PG Module 2
SNEHANA
EXPLANATORY NOTES
ETYMOLOGY AND DEFINITION OF SNEHA AND SNEHANA
स्नेहननिरुक्ति – Etymology
1) स्निह-णिच्-ल्युट्-वाचस्पत्यं
2) स्निह+घञ् (धातु)
3) It belongs to the नपुंसकलिङ्ग When ल्युट् pratyaya is added with स्निह् dhātu-
The word स्नेहन is formed.
It is derived by घञ् प्रत्यय in snigdha which means affection.
स्नेहनलक्षणं – Definition
स्नेहनं स्निग्धकारिणी।– शब्दकल्पद्रुमं
स्नेहै:-उत्क्लिष्टं
उत्क्लेष-उत्क्लिष्टानिति हृल्लासदीनां बहिर्गमनोन्मुखान् –हेमाद्रि
तैलादि द्वारामर्दनं वा अभ्यङ्गं – Vācaspatyam
The process, in which snigdhata of the body is brought about is called as snehana.
The substance, which brings oiliness or unctuousness to the body and mind is snehana.
Rāja nighaṇṭu explains tailādi mardana as snehana. A similar explanation is found in śabda stoma mahānidhi.
दर्शनस्पर्शने वापि श्रवणे भाषणेऽपि वा।
यत्र द्रवत्यन्तरङ्गं स स्नह: इति कथ्यते। – शब्दकल्पद्रुमं
If the person feels unctuousness immediately (mentally & physically) by touching, hearing or even by mere sight of the substance it is called snehana.
स्नेहनं स्नेह विष्यन्द मार्दवक्लेदकारकं। – च.सू.२२/११
विष्यन्दो विलयनं।– चक्रपाणि
Snehana is the process by which sneha (unctuous) viṣyandana (diffusion), mriduta (softness), kledana (moistness) of the body are brought about.
Snehana causes diffusion, overflowing and excretion of vitiated doṣas. The moisture and softness signify the increase of āpya guṇa (jala) of body.
Careful observaṭion of samyak snigdha lakṣaṇas of snehapāna clearly emphasises the cardinal features of snehapāna as viṣyanda, mārdava and kleda. these symptoms are achieved by snehapāna alone.
Other features like Agnidīpti, klama etc of samyak snigdha lakṣaṇas can be influenced by drugs like Aṣṭacūrṇa etc. This clearly shows the importance of snehapāna before śodhana. Viṣyandana, mārdava and kledana of doṣas are absolutely necessary in order to achieve śodhana of doṣa.
GENERAL CONSIDERSTIONS ABOUT SNEHANA
मृदुकोष्टस्त्रिरात्रेण स्निह्यत्यच्छोपसेवया ।
स्निह्यति क्रूरकोष्टस्तु सप्तरात्रेण मानवः ।।
गुडमिक्षुरसं मस्तु क्षीरमुल्लोडितं दधि ।
पायसं कृशरां सर्पिः काश्मर्यत्रिफलारसम् ।।
द्राक्षारसं पीलुरसं जलमुष्णमथापि वा।
मद्यं वा तरुणं पीत्वा मृदुकोष्टो विरिच्यते।।
विरेचयन्ति नैतानि क्रूरकोष्ठं कदाचन ।
भवति क्रूरकोष्ठस्य ग्रहण्यत्युल्बणानिला।।
उदीर्णपित्ताऽल्पकफा ग्रहणी मन्दमारुता।
मृदुकोष्ठ तस्मात् स सुविरेच्यो नरः स्मृतः ।। (Cha.Su.13/65-69 )
Agni Parīkṣā- There are 13 types of Agni mentioned in classics, 5 bhūtāgni, 7dhātvagni and 1 jaṭharāgni.
सर्वाधिषु जाठराग्रे प्राधान्यम्। (न.पा.)
Among all 13 types of agni, jaṭharāgni has a prime importance acc to caraka, agni assessment is based on two components viz abhyavaharaṇa śakti and jaraṇa śakti, if the digestion process (abhyavaharaṇa śakti) is proper then at the end of digestion jīrṇa āhāra lakṣaṇas are produced like utsāha, laghutā,udgāraśuddhi, kṣudhā prāvṛṭi and proper malotsarga.
The word koṣṭha and its clinical considerations have different meanings. These are –
- Koṣṭha may be considered as the Thoraco-Abdominal region anatomically and surgically.
- Koṣṭha may be considered as many of the system on the basis of physiology.
- Koṣṭha may be considered as the Gastro-intestinal system on the basis of treatment.
- ग्रहणी कोष्ठस्थाग्न्यधिष्ठानभूता नाडी (Cha. Su.13/69. Cakrapāni)
Koṣṭha is the agni adhiṣṭhāna.
- तत्र मृदुः क्रूरो मध्यम इति त्रिविधः कोष्टोभवति। (Su Chi 33/21)
3 types of koṣṭha, mṛdu, madhyama and krūra koṣṭha.
- Koṣṭha is assessed based on two factor i.e. agni and bowel habit
- बहु पित्तो मृदुः कोष्ठः क्षीरेणापि विरेच्यते। (As. Hru. Su. 18/34)
In mṛdu koṣṭha person pitta is predominant; he will pass the loose stool even by taking kṣīra.
- प्रभूतमारुतः क्रूरः कृच्छ्राच्छयामादिकैरपि।। (As. Hru. Su. 18/34)
In krūra koṣṭha person vāta is dominant and person will not pass stool regularly or has kaṭhina or śuṣka mala prāvṛṭi requires drastic purgatives to pass stool (ex. nīliṇī, trivṛt etc). बहुश्लेष्मा समदोषश्च मध्यः, स साधारण: । ( AH. Su 18/34)
In madhyama koṣṭha person bahu śleṣma and doṣa are in the sāma avastha, he will pass formed stool daily once. requires medium dose of purgatives and does not purgates on miner laxatives or milk etc.
Importance of agni and koṣṭha parīkṣā
> To decide द्रव्य प्रमाण/औषध मात्रा
> स्नेहपान मात्रा
> अग्यात (If Koṣṭha is not known): हुसीयसी मात्रा (As. Hru. 16/17-18)
> To assess duration of snehapāna
For mṛdu koṣṭha person-3days of snehapāna
Madhyama koṣṭha person – 4 to 6 days
Krūra koṣṭha person – upto 7 days
Administration of Sneha based on ṛtu
S.No | Ṛtu | Snehana Dravya |
1 | in Śarat [autumn] | Sarpi |
2 | in Vasanta [ spring ] | Vasā and Majjā |
3 | in Prāvṛṭ [ rainy ] | Tailam |
