INTRODUCTION

Svedana Karma is an essential Pūrvakarma done after Snehana Karma. Acharya Caraka has included Svedana Karma under Shad Upakrama. Svedana is the prime modality of treatment diseases especially Vāta and Kapha predominant diseases. Svedana is done to liquefy the vitiated Doṣa.

ETYMOLOGY

 The word Sveda is derived by adding  “Khanj” Pratyaya to Svid Gātrapratyaya  and also by ‘Nitch’ and ‘Lyuth’ (Bhava Vāchāka) in combination.

DEFINITION OF SVEDANA

स्वेद इति स्वेदभवे धर्मे                (Cakrapāni)

Sveda word refers to bodily sweat or perspiration through the body

DEFINITION OF SVEDANA

स्तम्भगौरवशीतघ्नं स्वेदनं स्वेदकारकम् [i]|                                      (Cha. Su. 22/11)

Svedana is the procedure,which relieves stiffness, heaviness and coldness of the body and produces sweating.

[i] Cha. Su 22/11

2 FOLD CLASSIFICATION

इत्युक्तो द्विविधः स्वेदः संयुक्तोऽग्निगुणैर्न च|

एकाङ्गसर्वाङ्गगतः स्निग्धो रूक्षस्तथैव च|

इत्येतत्त्रिविधं द्वन्द्वं स्वेदमुद्दिश्य कीर्तितम् [ii]|                       (Cha. Su. 14/64)

• Based on Guna of drugs-
• Snigdha Sveda – eg: Ṣāṣṭhika Piṇḍa Sveda, Patra Piṇḍa Sveda
• Rūkṣa Sveda – eg: Vālukā Sveda, Cūrṇa Piṇḍa Sveda
• Based on site of Sveda
• Ekāṅga Sveda – eg: Janu Dhārā
• Sarvāṅga Sveda
• Based on use of Agni
• Agni Sveda
• Anagni Sveda/ Niragni Sveda

3 FOLD CLASSIFICATION

व्याधौ शीते शरीरे च महान् स्वेदो महाबले| दुर्बले दुर्बलः स्वेदो मध्यमे मध्यमो हितः|

           वातश्लेष्मणि वाते वा कफे वा स्वेद इष्यते| स्निग्धरूक्षस्तथा स्निग्धो रूक्षश्चाप्युपकल्पितः [iii]

                                                                                                                   (Cha. Su. 14/7)

• According to Vyādhi Bala and Rogī Bala
• Mṛdu Sveda – eg: Paani Tapa
• Madhyama Sveda – eg: Patrapiṇḍa Sveda
• Maha Sveda – eg: Jentāka Sveda

4 FOLD CLASSIFICATION (CHATURVIDHA SVEDA)

स्वेदस्तापोपनोहोष्मद्रवभेदाच्चतुर्विधः [iv] |                                      (A. H. Su. 17/1)

• Tapa Sveda
• Upanāha Sveda
• Ūṣma Sveda
• Drava Sveda

8 FOLD CLASSIFICATION – ACCORDING TO KASHYAPA

• Hasta
• Pradeha
• Nāḍī
• Prastara
• Saṅkara
• Upanāha
• Avagāha
• Pariṣeka

10 FOLD CLASSIFICATION

व्यायाम उष्णसदनं गुरुप्रावरणं क्षुधा|

बहुपानं भयक्रोधावुपनाहाहवातपाः|

स्वेदयन्ति दशैतानि नरमग्निगुणादृते  [v] |                                       (Cha. Su. 14/64)

• Vyāyāma – Exercise Vyayāma
• Uṣṇa sadana – Residing in warm place
• Guruprāvaraṇa – Wearing of heavy clothing
• Kṣudhā – Hunger
• Bahupāna – Excessive drinking
• Bhaya – Fear
• Krōdha – Anger
• Upanāha – Application of Poultice                                                  
• Āhava – Wrestling
• Ātapa – Exposure to sun rays

