By
Vd. Mrunal Akre
Assi. Prof. Dravyaguna

Etymology
 वीर् ववक्रान्तो । द्र.मै.सि
 The term virya is derived from the root “Vir”, in
Vikrant (potent or powerful).
Definition
 वीरयते ववक्रान्तः कममिमर्थो भवतत अनेन इतत वीयमम ् ।
द्र.गु.वव
 The factor capable of producing drug action or
responsible for producing drug action.

Charecteristics of Virya (Lakshana)
 वीयं तु क्रक्रयते येन या क्रक्रया |
नावीयं कु रुते क्रकञ्चित् िवाम वीयमकृ ता क्रक्रया ||६५||Ch.su.26
 Virya controls all types of drug action, hence virya is
characterized by drug action.
 Vagbhatta considered virya as potent quality in dravya
and ordinary qualities are not considered as virya

Nature of Virya (Swaroopa)
 “येन कु वमञ्न्त तद्वीयमम ्”
 Virya is the factor that perform pharmacological
action.
 Virya is the active principle of the dravya.
 Virya can be seen by-
 Samagra guna saratwa- the most potent 8 qualities are
the essence of all gunas
 Shaktyat Karshata- the quality that provide strength to
Rasaadi gunas.
 Vyavhar Mukhyata- it is more important in utility
among all other qualities.
 Bahulya- it is present in abundant as compared to other.

Number of Virya
Virya
Guna Virya
Vada
Shaktimatra
Virya vada
(Ch)
Paribhashik
Virya Vada
(Su, Va)
Karma Virya
Vada
Dravya Virya
Vada
Chintya
(Virya)
Achintya
(Prabhava)

 1. Shaktivirya vada-
नावीयं कु रुते क्रकञ्चित ् िवाम वीयमकृ ता क्रक्रया ||६५||Ch.su.26
 It is also called as Bahuvirya Vada as it is belived that
drug action is out come of Shakti of dravya
 Acharya charaka called virya as shakti, he belives that
composition of drug will have therapeutic effect by
shakti of drug.
 2. Paribhashikvirya Vada-
गुवामदीनाां वीयमिांज्ञाववसिष्टाम्नायववहितावि लौक्रककीतत
िमुद्भाव्यते|As.sa.su.17
 According to Sushruta and Vagbhatta, the most potent
quality among gurvadi guna will act as virya.
 This has 2 types-
 A. Dvividhavirya vada
 B. Ashtavidhavirya vada

 A. Dwividhavirya Vada-
तच्ि वीयं द्ववववधमुष्णां िीतां ि, अग्नीषोमीयत्वाज्जगतगतः |Su.Su.4
0
 This theory forward on Panchamahabuta property. Whole
world composed of panchamahabhuta which has agni-somiya
essence, hence virya are also 2 in number i.e Ushna (Agni) and
Sheeta (Somiya)
 B. Ashtavidhavirya Vada-
मृदुतीक्ष्णगुरुलघुञ्ननग्धरूक्षोष्णिीतलम ् |
वीयममष्टववधां के चित्, के चिद्द्ववववधमाञ्नर्थताः ||६४||
िीतोष्णसमतत Ch.Su.26
 According to Acharya Charaka Guru, Laghu, Sheeta, Ushna,
Snigdha, Rooksha, Mridu, Tikshna are most powerful qualities
hence they are term as virya.
 In this view Sushruta has stated Pichchila and vishada as virya
instead of Guru and Laghu.

 3. Karma Virya Vada-
 Acco to Bhadant Nagarjuna Karma is Charecteristic
feature of Virya
 Dravya cant perform any function without karma even
though it has Rasa and Guna.

