Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S
AIAPGET Factors
- Kumbhakara Pavanaahita Pankalepa Nyaya is without doubt one of the Nyayas (analogy, maxim) which explains how the Kumbhakara (potter) applies chilly moist mud (Pankalepa) over the skin of the kiln / furnace such that it’s uncovered to the chilly wind / air (Pavanaahita) such that the layer insulates the kiln and thus stopping the lack of warmth of the kiln. This helps in preservation of warmth contained in the kiln and this warmth helps in correctly baking the pot and makes it robust and agency.
- Kumbhakara Pavanaahita Pankalepa Nyaya is utilized by Ayurveda to clarify how our physique prevents the interior warmth from being misplaced and preserves the identical for easy working of bodily capabilities in Hemanta Rtu, when the season is chilly. The climate is chilly and this chilly insulates the physique because the physique is uncovered to the chilly air. This prevents the lack of the digestive fireplace i.e. agni and ushma i.e. physique warmth from inside to the skin. This strengthens the hearth contained in the physique and this hearth in flip digests the meals correctly.
- To explain the preservation of warmth within the physique throughout early winter, Acharya Charaka quotes – हेमन्ते तु बाह्यं शीतं पवनाहितपङ्कलेपवत् अन्तःस्थं उष्माणं संवर्धयति । तेन अग्निः तीक्ष्णो भवति ॥ Cha.Su.6/12-13. That means – In Hemanta Rtu, exterior chilly acts like wind uncovered mud plaster on a kiln, intensifying inside warmth. Thus agni turns into tikshna – intense, highly effective and all digesting. Acharya Chakrapani, the commentator of Charaka Sammhita explicitly references it as ‘Kumbhakara Pavanaahita Pankalepa Nyaya’ whereas explaining / commenting this verse and extends the that means to the physiology of agni.
- Reference – Charaka Samhita Sutra Sthana, Chapter 6, Verses 9-18 (Chakrapani Commentary). Context – Description of the attribute options and regimens associated to Hemanta Rtu – early winter season.
Kumbhakara Pavanaahita Pankalepa Nyaya
Ayurveda has used Nyayas i.e. logical maxims to clarify sure ideas with readability. One such Nyaya is Kumbhakara Pavanaahita Pankalepa Nyaya, which can also be known as Kumbhakara Pavana Nyaya.
What’s it?
It’s a classical Ayurveda Analogy / Maxim used to clarify a seemingly paradoxical Physiological Phenomenon – ‘How can an exterior chilly intensify inside warmth and digestive energy?’
What does it attempt to clarify?
Potter’s make use of chilly mud insulation for baking the pots. This helps to stop lack of warmth whereas baking the pots within the kiln and permits the pots to be baked correctly.
Utilizing this nyaya – maxim, Ayurveda tries to clarify how the warmth of the physique is preserved with out being misplaced in chilly winters. Pavana i.e. chilly air of winter, identical to chilly mud insulation over the pot made by the potter, insulates the physique and protects the physique’s internal warmth i.e. agni (jatharagni) from being misplaced and therefore preserves the core warmth wanted for digestive actions and metabolism. This in flip will assist in upkeep of significant warmth and well being. This demonstrates the precept of managed insulation for optimum perform, even in chilly situations.
That means and analogy
Kumbhakara = potter
Pavana = wind / air
Aahita = positioned in opposition to or uncovered to
Panka = mud paste
Lepa = coating
Nyaya = Maxim
The analogy – Whereas baking the pot within the kiln / furnace, the kumbhakara i.e. potter applies a layer of chilly moist mud i.e. panka lepa, to the skin of the kiln and exposes it to the chilly wind i.e. pavana. This exterior cooling by a chilly mud layer acts as an insulator, stopping the extreme internal fireplace from escaping too shortly. This preserves and intensifies the interior warmth. This permits the pots to bake evenly and totally. The earthen pots are additionally hardened inside.
Clarification in Ayurveda – Acharya Chakrapani makes use of this Nyaya to clarify the preservation of physique warmth in Hemanta Ritu i.e. winter season. On this Rtu, the exterior climate may be very chilly and windy. The chilly air (pavana) of the winter acts like an insulator, identical to the potter’s mud paste utilized on the kiln and uncovered to the wind (panka lepa made by kumbhakara) and thus protects the physique’s agni i.e. digestive fireplace from extreme chilly and in addition prevents its loss. Thus the exterior chilly helps in confining the physique’s pure warmth internally. This helps the agni to remain robust and environment friendly identical to the mud helps the kiln’s fireplace.
