Introduction

Ayurveda ,science of life which helps to promote and maintain the health of a person in Prakrit (equilibirium)state. The scholars of Vedas regard the veda of that ‘Ayu’as the most virtuous one which is said as good for both worlds for human being[1].Vayu,Pitta and Kapha are in short ,bodily doshas and Rajas and Tamas are the mental ones[2].The former ones are pacified by the remedial measures of daiva wyapashraya (divine) and yukti vyapashraya(rational) nature while the latter ones are treated with knowledge, specific knowledge, restraint, memory and concentration[3].In yuktiwyapashraya shaman and shodan treatment used for doshaj vyadhi.Some sort of diseases are formed in the specific region of the bodily part due to these vitiated doshas and one of them is shiroroga which includes in urdhwajatrugat roga as it involves Shir (head) region.Nasya one of the panchakarma procedure stated by Acharya charka is used to treat this shiroroga,as it is quoted “Nasa hi shirso dwaram.”

 Material and Methods-The material source for collection is Charak samhita,Sushrut samhita and Ashtang sangraha and Ashtang hridya and other ayurvedic classics Also material have been collected from Research papers ,journal and online sources regarding to the topic and presented in tabular form.

Review of Nasya-

Etymology of Nasya-

Nasya word is derived from Sanskrit word ‘Nasa’which means ‘Gati’. ‘Nasa gataou’.

Definition-

The administration of drug like oil, ghrita or any herbalized liquid formulation through nasal cavity is called as Nasya.

Synonyms-Sirovirechan,Murdhavirechan,Shirovireka,Navana.

Classifications of Nasya[4]-

According to Charak samhita Nasal therapy is of three types as Evacutive,Saturating and pacifying classified as follows-

1)Nawan(Snuffing)-It is of two types,Snehana(uncting) and shodhan (evacuative)

2)Awapidana(Pressing)-It is also of two types,shodhan (evacutive) and stambhana (retentive).

3)Dhampana(Blowing)-It is done by using some powder through nostrils which cleans the body channels.

4)Dhoom (Smoking)-It is of three types.Prayogika,Snehik and vairechanik nasya.

5)Pratimarsha (Smearing)-It is unction is defecless and perform both the functions(evacuation as well as pacification).

Benefits of Nasya karma[5]-

When nasya karma done as prescribed and in time,vision,smell and hearing are not affected. Hairs or beard or mustache do not become white or grey,hairs do not fall rather they grow abundantly. Stiffness in back, neck, headache, facial paralysis, lockjaw, chronic rhinitis, migraine and tremors are alleviated .Veins, joint, ligaments and tendons of skull attain greater strength on saturation through nasya karma.Face become cheerful and well-developed, voice melodies, stable and grave. Freedom from defects and increased strength are bestowed upon all sense-organs and not attacked suddenly by disorders of parts above jatru and even in advanced years, old age does not find strength in best organ ‘head’.

 Review of Shiroroga-

Definition of Shira(Head)[6]-

That where vital breath of living is located and also sense organs ,and which is the best of all organs is known as head and the diseases formed in it called as shiroroga.

Types of Shiroroga[7].

1)Vattaj Shiroroga

2)Pittaj Shiroroga

3)Kaphaj Shiroroga

4)Sannipatik(Tridoshaj) Shiroroga

5) Krimij Shiroroga

Diagnosis of Shiroroga[8]

1) In vataj shiroroga due to vitiated Vata ,head is intensely distressed and painful and has pulsation.

2)In pittaj shiroroga due to vitiated pitta it has burning and discomfort

3)In kaphaj shiroroga due to vitiated kapha ,it is heavy.

4)In Tridoshaj shiroroga due to vitiated tridosha all the symptoms of vata,pitta and kapha are present there.

5)In krimij shiroroga ,due to organism ,head is possessed with itching ,foul smell, piercing pain and distress.

