Vata, Pitta and Kapha | The Three Doshas | Ayurveda

What are the basics of Vata Pitta and Kapha? We will understand how this gets imbalanced and how to cure it? Let us understand the basics of Vata Pitta Kapha in Ayurveda. In the human body these are the three Doshas (bio-elements) Vata Pitta and Kapha. These are called Doshas because these keep fluctuating most of the time. You may not understand and may say that these should be removed altogether. What is the medicine to get rid of these three imbalances? These are not to be removed. These need to be balanced. Now let us understand what are Vata Pitta and Kapha?

Let's talk about the five elements of the Earth. Nature is made up of five elements Fire, Air, Ether, Earth and Water. Agni is Fire Vayu is Air Aakash is Ether Prithvi is Earth and Jal is Water. These are the five elements. This Earth is made up of five elements. Some regions may be hotter than others since there is more fire element (Agni) some places are colder than other places. Since in that place maybe the water element is more or Fire element (Agni) is less. Such places are cold. Some other places are very dry desert-like; there is a shortage of water element. Effectively the Earth is made up of five elements the five Tattvas (Elements). But somewhere one element is less; somewhere other element is more than others. Places where all five elements are present in an equal and desirable amount then we say that the weather here is very pleasant. It is neither hot nor cold; there everything is in balance.

We need to understand that with these five elements in our bodies we have the three Doshas (bio-elements). In someone's body if the Earth element is more then he will be obese if the fire element is pronounced then he will be lean; he will have a warm body. Someone's body may have more of the water element. Likewise the bodies differ and have different compositions. Some are impacted by the atmosphere. Some of it is our nature which we inherit from our parents. What were the mother's favored food choices how her taste buds have been which contributed to the creation of our body types or what is in our destiny- this is another subject.

Going further into this discussion we will try to understand what is the difference in these terms in which bio- element is there more Fire (Agni) or more Air (Vayu). Vata Pitta Kapha the three terms that you listen to everyone should understand this broadly. Which two components go to make Vata Pitta and Kapha? I will give you an example. In the kitchen we have some ingredients. To prepare bread we have wheat flour salt some clarified butter (ghee) some jaggery You mix the jaggery and wheat flour and roast it in the fire that becomes 'Churma' (sweet). This does not contain any water. In the same way if you are told to prepare something else using the wheat flour jaggery and water or add water and prepare something then you made 'Sheera '(dessert). If you made it using fire then it is Sheera if without fire then it is 'Levi'. If I ask you to make something else out of it you will knead it into dough and make 'Roti' (flatbread). You could make 'Ladoos' out of those ingredients. When you add ghee (clarified butter) to it then the result is 'Ladoos'. Just using these two-three ingredients you have made so many different things.

In the same way our bodies while utilizing different parts of the five elements using different ratios of the elements as are present at varying levels in our bodies; it is creating different conditions inside. If it remains in balance it creates conducive conditions in the body and gives us good health. If it increases more than needed then the 'Dosha' causes an imbalance in the body. One needs to understand these basic facts about Vata Pitta and Kapha. If you think on a bigger scale consider the Universe if not at the Earth level. Where water element is abundantly present on that planet there is a lot of water. Where is there is no water but only Air element that planet is composed only of gases. On some planet there is no water no gases but only the presence of Earth element whereas on some planets there is only Fire element like the Sun. When you notice you will understand on your own. It is a play of the five elements. It is a play of Agni (Fire) Vayu (Air)  Aakash (Ether) Prithvi (Earth) Jal (Water).

Why do we have medicines? Why when reviewing our diet foods causing an increase in Vata Pitta Kapha are pointed out? One need to understand that some medicine may have been grown in a warm region. That will have heat inbuilt which is stored inside it. For people having a low level of heat in their bodies we will give them that herb. There are some medicines that grow in cold conditions in the mountainous region. It stores the coolness within itself. For example 'Kutki' The nature of 'Kutki' is cool as it grows in the mountains and hence stores the coolness. We observe that a person has a lot of heat (Agni) in his body as the heat element has increased. We give him the cool herb. We tend to balance all things. For instance when a mother while teaching cooking to her daughter asks her to check the level of salt. When she says that there is less salt then the salt will be added. We do not ask how much salt needs to be added. Initially there is some confusion but then one figure out how much is enough.

We have understood that if one takes this medicine in a given quantity that should suffice in the given condition. Similarly if the mother asks how is the salt level? You reply that it is more. Then she adds a small ball of dough for some time or a small potato can be added for some time so that the ball of dough or potato absorbs the excess salt. Then the salt in the vegetable will get adjusted. All these things are very similar. If you have an excess of Vayu and you visit an Ayurvedic doctor or you visit some expert on this science he will observe you and find that the Vayu element is more. He knows in what conditions Vayu is more. He will either prescribe you the medicine that will help reduce the Vayu element or will advise you to have the food categories that reduce Vayu. Since our concept is clear to some extent as I feel (I do not assure though) the Ayurvedic scriptures are enormous. It is an ocean of knowledge. We have taken only a drop.

If you would like to know what Ayurveda can do for you, contact us!