CHARAKA SAMHITA

INDRIYASTHANA

Dr. Amit Mane

P.G Dept of Rasashastra.
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 CHARAKA SAMHITA

• The most ancient and widely used

treatise of Ayurveda.
• Deals mainly with the medical
management of diseases.
• But also covers a wide range of
subjects.
• Also deals with philosophy and way
of life and after life.
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 CONT…

• Divided into 8 Sthanas, and contains

120 chapters
• Each sthana contains detailed
description of various aspects of
healing
• Indriya Sthana is the 5th Sthana
• Contains 12 chapters and 379 Verses
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 INDRIYA STHANA
• Peculiar feature of Charaka Samhita
• Designed to help the physician to
decide the prognosis
• Treatment is to be commenced only
after inferring about prognosis
• Helps protect the attending physician
from potential defamation
• Thus, it is a very useful tool even
today
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 CONT…
• Describes prognosis based on:
– Varna
– Swara
– Gandha
– Rasa
– Sparsha
– Swapna
– Chaya
– Prabha

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 INDRIYA…??
• Defined as the sign of life in the body
• 11 in number
• 5 sense organs
• 5 functional organs
• Mind which has both functions
• All functions of the body depend on
them
• Based on the functioning of these
sense organs the life expectancy can
be inferred
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 ARISHTA
• Sign or symptom that indicates
imminent death is called Arishta
• Death is almost certain on
occurrence of Arishta.
• Simile used:
– Some flowers without fruit and vice
versa; but Arishta always followed by
death and death always preceded by
Arishta
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 CHAPTERS IN INDRIYA
STHANA
• Varna-swariyendriya adhyaya
• Pushpita kendriya adhyaya
• Parimarshaniyendriya adhyaya
• Indriyanikendriya adhyaya
• Poorvarupiyendriya adhyaya
• Katamanisharirendriya adhyaya

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 CONT…..
• Pannrupiyendriya adhyaya
• Avakshirasiyendriya adhyaya
• Yasyashavnimittiyendriya adhyaya
• Sadyomaraniyendriya adhyaya
• Anujyotiyendriya adhyaya
• Gomayachurniyendriya adhyaya

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 Ch.1 VARNASWRIYENDRIYA
ADHYAYA
• General considerations regarding
prognosis
• Definition of prakriti
• Definition of vikriti
– Lakshan nimitta
– Lakshya nimitta
– Nimittanurupa
• Prognosis based on colour
• Prognosis based on voice of the
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 Ch.2 PUSHPITAKENDRIYA
• Prognosis based on smell
• Prognosis based on taste of the body
– This is based on inference
– By observing the behavior of insects
around the patients body
• States the difficulty faced by
inexperienced physician in
identifying Arishta

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 Ch.3 PARIMARSHANIYA
INDRIYA
• Prognosis based on palpation
• Observe any deviation from normal
touch
• Specific sites mentioned
– Manya
– Danta
– Pakshma
– Kesha / Roma
– Anguli
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 Ch.4 INDRIYANIK INDRIYA
• Prognosis based on observing the
functioning of the sense organs
• There may not be any physical
abnormality with the organ, but their
functioning is hampered
• Description of signs related to netra,
karna, twacha, jivha
• Hyper functioning of sense organs is
also suggestive of looming death
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 Ch.5 PURVARUPIYENDRIYA
• Prognosis based on prodromal factors
• Descriptions of purvarupa of different
diseases like
– Jwara,
– Yakshma,
– kushta,
– Prameha,
– Raktapitta,
– Gulma
• Prognosis based on dreams
• Types of Swapna ---- 7
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 Ch.6
KATIMANISHAREENDRIYA
• Agnivesha questions Atreya Muni
about patients in whom treatment
always fails

• Atreya answers by giving detailed

descriptions about stages of different
disease

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Ch.7 PANNARUPIYA INDRIYA
• Prognosis based on Shadows (Prati
chaya)
• Prognosis based on Aura (Chaya)
• 5 types of Chaya (Aura)
– Nabhasi Nirmal
– Vayaveeya Ruksha
– Aagneyi Vishuddha Rakta Varna
– Ambhasi Vimala, Susnigdha
– Parthivi Sthira
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 Ch.8 AVAKSHIRA INDRIYA
• Prognosis based on
 Shadows
 Eyebrows
 Hair
 Nose
 Teeth
 Tongue
 Breath

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 Ch.9 YASYASHAVANIMITTA
INDRIYA
• Prognosis related to :
– Ashta maha gadas
– Shukra
– Purisha
– Anaha
– Shankhaka
• Not all Arishtas present in every
patient
• Hence mandatory for physician to
know all and accurately identify the
signs exhibited
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 Ch.10
SADYOMARANENDRIYA

• Describes Arishtas in patients who

are going to pass away in a few
hours

• Prognosis related to hridaya and

vayu

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 Ch.11 ANUJYOTIYENDRIYA
• Arishtas leading to death within 1
year, 6 months, 1 month
• Related to Shukra, Mutra, Purisha
• Ralated to pancha mahabhootas
• Even presence of Chatushpada,
having good qualities cannot cure
the disease
• Patients who lose interest in water,
food, medicine do not survive
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 Ch.12 GOMAYACHURNIYA
INDRIYA
• Presence of fine cow dung like
powder on the scalp of patient
• When formulation prepared following
all the prescribed guidelines fails to
act
• Prognosis based on messenger
• Prognosis based on inauspicious
omens
– On way
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– In patients house
 REVIEW OF
MAIN PROGNOSTIC POINTS

• The following are always present

before death

– Tapa (raise in temperature)

– Dysfunction of sense organs
– Loss of memory
– Change in behaviour
– Changes / loss of Prakriti
– Manifestation of Vikriti
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 MEDICO LEGAL GUIDELINES

• Physician should:

– Observe signs and symptoms carefully

– Evaluate prognosis
– Not inform patient or relative
– Unless requested
– Not inform if it may cause complications

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 SIGNS OF GOOD
PROGNOSIS

• Signs opposite to those described in

the 12 chapters observed in the
patient
• Presence of ideal messenger
• Availability of auspicious dravyas
• Purity, cleanliness of patients house
and surroundings
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 IMPORTANCE OF
UNDERSTANDING INDRIYA
STHANA
• Acharya opines:
– Every physician should continuously
read the indriya sthana
– Understand the contents completely
– Assess the condition of patients based
on these guidelines before commencing
treatment
– This leads to successful treatment
– Fame to the physician
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 CONCLUSION
• Placement of indriya sthana before
chikitsa
• Detailed description of arishta
lakshanas
• To generalize, these include:
– Either hyper or hypo functioning of
various organs and systems of the body
– Deviation from normal structure and
function
– Observing omens,
07/15/09 messengers
CHARAKA INDRIYA STHANA and 26
 RELEVANCE??
• Is significant even today
• Added tool in the armory of physician
• May help protect the physician from
loss of name if used properly
• Thoroughly understand normal
physiology and anatomy
• Develop keen observation
• Identify abnormality, arishtas
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