Mini Review

Concept of Agni in Ayurveda

Dnyaneshwar K Jadhav*

Shri Dhanwantri Ayurvedic Medical College & Research Centre, Kaychikitsa department, India

Submission: September 23, 2018;Published: October 31, 2018

*Corresponding author: Dnyaneshwar K Jadhav, Shri Dhanwantri Ayurvedic Medical College & Research Centre, Kaychikitsa department, India.

How to cite this article: Dnyaneshwar K Jadhav. Concept of Agni in Ayurveda. Adv Res Gastroentero Hepatol. 2018; 11(3): 555815. DOI: 10.19080/ARGH.2018.11.555815.

Keywords: Ayurveda; Agni; Veda;Upnishada; Kanda;Aranake; Food; Body; Panchamahabhuta

Mini Review

India is famous for Adahatmik knowledge, which has deep description of all subject. This Adahatmik knowledge is distributed in Veda, Upnishada, Kanda, Aranake. Ayurved known as upa-veda of Atharva-veda.

The Sanskrit word Agni mean “fire”[1]. Darshan said that, all things in universe made from mahabhuta. Agni is one of the Mahabhuta out of five panchamahabhuta[2]. In jain literature it is called as soul. In pali language agni called as Aggi, which show impact of agni concept on Buddhist tradition also. veda described agni itself is god.

In some In Ayurveda there is a lot of importance to Agni concept. As agni in nature same agni in our body too. Its statement on prakruti-purushsiddhanta of ayurveda. Food is important for the continuation of life in living beings and this food material gets converted into body constituents with the help of Agni.Kayachikitsa is nothing but the Agni chikitsa.

Jatheragni digest food to form aahar-rasa, which then converted into body constituents called Dhatus by dhatvagnies and bhutagnies. If Agni is Prakruta, man lives healthy life, if it gets vitiated then disease occurs. It is responsible for digestion and all metabolism taking place in the body.

In Sushruta Samhita there is description that, origin of pitta is from tapa”. Pitta and agni is related to each other. Dried pachak pitta is nothing but pitta[3].Agni is one of the Aturapariksha bhavas. The Agni is guessed by examining the capacity of food intake and digestion.

Types of Agni [4]

There are total 13 types of Agni on the basis of action and site

a) Jatheragni/ Pachakagni/ Koshthagni – 1

b) Dhatvagni - 7

c) Bhautikagni - 5

d) Jatheragni -There are 4 types of Jatheragni depending upon the condition of Tridoshas

Vishamagni

The Agni, which gets affected by irregular qualities of vatadosha are called as Vishamagni. Sometimes it digests properly sometimes not hence sometimes it can enhance Agni and sometimes can’t. It causes diseases like Aadhman, Shula, atisara etc.

Tikshnagni

When Agni gets affected by hot, liquid, and tikshna qualities of Pitta, digestive capacity of Agni increases tremendously so that it can digest any type of food.

Mandagni

When Agni gets affected by oily, cold, manda qualities of Kapha, it is called as Mandagni. It can’t digest food even in small quantities because plenty of Amadravyas remain in aahar rasa. The sama rasa while circulating in the body being unable to enter Strotas and cause strotorodha vitiates dhatus and cause diseases.

Samagni

When all Doshas are in equilibrium state, Agni is called as Samagni. If Agni digests the food properly, which is consumed in proper time and quantity, it is known as Samagni.

References

1. Krishanaji Givinda Oka (1913) The Amalinganusasana (Amarkosha) of Amarasimha, trutiya khanda-avyava varga, Poona: law printing press and publication, 119: 74.
2. James G Lochtefeld (2002) The illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M. The rosen publishing group, p. 14-15.
3. Ambikadutta, Sushrut Samhita (1970) Sutrastan. (Volume 1), Chukhmba Sanskrit sanstana, Varanasi, India, pp. 112.
4. Charaka Samhita, Shastri K, Chaturvedi G (2012) Chukhmba surbhrati academy, Varanasi, pp. 358.