Impact –
– The digestive fireplace (and physique warmth) is preserved
– The digestive fireplace turns into very robust
– Such a robust fireplace digests the meals shortly and effectively
– If correct routine is adopted, the physique would acquire power and endurance
This Nyaya demonstrates how exterior chilly paradoxically enhances inside warmth and digestive energy, identical to the potter’s strategy of coating moist chilly mud over the kiln enhances the kiln’s inside fireplace. It’s an explanatory analogy used to make clear the physiological impact of the season.
This Nyaya has not been discovered defined in main philosophical texts like Nyaya Sutras and different darshanas. It’s particular to Ayurveda literature for sensible well being steerage. It highlights the precept that ‘exterior opposites can strengthen inside processes’.
Reference – Charaka Samhita Sutra Sthana, Chapter 6, Verses 9-18 (Chakrapani Commentary).
Context – Description of the attribute options and regimens associated to Hemanta Rtu – early winter season.
Mechanism – The chilly wind and low exterior temperature prevailing in Hemanta Rtu – early winter acts just like the potter’s chilly mud plastering. It restrains outward dissipation of physique warmth. As a consequence, the interior warmth intensifies which allows stronger and correct digestion of meals. To construct power on this season, heavy and nourishing meals consisting of oily, candy, bitter and salty meals and correct way of life and seasonal routine are extremely beneficial.
Precept
This Nyaya explains the phenomena the place an exterior chilly issue just like the clay helps to accentuate or preserve an inside warmth like the hearth (whereas baking the pot within the kiln / furnace).
This Nyaya displays that the insulation and managed publicity are essential and essential for sustaining inside processes and functioning regardless of the exterior situations being chilly and unfavourable for warmth processes to maintain going contained in the physique. It additionally explains how seemingly contradictory parts like chilly air or mud and intense fireplace work collectively beneficially in the direction of upkeep of physique warmth and stability of power.
This idea / maxim additionally helps us to grasp the physique’s protection in opposition to chilly and the power of agni in colder seasons. It additionally explains the physiological processes in winter. It emphasizes that exterior chilly doesn’t at all times act like an opposing issue and in addition doesn’t at all times diminish inside warmth of the physique.
Utility of Kumbhakara Pavanaahita Pankalepa Nyaya in Illnesses and Situations
Precept in pathology
The exterior chilly i.e. shita or cooling components, as defined within the Nyaya, restrains outward warmth dissipation. This results in inside accumulation or intensification of ushnatva i.e. warmth. This when it happens past management, typically manifests as ‘Tikshnagni’ i.e. hyper-digestion (hyper-metabolism) or pitta aggravation. If this situation shouldn’t be managed correctly, the intensified robust agni causes burn-outs within the tissues or produces ama-like results, resulting in ailments.
Illnesses and situations whereby Kumbhakara Pavanaahita Pankalepa Nyaya are relevant
Under talked about are among the situations whereby Kumbhakara Pavanaahita Pankalepa Nyaya is relevant
Amlapitta
Exterior chilly and publicity to chilly climate of winter or to chilly meals and drinks would initially suppress pitta from radiating outwards. As a consequence, the interior pitta and warmth would intensify resulting in Tikshnagni – extreme and intense digestive fireplace which is marked by extreme acid secretion, burning sensation, heartburn and different signs of amlapitta, which is correlated with hyperacidity, gastritis or acid peptic problems.
Tikshnagni and associated situations
This situation is seen in pitta prakriti people or slightly we will say that they’re extra susceptible to excessive pitta and consequent tikshnagni – which describes hyper-metabolism. Signs embody fast digestion of meals, intense starvation, sizzling flushes and ulcers, free stools and so on. On this situation, publicity to chilly or abuse of cooling therapies or chilly meals and drinks would flare up the pitta additional and in addition the interior warmth paradoxically following the outline given by the talked about Nyaya.
Jwara, its preliminary levels
In sure fevers each chill section and sizzling section are evident. Exterior chilly causes and publicity would trigger Shita Jwara i.e. chill section of fever. This chilly would confine warmth inwards resulting in the rise of inside warmth and temperature i.e. warmth section of fever. The commentators have linked seasonal chilly to fever aggravation through intensified agni.
