Ayurveda

Doshas Are Subtle or Gross

Subtle and gross form of tri doshas
GROSS AND SUBTLE FORM OF DOSHAS
This is of very importance, as there is a big confusion regarding the form of do
shas ,regarding the nature and for someone[ even for some vaidhayas ] about the
existence of tridoshas or physical humour. Usually the wind produced and expelle
d during eructation and bile which comes out in vomitus and phlegm from nose or
in cough is considered as vata pitta and kapha respectively [tridosha] by most o
f lay man
But these materials does not have any bio sustaining or bio supporting activity
and are waste form so can not be physical humour as doshas are :
Dushyanti iti dosha [which get vitiated [with slight & little cause] the definia
tion is given due to tendency of these humours to get vitiated due to slight cha
nge in homeostasis of body, however this definition of dosha is incomplete .the
complete definition of dosha is: who supports the body in equilibrium by perform
ing physiological activity & causative factors of ailments in vitiated form ,bas
ic factors of prakriti nirman[temperament constituents] and with pranattva [live
] are called doshas
So what Doshas really are? When we cannot see, anything which is called Doshas p
ervaded in entire body [sarva sharirchar] and supports body, either in healthy o
r in diseased conditions, neither in live body nor in dead, dissected body ,this
give indications that these humors are subtle and cannot be felt by our senses
, only can be assumed by their functions [avyakto vayaktakarma ]
If we see in details than we found that vata pitta and kapha are both subtle and
gross. The gross form can be visualised, while subtle form can be comprehended
by their functions.
VAAT is usually subtle because it is formless so how it can be perceived through
eyes? Only tangible things can be seen, in scriptures the qualities of vata are
described ruksha sheeta sukshma [subtle] RUKSHA SHEETO LAGHUH SUKHMASHCHALTH VI
SHADH KHARA [charak sutra sthana ch 1] , so the basic characteristic of vaat is
described as subtle , and sushruta described vaata as avhyakto vahyakta karma me
ans vaat is invisible and can only be known by its functions [karma]
But here the word sukhma [subtle ] is used to denote that it can be pervaded to
minute and subtle channel . vaat has two guna shabda [sound] and sparsh [touch]
so it can be perceived through these two senses that is ear and skin , the peris
talsis of intestine is due to samman vaat it can be felt ,similarly heart beat b
y vyaan vaat can be felt
The gross vaat , is although form less but it comes in lungs in form of praan va
at and can be felt , and it is also formed in our bowels and useless part of it
comes out in form of inspiration and flatus this the gross form of vaata
According to Ayurveda tridoshas are panchmahabhutik and are made of trushrenu of
panch mahabhoot so they can not be as subtle as parmanu and from word avyakta i
t is taken in to consideration that they can not be felt by eyes but can be felt
by other senses like vaat can be felt by ear and skin [shabdha and sparsha bein
g two guna of vaat]
Similarly with pitta and kapha , the gross form of pitta is ,which comes In form
of intestinal ,gastric, hepatic ,and pancreatic secretions and the subtle form
of pitta can be correlated with all endo enzymes inside cells which are responsi
ble for any sort of transformations , similarly kapha is usually gross like syno
vial fluid in joint space [shleshak] salivary secretions [bodhak kapha], pericar
dial and pleural fluied [Avlambak kapha], mucus secreted from intestinal tract [
kledak kapha ] cerebro spinal fluid [tarpak kapha] . so from above mentioned dis
cussion we can say the that shararik dosha are both subtle and gross
Vaat is more subtle as compared to pitta and kapha
If we take triguna [sattva ,Raja And tama] into consideration thevata is raja p
redominant ,so it is chal and Avahayta [invisible] pitta is sattva pradhan and k
apha being predominant in tama have more gravity