Impact factor: 3.958/ICV: 4.10 ISSN: 0976-7908 89 Pharma Science Monitor 8(1), Jan-Mar 2017 PHARMA SCIENCE MONITOR AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES Journal home page: http://www.pharmasm.com CONCEPT OF ASHAYA Praveen Shegedar 1 *, Pankaj Pathak 2 1 Associate Professor, Department of Rachana Shareera, JSSAMC, Mysore 2 Associate professor, Department of Basic Principles, JSSAMC, Mysore ABSTRACT Concept of Ashaya is one among the various theories of Ayurveda. The cavernous spaces in the body are designated as Ashaya. The concept of Ashaya has a vital role in the physiological as well as pathological sequels. If the role of Ashaya is analyzed in detail then the causation of the disease, the symptomatology and the prognosis of the disease can be understood in a better way. The word Ashaya denotes the place where the different entities (Dosha, Dhatu, and Mala) reside As there are limitations to the treatment of the contemporary medical sciences towards the diseases caused by the blood. The present work put much more emphasis on this regard. KEYWORDS: Ashaya, Ayurveda. INTRODUCTION Ashaya is defined as the place which provides Shelter to a substance or any constituent pertaining to the body. Sushruta Samhita in shareerasthana 4 th chapter again he claims that the organ which provide shelter to various things/constituents vizrasa, Rakta, Mamsa, Kapha, Pitta, Purishaetc. is called the Ashaya. The place which gives shelter to Dosha, dhatu, mala, is termed as Ashaya. Main seat of Rasa Raktadi dhatu, Purisha Mutradi Mala, Vata Pittadi Dosha, &ingestedfood is called as Ashaya 1-4 Dalhana the commentator of Sushruta while commenting on Ashaya in Shareera sthana states adhyaya is the cavernous space in the body 5 Definition: Sushruta while stating the number and definition of Kala mentioned that the Kala are seven in number as per the consideration of Dhatwashaya. In this reference the meaning of Ashaya can be traced indirectly as the place or the organ which provides shelter to the Dhatu is called Ashaya. 6
Impact factor: 3.958/ICV: 4.10 ISSN: 0976-7908 90 Origin of Ashaya: Vayu being located at various places during the fetal life forms many cavernous spaces which later on are formed in the form of Ashaya which provides shelter to various dhatu,dosha, mala etc. and the Ashaya are named after various respective substances. 7,8 Classification of Ashaya Screening various texts of Ayurveda reveals,that all the Acharyas mentioned the name and number of Ashaya in different manner. The name and the number of Ashaya mentioned in different texts are as follows. According to Sushruta samhita there are seven Ashaya and there is an extra Ashaya in females. 9 Kashyapa Samhita also mentions seven with one extra ashaya in females. Ashtanga Samgraha opines the same as is mentioned in Sushruta but instead of the term Ashaya, Adhara is the term used in place of Ashaya.The same thing is repeated in Ashtanga Hridaya samhita. 10 Sharangadhara also mentions seven ashaya along with the three extra ashaya in females. Screeening Bhavaprakasha reveals that eight ashaya are mentioned with three extra in females. The opnions of different authors can be tabulated as follows. Description of Individual Ashaya: Vatashaya: Vatashaya the word is formed by two words Vata and Ashaya. It means the ashaya where Vata gets located predominantly. While describing the seats of Vata the following are the places mentioned viz Pakvashaya, Kati, Sakthi, Shrotra, Asthi, Sparshana but it is told that among these places it is Pakvashaya where Vata is predominantly resides. 11 While dealing with the position of Vatashaya it is told that Pakvashaya is situated underneath Agnyashaya superior to Malashaya. Pittashaya: Pittashaya means the place where Pitta resides. Pitta is that which represents Agni tatwa in the body. The places of Pitta in the body are mentioned as Nabhi, Sweda, Lasika, Rasa, Rakta, Chakshu, and Sparshana. Among these Nabhi is the main seat of Pitta. 12 According to Sharangadhara, Agnyashaya lies between Aamashaya and Nabhi towards the left. Kaphashaya:
