Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S
Dasha = ten
Prana = life component, life pressure
Ayatana = place, abode, seat
Dasha Prana Ayatanas are the ten seats within the physique the place the very important life component is situated.
Life is current in every cell of the physique however Grasp Charaka has specified these ten abodes of Prana, the understanding of which is essential for each doctor.
On this article we are going to attempt to perceive these ten ‘abodes of life’ as defined by Acharya Charaka.
Reference – Charaka Sutra Sthana, Chapter 29 – ‘Dasha Pranaayataneeya Adhyaya’, Verses 3 and 4
Dasha Prana Aaayatanani: Ten abodes of Prana: The very important life power
दशैवायतनान्याहुःप्राणायेषुप्रतिष्ठिताः |
शङ्खौमर्मत्रयंकण्ठोरक्तंशुक्रौजसीगुदम्||३||
तानीन्द्रियाणिविज्ञानंचेतनाहेतुमामयान्|
जानीतेयःसवैविद्वान्प्राणाभिसरउच्यते||४||
There are ten most necessary abodes / seats whereby Prana – the very important life power is situated. They’re referred to as as Dasha Prana Ayatana and are as under talked about –
1 & 2 – Shankau – two temples – left temple and proper temple
3, 4, 5 – Marma Trayam – three very important organs / buildings i.e. Hridaya – coronary heart, basti / vasti – urinary bladder (urinary system) and shira – head (mind)
6 – Kantha – throat / neck
7 – Rakta – blood tissue
8 – Shukra – semen
9 – Ojas – essence of all of the seven tissues within the physique, represents the immune system
10 – Guda – anus, rectum / ano-rectum
It is rather necessary for a doctor to have ‘in-depth knowledge’ of those abodes of Prana. Grasp Charaka additional says {that a} doctor can be designated as ‘Pranabhisara’ i.e. saviour of life, when she or he could be very properly versed and acquainted with the information of those ten abodes of life.
Aside from this, the Pranabhisara Vaidya also needs to have exact information of indriyas – sense organs, vijnana – intelligence, chetana – soul, hetu – etiological elements of the illnesses, amaya – illnesses and their indicators and signs and chikitsa – remedy of the illnesses.
The Bigg TEN of Acharya CHARAKA
Shankhau
The 2 temples serve necessary capabilities. They shield the temporal lobes of the mind on each side and likewise the cranial nerves. Additionally they include in them the listening to organs. Fracture or injury of those bones could cause haemorrhage, vertigo and listening to loss, nystagmus and facial paralysis and plenty of different critical points. The temporal lobes play an necessary function in processing feelings, language and visible notion. They’re additionally concerned in understanding language, studying and remembering verbal info, primarily the left lobe.
Shankha can be an ‘asthi marma’ – a significant space wealthy in bone tissue. Muscle groups, blood vessels, ligaments and joints are current in lesser portions. It’s a Sadyo Pranahara Marma – i.e. the damage of those marmas trigger ‘immediate death’. This marma includes temporal bones / area, superficial and center meningeal arteries. Since it’s a marma, additionally it is a seat of prana.
Carrying helmets is obligatory for these using bikes. We see the helmets masking the temples additionally.
Tri Marmas
Coronary heart, Urinary Bladder and Head are thought-about because the three nice Marmas – very important organs. The damage to those three buildings instantly takes away life.
Hridaya – coronary heart and its blood vessels, buildings of mediastinum is taken into account to be a Sadyo Pranahara Marma. The time period Hridaya can also embrace the lungs. It’s a sira marma – a significant organ predominant in veins / blood vessels. The circulation of blood, oxygenation and nutrient provide to every cell of the physique is carried out by a wholesome coronary heart, all through the life. Additionally it is stated to be a chetana sthana i.e. abode of life and consciousness. It’s the root of rasavaha srotas – channels transporting / conveying vitamin, pranavaha srotas – channels conveying the very important air and manovaha srotas – channels conveying feelings and ideas.
