of limpid bile”.

[Carakasaṃhitā Cikitsāsthāna 15.11]

“Thus the food having reached the large intestines and being dehydrated by the body-heat, is converted into fecal lumps. These being of pungent taste, there occurs increase of Vata”.

(3). Excretory matters, normal or abnormal pertaining either to the functioning of the triumvirate organization or to the secretory products related to those primary organizations, are given the same designation of Dosha (doṣa) in general and of Vata, Pitta and Kapha in particular.

[Carakasaṃhitā Sūtrasthāna 2.8]

“These, drugs should be used as emetic by the physician in a way not harmful to the body in gastrogenic disorders characterized by morbid accumulations of Kapha and Pitta”.

[Carakasaṃhitā Sūtrasthāna 2.10]

“Those should be prescribed for purgation when the morbid matter has accumulated in the colon”.

[Carakasaṃhitā Vimānasthāna 3.170-171]

“Evacuative enema, if given when the morbid matter has been fully digested, will immediately increase the vitality and digestive power and produce apyrexia, good cheer and appetite Taxation will eliminate Pitta or Kapha, Pitta lodged in the habitat of the Pitta, while enemata will eliminate all the three kinds of morbid matter lodged in the colon”.

In the last verse cited above Vata etc, are used in their excretory aspect. Thus in order to avoid ambiguity in sense, a thing is given a specific designation in view of its preponderant or special tendency towards a form or function

These vitia (doṣa) are so called because they are considered to be the first things to be modified or morbified by diet, behaviour or other environmental factors, or by internal factors of emotions, restraint of natural urges etc. They do not stop at that, but once they are themselves morbified they proceed to vitiate gradually any of the seven body-elements. Thus these vitia are by virtue of their high degree of susceptibility to vitiation and also by virtue, of their active tendency to contaminate the body-elements, are specially designated as vitia (doṣa) owing to their doubly condemnable vice. But these very vitia, when; in their normal unvitiated state, support, enliven and rear the other elements of the body and are a source of the blessings of health and happiness. They then are indeed the basic elements, the rock-bottom of life in man and though termed vitia owing to their extreme liability to vitiate, deserve to be called the elements (dhātu) In their balanced state they are indeed Dhatus, but for convenience of exposition and uniformity of application they are called vitia (doṣa) even in their benevolent or sanagenic state. In their morbified state they are pathogenic and in a science dealing primarily with the pathogenic factors and their various manifestations and operations it is convenient to fix them up in their pathological state and refer to their physiological status too by the same term prefixed by its non-morbid quality. Thus the unvitiated ‘vitium’ is called (prakṛtibhūta) the vitium in its normal state, and the vitiated one as the (vikṛtibhūta) morbid vitium (Carakasaṃhitā Sūtrasthāna 12.13) Etymologically, it is interesting to know that the Greek prefix dys’ as in dysfunction, dysuria, dyspepsia etc., is akin to Sanskrit Dush (duṣ) meaning to be bad, corrupted, spoiled or vitiated.

Sarngadhara summarizes the three aspects of these vitia in a verse thus:

[Śā. Pu. 5.24]

“Vata, Pitta and Kapha are called vitia because they vitiate the body, they are called body-elements or supports because they uphold the body, and they are also known as waste or toxic matter (mala) because they pollute the body”.

Thus in order to use a specific terminology the words Dosha (doṣa) Bhuta (bhūta) and Mala are generally need in the following sense.

• Dosha (doṣa) = The triumvirate of body-organizations or the triad of vitia;
• Bhuta (bhūta) = The body-elements;
• Mala = The waste or toxic matter.