Why is Shodhana Contraindicated in Sama Doshas?

Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S

Shodhana, which is one of the best remedy strategy in Ayurveda which incorporates expulsion of morbid doshas from the physique, is the muse for eradication of illnesses from their root and likewise to forestall their recurrence. Illness modifying medicines, food regimen, Rasayanas and Vajikarana therapies work on the premise of how a lot and the way finest the exaggerated doshas are expelled from the physique. Shodhana additionally expels the pointless issues from the system together with the malas and likewise breaks the higher and smaller blocks within the channels of the physique.

Shodhana is the final word weapon for destroying persistent and cussed illnesses, to reestablish well being and improve immunity.

However the identical shodhana is contraindicated in expelling Sama Doshas.

However why?

That is precisely what we’re discussing on this article.

However earlier than this, we have to know what Sama Dosha is!

Amongst completely different states of doshas, Sama Dosha and Nirama Dosha are two necessary states.

Sama Dosha

Sama dosha is a state whereby a dosha is related to ama. Ama is an intermediate substance of metabolism which is fashioned because of improper digestion of meals within the abdomen because of sluggishness (weak spot) of digestive fireplace. Ama is an improperly processed sticky substance which may follow the interior partitions of any channel of the physique and trigger blocks therein. When ama will get related to dosha, the dosha too will lose its freedom of motion and would get caught or adhered to the interior partitions of the channels, together with the minutest cells, or small channels like blood vessels or bigger channels like intestine and so forth. Such sama doshas are answerable for causation of many illnesses.

When ama is indifferent from its affiliation with dosha, it’s referred to as Nirama Dosha. That is nonetheless a pathological state and the dosha ought to be addressed.

Ayurveda says that this sama dosha shouldn’t be expelled from the physique by administration of shodhana i.e. cleaning therapies, be it vamana or virechana or vasti.

Allow us to see what Acharya Vagbhata has to say about this.

Ref – A.Hr.Su.13/28, 29

Sama Doshas shouldn’t be expelled by administering Shodana

सर्वदेहप्रविसृतान् सामान् दोषान् न निर्हरेत्।
लीनान् धातुष्वनुत्क्लिष्टान् फलादामाद्रसानिव॥२८॥
आश्रयस्य हि नाशाय ते स्युर्दुर्निर्हरत्वतः।

The sama doshas which have unfold everywhere in the physique will come into contact with a number of of the tissues. These sama doshas would get into the tissues and stay hidden therein by adhering to the tissues. For the reason that doshas are sticky in nature now, because of their affiliation with ama, they might not transfer out of their locations of accumulation i.e. tissues, being adhered therein.

These doshas which have adhered and are lurking throughout the tissues, shouldn’t be forcibly eliminated. The doctor mustn’t make any try to take away these doshas by means of purificatory measures / Panchakarma therapies like emesis, purgation and so forth. Truly, it’s also very troublesome to expel these doshas out.

Acharya Vagbhata explains this with an analogy. When one makes an attempt to extract the juice from an unripe fruit, it doesn’t yield any juice however alternatively, these makes an attempt will certainly destroy the fruit.

Equally, if the sama doshas are tried to forcibly expelled out, they won’t be expelled (identical to the juice can’t be extracted by drive from an unripe fruit) however will in flip destroy its place of abode i.e. the tissues / human physique (identical to the strategy of extraction of juice would destroy the fruit). This occurs as a result of we try to drive the sama doshas sticking to the physique (tissues) out by administering shodhana.

On this analogy,

–        Physique / tissue = unripe fruit
–        Sama doshas = juice of unripe fruit
–        Shodhana = forcible extraction of juice
–        Destruction of physique = destruction of fruit

Seeing it the opposite manner, juice will be extracted from the ripe fruit. So, we have to anticipate the ripening.

Equally, we have to anticipate the ripening of immature doshas i.e. sama doshas. The doshas would ripen as soon as the ama is separated from them. This may be achieved by ama pachana and swedana. As soon as ama is separated and destroyed, the doshas are not adhering to the tissues. Now these doshas will be pulled in the direction of the koshta i.e. intestine and expelled by administration of shodhana.

So, a smart doctor ought to by no means expel the sama doshas from the physique.