Kapha
Kapha is referred to as the lubricating element in our body. It is moist in nature. It circulates in whole body and then nourishes the organs. It helps in connecting the various organs of the body, which without it may not be able to be united. It is derived from prithvi (earth) and jala (water) mahabhoots. Kapha holds the cells and the tissues of the body and helps in maintaining the bodily resistance. Jala mahaboot is in excess of kapha and thus is responsible for providing strength and maintains the natural resistance among the tissues.
1. Functions of kapha
2. Location of kapha in the body
3. Characteristics of kapha constituency
4. Properties of kapha
5. Types of kapha
Functions of kapha
· Kapha helps in lubrication of the sandhees (joints)
· Provides the moisture required by the skin to maintain its texture
· Promotes healing of wounds and injuries.
· Helps in filling the empty spaces in the body
· It provides the strength and vigor to the body.
· Imparts the retention power to the brain
· It also provides strength to the heart and lungs
· Improves bodies’ immunity.
Location of kapha in the body Kapha is present in the chest region, throat, head, sinuses of head and face, nose, mouth, stomach, body joints, Go To cytooplasm of the cells and is present in the form of mucus.
Characteristics of kapha constituency
· Relaxed and easy going and slow mover but with grace. These are emotional people with affectionate and loving nature
· These are faithful and reliable.
· Morphologically these people are heavily build and strong.
· Have good memory skills but hard learner
· They have soft skin and dark hairs, which may be wavy.
· They have a attractive personality
· These people generally have big eyes and sclera (white of eyes) is very white
· The veins and tendons are not so easily visible in these people.
· There complexion is generally fair and bright
· In sexual activities they are tough in arousal and has a great endurance power.
· They have strong bodily resistance
· They do not loose temper easily.
· These people don’t like cold and damp weather.
· They generally suffer from problems like asthma and respiratory disorders.
· These people have a normal appetite and have less digestive powers as compared to the others.
· They have a possessive nature and show lots of attachments to people they like.
· These people generally are wealthy.
Properties of kapha
Sheet (cold ) – it is the degree of coolness in a substance. It subdues the hotness and burning in the body. It decreases the pitta dosha and increases vata and kapha. It contains dominance of Jal (water) mahabhoot. it contains madhur (sweet), tickt (bitter) and kashaya (astringent)
Guru (heaviness) - it is that which a dravya has naturally due to gravitational action. It creates heaviness in body. It increases kapha dosha in body and causes stuffing in the body. These types of dravya reduce digestive fires. It possesses the excess of Prithvi (earth) mahabhoot. Madhur rasa (sweet taste) is also considered as guru (heavy).
Mridu (softness) – It signifies softness. It smoothens the body and withers away hardness. It increases kapha and suppresses vata and pitta. it loosens up the dhatus ands provides softness to them. It is composed of Jal (water) and Aakash (ether) mahabhoot. it suppresses buring sensation and over secretions in the body.
Sthir (immobile) – substances rich in these properties causes immobility in the body and its functioning. It causes immobility in the dhatus (tissues). It increases kapha in the body. It provides strength the body tissues. It has Prithvi mahabhoot dominance.
Picchill (sliminess) – it is the degree of sliminess n the body. It is sticky to touch. It is kapha dominant. It increases the girth of the body and strengthens the dhatus (tissues). It is composed of Jal (water) mahabhoot. it also helps in excretion.
shwet (white) : soft and clear and of white texture
Salakshan (smoothness) – it provides smoothness to the body. It helps in healing of wounds. It promotes kapha dosha in the body. It promotes growth of the body. It promotes easy excretion from the body. It contains Agni mahabhoot dominance according to Rishi Nagaarjun but Maharishi charak confirms it as Aakash mahabhoot dominant
Mand (dullness) – It causes dullness in body. It causes dullness in the action of aggravated dosha in the body. It increases kapha and decreases pitta. It increases the mass of the body and helps in gaining weight. It has Prithvi (earth) and Jal (water) mahabhoot dominance. It contains madhur (sweet), tickt (bitter) and kashaya (astringent) rasa.
Snigdh (unctuousness) – it is of slimy and damp in nature. It is soft, smooth and watery. It reduces vata and increase kapha dosha. It provides nutrition to all the dhatus (tissues) and also increases the overall strength of the body. It has the dominance of kapha gunna. It consists of dominance of Jal (water) mahabhoot. It contains madhur (sweet), amal (sour) and lavan (salty) rasa. Excess of this causes laziness, diabetes etc.
Sandra (solidity) – it provides solidity to the body. The substance, which is bulky and immobile, comes under Sandra or solid substance. It promotes kapha dosha. It promotes growth of the tissues. It densifies the stool. It has a dominance of Prithvi (earth) mahabhoot.
Types of kapha There are five types of kapha
1. Kledak kapha It is situated in the stomach It prepares the food that has been consumed in the form of semisolid substance on which the pachak pitta acts. It makes the food in the form in which it can easily bee digested.
2. Avalambak kapha- It is placed in the chest region. It with the help of the rasa (first digested material) provides strength to heart. It also provides strength to the lungs.
3. Bodhak kapha- it is place at the bottom of the tongue. Its main purposed is to identify the taste. Also the salivation or more commonly called the watering of mouth when you see a delicious food material. It can be compared with the ptyalin enzyme present in out mouth.
4. Tarpak kapha it is situated in the head region. Its main function is to provide nourishments to brain and the sensory organs. It provides strength to sensory system so that they can work properly. According to the modern sciences, it can be compared with the cerebrospinal fluid.
