“Saptadhatus” is a Sanskrit word, which means seven constituent elements [Sapta=seven, dhatus=elements].
They are of great importance in Ayurveda. Ayurveda gives specific treatment methods for diseases related to different dhatus. The seven dhatus are as follows:
Rasa: Chyle.
Rakta: Blood.
Mamsa: Muscle.
Majja: Marrow.
Asthi: Bone.
Meda: Brain and spinal cord.
Sukra: Sperm and ovum.
Ojas: "Mahadhatu" = Superior dhatu.
1. Rasa:
This is the first dhatu.
After digestion food becomes a liquid which is called chyle (rasa in Sanskrit).
Chyle nourishes all the cells of our body. Later it is transformed into blood. This process may take seven days according to Ayurveda.
2. Rakta:
Rakta means blood (= liquid tissue of the body).
It circulates through blood vessels and protects and nourishes all the cells and tissues of the body. Blood helps in gaseous exchange (oxygen and carbohydrate) and consists of many types of cells (e.g. red blood cells, white blood cells, leucocytes). Each cell has its own functionality.
Generally disease starts from blood. If the disease is chronic in blood, then it results as “Mehaprakopa” (= disease due to the impurities in blood).
3. Mamsa:
Mamsa is treated as third dhatu of the body. There are several types of muscle tissue in the body:
Hridya kandara: Cardiac muscle.
Vartul kandara: Smooth muscle.
Asti kandara: Skeletal muscle. These muscles are attached to the body’s skeleton and help in the movement of joints (needed for daily activities like walking and running).
4. Majja:
Majja is related to bone marrow.
Bone marrow lies within the bone and produces blood. When this dhatu is affected by disease, it can’t produce healthy blood.
5. Asthi:
Ashti is related to bone. It gives shape and support to the body. According to Charaka it is difficult to cure any disease which is related to this dhatu.
6. Medha:
This dhatu is fatty in nature. According to Ayurveda it constitutes brain and spinal cord, and also nervous tissue and adipose tissue. Thoughts and body functions are based on stimuli which come from brain and spinal cord.
7. Sukra:
This is the reproductive dhatu. In male it is known as Sukra and in female it is known as Sronita.
8. Ojass:
This is called as “Mahadhatu”, which means superior dhatu. It is divided into two types:
Somaatmaka ojas: located close to the pineal body.
Aghnyatmaka ojas: located in the heart. This is fatty in nature.
The characters of Ojas are described as:
Veerya: Seeta veerya (gives cooling effect after digestion).
Colour: White.
Kaphatmaka (increases Kapha).
Ojas protects all dhatus in the body.
The exact time of the origin of Ayurveda is not clearly known. But one myth (Purana) from the Indian creation mythology gives some information about the origin of Ayurveda. Another origin are the Vedas:
Purana: The myth about Ayurveda.
Ayurveda and Vedas: Ayurveda and Veda have a relation in depth.
Ayurveda has eight parts called as "Ashtangas" in Sanskrit. ("Ashta" means eight; "anga" means part). These eight parts of Ayurveda deal with different subjects. They are as follows:
Kaya chikitsa: Internal and external treatments for the body.
Bala chikitsa: Diseases related to infants.
Graha chikitsa: Healing of psychological problems.
Urdvanga chikitsa: Treatments related to the head region.
Salya chikitsa: Surgeries and operations.
Visha chikitsa: The science of detoxification.
Rasayana prakarana: Methods to rejuvenate the saptadhatus.
Vajeekarana: Science of aphrodisiacs.
1. Kaya chikitsa:
"Kaya" means body, "chikitsa" means treatment. In Kayachikitsa, treatment is given to the body, both externally and internally. Kayachikitsa can be done by Panchakarma (which means "five methods"). These methods are: Vaman, Virechan, Basti, Nasy and Rakta moksha.
Pachakarma includes three phases: Poorva karma, Pradhan Karma, Pashchat Karma. Along with this Panchakarma some other procedures like Shirodahra, Shirobasti, Katibhsati and Sarwangdhara can be used to heal the whole body.
In Kayachikitsa, the detection of disease includes the following basic principles according to Sootra sthana ("Sootra" means principles, "sthana" means part. Sootra sthana means "part with principles of Ayurveda"):
Nadi sodhana [testing of nadi]
Functionality of organs
Vata, Pitta and Kapha doshas
Intensity of the disease and strength of the patient
Disease and its symptoms
Then the disease can be cured by selecting a proper medicine. That medicine may come from any of the following and also as combination:
Oshadi [herbs]
Rasa [mercury etc]
Uparasa [includes bone, hair etc]
Kara [potassium nitras etc]
Sara [ammonium chloride]
Stavara [poisons]
Jangama [poisons]
Pashana [arsenic compounds]
Loha [metals]
Kayachikitsa also includes Kayakalpa, which means rejuvenation of body.
