Equlibrium need not be static. It can be dynamic as well. Think of a drummer on a large
rolling drum. He is on the move. But he is having equilibrium. If his equilibrium is lost, he
will fall down. Similarly when we are sitting comfortably in a moving train, even though
we are moving we have equilibrium. The Earth is on constant move. It rotates and
revolves. Yet things on the earth can be static.
In a living system in every moment things are changing. You are not the same person
who stared to read this article. In every living cell of your body thousands of chemical
reactions have taken place within this short span of time. Many molecules have
combined to form larger molecules. Yes. You have changed a lot. You have changed
physically. You have also changed mentally. While reading you have been thinking.
Thinking changes your attitude. This is not only your case. This is the case of all living
things. Amidst the dynamic processes the living being is enjoying equilibrium – a
dynamic equilibrium.
If this dynamicity is lost for a minute, you are a dead person. Life is dynamics, not a
stand still. Hence the key to biological equilibrium is uninterrupted dynamics. Let us
think in terms of what Ayurveda considers about this equilibrium.
All the ingredients of a living system are not equally dynamic. There is a grade of
dynamicity in the components of the living body. It starts from extreme dynamicity to
complete inertia. The extremely dynamic ingredients of the body are known as humors
(dosha). Tissues (dhaatu) are apparently static except blood (rakta) and body fluid (
rasa) which are always circulating. Yet tissues are also dynamic because biochemical
reactions are taking place in them. Dynamicity and equilibrium can be physical or
chemical. Nevertheless, tissues requires the instigation from the humors to act. Even for
circulating tissues there should be the propelling agent called vyaana vaayu. Hence
they are semi – dynamic. Wastes are comparatively inert. They cannot change
themselves. They cannot freely move about. They are physically carried from place to
place and converted completely under extrinsic influences and intrinsic influences of the
body. That is why our seers considered them as inert. The body is constituted by
humors, tissues and wastes. This consideration is not structure linked. Most of the
structures in the body can function as humor, tissue or waste. The carbon dioxide which
stimulates your respiratory centre functions as a humor, not as a waste. But in excess,
the very same carbon dioxide is a waste worthy of discarding.
In the body, the most dynamic ingredient is vaayu. It is a humor akin to wind. Wind
blows and carries away things with it. Same is the case with vaayu. It is on the move
and it makes other ingredients to move. Note that all the factions of vaayu are named
after their mode and direction of movement. The five factions of vaayu are praana,
udaana, samaana, vyaana and apaana. Praana means that which moves specially.
Udaana means that which moves upwards. Samaana means that which moves equally
(in the gut) with the digestive fire. Vyaana means that which moves everywhere.
Apaana means that which moves downwards. Thus movement is the hallmark of vaayu
and its factions.
Both pitta and kapha, the other two humors, can effect metabolic changes. But they are
not capable of moving about all by themselves. Tissues respond to the stimuli given by
the humors and react according. Wastes are not capable of moving or reacting, but they
are physically carried by vaayu from place to place. Thus in essence, excepting vaayu,
no other ingredient of the body can move about freely. That is why it is mentioned that
pitta, kapha, tissues and wastes are paraplegic (pangu) and they just go to places
carried by vaayu, analogous to clouds carried away by wind.
In considering the equilibrium of the body, the movements as well as the biochemical
reactions of its ingredients are important. There are various migrations for the humors in
the body. Of them the migration from the site of origin to the site of work and return is
most important. The place of origin of the humors is the gastroenteric tract. They are
produced during the different stages of digestion. These stages may be arbitrarily
divided into three phases – The gastric phase, intestinal phase and rectal phase (or
large intestinal phase). These phases are approximately occurring in stomach, small in
testine and rectum and the vicinity (though not anatomically exact) may be correlated to
the chest, abdomen and pelvis, the three divisions of the visceral cavity or torso. These
areas are morphologically demarked on the trunk by the xiphoid process of the sternum
(hrt) and the umbilicus (naabhi). The area of trunk above the xiphoid is considered as
chest (uras), the site of origin of kapha. The area of trunk in between the xiphoid and
the umbilicus is considered as abdomen (udara), the site of origin of pitta. The area of
trunk below the umbilicus is termed pelvis (sroni), the site of origin of vaayu. From these
sitesof origin the humors are actively absorbed and they reach every nook and corner of
the livingbody according to biophysical phenomena. Once they reach there, they return
back to their sites of origin whenever necessary to be reinforced. This is similar to the
travel by a person from his home village to working place in town and back.
