Application of Guna vikalpaHitting the bulls eye

Dr. Sreehari Menon Final Year MD scholar SAMHITA SAMSKRITA & SIDHANTA

Contents
Introduction Origin of gunas Guna and its types Gunas in Ayurveda and Darshana How to analyze guna Applications of guna vikalpa Limitations Conclusion

Introduction
Guna Vikalpa? Amsha Amsha Kalpana of gunas in a particular disease or a dravya. Better understanding Forming treatment protocol
Disease Vitiation of doshas Specific Gunas Dravya

RX

Pacification of dosha

Base of effective clinical practice

Origin of Gunas
Gunas in a dravya Prithvi Jala Teja Vayu Akasha Gunas in the sharira

ah: Surw r c i Lu il Swr:

17/37)

xji u rxixqw W Sur WiM:( AS

Cause for the vridhi and kshaya of doshas when we administer drugs
The underlying principle - Samanya Vishesha Sidhanta - Panchabhuta Sidhanta

Guna its types and enumeration

"xqur i l MUh ah:" (Ch.Sootram)
Gunas are present in the dravya in a samavaya sambandha which are devoid of action and are the cause for the karma. 41 gunas mentioned by charaka Paradi gunas visualising and understanding roga, mentioned as chikitsasidhi upayas Gurvadi gunas visualizing and understanding sharira mentioned as sharira gunas Vishesha gunas- gunas of mahabhutas Atma gunas gunas of the self

Gunas in Ayurveda and Darshana

Placed within the six padarthas.
Difference in-- Order of significance Concept of guna Order of significance of guna Darshana Dravya Guna Karma Samanya Vishesha Samavaya

Ayurveda Samanya Vishesha Guna Dravya Karma Samavaya

Concept of guna in Darshana and Ayurveda Sneha- chS mhQ pu Wi (iM) Sneha- rxr YsSl z: (UxuzwM) Guru A mil Axqur MUh (iM) Guru rxr oWh z: (UxuzwM)

Importance of Guna
All the substances can be attributed by their gunas which are inferred through their specific karmas.

Sharira Doshas are nothing but a group of gunas having a specified set of functions Dravya Rasadi panchaka has its basis in the concept of guna Rasa & vipaka- composed of their specific gunas ex- madhura rasa snigdha guru shita Veerya - are nothing but the potent gunas Generally To answer the question WHY and HOW.?

Assesing gunas
Not just the physical changes but understand the deeper physiological significance.

Ruksha guna is not just merely the roughness of the skin

Rukshatva has a greater significance when understood as

Lack of nourishment
Increase of agni and vayu

Cause for degenerative changes in the body

Applications of Guna vikalpa how to analyze?

The status of the doshas in every disease and dravyas should be assessed in terms of gunas. Guna vikalpa can be assessed under the following four criteria of clinical practice Nidana Samprapti Deciding the apt treatment Determining the prognosis

Guna vikalpa how to analyze? Nidana

In certain diseases acharya specifies the individual gunas of the dosha that has vitiated Shakhasrita kaamala

Kaamala is a pitta predominant disease but Shakhaasrita kaamala has a specific nidana
Nidana ruksha shita guru madhura ahara Trtmt snigdha ushna katu amla lavana

Guna vikalpa how to analyze?

Samprapti
Acharya mentions the specific gunas involved in the samprapti of certain diseases. Example vatarakta

xqri xuxUiui c mulxr... (Ch. Chi 27)

Suksma ,chala guna of vayu has undergone an increase

Drugs and therapies for vatarakta should be primarily having sthoola and sthira gunas.
Eg vasti with madhuparnyadi thaila, sukumara thaila

Guna vikalpa how to analyze?

Samprapti
Example kampavaata

No elaborateTextual references
Analysis of guna vikalpa becomes important

Examining the disease by yukti, the major symptom of the disease is tremor
Analysing the gunas of vaatawe can find that the laghu and chala gunas as increased Here sthira and guru gunas will be the most appropriate treatment. Eg. Maasha thaila

Guna vikalpa how to analyze?