Different Pittaja Issues
Pittaja problems or situations having predominance of aggravated pitta like pores and skin rashes, irritation, irritability intensify throughout chilly seasons. Chilly meals or drinks in extra would rebound these situations by rising inside pitta or agni. Iced or chilled drinks are seen to stimulate metabolism.
Any such situation displaying such a response might be mentioned to come back beneath the umbrella of this Nyaya. This Nyaya warns in opposition to over-cooling in such instances science it could worsen the interior fireplace. Due to this fact a balanced moderation is suggested in these situations.
Reference – Acharya Charaka makes use of the analogy instantly in Sutra Sthana Chapter 6, Verses 9-18 whereas describing the Hemanta Rtucharya – seasonal routine of early winter however the talked about nyaya has not been named there.
To explain the preservation of warmth within the physique throughout early winter, Acharya Charaka quotes –
हेमन्ते तु बाह्यं शीतं पवनाहितपङ्कलेपवत् अन्तःस्थं उष्माणं संवर्धयति । तेन अग्निः तीक्ष्णो भवति ॥ Cha.Su.6/12-13
That means – In Hemanta Rtu, exterior chilly acts like wind uncovered mud plaster on a kiln, intensifying inside warmth. Thus agni turns into tikshna – intense, highly effective and all digesting.
Acharya Chakrapani, the commentator of Charaka Sammhita explicitly references it as ‘Kumbhakara Pavanaahita Pankalepa Nyaya’ whereas explaining / commenting this verse and extends the that means to the physiology of agni.
In Sushruta Samhita / Dalhana commentary or Ashtanga Hridaya or Sangraha / Arunadatta / Hemadri commentary – there isn’t a direct point out of this Nyaya however related ideas have been defined in chapters associated to Rtucharya (Hemanta Rtucharya – A.Hr.Su.Ch3). Later texts and students have utilized this Nyaya to ailments like Amlapitta whereby chilly regimens are contraindicated within the presence of Tikshnagni.
This Nyaya underscored Ayurveda’s ‘reverse strengthens inside’ logic, guiding remedy. In chilly induced states of hyper-agni Ayurveda advocates avoiding extra cooling. As an alternative, pitta pacifying but agni-balancing measures like use of ghee, bitter herbs and so on. must be introduced into apply.
Abstract of Charaka’s Clarification (Chakrapani) of Kumbhakara Pavanaahita Pankalepa Nyaya in relation to Hemanta Rtu and the impact of chilly on the agni
The exterior climate in Hemanta Rtu i.e. early winter may be very chilly and windy. This exterior chilly acts just like the ‘chilly moist mud uncovered to the wind’ on the potter’s kiln. It varieties a type of ‘insulating layer’ on the physique’s function, stopping the pure physique warmth from radiating out of the physique too simply and getting misplaced within the course of. This is essential for the physique warmth to be preserved in winter and the digestion and metabolism to be intact and going. Because of this, the physique’s inside warmth is confined and intensifies. This conserved inside warmth instantly strengthens the agni / jatharagni – the core digestive fireplace within the stomach (abdomen and intestines) making it tikshna i.e. sharp and highly effective. Because of the impact of this intensified digestive fireplace, the meals is digested sooner and extra fully. On account of this the physique positive factors bala – power supplied one follows the Hemanta Rtucharya i.e. seasonal routine of early winter correctly, together with seasonal meals and way of life modifications.
This analogy fantastically illustrates the Ayurveda idea that ‘opposites can typically strengthen one another when externally utilized’ i.e. exterior cooling results in inside heating and consequently a stronger agni. That is the rationale why winter is taken into account the healthiest season for constructing power i.e. nature itself boosts metabolism. By means of the identical precept, Ayurveda warns in opposition to extreme chilly publicity, cooling therapies or use of chilly meals and substances in sure situations like pitta aggravation since they could paradoxically flare-up the interior warmth or acidity.
Simply because the potter intelligently makes use of the chilly mud plaster and wind to make his kiln hotter inside in order to bake the pot correctly, the character makes use of winter’s chilly as an insulation to make our digestive fireplace burn brighter and digest the meals higher regardless of contrasting situations (chilly) for the agni current throughout Hemanta Ritu.
