൪൧. ദ്രവ്യവിശേഷവിജ്ഞാനീയാധ്യായഃ

Meaning of the śloka

Now we shall explain the chapter concerning the distinctive classes of dravya, as taught by Bhagavan Dhanvantari.

Key terms

dravya

Substance, classified in this chapter according to the predominance of an elemental constituent.

visheSha (vishesha)

A distinction or division, here the division into parthiva and related classes.

pArthiva (parthiva)

The class characterized by predominance of the earth element.

Meaning of the śloka

A dravya comes into being through the combined presence of prithvi, ap, tejas, vayu and akasha. The predominance of one element makes its character evident, allowing it to be described as parthiva, apya, taijasa, vayavya or akashiya.

Key terms

pa~jcamahAbhUta (panca-mahabhuta)

The five constituent elements: prithvi, ap, tejas, vayu and akasha.

utkarSha (utkarsha)

Predominance of one constituent element, which makes a substance's class evident.

abhivya~jjaka (abhivyanjaka)

That which reveals or indicates the elemental character of a substance.

dravyAbhinirvRutti (dravyabhinirvritti)

The coming into being or birth of a substance.

Meaning of the śloka

A parthiva substance is generally gross, dense, dull, stable, heavy and hard; it has abundant smell, is slightly astringent and is predominantly sweet. It produces steadiness, strength, heaviness, compactness and bodily increase, and has a particular tendency to move downward.

Key terms

pArthiva (parthiva)

A substance whose earth-element qualities predominate.

sthairya

Steadiness or immobility attributed to parthiva substances.

sa~gghAta (sanghata)

Compactness or hardness.

upacaya

Increase or building up, glossed as brimhana.

adhogati

A tendency toward downward movement.

Meaning of the śloka

An apya substance is cold, moist or still, unctuous, dull, heavy, mobile, dense, soft and slimy. It is rich in taste, slightly astringent, sour and salty, and predominantly sweet. It produces unctuousness, pleasantness, moistening, cohesion and flowing or exudation.

Key terms

Apya (apya)

A substance whose water-element qualities predominate.

stimita

Explained as moist; an alternative commentary gloss is inert or dull.

kledana

The action of creating moisture.

bandhana

The action of bringing about cohesion or combination.

viShyandana (vishyandana)

The flowing or exudation of liquid.

Meaning of the śloka

A taijasa substance is hot, sharp, subtle, dry, rough, light and non-slimy or clear. It is rich in visible form or color, is slightly sour and salty, and is predominantly pungent. It has a particular tendency to move upward. It produces burning, digestion or transformation, splitting, heating, manifestation, brilliance and complexion or color.

Key terms

taijasa

A substance whose fire-element qualities predominate.

sUkShma (sukshma)

Subtle, interpreted here as able to follow or penetrate the channels.

vishada

Clear or non-slimy, the opposite of picchila.

pacana

Digestion or transformation, including that of food.

prakAshana (prakashana)

Making something manifest or perceptible.

Meaning of the śloka

A substance dominated by vayu is subtle, dry, rough, cool, light and clear; touch is prominent in it, its taste is slightly bitter and especially astringent. It produces clarity, lightness, glapana, dryness and vicharana.

Key terms

vAyavIya (vayaviya)

A substance in which qualities associated with vayu predominate.

khara

Rough, illustrated by the commentary with karkotaka fruit.

glapana

Explained here as reducing sexual potency.

vicAraNa (vicharana)

Explained as causing multiple alternatives or shifting considerations in the mind; variant readings give other senses.

Meaning of the śloka

A substance dominated by akasha is smooth, subtle, soft, vyavayi, clear and distinct, has no clearly manifest taste, and has sound as a prominent quality. It produces softness, porousness and lightness.

Key terms

AkAshIya (akashiya)

A substance in which qualities associated with akasha predominate.

vyavAyi (vyavayi)

Spreading through the whole body before undergoing digestion, according to the commentary.

avyaktarasa (avyakta-rasa)

Having no distinctly perceptible taste such as madhura.

shauShirya (shaushirya)

Porousness or the condition of having openings.

Meaning of the śloka

On this model, there is no substance in the world that cannot become medicinal. After examining the particular method of combining or preparing it and the intended purpose, substances endowed with their own virya and qualities become capable of action. The time when they act is kala; what they do is karma; that by which they act is virya; the locus where they act is adhikarana; the manner in which they act is upaya; and what they bring about is phala.