Basti / Vasti – Urinary bladder / equipment – is a Snayu Marma – very important organ wealthy in ligaments and can be a Sadyo Pranahara Marma. Instant dying following the damage to urinary bladder might be brought on as a consequence of obstruction to the circulation of urine, blockage of urine inflicting udavarta (retrograde motion of vata) and extreme urination inside pelvic and belly cavity. Basti additionally contains the opposite members of the urinary equipment i.e. kidneys, ureters, urethra and renal blood vessels. It additionally contains nerves supplying the urinary bladder and likewise buildings of the pelvic cavity. We’re coming throughout many persistent kidney illnesses now-a-days whereby treatment has turn out to be a mirage and phantasm and persons are pouring all that they’ve hard-earned all through their lives on dialysis. These illnesses are taking a toll on the longevity of individuals.
Shira – head is a crucial Marma. It has not been counted as a Marma in accordance with Acharya Sushruta however a lot of the Jatrurdhwa Marmas – very important organs and buildings situated above the extent of collar bone as defined by Sushruta are situated within the head. It’s an abode of indriyas – sense organs, mind and nerves. Additionally it is thought-about as uttamanga – finest organ within the physique. Human physique is alleged to be an inverted tree and its roots i.e. head is situated on the high. So, the pinnacle (skull) and its contents are the basis of the human physique. All our sensory and motor capabilities are depending on the shira. Additionally it is a seat of Prana.
Kantha
Kantha means throat. The which means will also be expanded to incorporate the neck. Throat kinds the bridge between the trunk and head. The Nila Dhamanis and Matrukas i.e. the good blood vessels to and from the pinnacle, connecting to the center cross by the neck. The neck consists of our vocal system, the supply of our communication and speech – which is a crucial karma indriya – organ of motion. Our evolution is dependent upon it. It’s the pathway of motion of Prana and Udana Vayu, which represents life component and energy (immunity) respectively. We would have watched in lots of films, somebody simply killed by slitting his or her throat.
Rakta
Blood is a tissue which connects every cell of our physique and nurtures them by the vitamin and oxygen (prana on this context) it carries to them. In a approach, it connects all techniques which make our physique. Rakta can be referred to as Jiva – which implies life. Lack of blood is known as Jivadana i.e. loss or escape of significant life power from the physique. Its channels i.e. Raktavaha Srotas are rooted in Yakrit – liver and Spleen – which type an integral a part of the Reticuloendothelial System. Liver can be an necessary organ involved with progress and improvement of the foetus within the mom’s womb i.e. the foetal circulation takes place by the liver of the kid. So, the prana, by blood and vitamin and oxygen are equipped to the Garbha – embryo / foetus by the liver. So, blood is the primary life for the expansion and improvement of every particular person. Enhance, lower of affliction of rakta by doshas would result in a big selection of systemic issues. Bleeding inside or out of the physique is deadly and instantly takes away life.
Shukra
Shukra means semen. It additionally means sperms or reproductive items. The well being of shukra when it comes to its qualitative and quantitative stability is of utmost significance for upkeep of the general well being of a person. Shukra additionally represents love, affection and emotion. The capability of reproducing the progeny is dependent upon shukra dhatu, which can be referred to as as bija. So, life begins from shukra and therefore it’s an abode or depot of prana.
Ojas
Ojas is the essence of all of the tissues within the physique. Ojas represents the collective integrity of all of the tissues, a very good immunity and endurance and good well being, when it’s correctly fashioned and properly balanced. A portion of it’s situated within the Hridaya and the opposite half is represented in all the physique. It’s stated that the human physique stays (is alive, going and wholesome) so long as the ojas is steady within the physique and when the ojas is destroyed, the particular person now not lives i.e. causes dying. The kid born within the 7th month is alleged to not dwell or die instantly after beginning for the reason that ojas is unstable on this month. Due to this fact, ojas represents prana and can be the abode of the identical.
Guda
Guda is a time period which incorporates the decrease portion of the colon / massive gut i.e. anus and rectum. Additionally it is a Sadyo Pranahara Marma and a Mamsa Marma – a significant organ predominant in muscle tissue. Additionally it is a Karmendriya – organ of motion. It represents the gateway of the evacuation system. It’s a seat of Apana Vata, which is an important pressure by itself, which is concerned in evacuation of excreta from the physique, which when retained is harmful for the functioning of the physique, amongst different capabilities.