We can also use guna vikalpa for differential diagnosis. Helps in determining the most apt drug in cases which are similar in their aetio pathogenesis

Considering the example of pandu and rakta pitta

Pandu is caused due to the increase of snigdha, sara, drava guna of pitta In Rakta pitta the ushna, tikshna and drava guna of pitta and rakta have undergone an increase

Guna vikalpa how to analyze?

Determination of treatment

The apt treatment of the diseases can be brought about only through guna vikalpa Eg. Amla pitta Pitta in vidhagdha avastha with amla rasa Tmt- tikta and shita drugs. Eg. Avipatti for virechana Guduchyadi gana as shamana

Guna vikalpa how to analyze?

Selection of different thailas in vatavyadhi Dhanvantara thaila conditions of kshata and abhighata where there is an increase of ushna and tikshna gunas. Pinda thaila condition associated with daha raga paaka. Maasha thaila condition of laghutva and sankocha. Kottamchukkadi condition of increase in the shita guna of vayu.

Matching through guna vikalpa

chala ruksa laghu Ushna snigdha guru

Kampavata
ruksa tikshna ushna

Kottamchukkadi

Sthira snigdha Guru

Abhighataja Vatavyadhi
shita ruksa laghu

Maasha thaila

snigdha manda shita

Shitakupita vatavyadhi

Dhanvantharam

Guna vikalpa how to analyze?

Properties of treatment procedures Kaya seka conditions with increase of ruksha shita gunas indicating snigdha and ushna management. Shaashtika shaali pinda sweda conditions with increase of laghu ushna gunas, where sweda is needed with a brimhana effect. Dhanyamla dhara Conditions with increase of guru snigdha gunas where swedana is required without creating brimhana.

Guna vikalpa how to analyze?

Eg. of Ghrita administration

Paithika condition ghrita lehana ( sthira manda shita ) Vatika condition - ghrita paana (snigdha ushna )
Eg Tamaka shvasa There are two types of presentationsShita upashaya vidaryadi , drakshadi Ushna upashaya dashamulakatutraya, elakanadi Eg Administration of Atapa Prabhata suryataapa (snigdha pradhana) ruksha conditions Aparahna suryataapa (ruksha pradhana) snigdha conditions

Guna vikalpa how to analyze?

Determination of prognosis

The sadhyasadhyata of various diseases have been described under the line of guna vikalpa itself Eg Amavisha Here it becomes asadhya due to the virudhopakramatva Gunas of ama and visha are entirely opposite So no treatment is possible

Limitations of guna vikalpa

Only possible in prakriti sama samavaya and not possible in vikriti vishama samavaya Vikriti vishama samavaya means where the cause and the effect are of dissimilar in their gunas.

Eg. Sthoulya
Caused by the increase of soumya gunas like snigdha guru Shows the symptoms of agnideepti and vaatavardhana Assessment is difficult in cases of chronicity due to complexity of samprapti. Go for vyadhipratyanika chikitsa

Conclusion
Guna vikalpa is the most important clinical tool for diagnosis and deciding the most suitable treatment Proper assessment of the Roga Rogi and Aushadha through guna vikalpa will increase the effectiveness and potency of the treatment. It is being forgotten these days and given less priority.

More importance is being given to vyadhi pratyanika chikitsa.

It is a clinical skill that has to be developed by intense clinical practice.

mYaWhl Ml u lSluzwhxr Mmi Sw:| Swxr Mxrm oWu: mMm Wiu:| ixqi rjxu shMqpxc oku pwM Swququaqri| ij M AWUh Mmi ur M uWUh| ij h sbl zzUh u xWxl uaUkl u prl zMl ui| ii iimim Awk mrlerql Az xr xqmi| (AS. SU.23/ 7-11)

Thank you