Key terms

yuktivisheSha (yukti-vishesha)

A particular method of formulation or use, assessed in relation to preparation, quantity, time and other factors.

kArmukANi (karmukani)

Capable of producing an effect or action.

adhikaraNa (adhikarana)

The locus in which an action occurs, explained here as the embodied person.

upAya (upaya)

The method or dosage form through which the action is carried out.

phala

The result produced, stated here as health or ill health.

Meaning of the śloka

Purgative substances are understood as predominantly possessing the qualities of prithivi and ap; because these are heavy, they move downward. Emetic substances predominantly possess agni and vayu qualities; because these are light, they rise upward. A substance acting in both directions has both sets of qualities. A shamana substance is predominantly associated with akasha; a sangrahika substance with anila because of its drying nature; a dipana substance with agni because of similarity; a lekhana substance with anila and anala; and a brimhana substance with prithivi and ap. In this way, medicinal actions are to be inferred. Substances arising from earth, fire and water calm vata; those arising from earth, water and air calm pitta; those arising from space, fire and air calm shleshma. Substances arising from space and air increase vata; a substance solely of fiery character increases pitta; and those arising from earth and water increase balasa.

Key terms

virecana (virechana)

Downward purgative action in the source's classification.

vamana

Upward emetic action in the source's classification.

prabhAvavisheSha (prabhava-vishesha)

A particular specific potency that the commentary says must accompany heaviness or lightness.

saMshamana (samshamana)

An action said to avoid expelling or provoking balanced doshas and to calm aggravated ones.

lekhana

A reducing or scraping action, specified by the commentary in relation to kapha and medas.

bRuMhaNa (brimhana)

A nourishing or building action associated here with earth and water qualities.

Meaning of the śloka

In this way, determine which qualities predominate in each substance. Having understood their relation to pairs of doshas or to multiple doshas, one should act accordingly.

Key terms

guNAdhikya (gunadhikya)

Predominance of a particular quality within a substance.

dravya

A substance whose predominant qualities are to be determined.

doSha (dosha)

A bodily regulatory factor considered here singly in combinations of two or in larger combinations.

Meaning of the śloka

Among the qualities designated as virya—cold, hot, unctuous, dry, soft, sharp, slimy and clear—sharpness and heat are predominantly fiery; coldness and sliminess predominantly watery; unctuousness predominantly earthy and watery; softness predominantly watery and spatial; dryness predominantly airy; and clarity predominantly earthy and airy. The qualities of the two vipakas have already been stated. Heat and unctuousness counter vata; coldness, softness and sliminess counter pitta; sharpness, dryness and clarity counter shleshma. Heavy vipaka counters vata and pitta, while light vipaka counters shleshma. Softness, coldness and heat are known by touch; sliminess and clarity by sight and touch; unctuousness and dryness by sight; and sharpness by the discomfort it produces in the mouth. Heavy vipaka is recognized by free passage of feces and urine and excitation of kapha, while light vipaka is recognized by restraint of feces and urine and aggravation of maruta. Where elements possess similar qualities, a distinction of taste should be observed: what is predominantly earthy is sweet and heavy, while what is predominantly watery is sweet and unctuous.

Key terms

vIryasa~jj~jakAH guNAH (viryasanjnaka gunah)

The eight qualities designated as virya: cold, hot, unctuous, dry, soft, sharp, slimy and clear.

gurupAka (gurupaka)

Heavy vipaka, identified in the passage through its stated effects on elimination and kapha.

laghupAka (laghupaka)

Light vipaka, identified in the passage through its stated effects on elimination and maruta.

bhUyiShTha (bhuyishtha)

Predominantly composed of or characterized by a named element.

rasavaisheShya (rasavaisheshya)

A distinguishing feature of taste used where elemental qualities otherwise appear similar.

Meaning of the śloka

The qualities described in substances are likewise present in bodies. Therefore, the maintenance, increase and decrease occurring in embodied beings are caused by substances.

Key terms

sthAna (sthana)

Maintenance in the balanced state of doshas, dhatus and malas.

vRuddhi (vriddhi)

Increase or excess of a dosha or another bodily constituent.

kShaya (kshaya)

Decrease or diminution of doshas or other bodily constituents.

pA~jcabhautika dravya (panchabhautika dravya)

A substance constituted from the five elements.

Meaning of the śloka

Thus ends the forty-first chapter, called Dravyavisheshavijnaniya, in the Sutrasthana of the Sushruta Samhita.