Information value observing
A lot of the buildings talked about among the many ten abodes of prana are Marmas – very important organs / buildings / tissues. Marmas are these buildings which when injured or broken would trigger – rapid or delayed lack of prana (life component) i.e. trigger dying, extreme ache, deformity or crippling and dying when the overseas physique is eliminated. This means that these buildings are abodes of prana. Two Shankas, Three Marmas i.e. head, coronary heart and bladder and Guda – ano-rectum are literally counted amongst the listing of Marmas. Kantha, Rakta, Shukra and Ojas should not counted among the many Marmas however their injury or loss could trigger results just like these brought on by injury of marmas, as mentioned above. So, it’s apparent that Prana is situated in these buildings.
These buildings characterize completely different techniques within the physique.
– Shankha – represents bones of the physique. Harm to any a part of the pinnacle is harmful however by mentioning Shankha, Grasp Charaka emphasizes to guard the pinnacle from the crown, all the way down to the temples. It’s the most delicate a part of the pinnacle which is in shut proximity to the mind and listening to equipment. Additionally it is close to to the eyes and its damage can also contain destruction of notion of sound, sight and scent. It additionally represents the sensory system.
– Hridaya – represents all the circulatory system – arterial, venous and lymphatic system. Because the rasa – vitamin circulates by Hridaya, it additionally mirrors the well being of the digestive system. Hridaya additionally represents the respiratory system since it’s intently related to the circulatory system.
– Shira – represents the central and peripheral nervous system and likewise the endocrine system.
– Basti / Vasti – represents the urinary system / excretory system.
– Kantha – represents the pathway for necessary buildings of circulatory and respiratory techniques, and likewise homes the esophagus.
– Rakta – represents Reticuloendothelial System.
– Shukra – represents the reproductive system.
– Ojas – represents the immune system and displays the well being of all of the tissues.
– Guda – represents the excretory system.
In a approach, all the organs and organ techniques which govern all of the actions of our life are enrolled into the listing of Dasha Pranayatana.
Significance of figuring out / finding out Pranayatanas
Grasp Charaka emphasizes the information of those abodes for a doctor as a result of they mirror one or the opposite system. They’re all built-in in a loop by a typical issue referred to as ‘PRANA’.
They not solely home and characterize Prana, but additionally are woven by this Prana power.
Data of Prana Ayatanas for a doctor is necessary as a result of the first function of the doctor is to guard and guard the very important life component within the folks i.e. Prana power. Any medication, weight-reduction plan or remedy administered is to guard or resuscitate the prana of an individual, a construction, organ, tissue or organ techniques.
The information of the identical helps a doctor to know the deep philosophical which means of the phrase Prana and the way all the system is built-in by the Prana loop.
Most frequently we see that if one organ is handled the opposite organs get resuscitated and wholesome. It is because the Prana in them is interconnected. Equally, if one root illness is cured, the opposite related illnesses additionally get cured due to reinstallation of the Prana in all the physique.
Whereas treating the illnesses or whereas administering the therapies, Ayurveda advocates a doctor to do this whereas taking care that the ‘prana is well protected and shielded’.
Is Prana Vata the identical as ‘Prana’ talked about within the context of Pranayatana?
Sure and No. No, as a result of there are different abodes of Prana power in our physique aside from Vata. Prana Vata is alleged to be situated within the Murdha i.e. head / mind and represents nervous, endocrine and sensory / motor techniques. It’s stated to be a direct consultant of Prana. Prana Vata is also operational in different components of the physique, primarily within the chest and throat / neck. It has its affect as much as Apana Vata zone i.e. decrease portion of the physique, as evidenced by the reason of ‘Pranavrita Apana’ i.e. practical interference of Apana Vata by Prana Vata, within the context of Avarana. Prana Vata represents a part of all the PRANA, however will not be the one illustration of PRANA.