E-ISSN:2456-3110

Review Article

Agni

Journal of Ayurveda and Integrated Medical Sciences

2022 Volume 7 Number 3 April
Publisherwww.maharshicharaka.in

Importance of Agni and its role in Chikitsa

Chauhan B.1*, Mishra A.2, Choudhary V.3
DOI:

1* Bindu Chauhan, Assistant Professor, Department of Roga Nidana, Shiva Ayurvedic Medical College and Hospital Chandpur, Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, India.

2 Anjana Mishra, HOD, PG Dept. of Kayachikitsa, RGGPG Ayurvedic College and Hospital, Paprola, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India.

3 Vijay Choudhary, Principal cum Dean, RGGPG Ayurvedic College and Hospital, Paprola, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India.

Agni is the principal component of the body for every physiology. The metabolism, catabolism, transformation, digestion, destruction of toxins all are brought about by Agni. In sort Agni is life, when agni is lost there will be end of life. Its functions at various levels and intensities bring normal continuity of life. As long as Agni functions normally inside the body the person continues to live. Normal and optimized property of Agni provided good health, life span, strength, nourishment. The goodness of Agni is expressed by proper Prabha, Varna and right functioning of Ojas. If the functioning of Agni gets deteriorated then all the goodness in the body will be lost. The body gets open to various diseases and life ends due to deterioration of vital functions.

Keywords: Agni, Agnimandya, Ayurveda

Corresponding Author How to Cite this Article To Browse
Bindu Chauhan, Assistant Professor, Department of Roga Nidana, Shiva Ayurvedic Medical College and Hospital Chandpur, Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, India.
Email: 		Bindu Chauhan, Anjana Mishra, Vijay Choudhary, Importance of Agni and its role in Chikitsa. J Ayu Int Med Sci. 2022;7(3):167-171.
Available From
https://jaims.in/jaims/article/view/1801

Manuscript Received Review Round 1 Review Round 2 Review Round 3 Accepted
2022-02-26 2022-02-28 2022-03-07 2022-03-14 2022-03-21
Conflict of Interest Funding Ethical Approval Plagiarism X-checker Note
Nil Nil Yes 16%

© 2022by Bindu Chauhan, Anjana Mishra, Vijay Choudharyand Published by Maharshi Charaka Ayurveda Organization. This is an Open Access article licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ unported [CC BY 4.0].

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Introduction

Agni is the one which brings about the transformation of consumed Aahaara Vihaaraadi Dravya of Vijaateeya (incompatible) origin to Sajaateeya (homogeneous) nature.

Agni digests food when in optimum stage. Due to various reasons there may be fluctuation in intensity of Agni in the form of Vriddi, Kshaya or Agni Vishamata. Therefore to compensate these fluctuation one has to follow proper Aana Sevana Vidhi to maintain Agni. A good Agni only can provide energy, good health and long life. Agni is a basic essential of life and has been a proof of our evolution and a source of lot of innovations through ages. Even today much of our life activities depend on fire and its utility in one or the other form.

Aim and Objective

The main aim of this article is to review Agni from various Ayurvedic texts.

Materials and Methods

Information regarding Agni is collected from various Ayurvedic Samhitas.

Pitta is Agni[1]

  • Agni in the body is Pitta = The Pitta expressions of heat and digestion sustains the Life
  • Five groups (5 Pitta) of Agni derivatives disposed in wholesome body distributes the effects of Agni

Forms of Agni[2]

  • Sariram in the solar region - Adityaloka
  • Indriyam - in the eye chakshu
  • Vishaya - object.
  • Divyam - lightning etc.
  • Audaryam - the cause of digestion of ingested food
  • Akarajam - produced in mines - gold etc.

Agni and Body

  • Thus Chikitsa is based upon Agni and its regulations.

Agni derivative[3]

  • Ayu - Longevity
  • Varna - Complexion
  • Balam - Strength
  • Swasthyam - Health-
  • Utsaaha – Enthusiasm
  • Upachaya - body accumulation
  • Prabha - Luster
  • Ojas - tissue essence
  • Agnayah-Bio fires
  • Prana - Life (Pranavata)

The place of Agni[4]

  • The seat of Agni is Grahani
  • Grahani is named as it receives the food
  • It's placement is between Amashaya and Pakwashaya

Agni and Ritu

Functions of Agni[5]

  • Agni is the cause of digestion
  • It converts the food in to Ahara Rasa
  • Rasa nourishes the tissues
  • Tissues build the body Without Agni the food cannot convert food and develop the tissues.