Impact factor: 3.958/ICV: 4.10 ISSN: 0976-7908 91 Kaphashaya is the place where Kapha resides or the organ which provides shelter for Kapha. Kapha is that which represents Jala tatwa in body 74. The places of Kapha are mentioned as follows. Urah, Shira, Griva, Parva, Amashaya, Meda. Among these Uras isthe main seat of Kapha. 13 All the classics claim thaturas is the main seat of Kapha. Amashaya: Amashaya is the place where Ama resides. In this particular context Ama should be interpreted as Partially digested food which is the initial stage of digestion of food, but not the one which is considered as the cause of diseases. 14 The anatomical position of Aamashaya is also mentioned by the author. He opines that Amashaya lies in madhyasharia (middle part of the body or Abdomen) above the Nabhi. Mutrashaya: Mutrashaya is the place where Mutra residestemporarily. Mutra in Ayurveda is considered to be the Kitta (waste product or the bi product) of Anna. 15 Mutrashaya is the organ which lies below Nabhi (Umbilicus) and it is the place where Mutra resides. Malashaya: Malashaya is the place where mala (residue of the d igested food) resides or the organ which provides shelter for Mala. Pakvashaya can be considered as Malashaya In Sharangadhara samhita the positionof Malashaya is explained in relation with Pakvashaya and it lies below the pakwashaya. Garbhashaya: Garbha is the word of masculine gender. Garbhashaya is the place where Garbha(Foetus) resides or the organ which provides shelter for Garbha. According to Sushruta Garbhashaya lies between Pittashaya and Pakvashaya. Stanyashaya: Stanyashaya is the place where the Stanya resides. Sharangadhara and Bhavaprakasha mentioned two Stanyashaya along with the other ashaya. Stana are considered as Stanyashaya.
Impact factor: 3.958/ICV: 4.10 ISSN: 0976-7908 92 DISCUSSION Screening the classics reveals that Anatomy in Ayurveda is also given prime importance, a separate section devoted for the anatomical theory by the name Sharira sthana confirms the above opinion. But truly speaking the anatomical concepts of Ayurveda are neglected as compared to the physiological aspects by most of the Ayurvedic personalities. To minimize this drawback the present work The Critical and comparative study of Raktashaya under the concept of ashaya has been undertaken. The word ashaya denotes the place where the different entities (Dosha, Dhatu, and Mala) reside. Acharya Dalhana very clearly claims that Ashaya is the cavernous space. In Darshanik and Ayurvedic literature the qualities like separation or division are attributed to Vatadosha. Hence Vata in the fetal life locating in different places forms the different organs or the cavernous spaces. It is true even from the embryological point of view. To sate an example the whole GIT is derived from the endoderm one of the three germ layers, where the stomach if formed by the fusiform dilatation of the esophagus. In the example given above the role of VataDosha can be interpreted according to Ayurveda. The various synonyms mentioned Ayurvedic or Non Ayurvedic texts reveals that some of the synonyms are used in general sense and the rest are used contextually but the meaning of all the terms is the same that the structure that which provides shelter to various entities like dosha etc are called as Ashaya. CONCLUSION The concept of Ashaya has the ample scope from the point of shareer kriya and rachana. The Field of ashaya is extensive even in different specialties of Ayurvedic medical sciences like Nidana, Chikitsa, Prasuti, Shalya etc. The morbidity taking place in Raktahas the impact on its Ashaya. The Ashaya if gets affected it also leads too different sets of symtomatology because of Raktadusti. Means both have the impact on the other. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Shri Taranath.Edited, Vachaspatyam vol 2. 3 rd Edition. Varanasi:: Chowkhamba Sanskrit siries; 1970. pp827 to1594-p834 2. Deva Raja Radhakant.Edited, Shabdakalpadruma Vol1.Reprint.Delhi:: Naga publishers; 1988. pp315-p194 3. Williams Monier Monier.Edited, Sanskrit English dictionary. 1 st Edition.Delhi::Motilal banarasidass publishers pvt ltd ;193.pp1333-P157
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