 

Mode of action of Nasya karma in shiroroga-

In Shiroroga head –evacuation is regarded as the most important as it entering into the head eliminates the entire pathogenic impurity like adherent stalk from the reed[9]. According to Charakacharya the medicine used in the form of nasya through nostrils, reaches to the brain and it wash of only unhealthy doshas which are responsible for producing the diseases. It is very well explain by the Acharya Chakrapani by giving example of Munja and Ishika.they stated that as the nasya dravya enterd the nasal cavity it eliminates only those morbid doshas as like ishika taken out after removing fibrous coat of Munja sticks to it[11].

Acharya Vagbhat also stated that nasal cavity is the opening for shir(head).Accoding to them the drug given through the nasal route first reaches to Shrigatak marma by nasa strotas and goes upto the Murdha(brain).Its acts with the help of taking routes of eyes, ears, throat opening of vessels pulled out morbid doshas in supraclavicular region and extensions of siras (blood vessels) that supplies to nose, ear, eye and tounge .It means that nasya dravya enters acts them from uttamanaga and promotes normal physiological function[12].

Acharya Sushrut mentioned Shringatak Marma as a Sira marma which is formed by union of Siras ((blood vessels) which supplies to nose, ears, eye and tongue. This way drug given through nasal cavity enters in sira and purifies them[13].Sushrutacharya also mentioned that complications of nasya karma as ‘Mastulungagam’ (passage of brain matter ,CSF through nose) is Atiyoga (excessive activity) of Virechan Nasya. It means that acharya already aware of relation between nose and brain[14]

1 img

Discussion

Nasya are defined by various acharyas in different ways but their motto of these shodhan karma ‘Nasya’ is same. Administration of Nasya in supraclavicular disease is done to get relief and cure the patients suffering from shiroroga as their symptoms with the time approaches to the severity.

Table no.1 shows types of Nasya accoding to different Acharyas.According to Charka Samhita they mentioned 8 types of nasya.This nasya are classified according to mode of action as rechan,tarpan and shaman.Some of them according to method of administration as navan,avapidana, dhmapan, dhoom and pratimarsha. Charak also classified it according to various parts of drugs utilized as phala,patra,mula kanda,pushpa,niryasa,twaka.Sushrutachayra mentioned 5 types ,Vaghbhat mentioned 3types ,while kashypa and sharanghdar mentioned only 2 types of nasya shown in table no 1.

Table no.2 shows types of nasya karma used in shiroroga in the opinion of different acharyas. Charakacharya used ‘taila’ for tarpan nasya in vataj shiroroga.while Sushrutacharya used vatanashak drugs for giving nasya in it.Vaghbhat and sharanghdhar both used brihan nasya with the help of jangala mansrasa ,madhur dravya and taila.In pittaj shiroroga Charak and vaghbhat used shaman nasya for which they used jangalamansaras,ghrit,taila and milk.Sushruta used nasya of pittashaman dravya and sharangdhar that of Ghrit.In kaphaj shiroroga charak used only avapidan nasya with the help of kalka while rest used shirovirechan in which they used tikshna dravya,kalak,kwath or purana ghrit.In sannipatik shirorga all of them used mixed type of nasya depending upon the dominance of doshas.lastly in krimij shiroroga sharanghdhar used avapidan with kalka while rest of three used shirovirechan with tikshna dravya. So when shiroroga produced due to excessive amount of unhealthy doshas,virechan nasya and when formed due kshya of doshas brihna nasya should be administered.Thus according to the acharyas Nasa is the door or the pathway of shira(head) so through this nostrils channels nasya dravya used according to types of shiroroga goes to head ,shows their action on morbid doshas and eliminates them and patients cured along with some do’s and don’ts prescribed by the physician.

Conclusion

Shira is the vital organs know as uttamanga of the body. So it is necessary to take care of this organ both in healthy and unhealthy condition.Shira is the place where lies prana vayu which hold buddhi and tarpak kapha which give tarpana to the all types of indriyas.If some diseases form in this site it is essential to cure it with the help of shodhna and shaman nasya karma which is the best treatment for the shiroroga,to spent life happily to achieved motto of ayurved swastha rakshan and four purushartha mentiond in ayurveda.Thus Nasya karma plays an important role in concern with all types of shiroroga.