Hetu of Agni Dushti[6]

  • Excessive Water Intake
  • Untimely Food Intake
  • Vegadharna
  • Nidra Viparyaya
  • Psychological Causes like Hatredness, Anger, Fear, and Grief.
  • Dosha Vaishamya causes disease and the same causes Agni Vaishamaya.
  • Long standing disease will also deteriorate the quality of

Samprapati of Agni Dushti

  • Agnimandya is a main step occurring in pathogenesis of much disease. Hetu Sevan cause Dosha-Prakop. These Prakupit Dosha vitiate Dushya and their Samuurchhana which leads to many diseases, mostly it start with Agnimandya.
  • Due to decrease in intensity of Agni, the Apachitahar Rasa is produced lead to Strotorodh and Rasa Aamanirmiti. There while

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  • treating any disease always to be start with Amapachan and Agnivardhan Chikitsa to get fast and complete cure.

Types of Agni[7]

  • Jatharagni/Pachakagni - is digestive secretions
  • Bhootagni - are elemental enzymes that are responsible for micro-elemental converters
  • Dhatwagni - are 7 corresponding tissue building enzymes
  • Few more related terms used are
  • Kostagni - the digestion process responsible secretionsthrough out Gastro Intestinal Tract
  • Dehagni - body temperature sustenance mechanism
  • Kayagni Amsha - the micro katabolic agents eliminate the heat

Jataragni[8]

  • The seat is Amashaya
  • The function is Macro digestion
  • Vitiation cause - Agnimandya - root cause of disease
  • Management – easy
  • Langhana is adopted
  • Ushna - teekshna - Pitta food increases Agni

Bhootagni[9]

  • Seat Agnyashaya (Liver/ Pancreas)
  • Function = micro digestion
  • Peelupaaka
  • Pitarapaaka
  • Vitiation makes - tissue building material insufficiency
  • Management supplementary therapy
  • Food supplementations / Brimhana therapy
  • Madhura, Sheeta foods - Pitta pacification materials required

Dhatwagni

  • Tissue transformative or builders
  • Function - development and maintenance of tissue
  • Vitiation - either bulk or lack
  • Management - Both Langhana and Brimhana are adopted situational

Kayagni Amsha

  • In the tissues of end processing the rudimentary bio-enzymes that are present when enhanced reduces the tissues and subsided develops - a cytokine properties of cellular level that liberates heat and rise the BMR.

Types of Agni vitiation[10]

  • Agni is fundamental to digest

  Vitiated states are - Vishama,

 Teekshna, Manda, Sama

Agni Attributions to Digestion

  • Amavastha - Pre digestive phase
  • No contact of digestive secretions
  • Pachyamanavastha - Para digestive phase
  • Semi Digestive phase of food /medicine
  • Pakwavastha - Post digestive phase
  • Effective assimilation / drug action phase

Pathya Apathya for Agni Dushti

  • Avoiding the foods and that seem to cause indigestion in some cases indigestion in some cases is the most successful way to treat it. Smokers can help relive their indigestion by quitting smoking or at least not smoking right before eating. Exercising with a full stomach may cause indigestions scheduling exercise before a meal or at last an hour afterward might help.

Functional forms of Agni

  • Normally the Agni based on functions
  • Longevity-(Ayu) cyto-sustenance mitochondria.
  • Complexion (Varna) developers - Bio-luminance
  • Strength (Balam) - Immuno-boosters
  • Health (Swasthyam) - vital promoters
  • Enthusiasm (Utsaaha) - physico-psycho stimulators
  • Body accumulation (Upachaya) - Body bulk promoters
  • Luster (Prabha) - Bio-luminosity
  • Tissue essence (Ojas) - vital function triggers
  • Agnayah -Bio fires

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  • Prana - Life (Pranavata)
  • Ushma - is the heat reflection in the hind part ofGut and integumentary system

Interventions of Agni in Shamana Chikitsa[13]

  • Deepana - without digesting the Ama improves the digestive secretions
  • Pachana - digests the Ama but doesn't secretes the digestive secretions
  • Deepana Pachana - digests the Ama and improves digestive secretions

Interventions of Agni Shodhana Chikitsa

  • Anulomanaa
  • Kritwa Paakam
  • Sramsana
  • Paktawyam Yadi Paktaiva
  • Rechana
  • Vipakwam Yadapakwam
  • Vamanaa
  • Apaka Pitta Shleshmanau
  • Vasti

Why It Is Useful [14]

  • Extinguishing the Agni is Death
  • The biological fire-heat expression is Life The temperature - pressure - mass triad of physical represents the Pitta-Vata-Kapha
  • The External (Sun) and Internal (Pitta) Heat is the basis of Life[15,16,17]

If the fire in us gets diminished or blown off, we don’t exist.

