Śodhana is indicated in

• Bahu doṣavasthā
• Those who are planning for Rasāyana & Vājīkaraṇa
• To prevent Kālaja Roga etc.
• In emergency conditions
• Before Rasa oṣadhi and Shāmana oṣadhi Sevā for attaining better results

Bahudoṣa Lakṣaṇa

अविपाकोऽरुचिः स्थौल्यं पाण्डुता गौरवं क्लमः|

पिडकाकोठकण्डूनां सम्भवोऽरतिरेव च||१३||

आलस्यश्रमदौर्बल्यं दौर्गन्ध्यमवसादकः|

श्लेष्मपित्तसमुत्क्लेशो निद्रानाशोऽतिनिद्रता||१४||

तन्द्रा क्लैब्यमबुद्धित्वमशस्तस्वप्नदर्शनम्|

बलवर्णप्रणाशश्च तृप्यतो बृंहणैरपि||१५||

बहुदोषस्य लिङ्गानि तस्मै संशोधनं हितम्|

ऊर्ध्वं चैवानुलोमं च यथादोषं यथाबलम्||१६||

Signs and symptoms of patients having vitiated doṣas in excess are indigestion, anorexia, corpulence, anaemia, heaviness, exhaustion, eruption of pimples and urticaria, pruritis, no inclination for work, laziness, fatigue, weakness, foul smell of the body, lassitude, Utkleśa of Kapha and Pitta, sleeplessness or excessive sleep, drowsiness, impotency, impediment to intelligence, inauspicious dreams and loss of strength and complexion inspite of intake of nourishing diet. In the event of such signs and symptoms the patient should be administered emesis and purgation with due regard to the doṣas vitiated and the strength of the patient.

मलापहं रोगहरं बलवर्णप्रसादनम्|

पीत्वा संशोधन सम्यगायुषा युज्यते चिरम्||२२||

Elimination therapy eliminates the doṣas, eradicates diseases and restore normal strength and complexion. If taken properly it brings longevity.

बुद्धिप्रसादं बलमिन्द्रियाणां

धातुस्थिरत्वं ज्वलनस्य दीप्तिम्|

चिराच्च पाकं वयसः करोति

संशोधनं सम्यगुपास्यमानम्| ६० १/२|

According to Vāgbhaṭa properly administered Śodhana brings clarity to the senses, helps the indriyas to work properly, stability of the tissues, increase in jaṭhara agni or digestive fire and delays ageing.

एवं विशुद्धकोष्ठस्य कायाग्निरभिवर्धते|

व्याधयश्चोपशाम्यन्ति प्रकृतिश्चानुवर्तते||१७||

इन्द्रियाणि मनोबुद्धिर्वर्णश्चास्य प्रसीदति|

बलं पुष्टिरपत्यं च वृषता चास्य जायते||१८||

जरां कृच्छ्रेण लभते चिरं जीवत्यनामयः|

तस्मात् संशोधनं काले युक्तियुक्तं पिबेन्नरः||१९||

By the administration of Śodhana therapies the vitiated doṣas are eliminated from the body through alimentary tract, the power of digestion and metabolism is enhanced, diseases are cured and his normal health is restored; the senses, mind, intelligence and complexion become clear; he gains strength, plumpness, offsprings and virility; he is not affected by old age and lives long without any disease. Therefore, one should take proper Śodhana therapies in time.

The doṣas get accumulated in the body gradually over ṛtus which should be eliminated for keeping the body Svastha. Ācāryas have specified elimination or Śodhana of doṣas in specific ṛtus like in Prāvṛṭ ṛtu Vasti should be administered to normalise the aggravated Vāta, similarly in Śarad ṛtu, Virecana should be done to normalise the aggravated Pitta and in Vasanta ṛtu Vamana should be done to eliminate the aggravated Kapha.

अत्युष्णवर्षशीता हि ग्रीष्मवर्षाहिमागमाः|

तदन्तरे प्रावृडाद्यास्तेषां साधारणास्त्रयः||४||

प्रावृट् शुचिनभौ ज्ञेयौ शरदूर्जसहौ पुनः|
तपस्यश्च मधुश्चैव वसन्तः शोधनं प्रति||५||
एतानृतून् विकल्प्यैवं दद्यात् संशोधनं भिषक्|
स्वस्थवृत्तमभिप्रेत्य व्याधौ व्याधिवशेन तु||६||

Grīṣma (Summer), Varṣa (Rainy Season) and himāgama or Hemanta (Winter) are charecterized by excessive heat, rain and cold respectively. The three intervening seasons viz, prāvṛṭ (the period between summer and rainy season), Śarat or Autumn (the period between rainy season and winter) and Vasanta or spring (the period between winter and summer) are of general nature. The months composing the three seasons of general nature are as follows

The above mentioned three seasons are suitable for the administration of elimination therapies.

After determining the exact months constituting the above-mentioned seasons, the physician should give appropriate elimination therapies to a healthy person. However, for a patient, the appropriateness of the time (season) should be determined on the basis of the nature of the diseases.

आत्ययिके पुनः कर्मणि काममृतुं विकल्प्य कृत्रिमगुणोपधानेन यथर्तुगुणविपरीतेन भेषजं संयोगसंस्कारप्रमाणविकल्पेनोपपाद्य प्रमाणवीर्यसमं कृत्वा ततः प्रयोजयेदुत्तमेन यत्नेनावहितः||१२७||

Caraka in Vimana Sthāna says in emergency conditions Pañcakarma can be done in any season by creating artificial environment and by administering the drug which has been potentiated by combining with other drugs.