5. Shleshmak kapha. This is situated in the joints. It provides nourishment to all the joints. It is of slimy types and thus lubricated the joints avoiding friction. In modern sciences it can be compared with the synovial fluid.
1. Functions of kapha
2. Location of kapha in the body
3. Characteristics of kapha constituency
4. Properties of kapha
5. Types of kapha
Functions of kapha
· Kapha helps in lubrication of the sandhees (joints)
· Provides the moisture required by the skin to maintain its texture
· Promotes healing of wounds and injuries.
· Helps in filling the empty spaces in the body
· It provides the strength and vigor to the body.
· Imparts the retention power to the brain
· It also provides strength to the heart and lungs
· Improves bodies’ immunity.
Location of kapha in the body Kapha is present in the chest region, throat, head, sinuses of head and face, nose, mouth, stomach, body joints, Go To cytooplasm of the cells and is present in the form of mucus.
Characteristics of kapha constituency
· Relaxed and easy going and slow mover but with grace. These are emotional people with affectionate and loving nature
· These are faithful and reliable.
· Morphologically these people are heavily build and strong.
· Have good memory skills but hard learner
· They have soft skin and dark hairs, which may be wavy.
· They have a attractive personality
· These people generally have big eyes and sclera (white of eyes) is very white
· The veins and tendons are not so easily visible in these people.
· There complexion is generally fair and bright
· In sexual activities they are tough in arousal and has a great endurance power.
· They have strong bodily resistance
· They do not loose temper easily.
· These people don’t like cold and damp weather.
· They generally suffer from problems like asthma and respiratory disorders.
· These people have a normal appetite and have less digestive powers as compared to the others.
· They have a possessive nature and show lots of attachments to people they like.
· These people generally are wealthy.
Properties of kapha
Sheet (cold ) – it is the degree of coolness in a substance. It subdues the hotness and burning in the body. It decreases the pitta dosha and increases vata and kapha. It contains dominance of Jal (water) mahabhoot. it contains madhur (sweet), tickt (bitter) and kashaya (astringent)
Guru (heaviness) - it is that which a dravya has naturally due to gravitational action. It creates heaviness in body. It increases kapha dosha in body and causes stuffing in the body. These types of dravya reduce digestive fires. It possesses the excess of Prithvi (earth) mahabhoot. Madhur rasa (sweet taste) is also considered as guru (heavy).
Mridu (softness) – It signifies softness. It smoothens the body and withers away hardness. It increases kapha and suppresses vata and pitta. it loosens up the dhatus ands provides softness to them. It is composed of Jal (water) and Aakash (ether) mahabhoot. it suppresses buring sensation and over secretions in the body.
Sthir (immobile) – substances rich in these properties causes immobility in the body and its functioning. It causes immobility in the dhatus (tissues). It increases kapha in the body. It provides strength the body tissues. It has Prithvi mahabhoot dominance.
Picchill (sliminess) – it is the degree of sliminess n the body. It is sticky to touch. It is kapha dominant. It increases the girth of the body and strengthens the dhatus (tissues). It is composed of Jal (water) mahabhoot. it also helps in excretion.
shwet (white) : soft and clear and of white texture
Salakshan (smoothness) – it provides smoothness to the body. It helps in healing of wounds. It promotes kapha dosha in the body. It promotes growth of the body. It promotes easy excretion from the body. It contains Agni mahabhoot dominance according to Rishi Nagaarjun but Maharishi charak confirms it as Aakash mahabhoot dominant
Mand (dullness) – It causes dullness in body. It causes dullness in the action of aggravated dosha in the body. It increases kapha and decreases pitta. It increases the mass of the body and helps in gaining weight. It has Prithvi (earth) and Jal (water) mahabhoot dominance. It contains madhur (sweet), tickt (bitter) and kashaya (astringent) rasa.
Snigdh (unctuousness) – it is of slimy and damp in nature. It is soft, smooth and watery. It reduces vata and increase kapha dosha. It provides nutrition to all the dhatus (tissues) and also increases the overall strength of the body. It has the dominance of kapha gunna. It consists of dominance of Jal (water) mahabhoot. It contains madhur (sweet), amal (sour) and lavan (salty) rasa. Excess of this causes laziness, diabetes etc.
Sandra (solidity) – it provides solidity to the body. The substance, which is bulky and immobile, comes under Sandra or solid substance. It promotes kapha dosha. It promotes growth of the tissues. It densifies the stool. It has a dominance of Prithvi (earth) mahabhoot.
Types of kapha There are five types of kapha
1. Kledak kapha It is situated in the stomach It prepares the food that has been consumed in the form of semisolid substance on which the pachak pitta acts. It makes the food in the form in which it can easily bee digested.
2. Avalambak kapha- It is placed in the chest region. It with the help of the rasa (first digested material) provides strength to heart. It also provides strength to the lungs.
3. Bodhak kapha- it is place at the bottom of the tongue. Its main purposed is to identify the taste. Also the salivation or more commonly called the watering of mouth when you see a delicious food material. It can be compared with the ptyalin enzyme present in out mouth.
4. Tarpak kapha it is situated in the head region. Its main function is to provide nourishments to brain and the sensory organs. It provides strength to sensory system so that they can work properly. According to the modern sciences, it can be compared with the cerebrospinal fluid.
5. Shleshmak kapha. This is situated in the joints. It provides nourishment to all the joints. It is of slimy types and thus lubricated the joints avoiding friction. In modern sciences it can be compared with the synovial fluid.
