CRITICAL STUDY OF PACHAKA PITTA AND PACHAKAGNI

Maharishi Sushruta in the 21st chapter Vranaprashna Adhyaya (Question Concerning Wounds) of the sutra sthana said tatra jignyasyam kim pittavyatirekaadanyo agni? aahosvit pittamevaagniriti? i.e whether there is another fire than the pitta ? or is it the pitta itself? The sutra states that there is no fire available in the body except pitta. Principally according to the treatment fire and pitta are separate even though they are one. Pachak pitta is a type of pitta which is located in the mid part of stomach and rectum according to Acharya Sushruta and Vagbhata. According to Acharya Sarangdhar pachak pitta is located in pancreas. All the Acharyas accepted unanimously that pachak pitta involves in the function of digestion, separation of useful part and waste product of digested food and providing strength to all types of pittas. Aayuhu varnam balam svaasthyo utsaaha upachayao prabhaa।Ojaha tejo agnayaha praanaaha cha uktaa deha agni hetukaaha॥Shante agnau mreiyate yukte chiram jeevati anaamayaha।Rogi syaat vikrute mulam agnihi tasmaat niruchyate ॥ (Ch.Ch. 15/3-4) Maharishi Charak has called digestive fire (agni) as the root of age, strength, complexion etc. If digestive fire (agni) calm than man dies. If there is a disorder in digestive fire then man becomes ill. The age, strength, complexion, health, enthusiasm, energy, brightness, digestive fire and life of the human body are all dependent on the digestive fire. The scriptures also mention the different types of digestive fire. Maharishi Charak has described thirteen types of fire like jathragni, dhatvagni and bhutagni. In Astang sangraha vraddha vagbhata has described different types of fire pachkadi five, bhutagni five, dhatvagni seven, antarushma of doshas three, antarushma of dhatu seven, antarushma of mala three. According to vagbhata the number of fires are twenty three. Due to the principle that each body atom has its own independent fire, the number body atoms has innumerable hence the number of fires also become innumerable. Agni is very important in the digestion of the food. Heat and energy are produced in the body by the action of agni on the food subtances. Food substances, pachaka pitta and agni all have a close relationship and through their action food subtances nourish the body and carry out the activities of the body. Agni is different according to the differences in the nature of each person. The quantity of food is determined according to the strength of the agni. Due to the importance of agni in the process of digestion it is called essence of life. Digestive fire is the main agni among the thirteen agni situated in the body. The digestive fire is root of the remaining thirteen types of agni because the food is first digested through this agni. The food substances are suitable for the absorption only after the ation of the digestive fire so that bhutagni and dhatvagni can work on the food juice.