Abstract

The human body is made up of different organs and other important channels that collectively work together to sustain the life cycle. As per ayurveda, these channels are known as srotas. They are considered as the most essential part of our body due to their numerous functions. Ayurveda is considered as the ancient most science of Indian system of medicine as it originated thousands of years ago. We cannot describe in words how generous ayurveda is. It is the most widely accepted and flourished system of traditional medicines. So let’s just start discussing the concept of srotas in detail and see how we can make change in our life after understanding the concept of srotas.

Introduction

Strotas are the transporting passages in which dhatus (essential body organs and fluids) that are undergoing transformation circulate from one point of the body to different locations, from their main residing seat to various other parts of the body.

Different acharyas have different views regarding total numbers of srotas. Such as acharyacharaka said that there are 13 types of srotas in our body whereas acharyasushruta said that there are 11 pairs total 22 srotas in our body.

Ayurvedic Overview on Srotas

 

Strotas Mula (main seat)   Correlation with organs
1.     Anna vaha Amasya + Vaamparshav Stomach + Left side of abdomen
2.     Pranavaha Haridya + Mahasrotas Heart + Gastrointestinal tract
3.     Udakavaha Taalu + Kloma Palate and Kloma
4.     Rasa vaha Haridya + Dash dhamaniya Heart + 10 blood vessels
5.     Raktavaha Yakrit + Paliha Liver + Spleen
6.     Mansa vaha Sanyumulam + Twak Ligaments + Skin
7.     Medavaha Vrikk + Vapavahan Kidney + Omentum
8.     Asthivaha Medomulam + Jagahan Fat + Femoral region
9.     Majjavaha Asthimulam +Sandhiya Bones + Joints
10.   Shukravaha

 

 Varishanmulam + Shef Testicles + Penis
11.    Mutravaha Basti + Vankshan Urinary bladder + Pelvic region
12.    Purishavha Pakvashaya + Sathulguda Large intestine with rectum
13.    Swedavaha Medomulam + Loma kupa Fat + Hair follicles

Peculiarities of srotas

  • Generally, the three principal energies of our body vata, pitta and kapha, move all over the body via these srotas (internal channels of circulations). When the functioning of srotas is normal, there will be no infliction of dosha within the body.
  • Through these channels the essential nutrients and blood gases are circulated throughout the body to meet the target organs demands whereas waste products and carbon dioxide can be expelled out from the body. So these srotas act as messenger paths for the body.
  • As per shlokacharakavimana 5/25- srotas have color similar to that of their own circulating dhatu (essential organs) and are tubular, large or small with branched shape.

Common causes of vitiation of these srotas

As per the shlokacharak.viman 5/23- The Food and behavior which are similar to doshas and dissimilar to the dhatus (essential organs) in properties will produce morbidity in the srotas functioning.

Individual srotas get vitiated due to their own root causes, they are as follow

Pranavahasrotas

  • Due to wasting of muscles
  • Suppression of urges
  • Intake of rough diet
  • Excessive physical exercise
  • When a person doesn’t consume food on time

Udakavahasrotas

  • Their functioning got hampered due to consumption of heat, fear and drinking in higher amounts
  • Use of dry food articles
  • Suppression of thirst

Anna vahasrotas

  • Due to intake of food in excessive quantity
  • Eats food during improper time
  • Use of an unwholesome diet

Rasa vahasrotas

  • Intake of heavy, cold, too unctuous diet in excessive quantity.
  • The one who takes over mental stress.

Raktavahasrotas

  • Intake of food substances that cause burning sensation in the body
  • Use of an unctuous, hot and liquid diet
  • Exposure to sun and fire in excess

Mansa vahasrotas

  • Intake of channel blocking diet such as bulky and heavy food substances.
  • Sleeps during day time

Medavahasrotas

  • Lack of physical exercise.
  • Daytime sleep.
  • Consumption of fatty food and alcoholic drinks

Asthivahasrotas

  • Excessive physical workout
  • Too much jerking that involves excessive rubbing of bones
  • Regular intake of vata-aggravating factors

Majjavahasrotas

  • Use of excessive crushing, channel blocking diet
  • Repeated injury
  • Intake of antagonistic food

ShukraVahasrotas

  • Sexual activity during the improper time and in a non vaginal track
  • Suppression of seminal discharge
  • Use of coitus is an excess amount
  • Faulty application of surgical instruments
  • Intake of alkali in higher amounts
  • Faulty use of cauterization

Mutravahasrotas

  • Use of water, food, and coitus during urge for micturition
  • Suppression of urge for micturition mainly those individuals who are already wasted and wounded

Purishvahasrotas

  • Holding the urge of defecation for a longer duration
  • Overeating
  • Eat food during indigestion.
  • Consume meals when previous food is not digested
  • Individual with poor digestion and who is lean and thin

Swedavahasrotas

  • Over physical exercise
  • Excessive heat
  • Use of hot and cold things in an improper manner.
  • Use of anger, grief, and fear

Understanding the topic of srotas with modern aspect

Srotas means the inner transport channels of the body. It includes all the structural and functional units from minute to major levels that plays major role in carry specific material molecules, impulses and other various types of emotions and thoughts, as everything needs a particular path to travel and that circulating path whether it is present at the minute level (capillaries) to major level (larger blood vessels, nerves etc) is considered as a srotas in human body.

We can understand the topic of srotas as

  • Our whole body is a single channel (Mahasrotas, complete gastrointestinal tract)
  • Gross channels such as major veins and arteries of our body (Superior vena cava, portal vein)
  • Presence of various amounts of micro tubular structure.
  • Billions of cells and membrane potentials.

