Article: CONCEPTUAL AND COMPARATIVE STUDY ON MECHANISM AND SIGNIFICANCE OF SNEHANA KARMA: A REVIEW

Article Category: Review articles

DOI: 10.7897/2277-4343.1104112

Pages: 178-181

Author: Roshni Verma *, Prashant Nishad, Shristi Balbhadra

Abstract: Ayurveda is one of the most ancient systems of life, health and cure whose antiquity goes back to Vedas. It is a highly evolved and categorized system of life and health science based on its unique original concepts and fundamental principles, among the various concepts the Snehana concepts is explained by our great acharyas in various Samhitas, as they had explained about Sarpi, Taila, Vasa and Majja are the four basic snehas which obtained from plant and animals sources. These snehas are the fatty acids and contains the active medicaments. It can be used internally either in form of Nasya, Basti, Pana and externally for Abhyanga. As Sneha is composed of basic elements Panchamahabhutas Prithvi and Jala, it has qualities like guru, sheeta, sara, snigdha, manda, sukshma and mridu, produces unctuousness, softness, moisture, and also increased secretions in body, on internal intake sneha acts as solvent and increases apyamsha (liquid content) of the body which will ultimately leads to aggravation of doshas and helps for proper removal of doshas, whereas externally it helps in increasing lymph flow in the body at the marma sthanas (vital points), which nourishes the whole body. This also helps in relieving the mental illness like depression, hallucinations, headache, anxiety, irritability etc. Hence in the present paper an attempt is made to compile the different references of various sneha Kalpanas explained by our acharyas and tried to critically explain their probable mode of action when taken internally as well as externally.

Keyword: Snehana, Sarpi, Taila, Vasa, Majja, Panchamahabhutas