Panchabhautikatwa of Virya
 Acharya sushruta had explained the phanchabhautik
properties of virya as follows-
Sr No Virya Panchamahabhuta
1 Tikshna and Ushna Agni Mahabhuta
2 Guru and Sheeta Jala Mahabhuta
3 Snigdha Jala Mahabhuta
4 Mridu Jala and Akasha Mahabuta
5 Ruksha Vayu Mahabhuta
6 Laghu Agni, Akasha and Vayu Mahabhuta

Function of Virya
 Following are the function of Virya
Sr No Virya Effects on Dosha Effect on Strotas
1 Ushna Pitta vardhak, Vata-
Kapha hara
Dipan, Pachan, Dahajanan, Murchan,
Swedan, Vaman, Virechan, Vilayan,
Trishnajanan, Avrishya
2 Sheeta Vata-Kapha vardhak,
Pitta har
Pralhadan, Vishyandan, Sthirikaran,
Prasadan, Kledan, Jivaniya, Stambhan,
Raktaprasadan, Balya
3 Snigdha Kapha vardhak, Vata
har
Snehan, Brihana, Tarpan, Vajikaran,
Vayasthapan
4 Ruksha Vata vardhak, Kapha-
Pitta har
Sangrahan, Pidan
5 Guru Kapha vardhak, Vata
Har
Uplepana, Brihana, Balya
6 Laghu Vata vardhak, Kapha
hara
Lekhana, Langhana, DhatuKshya
7 Mridu Pitta hara Raktaprasadan, Mamsaprasadan
8 Tikshna Kapha hara Sangrahi, Aachushan, Avdharana, Stravan
9 Vishada Kapha hara Rukshan, Ropan, Kledaachushan
10 Pischila Kapha vardhaka Uplepa, Purana, Bruhana, Vajikar

Virya uplabdhi
वीयं यावदधीवािाञ्न्निाताच्िोिलभ्यते ||६६||Ch.Su.26
 Acharya Charaka explained that cause of perception of
Virya is by Adhivasa and Nipata.
 Adhivasa means internal contact
 Nipata means external contact
 Chakrapani coated that some drugs will act by both Nipata
and Adhivasa
 Ex- Sheeta virya of Saindhava and Ushna Virya of Anup
Mamsa may be perceived by Adhivasa, which can be get by
Anuman
 Tikshna Virya of Rajika is perceived by Nipat, which can be
get by Pratyaksha smell by ghrana
 Ushna virya of Marcha by Nipata and Adhivasa

Virya Nirdharan
िीतां वीयेण यद्द्रव्यां मधुरां रििाकयोः |
तयोरम्लां यदुष्णां ि यद्द्रव्यां कटुकां तयोः ||४५||Ch.Su.26
 A common quot is that Madhur rasa and vipaka will
have sheeta virya, and Amla, Katu rasa and vipaka will
have ushna virya
 But this is with samanpratyarabdha or prakriti sam
samveta dravya; some drugs will have virya
independent of rasa and vipaka. Such drugs act by
prabhava/ Achitya virya.
 Acharya Charaka and Sushruta had given examples of
different virya

Examples in classics
Sr No Dravya Rasa Virya Karma
Charaka
1 Anup Mamsa Madhura Ushna
2 Amalki Aamla Sheeta Rasayan
3 Saindhava lavan Lavana Anushna Kledana
4 Guduchi Tikta Ushna Rasayan
5 Brihat Panchamula Kashaya, Tikta Ushna Vata har
6 Haritaki Kashaya Ushna Anuloman
Sushruta
1 Brihat Panchamula Kashaya, Tikta Ushna Vata har
2 Amalki Aamla Sheeta & Mridu Pitta Hara
3 Saindhava lavan Lavana Sheeta & Mridu Kledana
4 Kulatha Kashaya Snigdha Vata har
5 Palandu Katu Snigdha Vata Har
6 Ikshu Madhura Sheeta Vata kara
7 Pippali Katu Sheeta & Mridu Pitta har
8 Mulak Katu Snigdha Kapha hara

Virya Pradhanatva
 Karma Karana- Karma depends on virya
 Rasabibhava- Virya will supress tha action of rasa and
exhibits its own effect
 Aptopdesh- Acharya emphasize virya and its effect
 Virya pradhanatva- it is imortant among all
constituents.

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