The Concept of Vyadhikshamatwam - immunity

The Concept of Vyadhikshamatwam

      In Ayurveda the term बल conveys two meanings, the first of which is व्याधिक्षमत्वम् and the other being ओजस्. These terms parallel each other and are found to be complementary. This is because ओजस् is considered as the factor responsible for व्याधिक्षमत्वम्.

      Compared to other systems of medical authority or branches, Ayurveda is the most ancient & still existent. The reason for this stability is the novelty of Ayurvedic concepts, amongst which बल or व्याधिक्षमत्वम् is one.

      Similar to the concept of व्याधिक्षमत्वम्, the contemporary medicine   puts   forward the concept of immunity, originally postulated by Louis Pasteur in 1822 – 1895. He discovered “The Seed” but also paid attention to “The Soil” or the terrain by which he meant the internal & external environment of the host.

 परिभाष of बल

बलं हि अलं निग्रहाय रोगाणाम् I (सु सू १५)

बलं ह्यलं दोषहरं परम् तच्च बलप्रदम् I (अ हॄ चि ९/४९)

      (According to Sushrutha बल is considered as the रोगनिग्रहशक्ति, Vagbhata uses the term दोषहर thus highlighting the same concept.)

परिभाष of व्याधिक्षमत्वम्

न च सर्वाणि शरीराणि व्याधिक्षमत्व समर्थानि भवन्ति I

      All live bodies are not fit enough to hinder a disease process i.e., the capacity to hinder an ongoing disease manifestation process or व्याधिक्षमत्वम् is not present in all.

चक्रपाणि has elaborated this idea of चरक by detailing a more vivid explanation to the concept which is given as ;

"व्याधिक्षमत्वं नाम व्याधिबल-विरोधित्वम् व्याध्युत्पादकप्रतिबन्धकत्वमिति यावत् I"

i.e. the individuals resistance to diseases include both the capacity of attenuation of the manifested disease as well as the prevention of un-manifested ones.

व्याधिबलविरोधित्वम्

     

      During disease manifestation process there are two powers which act against each other, the व्याधिबल and शरीरबल. व्याधिबलविरोधित्वम् means protecting the body against the व्याधिबल which can negatively affect the body. Even when a disease affects with its full severity, if the individual has proper शरीरबल he recovers with a small aid in the form of चिकित्सा. On the other hand if शरीरबल is not of proper accord theव्याधिबल can cause disease of greater severity.

व्याध्युत्पादक प्रतिबन्धकत्वमिति

     

      व्याध्युत्पादक प्रतिबन्धकत्वम् points towards prevention of disease process from beginning. If व्याधिक्षमत्वम् is adequate then शरीरबल becomes capable of withstanding the रोग संप्राप्ति by not allowing the स्थान संश्रय of दोषं. this is accomplished by बल or ओजस्. ओजस् brings the उपचय of all the धातू s, as a result of which the disease factors become incapable of beginning the रोग संप्राप्ति. Also बलं by its characteristic properties develops प्रतिबन्धकत्वम्. These factors thus bring सममांसप्रमाणत, स्थिरमांसोपचितत्व, दॄढेन्द्रियत्व etc there by giving rise to a proper psycho-physical makeup which prevents the disease.

सममांसप्रमाणस्तु समसंहननो नर:

दॄढेन्द्रियो विकाराणां न बलेनाभिभूयते I (च् सू २९/२८)

ओजस् & बल

            In Ayurveda the term बल points towards ओजस्. According to Sushruta;

बललक्षणं बलक्षयलक्षणं चाऽथ ऊर्ध्वमुपदेक्ष्याम:I तत्र रसादीनां शुक्रान्तानां धातूनां यत् परं तेजस् तत् ओजस् तत् खल्वोजबलमित्युच्यते स्वशास्त्र सिद्धान्तात् II (सु सू १५/१९)

from which it can be inferred that Sushrutha considers ओजस् & बल to be one and the same. Here, while commenting on बललक्षणं and बलक्षयलक्षणं, Sushrutha defines बल and says that -- the essence of धातूs (from रस to शुक्र) is known as ओजस् or बल.

