Ayurveda defines health as a state of balance between the doshas (bodily humors), agni (digestive fire), dhatus (tissues), and malas (waste products). Agni plays an important role in health by facilitating the digestion and metabolism of food. There are different types of agni in the body including jataragni (stomach fire), bhootagni (elemental fires), and dhatvagni (tissue fires) that nourish the dhatus. A balanced and healthy agni supports overall health and wellbeing, while a weakened agni can lead to improper digestion and the formation of ama (toxins) in the body.
2. HEALTH OR SWASTHA
AYURVEDA’S DEFINITION OF HEALTH
“sama dosha sama agnischa sama dhatu mala
kriyaaha|
Prasanna atma indriya manaha swastha iti
abhidheeyate” –
समदोषः समाग्निश्च समधातु मलःक्रियाः।
प्रसन्िात्मेग्न्ियमिः स्वस्थइततअभिधीयते॥ (सुश्रुत संहिता
सूत्रस्थाि १५/१०
3. HEALTH CONCEPT IN AYURVEDA
Doshas (humors),
Agni (digestive fire),
Dhatus (tissues),
Malah kriya (Physiological functions of
excretions etc.)
whose Aatma (soul), Indriya (senses) and
Mana (Mind); all are happy, is considered as
a Healthy individual.
4. Agni
Agni in sanskrit generally means fire"Agni".
Agni is one among the panchamahabhoota.
Agni brings transformation of food into body tissues
5. FORMATION OF AGNI
The panchamahabhoota or the five elements of
nature are chronologically created . Agni is created
from vayu
7. IMPORTANCE OR
SIGNIFICANCE OF AGNIMANDAGNI
When
Agni stops
the
individual
dies
Healthy
and long
life when
the Agni
is normal
VISHAMAGNI
Ill health
and
disease
when the
Agni is
vitiated
9. ROLE OF AGNI
AYU(longevity)
VARNA(colour and
lustre)
BALAM( strength)
SWASTHYAM(health)
UTSAHA(Enthusiasm)
UPACHAYA(body
accumulation)
PRABHA(lustre)
OJAS(tissue essence or
immunity)
AGNYA(bio fires)
PRANA(life)
10. STHANA OF AGNI IN BODY
• AMASHAYA
• STOMACH
UPPER PART OF
GIT
• GRAHANI
• DUODENUM
MIDDLE PART AND
LOCATION OF AGNI
• PAKWASHAYA
• INTESTINES
LOWER PART OF
GIT
12. CHARAKA SAMHITHA
CLASSIFICATION OF AGNI
• PACHAKAGNI- IT IS THE
DIGESTIVE SECRETIONS
• MACRO DIGESTION
• 1 JATARAGHNI
JATARAGNI
• SEATED IN AGNIASHAYA
• NOURISHES THE
PANCHAMAHABHOOTHA
• MICRO DIGESTION
• 5 BHOOTHAGNIS
BHOOTHAGNI
• TISSUES NOURISHMENT
BUILDERS
• SAPTHADHATHOOS ARE
BUILDED
• 7 DHATWAGNIS
DHATHWAGNI
13. Grahani(Duodenam)
Agnisthana
Grahani and Agni (the digestive–fire) are having
mutual relationship. According to Charaka Grahani
is the seat of agni which is supported and
strengthened by agni
14. AMASHAYA (STOMACH)
According to Acharya Charaka Amashaya
(stomach) is the place, where the food is
received. The Pranavata brings food to the
amashaya . The term Amashaya denotes
that it is the seat of Ama. The word Ama
means unripe, uncooked, immature and
undigested, therefore it is clear that food
introduced into the Amashaya is not
completely digested and is always found in
a partly digested state
Ama Ashaya Amashaya
15. JATARAGHNI
The biological fire present in stomach and
duodenum is Jataragni. The Jataragni seperates the
Ahara(food) into the Saara Bhaga(Essential
elements) and kitta (waste portion) . Jataragni is the
main important Agni that controls the function of all
other 12 Agnis.Based on the strenght Bala Jataragni
is also classified into four -Vishamagni, Tikshanagni,
Mandagni and Samagni.
18. BHOOTHAGNI
Everything in the universe is made of five basic
elements that is panchamahabhootas. All the organs
of our body is made up of the combination of these
five elements . These bhootas have metabolic fire
called bhootagnis
19. BHOOTAGNI FUNCTION
The bhootagni is metabolism of rasa bhaaga from the
ahara digested by jataragni and it nourishes the
body elements with the respective digested food
element which is brought by the jataragni in
amashay as rasa . There are five bhootagnis
Parthivagni ( metabolism of earth element)
Apyagni( metabolism of water element)
Vayavagni( metabolism of vayu element)
Akasheeyagni( metabolism of akash element)
Agneeyagni( metabolism of fire element)
20. DHATHWAGNI
Dhatu means Tissue and Agni fire so dhatwagni is
fire in the Tissue. The biological fire present in the
saptha dhatus or seven dhatus. Ayurveda teaches the
body is made of seven type of dhatus. This metabolic
fire converts or transforms the nutrients or the sara
baaga into the respectice dhatus and nourishes them
for their growth.
22. AMA(Toxicity)
Incomplete digested food or partially metabolised
elements or substances residing in the body . This is
like toxins or foreign objects which is not good for
the health
Formation of ama diseases
Improper digestion Improper metabolism
Vitiated agni Vitaited dosha
23. Ama and Agni
The weak or vitaiated agni causes improper
metabolism and leads to the formation of ama which
is sticky foul odourand it makes the person lethargy
Improper diet
food regimen
Improper
digestion
ama