  • Agnimandya is a Mula for the occurrence of any disease.
  • Due to Guru Ahara Vihara, Anshana and Vishamashana, and unhealthy lifestyle Agni of human body gets vitiated and leads to many diseases like Alsaka, Visuchika
  • If we treat Agni then no disease will occur that means if we treat the mula karna of disease then no. Of diseases will be treated automatically.
  • If we want to remain healthy, so we need to follow Dinacharya, Ritucharya, and have knowledge of Prakriti, and Agni according to which we control our food habbits and diet.
  • Thus, Chikitsa depends upon Agni and its regulation.

Reference

1. Sustruta Samhita of Maharishi Sustruta By Kaviraja Dr.Ambika Datta Shastri Hindi Commentary Chaukhamba Orientalia Varanasi Reprint year 2017 in Sutrasthana.21.9 Vranaprasanam adhyayan – 114.

2. Charaka Samhita of Agnivesa,By Professor R.H. Singh Commentary Chaukhamba Orientalia Varanasi Reprint year 2014 Purvaadhyaya Sutrasthana12.11 Vatakalakaliya adhyaya - 80

3. Charaka Samhita of Agnivesa,By Professor R.H. Singh Commentary Chaukhamba Orientalia Varanasi Reprint year 2014 Uttaradhyaya Chikitsasthana 15.3 Grahini Chikitsitamadhyaya - 512

4. Charaka Samhita of Agnivesa,By Professor R.H. Singh Commentary Chaukhamba Orientalia Varanasi Reprint year 2014 Uttaradhyaya Chikitsasthana 15.56 Grahini Chikitsitamadhyaya - 517

5. Charaka Samhita of Agnivesa,By Professor R.H. Singh Commentary Chaukhamba Orientalia Varanasi Reprint year 2014 Uttaradhyaya Chikitsasthana 15.5 Grahini Chikitsitamadhyaya - 512

6. Charaka Samhita of Agnivesa, by Professor R.H. Singh Commentary Chaukhamba Orientalia Varanasi Reprint year 2014 Uttaradhyaya Chikitsasthana 15.42 Grahini Chikitsitamadhyaya - 517

7. Charaka Samhita of Agnivesa, by Professor R.H. Singh Commentary Chaukhamba Orientalia Varanasi Reprint year 2014 Uttaradhyaya Chikitsasthana 15.44 Grahini Chikitsitamadhyaya - 517

8. Charaka Samhita of Agnivesa, by Professor R.H. Singh Commentary Chaukhamba Orientalia Varanasi Reprint year 2014 Uttaradhyaya Chikitsasthana 15.50 Grahini Chiktsitamadhyaya - 517

9. Charaka Samhita of Agnivesa,by Professor R.H. Singh Commentary Chaukhamba Orientalia Varanasi Reprint year 2014 Uttaradhyaya Chikitsasthana 15.15 Grahini Chikitsitamadhyaya - 514

10. Charaka Samhita of Agnivesa, by Professor R.H. Singh Commentary Chaukhamba Orientalia Varanasi Reprint 2014 Uttaradhyaya Chikitsasthana 15.13 Grahini Chikitsitamadhyaya - 513

11. Charaka Samhita of Agnivesa,By Professor


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R.H. Singh Commentary Chaukhamba Orientalia Varanasi Reprint year 2014 Uttaradhyaya Chikitsasthana 9.39 Unmada Chikitsitamadhyaya - 471

12. Astanga Hridyam of Vagabhatta By Pandit Hari Sadashiv Shastri Paradkar Commentary Chaukhamba

13. Varanasi Reprint year 2016 Sutrasthana 11.34 Doshadivigyaniyamadhyaya – 188

14. Sustruta Samhita of Maharishi Sustruta by Kaviraja Dr. Ambika Datta Shastri Hindi Commentary Chaukhamba Orientalia Varanasi Reprint year 2017 in Sutrasthana.35.24 Aturupkramniyadhyaya – 172.

15. sharangdhar samhita of sharangdhar, by Professor K.R.Srikantha Murdhy commentary Chaukhamba Orientalia Varanasi Reprint year 2016 purvakhanda 4.1 Dipana pavana adhaya -17

16. Charaka Samhita of Agnivesa, by Professor R.H. Singh Commentary Chaukhamba Orientalia Varanasi Reprint year 2014 Uttaradhyaya Chikitsasthana 15.4 Upkalpniyamadhyayam - 92

17. Sustruta Samhita of Maharishi Sustruta By Kaviraja Dr.Ambika Datta Shastri Hindi Commentary Chaukhamba Orientalia Varanasi Reprint year 2017 in Sutrasthana.21.9 Vranaprasanam adhyayan – 114.adhyaya

18. Charaka Samhita of Agnivesa, by Professor R.H. Singh Commentary Chaukhamba Orientalia Varanasi Reprint year 2014 Purvadhyaya Sutrasthana 12.11 Vatakalakaliyamadhyayam - 80


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