The dynamic equilibrium of the humors is responsible for the maintenanace of health. A
certain amount of fluctuation is to permitted for any dynamic entity as dynamicity
demands movement. Hence do not expect the humors to be at a fixed value, the
amount of each humor also has a normal range. This normal range varies from person
to person according to humoral constitutions. Thus a vaata person will have high set
normal range for vaata than other constitutions. Similarly a pitta person will have a high
set normal range for pitta. In trihumoral (equal) constitution the normal range of all the
three humors will be about the mid – horizontal line (x – axis) of the of humoral range
[graph 1]. Increase and decreases of humors well within the normal constitutional range
of a person do not tamper his health. Diurnal variations occur usually within this normal
range.
Out side the upper and lower limits of this there is another range which can be
considered as borderline ranges. The upper range is the range of accumulation of the
humors. In the stage of accumulation the humor will increase above the normal range.
Yet there is no disease at this stage. But the body will initiate its reaction against the
increase of the humor. That is why in the stage of accumulation, the person experiences
aversion towards the causes of increase of the humor. This is a normal feedback
reaction. The sensors of humors in the body which keep constant watch over the
quantity and quantity of the humors in the body starts giving off warning signals to
controlling nervous and hormonal systems that maintain the equilibrium of the internal
environment, commissioning them to respond to the increase of the humor. Only when
the humor goes out of this range of accumulation, disease sets in and signs and
symptoms manifest. This is the stage of aggravation. That is a stage when the increase
of humor cannot be handled by the self adjustment system of the body and hence
disease sets in. Now a hazard management troop is to be heralded by the body. The
hazard management troop of the body is the immune system. This system fights against
the disease and its causes. If the immune system wins the pathogenic agents are
destroyed or brought under control and the disease will subside. All our efforts of
treatment are to assist, reinforce and replenish the immune system engaged in war
against disease. Hence medical system is akin to the Army Supply Corps. It need not
fight, but should assist the fighters. If the immune system loses the war against disease,
the body will have to surrender to the disease and life is at stakes. Death or deformity is
the result.
Thus we find that there are two types of dynamics for the humors. The first dynamics is
normal and the second one is abnormal. When a person is healthy the humors will be
having normal dynamics. The abnormal dynamics is pathology. Normal dynamics has
two stages humors well within normal range and humors entering into the borderline
range. When the borderline limit is trespassed and the humors enter the pathologic
range diseases manifest. In a way, the borderline range can be considered as a no
man’s land for health and disease. The changes in the dynamics of the humors occur
due to internal and external influences. The living body as a microcosm is constantly
reacting to the influences of the macrocosm. Day, night and seasons change the
external environment and as a reaction to these variations the humors increase and
decrease in the body. Age is an intrinsic factor that changes the rate of biochemical
activities taking place in the body. Digestion is another intrinsic factor but since food is a
foreign object, it has extrinsic implications too. Activities are also intrinsic as they are
generated by the body. But activities also have extrinsic factors. For example bathing in
cold water and warm water has different influences on the body. Changes of flow of
wind, ionic changes of the atmosphere etc. have a say on the humoral dynamics of the
body.
Now we shall examine the various normal dynamics of the humors. The following
dynamics of humors are mentioned in the first chapter of the part of aphorisms of
Ashtaamga – hrdaya.
1. Daily dynamics – a) Diurnal dynamics and b) Nocturnal dynamics.
2. Age related dynamics
3. Digestion related dynamics.
The book details another dynamics in the twelfth chapter of the same part. This is the
Seasonal dynamics and it occurs in the borderline range. Seasonal dynamics can be
initiated even by provocative food and activities even without seasonal support. Since it
is in the borderline range and trespassing to pathologic range in the stage of aggression
(kopa) seasonal dynamics should be considered as a patho- physiological
phenomenon. Purely pathological dynamics does not come under the purview of this
article. Let us have a brief survey of the normal dynamics and marginal dynamics of
humors.