Correlation of srotas

We can correlate it with wormhole

We can make a correlation of srotas with wormholes. They are the tunnels (passage) present between the two black holes that connect distant regions of space time. Black hole is a region present in outer space, where gravity is so strong that nothing (any particle or electromagnetic radiation) , not even light, can escape from it. They are the bends in space or galaxy, so that it forms a shortcut tunnel. Any particle passes down this tunnel, it collapses faster than the speed of light. So we can say that they are connecting channels present in the space.

Another correlation we can make with Stargate in the DNA:

DNA or more specifically, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the nucleic acid present in our body that is responsible for genetic information.It encodes various types of amino acids  for polypeptide that helps in formation of proteins and these proteins when aligned in a proper sequence plays major role in formation of cellular structure of organic cells that in turn assist in determination of physical form and anatomical presentation of an living species i.e humans.

The opening which occurs at the vertex of the capsid (a protein shell of the virus that encodes the genetic material of a virus) is known as “stargate”. It allows formation of massive membranes through which the viral DNA is released. So basically it forms a portal by which the genome is released into the cytoplasm of the host cell.

Effect of vitiated srotas on our body

When the 13 srotas get vitiated due to the intake of antagonistic food, the following changes start appearing in our body

The verseCharakviman 5/ 24 states that

  • There will be either atipravriti (hyper functioning of srotas) or sanga (hypo functioning or obstruction of the body channels).
  • Formation of siranamgranthi (formation of nodules)
  • Vimarggamanam (flow of the nutrients and circulating substance in wrong direction)

Symptoms of pacified srotas

As each and every srotas contain peculiar function similarly when they get smirch due to the intake of various causes, there will be a presence of following below-listed symptoms:

Pranavahasrotas

  • Breathing will become too long, too short, aggravated, shallow and frequent.
  • Sound will be heard while normal breathing.

Udakavahasrotas

  • Dryness of tongue, palate, lips, and throat.
  • Increased thirst.

Annavahasrotas

  • Loss of desire for food.
  • Anorexia (loss of hunger)
  • Indigestion

Rasavahasrotas

  • Loss of desire for food.
  • Anorexia
  • Presence of bad taste in the mouth.
  • Loss of taste sensation.
  • Nausea
  • Heaviness and drowsiness
  • Presence of body ache with fever
  • Feeling of darkness in front of eyes.
  • Paleness of skin
  • Impotency
  • Malaise
  • Loss of digestive fire
  • Early wrinkles and graying of hairs.

Raktavahasrotas

  • When there is the presence of pathology is present in the raktavahasrotas (blood-containing channel) following diseases are seen: leprosy, boils, internal hemorrhage, menorrhagia, jaundice, black moles, ringworm, psoriasis, leucoderma, presence of urticarial patches and red color patches over the skin surface.

Mamsavahasrotas

  • Following disease caused by the affection of mamsavahasrotas- arbud (tumor), tonsillitis, cervical adenitis etc.

Medavahasrotas

  • Polyuria
  • Turbid urine.
  • Heaviness in the body.
  • Constipation
  • Sweetness in the mouth and body.
  • Bad odor from the body.
  • Over sweating.

Asthivahasrotas

  • Discoloration of teeth.
  • Joint pain
  • Abnormality in hairs, nails, beards and moustaches.

Majjavahasrotas

  • Pain in joints
  • Dizziness
  • Fainting
  • Feeling of darkness
  • Presence of thick wounds in the body.

Shukravahasrotas

  • Impotency
  • Non erection of penis.
  • Difficulty in conceiving
  • Miscarriage and abortion

Mutravahasrotas

  • Excessive excretion or complete obstruction of urine outflow.
  • Urine will be vitiated with an abnormal appearance.

Purishvahasrotas

  • Difficulty in passing urine.
  • Pain during defecation
  • Sometimes the stool will be very loose and sometimes it becomes very hard in the consistency.

Swedavahasrotas

  • Loss of perspiration or excessive perspiration.
  • Excessive burning sensation
  • Horripilation
  • Increased smoothness in the body.

Conclusion

At last I just want to say that ayurveda believes in a popular saying that states that each and every ailment arises due to the presence of mandagni (hypofunctioning of biofire system).Due to that the impurities start accumulating in our body resulting in stagnation of toxins in the different body channels (srotas). So ayurveda tells us about the basic principles of tridosha theory (three basic principle energies of our body- vata, pitta and kapha) and panchamahabhuta theory of five basic elements for life- akash (sky), vayu (air), agni (fire), jal (water) and prithvi (mother earth)] by using them along with panchakarma therapy (detoxification procedures) it helps in clearing out the body channels (srotas).

Ayurveda emphasizes the role of a healthier diet and positive lifestyle and always considers the promotion of health and prevention of disease more than the therapeutic procedures. It believes that every living organism has inherent power of self-protection from diseases. So the detailed topic of srotas holds a close correlation with the quantum nature of body functions, their vitiation and ultimately their cure. All we need is the adoption of newer research strategies in ayurveda so that we can prove how vast the ayurveda is!!!

Author’s Bio

Dr. Vikram Chauhan (MD-Ayurveda) is an expert Ayurvedic Doctor based in Chandigarh, India, and doing his practice in Mohali, India. He is spreading the knowledge of Ayurveda – Ancient healing treatment, not only in India but also abroad. He is the CEO and Founder of Planet Ayurveda Products, Planet Ayurveda Clinic, and Krishna Herbal Company. For more info visit our website: www.planetayurveda.com