Lesson 1 - Explanation

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In a message dated 3/26/2001 8:59:46 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

rk writes:

 

Jaya Jagganatha

Dear Robert, Narasimha and Others

 

I'm responding to a private question sent to me by Robert and I spent more

time on it than I had planned. It is an Ayurvedic explanation of the M.S.

case in Lesson 1. I know this may be advanced Ayurveda when you haven't

covered the basics, but think of the body as a network through which energy

flows and you will be able to get some important concepts from the following.

As I re-read it, yes I'm guilty of including too much without giving a good

foundation. Ahh!

 

M.S. is a disorder of the central nervous system " characterized by a

progressive demyelination " of the white matter in the brain and spinal cord.

Loss of myelin sheath that surrounds the nerves in the peripheral & central

nervous system. Myelin is responsible for the transmisson of nerve impulses.

In regular medicine, etiology is unknown but believed to be autoimmune or

secondary to a pathogen. We know better in Ayurveda and Jyotish.

 

There are many symptoms that can appear as part of the condition. Visual

problems, sensory impairment, numbness and tingling sensations are the first

signs. Ocular disturbances, muscular dysfunction (weakness, paralysis,

tremor, ataxia), urinary disturbances, and emotional problems are some of the

major symptoms.

 

In terms of Ayurveda, Vata accumulates in the Purishavaha srota and flows

into Rasa dhatu and relocates in majjavaha srota and majja dhatu (majja gata

Vata).

 

Now, some of these terms maybe new to you so let me see if I can explain in

simple terms. A srota is a channel that supplies the dhatus (tissues) with

nourishment and they are also involved in removing waste matter from the

dhatus. A srota is said to be a " sira " (a vein), " dhamini " (an artery),

" rasayani " (lymphatic), " rasavahini " (capillary), " nadi " (a duct), " pantha "

(a passage), etc.

 

According to Charaka, " the srotas carry the dhatus undergoing transformation

to their destination. " You see, each dhatu derives its nutrition from the

previous dhatu. That is, rakta is derived from rasa, and on it goes. The last

tissue, shukra, contains the end result of digestion in all the seven

tissues, so a disease in one tissues affects all of the tissues. The seven

tissues are in the following order: rasa, rakta, mamsa, medas, asthi, majja

and shukra. They follow each other in that order. Disease very often begins

in rasa dhatu (Mercury!) and if rasa is defective in any way, all of the

tissues are deficient. Mercury rules rasa dhatu and this tells us that our

thoughts and intelligence (and not IQ) have a lot to do with disease. Shukra

is a concentrated form of all the other dhatus and hence the importance of

sexual overindulgence and weakness, disease, etc. I recall that it takes 40

days for the food we eat to converted into shukra, hence the name " vital

fluid " .

 

Health is created by proper flow through the channels (srotas) and disease by

improper flow. Flow can be excessive, deficient, blocked (ama, leading to

pain and possibly infection),

 

THREE CHANNELS CONNECT THE OUTER ENVIRONMENT TO THE INNER BODY

Pranavaha Srota - carries prana

Annavaha Srota - carries food

Ambuvaha Srota - carries water

 

SEVEN CHANNELS SUPPLY THE DHATUS

Rasavaha Srota - the part of circulation related to plasma. It has its origin

in the heart and blood vessels.

Raktavaha Srota - has its origin in the liver and spleen and responsible for

hemoglobin part of the blood.

Mamsavaha Srota - has its origin in the ligaments and skin and supplies the

muscles

Medovaha Srota - supplies fat, the adipose system. origin in the kidneys and

omentum

Asthivaha Srota - the bones, origin in the adipose and buttocks

Majjavaha Srota - supplies the marrow and nervous system, origin in the bones

and joints

Shukravaha Srota - supplies the reproductive tissue, origin in the breasts

and testes

 

THREE CHANNELS RELATED TO ELIMINATION

Svedavaha Srota - carries sweat

Purishvaha Srota - carries feces

Mutravaha Srota - carries urine

 

SPECIAL FEMALE CHANNELS

Artavavaha Srota - carries menstrual fluid and sexual secretions

Stanyavaha Srota - carries breast milk

Manovaha Srota - carries thoughs, feelings, etc

 

The great Ayurvedic Rishis say:

Charaka: " The three doshas move all over the body and hence they use all of

the srotas of the body. "

 

Sushrut: " the nerve primarily carries Vata, the arteries and veins carry

Pitta, and the lymph Kapha. "

 

Thoughts and feelings are energies that are carried through the body by Vata

dosha. The mind, therefore can disturb the flow through the srotas. Emotional

suppression or blockage affect the flow through the srotas. The mind connects

directly to the body through majjavaha srota, via the nerves. Thus fear,

worry, anger, attachment, grief and other supressed emotions are a major

cause of disease and an extremely important part of healing. Now we could

apply this to the lesson and see that relationship and grief were a major

factor in his condition.

 

Regards,

Brendan

 

 

> Namaste Brendan,

> Regarding MS: Is it entirely a Vata disease originating in the nervous

> system, or is it also muscular degeneration, which would originate in

> deranged Pitta? Or, which one comes first: the nerves, and then muscular

> degeneration, or the other way around?

>

> Take care, and good work!

> Robert