2. Bala chikitsa [Pediatrics]:
It contains "Balaroga prakarana" which means the description about diseases of infants. This part of Ayurveda includes diseases related to infants like "Grahani" [motions], Vantibedhi [vomiting], Jvara [fevers], Graha chikitsa [psychological imbalances].
In this part, there are so many methods of fumigations [dhoopa chikitsa] to cure viral infections. Curing of these viral infections is called as Bhoota chikitsa.
3. Graha chikitsa [Psychiatry / Bhutavidya]:
This part of Ayurveda includes healing of psychological problems. The healing of psychological imbalances can be cured by different methods. They are as follows:
Dhoopa chikitsa [Fumigation]
Mantra [by chanting some sacred syllables]
Tantra [Using specific herbs]
Yantra [Sacred symbols]
The description about the herbs for this treatment was given in "GrahaVidya dravya".
4. Urdvanga chikitsa [Shalakya tantra / Salakhaya]:
This part of Ayurveda includes treatment of head [neck, eye, nose, and teeth]. The disease related to those upper parts can be detected by following the principles of "Sootra sthana".
5. Salya chikitsa [Surgery]:
"Susruta" is the father of Surgery. He was the first surgeon who did an eye operation successfully. He used surgical instruments made up of stone and wood. Usage of his instruments is still obscure for modern surgeons. This salya chikitsa includes operation of tumors, bone fractures, internal obstructions, removing foreign substances from body. It may also include operations that ease the delivery in critical conditions.
6. Visha chikitsa [Science of Detoxification]:
This part of Ayurveda includes detoxification methods. It is also called as "Agada tantra". The accumulation of poisons and toxins takes place in the body due to:
Secretions of bacteria, fungi, viruses
Junk food
Bites of insects and snakes
Bad habits like smoking and consumption of alcohol
7. Rasayana prakarana [Jara chikitsa]:
This part includes different methods to rejuvenate the saptadhatus [seven constituent elements] of the body and to increase ojas. In this part "Kuti pravesa" is a method which is useful for preventing the symptoms of old age.
Better sex, long life can be attained through this part of Ayurveda.
8. Vajeekarana [Science of Aphrodisiacs]:
"Vajee" means Horse, "Karanam" means to follow. Vajeekarana means a combination of herbs which gives the sexual capability that is equal to that one of a horse. It develops "Sukra dhatu". This part also cures problems like impotency and infertility to some extent. These medicines also develop and strengthen Saptadhatus.
1. Purana - the myth about Ayurveda:
One of the creation myths is Ksheera sagara medan (ksheera means milk, sagar means ocean and madan means churning). In this story the gods and demons churned for “elixir” (nectar of immortibility) and from this churning of the ocean of milk so many things emerged:
Kamdhenu [a holly cow],
Kalpavruksha [sacred tree],
Goddess Lakshmi [goddess of prosperity],
The Moon,
Poison (Halahala) and
A god called “Dhanvantri” with the nectar in his hand.
Dhanvantri is the god of Ayurveda. He holds the Ayurvedic descriptions and some herbs with his hand.
Whereas Ksheera sagara madan is treated as a myth, the disciple of Dhanvantri, called as “Charaka”, is well known to the world. We can still get his knowledge from a book called “Charakasamhita” written by Charaka. Along with this book, the books Sushruta Samhita [deals with Salya chikitsa = surgery] and Astanga Hridayam are also very famous books in Ayurveda.
2. Ayurveda and the Vedas:
Ayurveda and Veda have a relation in depth.
Vedas are ancient doctrines of great knowledge on earth. The major Vedas are four in number and they are Rigveda, Yajurveda, Sama veda and Atharvana veda. Each main veda has one upa veda [sub veda].
Ayurveda is treated as Upaveda of Rigveda and Antharveda (internal part) of Atharvana veda.
Ayurveda is not a merely medical system or a medical kit; it is like sacred science of life.
It helps the human being to lead a happy life with pure mind by providing the whole information about it. So it is treated as Panchamaveda (5th major veda).
In Ayurveda there are some “paramparas” [Knowledge from Gods] called Daiva parampara, Siddha parampara and Rishi parampara:
According to Daiva parampara, the flow of the knowledge is like this: it was revealed by Lord Brahma. The knowledge of Ayurveda transformed from Brahma to Ashwini kumar [divine healers] through Prajapati [Son of Brahma]. Ashwini Kumar taught Ayurveda to Indra. From Indra, Ayurveda was revealed to a Saint called Bhardwaj.
According to Rishi parampara: Dhanvantri - Susruuta, Vaitarana, Bambrha, Poshka bhavara, Gopura rakshita and Karaveera - Kasyapa - Atri, Bhrugu and Vasishta.
According to Saivi (worshippers of Lord Siva) sampradaya (sampradaya = cult): Lord Siva - Parvati - Nandi - Agastya - Chulastya - Tairayar.
So the origin of Ayurveda is not clearly known. But according to information from ancient texts, we can say that, Ayurveda is an ancient and higher knowledge which supports human being to lead a happy life in natural way.