Doshopakramaniya Adhyaya: The principles of Dosha management in Ayurveda

Ashtanga Hridaya represents one of the Brihatrayi of Ayurveda. The title of chapter Doshopakramaniya implies that it pertains to the treatment of disturbed Doshas. Doshas are a vital component for the normal operation of the body. The regular condition of Dhatu, Mala, and Agni relies on Dosha. All these functions perform correctly when they are in a balanced state. Therefore, it is essential to maintain the balance of Doshas. Acharya Vagbhata further asserted that Doshas are the sole cause of all diseases. An imbalanced state of Dosha is regarded as a disease. Vitiated Doshas also affect Dhatu and Mala. Consequently, addressing vitiated Doshas should be the primary concern of a physician. All the Samhitas have outlined the methods to rectify the imbalance condition of Doshas. However, these ideas are presented in a disorganized way. Therefore, Acharya Vagbhata has created an entire chapter dedicated to the treatment of Doshas. In this chapter, he has outlined the approaches to remedy the Doshas in a very detailed way, along with some additional concepts. Thus, this chapter has been chosen for study to grasp the treatment principles for vitiated Doshas, and through this understanding, we can halt the progression of disease formation.