13 FOLD CLASSIFICATION

 सङ्करः प्रस्तरो नाडी परिषेकोऽवगाहनम्|

 जेन्ताकोऽश्मघनः कर्षूः कुटी भूः कुम्भिकैव च

कूपो होलाक इत्येते स्वेदयन्ति त्रयोदश [vi] |                        (Cha. Su. 14/39)

• Saṅkara
• Prastara
• Nādi
• Pariṣeka
• Avagāha
• Jentāka
• Āśmaghna
• Karṣū
• Kuti
•  
• Bhū
• Kumbhī                                                    
• Kūpa
• Holāka

[ii] Cha.Su.14/64

[iii] Cha.Su.14/7

[iv] AH.SU.17/1

[v] Cha.Su.14/64

[vi] Cha.Su.14/39

SVEDANA DRAVYAS

तिलमाषकुलत्थाम्लघृततैलामिषौदनैः| पायसैः कृशरैर्मांसैः पिण्डस्वेदं प्रयोजयेत्|

गोखरोष्ट्रवराहाश्वशकृद्भिः सतुषैर्यवैः| सिकतापांशुपाषाणकरीषायसपूटकैः|

श्लैष्मिकान् स्वेदयेत् पूर्वैर्वातिकान् समुपाचरेत्| द्रव्याण्येतानि शस्यन्ते यथास्वं प्रस्तरेष्वपि[vii]  

                                                                                                (Cha.Su.14/25)

Dravyas used for Piṇḍa and Prastara Sveda

Dravyas used for Snigdha  Sveda – thick gruel prepared from substances like sesame, black gram, horse gram, citric fruits, ghee, oil, rice and milk pudding, meat.

Dravya used for Rūkṣa Sveda – Śakṛt of cow, donkey, camel, pig or horse, Satuṣa Yava, Sikatā (sand), Pāṃsu (brick), Pāṣāṇa (stone)

शिग्रुवारणकैरण्डकरञ्जसुरसार्जकात्||७||
शिरीषवासावंशार्कमालतीदीर्घवृन्ततः|
पत्रभङ्गैर्वचाद्यैश्चमांसैश्चानूपवारिजैः||८||
दशमूलेन च पृथक् सहितैर्वा यथामलम्|
स्नेहवद्भिः सुराशुक्तावारिक्षीरादिसाधितैः||९||
कुम्भीर्गलन्तीर्नाडीर्वा पूरयित्वा रुजार्दितम्|                                                (A. H. Su. 17/7-9)

Drugs used for Drava Sveda – decoction of leaves of Śigru, Varuṇa, Eraṇḍa, Karañja, Surāsa, Śirīṣas, Vāsā, Vaṃśā, Arka, Mālatīi, Dīrgha Vṛntāa, Vācā, Anūpa Māṃsa, Daśamūla, Sneha (oil), Surā, Śukta, Vāri (water), Kṣīra

[vii] Cha.Su.14/25

उष्णं तीक्ष्णं सरं स्निग्धं रूक्षं सूक्ष्मं द्रवं स्थिरम्|

द्रव्यं गुरु च यत् प्रायस्तद्धि स्वेदनमुच्यते  [viii]|                                 (Cha. Su. 22/16)

Properties of Svedana dravyas are uṣṇa (hot), Tīkṣṇa(sharp), Sara (tendency of flow), Snigdha (unctuous), Rūkṣa (rough), Drava (liquid), Sthira (stable), guru (heavy). Sūkṣma Guna is mentioned by acharya Vagbhata only.

[viii] Cha.Su 22/16

Drugs which enhance the action of Svedana are called as Svēdopaga Dravyas

शोभाञ्जनकैरण्डार्कवृश्चीरपुनर्नवायवतिलकुलत्थमाषबदराणीति दशेमानि स्वेदोपगानि भवन्ति |                                                                                         (Cha.Su.4/13)

Svēdpaga Daśaimani includes Śigru, Eraṇḍa, Śveta Punarṇava, Rakta Punarṇava, Arka, Yava, Kola, Kulattha, Tila and Māsha.