Words: Drs Deepti L KAWALE & Sharad D TRIPATHI
The balance of dosha, dhathu, agni and mala, which are all important factors in a person’s health, is described in great detail in Ayurveda. When atma, indriya, and manas are in synchrony, it improves our physical and mental well-being. To achieve a healthy bodily and mental status, panchakarma, the Ayurveda method of purification, is advised. It is essential to perform panchakarma in accordance with a particular ritu to achieve its health advantages. If panchakarma is not performed in accordance with ritucharya, then pathological effects may occur. Panchakarma’s ability to remove malas, or morbid doshas, occurs most effectively when the time and duration of therapy are appropriate, according to the disease conditions and the physical state of patient.
Purvakarma, pradhanakarma, and paschatkarma are the three levels of panchakarma. The basic operations of purvakarma involve snehana and svedana procedures — they are performed as preliminary purification measures. The primary cleansing technique used in panchakarma therapy is called pradhanakarma; it includes practices like vaman, virechana, basti, nasya, and raktamokshana. Paschatkarma is an after-purification action — it helps to support the focal panchakarma therapy. Panchakarmas along with other upkramas, like abhyanga, swedana, and mardana, etc., offer a number of health advantages.
The general pharmacokinetic property of panchakarma dravya helps in the expulsion of toxins from the body. Tikshana guna breaks, or loosens toxins. Vikasi and vyavayi guna facilitate movement of doshas and urdhavabhagha action causes their expulsion from the body.
Panchakarma & Ritu
Seasonal variations affect the doshas and change a person’s health status; purifying procedures must, therefore, be carried out in accordance with the weather. When the panchakarma technique is carried out in accordance with ritucharya, the morbid doshas get eliminated successfully. Panchakarma, performed in accordance with seasonal change, helps in restoring the body’s homeostasis.
- Vasanta ritu is prevalent to kapha prakopa; thus, vamana is suggested to alleviate kaphaja roga
- In vasanta ritu, teekshna vamana and nasya are suggested
- Ritu nasya with anutaila can be performed in varsha and sarad ritu to open nasal passages and prevent respiratory discomfort
- Taila abhyanga, the avagaha sweda in warm water, increases circulation throughout the body, notably in the sisira and hemanta ritus
- Extensive panchakarma operations should be avoided in the summer. Sodhana is not advised when vatadi doshas are in their sanchaya kala
- According to literature, it is obvious that doshas build up throughout the winter season; they need to be purged during vasanta ritu
- Doshas in gishma ritu should be eliminated by sodhana during abhrakala
- Doshas in varsha ritu should be eliminated during ghanaatyaya kala.
With regard to ritu shodhna Ayurveda advocates that the concept of sadharan ritu and asadharan ritu as favourable, or unfavourable conditions when panchakarma is to be performed, or avoided.
Panchakarma is not advised for healthy people during the grishma [summer] due to the intense heat. Panchakarma procedures cannot be conducted during the rainy season and panchakarma practices, like vamana and virechana, are to be avoided throughout the winter. Extreme weather makes it difficult to complete snehapana and panchakarma; this is the primary reason for avoiding the therapy in such particular periods. The intense heat, rain and cold conditions during grishma, varsha and hemanta ritu make unfavourable situations for panchakarma — hence, the three seasons are known as asadharana ritus. Contrary to the aforementioned seasons, there are the other three [ritu] seasons in which the climate is favourable, making snehapana and sodhana possible during the other three ritus — they are considered as sadharan ritu.
Clinical Significance Of Ritusodhana
Tridosha’s critical balance and homeostasis determine whether, or not, a person is healthy. The three natural stages of spread of doshas include chaya, prakopa and prashama. Chaya means increase in its own site, prakopa means increase causing the spread from own location and prashama is referred to pacification. The seasonal fluctuations may aggravate the doshas leading to pathological manifestations. Ritu sodhana possesses advantages for reducing the bad effects caused by aggravated doshas and ritusodhana helps to prevent diseases, promote health and neutralise the effects of vitiated doshas. Ritu sodhana can be done to acquire general health benefits, irrespective of swastha, or atura.
Doshas that have accumulated during the cold season should be swiftly and effectively expelled during vasanta, those from the summers should be expelled during varsha and those from varsha should be removed during sharad ritu. Such intensified doshas in various seasons should be effectively countered. The conduction of ritusodhana helps to avoid contracting illnesses brought by the effects of the seasons; ritusodhana also supports normal functioning of body. In the right seasons, sodhna helps in the expulsion of vitiated doshas and improves vitality of organs.
Vasanta ritu is favorable for abhyanga and murdhnitaila. In sisira ritu, vata kapha hara methods, such as abhyanga and vamana, can be used to prevent allergic conditions. When vata prakopa persists in varsha ritu, basti is cautioned against vataroga in varsha ritu. Sodhana ritucharya for vata pacification is indicated since vata becomes worsened during the rainy season. To relieve exacerbated vata, one could perform asthapana basti in the varsha ritu, and virechana and raktamokshana are prescribed to relieve pitta and rakta as pitta and rakta vitiation may also occur in varsha ritu. Virechana is advised in sharad ritu to avoid pitta prakopa — since this season is susceptible for pitta prakopa.
Conclusion
According to the dosha, prakriti, kala, and desha status, sodhana therapy should be administered. The vaya and koshtha must be followed when performing panchakarma. Panchakarma as sodhana therapy offers a number of health advantages; its best results can be obtained if used during a specific season. Sodhana therapy, according to ritu, is necessary because the dosha predominance varies depending on the climatic conditions. Vasanta ritu promotes vamana and nasya, while sharad ritu mentions virechana, and ritu sodhana to treat skin conditions, control immunological disturbances, lower disease morbidity, prevent lifestyle problems, and maintain hormonal balance. Ritu sodhana contributes to swastya rakshana and vikara prashamana. The impact of accumulated environmental pollutants can also be reduced by ritu sodhana. Ritu sodhana restores physical strength and delays the onset of premature aging too. Besides, Ritu sodhana not only prevents, or helps, to treat diseases, but it also improves one’s general health.
Dr DEEPTI L KAWALE, MD/MS [Ayurveda], is Professor, Panchakarma Department, Jupiter Ayurveda Medical College Shankarpur, Nagpur. Dr SHARAD D TRIPATHI, BAMS, MD [Ayurveda], is Reader, Shalyatantra Department, Bhausaheb Mulak Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya, Nagpur, India. This article [Shodhana According to Ritu and its Clinical Significance: A Review] was first published in Himalayan Journal of Health Sciences; 2022; 7(4): 7-9], under the Creative Commons License 4.0 [Subject Photo, Courtesy: Kerala Tourism].
