EXPLORE AYURVEDA WITH
THE STRONG FUNDAMENTAL PRINCILES

PRAKRUTI & VIKRUTI

In Ayurveda, constitution is the foundation. There are two constitutions, the Prakruti & the Vikruti. Prakruti describes one’s genetic constitution. Prakruti indicates who you really are with respect to your tendencies, both physically & psychologically.
Vikruti is the term used to describe how the environmental influences have shaped who the person has become today. Some of these factors are climate, diet, nutrition etc. Each person has a particular pattern of energy, an individual combination of physical, mental & emotional characteristics that make up their Prakruti constitution.
These two complimentary forces represent our outer & inner worlds & their interaction. Together they determine the quality of a person’s health. When imbalance is experienced, an appropriate nutritional, cleaning & therapeutic regime can return the body to its original constitutional balance.

FIVE ELEMENTS

The concept of Panchamahabhuta (Five elements) is the foundation of Ayurveda to understand its physiology (normal functioning), pathology (disease formation) & pharmacokinetics (movement of drug within the body).
Ayurveda believes that everything in this universe is made up of combination of the five elements including drugs, herbs and human beings. These are the minutest elements, which constitute living and non-living matters. We view a person as a unique individual, made up of five Elements:
• Space (Akash)
• Air ( Vayu)
• Fire ( Angi/Tej)
• Water ( Jal)
• Earth ( Prithvi)
Collectively they are termed as Panchmahabhuta. Depending on the predominance of the content, the matter is classified as Parthiva, Apya, Taijasa, Vayaviya and Akashiya (With predominance of earth, water, fire, air and space respectively). The permutation and combination of these elements and its quantity in a given matter determines its properties.

1. AKASH (Space)

The element of space represents the space in which everything takes place. In the body space (Akash) retales to all hollow or empty places in the body, like channels, pores, the ears that perceive sound, the blood, lymph vessels, and the intestinal tract.
Akash Mahabhuta is the space without which matter cannot exist. Its main sense attribute is Sound (Shabda) and Non-resistance (Apratighatatwa) is its main property. Together with the air (Vayu) element Space forms the vata dosha.

2. VAYU (Air)

Air (Vayu) represents the gaseous form of matter. Air flows freely throughout the body, controls breathing, feeds the cells with oxygen and helps to give movement to biological functions. Air (Vayu) element is responsible for the respiratory system; it moves the blood through the vessels; removes wastes from the body & necessary for all energy transfer, as air (Vayu) is the key element needed for fire to burn.
Vayumahabhuta evolved from Akashamahabhuta. Touch (Sparsha) is its chief sense attribute and as it is evolved from Akasha it also inherits attribute of sound (Shabda). Chalatwa or movability is its chief property. Air the dominant element in the Vat Dosha.

3. AGNI (Fire)

The element of fire has the power to transform the state of any substance. Agni transforms food into energy responsible for digestion. It creates the impulses of nervous reactions, our feelings, and even our thought processes. Fire is the dominant element in the pitta Dosha.
Agnimahabhoota evolves next from Vayumahabhoota. The main sense attribute of Agni is Vision (Roop) and the chief property is heat (Ushnatwa). It also inherits the sense attributes of sound (Shabda) and touch (Sparsha) from the Akash and Vayu Mahabhuta respectively.

4. JALA (Water)

Water represents the liquid state of matter & indicates change or instability. Water element constitutes the liquids of the body. A large part of the human body is made up of water. Our blood, lymph, and other fluids move between our cells and through our vessels, bringing energy, and carrying away wastes, regulating temperature, fighting disease, and carrying hormonal information from one area to another. Water is responsible for the fluid metabolism in the body & so blood, lymph & other fluids are considered as water elements.
The next Mahabhuta to evolve from Agnimahabhoota is Jalmahabhuta. Taste (Rasa) is its main sense attribute and liquidity (Dravatawa) is the chief property, along with that inherited from earlier Mahabhuta. Water the dominant element in the Kapha Dosha.

5. PRITVI (Earth)

The earth element represents the solid state of matter. It manifests stability, permanence and rigidity. In our body, the parts such as bones, teeth, cells tissues are manifestation of earth. Earth is considered a stable substance.
The last to evolve is Prithwimahabhuta. Roughness (Kharatwa ) is the chief property and Smell (Gandha) is the main sense of this Mahabhoota besides properties inherited from the earlier once. Water and Earth form the Kapha Dosha.
Ayurveda understands body, mind and spirit likewise. It divides the constitution of people into three categories—Vata (Air), Pitta (Fire) and Kapha (water/earth). These are three basic energies or life forces that are the biological derivatives of the five elements and they govern all the function and structure of the body or its existence as a whole.