VYĀDHI¬KṢAMATVA AND ITS CORRELATION WITH MODERN IMMUNITY

The concept of Vyādhi­kṣamatva, denoting the body’s natural and acquired ability to resist disease, occupies a pivotal place in Ayurvedic thought. Rather than limiting immunity to a single defensive mechanism, Ayurveda presents it as a dynamic and integrative phenomenon rooted in metabolism, tissue health, vitality, mental balance, and systemic regulation. Acharya Cakrapāṇi, in his commentary on the Charaka Saṃhitā, categorizes Vyādhi­kṣamatva into two distinct yet complementary dimensions—Vyādhibalavirodhi and Vyādhi-utpāda-pratibandhaka—which closely parallel adaptive and innate immunity in modern immunology. In contemporary biomedical science, immune competence is increasingly understood as being profoundly influenced by endocrine regulation. Hormones governing metabolism, stress adaptation, growth, sleep, and reproduction exert significant immunomodulatory effects. This article presents the classical Ayurvedic framework of Vyādhi­kṣamatva with authentic textual references and integrates it with modern immunological and hormonal perspectives, offering a holistic understanding of disease resistance.