BODY TISSUES ACCORDING TO AYURVEDA(DHATU)
Sharira (body) according to Ayurveda is made of many substances. The substance that gives form to the body in Ayurveda is known as dhatu. Dhatu in Sanskrit has various meaning depending on the context in which the word has been used.
In our context, it can be defined as essential substances contained in a body. Dosha of the body (Vata, Pitta, Kapha) shows their act through dhatus.
Dhatu word is derived from the root word dha– which means holding, bestowing, granting, or causing. From this root definition we can understand that dhatus do the function of holding together the body etc.
CLASSIFICATION OF DHATU
Ayurveda classical books have enumerated the number of dhatu to be seven. They are:
- Rasa
- Rakta
- Mamsa
- Meda
- Asthi
- Majja
- Shukra.
MODERN POSSIBLE CORRELATION OF TISSUE WITH AYURVEDA DHATUS.
The above dhatus can be correlated with Modern science on biology has follows:
- Rasa- Rasa can be described as plasma.
- Rakta- can be correlated with blood tissue.
- Mamsa- it can be correlated with Muscle Tissue.
- Meda- it can be described as Fat tissue
- Asthi- it can be described as Bone tissue
- Majja- it can be correlated with Bone Marrow
- Shukra- it can be correlated with Reproductive tissue.
NOURISHING PROCESS OF DHATUS
Poshana(nourishment) of Dhatu as per Ayurveda is very interesting. The nourishment process begins when one ingests food. Jathra Agni does pakwa of the food which nourishes Rasa, Rasa then nourishes Rakta and the preceding dhatu nourishing the following dhatu until the last one.
When talking about agni, it is to be noted that there are three types of jatharagni, dhatwagni and bhootagni.Also one should keep in mind that although pitta dosha have same property ( guna ) and work ( karma ) of agni, but pitta is not same as agni. Agni and pitta are two different concepts, never weigh them in same plate.
[Rasa-Rakta-Mamsa-Meda-Asthi-Majja-Shukra]- Sequence of Nourishment.
CHARACTERISTICS OF DHATUS
Rasa:
It is the first dhatu to be formed and Nourished.
It Takes about 24hrs to be formed, and is circulated all over the body.
It has close relationship with Kapha dosha.
Rakta:
Second dhatu to be formed and is nourished by Rasa.
It has samanya (same) relationship with Pitta Dosha.
Mamsa:
It is formed after rakta dhatu and is nourished by Rasa
It has a relationship with Kapha dosha.
Medo dhatu
It is formed after mamsa dhatu and is nourished by Mamsa
It has Kapha dorminant.
Predominantly made from water and Earth elements.
Asthi Dhatu:
Nourished by nutrients from Medo dhatu
predominately made up of Pruthvi mahabhutas
Ashraya of Vayu dosha.
It’s hard, rough and dry due to pruthvi and vayu mahabhutas.
Majja Dhatu
Nourished by Asthi dhatu
Predominantly with Kapha dosha having samanya relationship.
Shukra dhatu:
Last of the Dhatus
Influenced greatly by Kapha dosha.
Nourished by Majja Dhatu
UPADHATUS
They are the secondary tissues of Dhatu. Each of the dhatus has its own upadhatu:
Rasa- Stanya is its Upadhutu
Rakta- kandara (Tendons) and Sira (ligaments) are formed from Rakta.
Mamsa: Vasa and Six layers of skin
Meda– Snayu and Sandhi
Contributor- Dr. Robert Kibet Cheboi
👍