Tridosha – Vata, Pitta and kapha

Tridosha – Vata, Pitta and kapha

vāyu: pittaṃ kaphaśceti trayo doṣā: samāsata: || vikṛtā’vikṛtā dehaṃ ghnanti te varttayanti ca |

Vayu – Vata, Pitta and kapha are the three Doshas of the body. Perfect balance of three Doshas

leads to health, imbalance in Tridosha leads to diseases.

te vyāpino’pi hṛnnābhyoradhomadhyordhva saṃśrayā: ||

vayo’horātribhuktānāṃ te’ntamadhyādigā: kramāt |

The Tridosha are present all over the body, but their presence is especially seen in particular

parts. If you divide the body into three parts, the top part upto chest is dominated by Kapha

Dosha, between chest and umbilicus is dominated by Pitta, below umbilicus part is dominated by

Vata.

Similarly, in a person’s life, day and in night (separately), the first part is dominated by Kapha,

second part is dominated by Pitta and third part is dominated by Vata. While eating and during

digestion, the first, second and third part are dominated by Kapha, Pitta and Vata respectively.

Qualities of Vata

tatra rūkṣo laghu: śīta: khara: sūkṣmaścalo’nila: || (A.H.)

Rooksha – dryness, Laghu – Lightness, Sheeta – coldness, Khara – roughness, Sookshma –

minuteness, Chala – movement These are the qualities of Vata.

Qualities of Pitta

pittaṃ sasneha tīkṣṇoṣṇaṃ laghu visraṃ saraṃ dravam |(A.H.)

Sasneha – slightly oily, unctuous, Teekshna – piercing, entering into deep tissues, Ushna –

hotness, Laghu – lightness, Visram – bad smell, sara – having fluidity, movement, drava –

liquidity are the qualities of Pitta.

Qualities of Kapha

snigdha: śīto gururmanda: ślakṣṇo mṛtsna: sthira: kapha: || (A.H)

Snigdhna – oily, unctuous, Sheeta – cold, Guru – heavy, Manda – mild, viscous, shlakshna –

smooth, clear, Mrutsna – slimy, jely, sthira – stability, immobility are the qualities of Kapha.

The increase, decrease of individual Doshas, or imbalance of couple of these Doshas is called as

Samsarga. And imbalance of all the three Doshas together is called as Sannipata.