Diurnal dynamics
Kapha, pitta and vaata increase in the morning (6 – 10am), noon (10am – 2pm) and
afternoon ( 2- 6pm) respectively. [The timings are under the assumption that sun rises
at 6am and sets at 6pm]. Morning is comparatively cold and stagnant. This rising sun
starts to heat up earth. Hence the time is akin to spring season when the snow melts.
This causes the increase of kapha. Noon is hot and it causes the increase of pitta. Pitta
is the only hot humor. According to the law of similarity hot time should increase pitta.
Afternoon is comparatively cold and the body is tired after the days work. There is
depletion of tissues at this phase and it prompts the increase of vaata.
Nocturnal dynamics
Night also may be divided into three parts – early night (6-10pm0, midnight(10pm-2am)
and late night(2-6am). Early night is the period of kapha, midnight is the period of pitta
and late night is the period of vaata. Midnight is considered to have the properties of
autumn. Autumn is the period of aggravation of pitta. Hence it is natural that pitta
increases at midnight. In the late night cold increase and prompts vaata to increase.
Daily dynamics
Both daytime dynamics and nocturnal dynamics put together constitute the daily
dynamics. This is a cyclic phenomenon having six phases passing through increases of
kapha, pitta and vaata twice in 24 hours. The changes in daily dynamics is trivial and do
not cause diseases. But if there is predisposition for disease, or when a pathodynamics has already set in, the period of the concerned humor can trigger the disease
or aggravate it as here the humor is not well within the prescribed normal range. It is like
the last person entering a crowded boat causing it to sink. That is the clinical
significance of daily dynamics. A pain in leg increasing in the evening or late night is of
vaata predominance. An abdominal pain aggravating in noon or midnight is of pitta
predominance. A headache worse in the morning is of Kapha predominance.
Age related dynamics
Childhood is predominantly anabolic and the anabolic humor kapha is more in this
period. Growth is the hallmark of childhood. Growth means increase of body bulk. This
can be caused only by the anabolic humor responsible for energy conservation. Hence
in childhood kapha is increase. In youth the biochemical reactions are at a peak and
energy expense for activity is maximal in this period. Hormonal activities are also
enhanced in this period and hence youth is a period of maximum energy utilization. The
exothermic reactions are more in youth. Hence this phase of life is considered as pitta
period. Old age is degenerative. Degeneration causes aggravation of vaata.
Aggravation of vaata occurs due to degeneration of tissues and by blocks. Both occur in
old age. They result in diseases of vaata. Hence old age is marked by increased of
vaata. The diseases of child hood, youth and old age are predominantly of kapha, pitta
and vaata orgin respectively. this is the clinical significance of age related dynamics.
Even a kapha disease in the old age will have the backing of vaata. This should be lept
in mind during diagnosis and prescribing therapy. We cannot say that the age related
dynamics is strictly well within the normal range even though it is normal for the age
group. The humor pertaining to the age group is in the borderline range. For example in
old age vaata is in the borderline range and given chance it will trespass the upper limit
and enter pathologic range causing disease. Age related dynamics is linear and not
cyclic.
Digestive dynamics
We have seen that digestion has three phases. In the gastric phase there is augmented
mucous secretion to soak the ingested food. The digestion at this phase generates
kapha. This fresh supply of kapha to the system increases the stock of kapha. But
normally this increase is well within normal range. The intestinal phase is the active
stage of digestion and lots of digestive enzymes are secreted.
This results in the production of pita. Hence in this stage pitta increases. The Third
phase called the rectal or colonic phase is the phase of absorption. This is a desiccating
stage and the dryness of the process increases vaata. The digestive dynamics is cyclic
because when the third phase is nearing completion the stomach will empty and the
person will be prompted to take food again.
Seasonal dynamics
The seasonal dynamics is also cyclic, the phase f aggression trespass the limits of
borderline range and enter the field of pathology. This should be prevented at the phase
of accumulation itself. The dynamics is tabulated below for brevity. The humors undergo
accumulation, aggravation and subsidence in consecutive and appropriate seasons. We
should prevent aggravation at the stage of accumulation and it will be difficult to bring
back the humor to normalcy. It is like a flood. It will occur quickly but it will take a long
time for the water to recede. During the rise of water, the flood will cause maximum
irreparable damage.
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
Table 1
Seasonal Dynamics Of Humors
Vaata
Pitta
Season
Late winter (sisira)
Spring (vasanta)
Summer (greeshma)
Accumulation
Rainy season (varsha) Aggravation
Autumn(sarat)
Subsidence
Early winter
Accumulation
Aggravation
Subsidence
Kapha
Accumulation
Aggravation
Subsidence
The cause of accumulation and aggravation are also mentioned in Ashtaamga –
hrdaya.
They are tabulated below
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
Table 2
Properties of seasons and Seasonal dynamics of humors
Season Character of Season
Additional
State of humor
characters
Summer Hot (against vaata)
Dryness etc.
Accumulation of vata
Rainy
Cold (similar to vaata Dryness etc
Aggravation of vaata
& against pitta)
Sharpness etc.
Accumulation of pitta
Autumn Hot (similar to vaata & Sharpness etc.
Aggravation of vaata
against pitta)
Subsidence of vata
Winter
Cold (against pitta &
Heaviness etc
Subsidence of vaata
Similar to kapha)
Unctuousness etc
Accumulation of kapha
Spring
Hot (against kapha
Unctuousness etc
Aggravation of kapha
but melt it)
Summer Hot (against kapha)
Dryness etc.
Subsidence of kapha
A humor aggravates when all the properties of the humor are available in the exterior.
But the two major properties hot and cold are the decisive factors. In summer all the
properties of vaata except coldness are available. Hence vaata accumulates but it
cannot aggravate because summer is hot. Similarly pitta does not aggravate in rainy
season as the season is cold. In the case of the kapha there is a paradox. In winter all
the properties of kapha are available. But it can only accumulate and cannot aggravate.
This is because winter solidifies the humor. For aggravation, the humor should go out of
its abode. For this an overflow of the humor is needed. Solidified kapha cannot flow out.
It is stationary. Hence aggravation is not possible. But when the warmth of spring melts
kapha the already accumulated humor flows out and enters the phase of aggravation.
Table 3
Months, Seasons and Status of humors
No
01
2
3
4
Month in
Sanskrit
Maaghah
(tapah)
Approximately
corresponding period
Mid January to mid
February
Phaalgunah
(tapasyah)
Caitrah
(madhuh)
Mid February to mid
March
Mid March to
mid April
Vaisaakhah
Mid April to mid may
Season
Sanskrit
State of humor
Later
Winter
sisirah
Kapha
accumulates
Spring
vasantah
Kapha
aggravates
5
6
7
(maadhavah)
Jyeshthah
(sucih)
Aashaaadhah
(Sukrah)
Sraavanah
(nabhah)
Mid May to mid June
Summer
Mid June to mid July
Mid July to mid August
Rainy
Season
8
Bhaadrapadah
(nhahasyah)
Mid August to mid
September
9
Aasvinah
(Ishah)
Mid September to mid
October
10
Kaartikah
(oorjah)
Mid October to mid
November
11
Maarga
seershah
(Agrahaayana)
Mid November to mid
December
12
Paushah
(sahasyah)
Kapha subsides
greeshmah Vaata
accumulates
Autumn
(Falls)
Earlier
Winter
Varshah
sarat
hemantah
Vaata subsides
Pitta accumulates
Vaata subsides
Pitta aggravaes
Pitta subsides
(Kapha may start
accumulation)
Mid December to mid
January
The significance of seasonal dynamics is that to prevent diseases we should intervene
at the time of accumulation itself. The seasonal regimens prescribed by Ayurveda are
designed to prevent event accumulation of humors and when there is accumulation to
prevent aggravation. Those who are fanatic lovers of nature can hold that seasonal
changes in the body are natural and we need not interfere in them. But Ayurveda is not
that fanatic about surrendering to the nature. Ayurveda respects the nature, tries to
understand it but will not permit the nature to tamper with health. Hence Ayurveda
advocates preventive and curative measures to protect life from seasonal atrocities.
Graph I – Hypothetical Trihumoral Ranges
Y axis
Death
Pathologic
Increase ------------------------------------------------------------Borderline
Increase -------------------------------------------------------------Normal
Range -------- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
X axis
-------------------------------------------------------------Borderline
Decrease
-------------------------------------------------------------Pathologic
Decrease
Death
-------- Kapha
-------- Pitta
-------- Vaata