      The term तेजस् is used to inculcate the meaning of सारांश. this is expanded by Dalhana as;

परमुत्कॄष्टं तेज इव तेज:, तेजो घॄतं वा घॄतं यथा कॄत्स्नक्षीरस्नेह स्तथैवोजोऽपि कॄथ्नधातुस्नेह: इत्यर्थ: यत् परं तेज इति यदुत्कॄष्टं सार: इत्यन्ये व्याख्यानयन्ति I (डल्हण)  

      i.e.,तेजस् is similar to the ghee which is the स्नेहांश of milk. Taking into consideration the धातुपरिणाम explained by क्षीरदधिन्याय, conversion of milk into any other form (milk product) does not deprive it from the so called स्नेहांश which is the ghee. Similar is the case with धातूs. धातूs contain the स्नेहांश ओजस् which is their सार which is the बल.

बल and ऒजस् are one and the same from the treatment point of view.

तत् ख्ल्वोजस्तदेव बलमित्युच्यत इति,इयं चाभेदोक्तिश्चिकित्सैकार्था,परमार्थस्तु बलौजसोर्भेद एव

      In reality बल and ऒजस् are different. These differences can be summed up as follows:

ऒजस्                           बल

It is having रूप, रस, वीर्य        -          Not having रूप, रस, वीर्य

It is प्रत्यक्षगम्य                           -          It is अनुमानगम्य

In वेदोल्पत्ति अध्याय the term bala and ojas are explained in the same  श्लोक.

तथा च बलौजसोर्भेदो वेदोल्पत्तावध्याये उक्त: "प्राणिनां पुनर्मूलमाहारो बलवर्णौजसां च"-इति

      Dalhana comments further and makes it clear that though the terms ओजस् & बल are synonymous and have the same utility in the body and also respond to the same line of treatment, they are different from a physical consideration: --

परमार्थस्तु बलौजसोर्भेद एव यथा भेदस्तदुच्यते - सर्वधातु स्नेह्भूतस्य उपचयलक्षणस्यौजसो रूपरसौ वीर्यादि च विद्यते, बलस्य तु भारग्रहणादिशक्तिगमस्यरसवीर्यवर्णादि गुणा न विद्यन्ते अतोऽनयोर्भेदोऽस्त्येवेति I (डल्हण on सु सू १५/१९)

      The difference between the two is that, the ओजस् which is the सार भाग of धातूs is characterised in the body by well built physique and has definite रस, गुण, वीर्य etc. While बल is devoid of such physical characters and is inferred through one's strength, like the capacity of lifting weights etc. Thus बल is an अनुमानगम्य only, and ओजस् is a प्रत्यक्षगम्य द्रव्य. Therefore one can conclude that ओजस् is a शरीरघटक whose कार्य is बल. 

हृ्दि तिष्ठति यत् शुद्धं रक्तमीषत्सपीतकं I

ऒज: शरीरे संख्यातं तन्नाशान्ना विनश्यति II

प्रधमं जायते ऒज: शरीरे अस्मिन् शरीरिणाम् I

सर्पिवर्णम् मधुरसं लाजगन्धि प्रजायते II

भ्रमरै: फलपुष्पेभ्यो यथा संह्रीयते मधु I

तद्यदोज: स्वकर्मेभ्यो गुणै: संभ्रितते नृणाम् II (च.सू)

      The चक्रपाणि टीक of the पाद च.सू -- प्रधमं जायते ऒज: शरीरे अस्मिन् शरीरिणाम्, has been detailed by शुक्रशॊणित संसर्गात् प्रभूति शरीरमधिष्टिते स्वकर्मणा ततॊज: ie,   शुक्र and शोणित associate the factor or the substance which does the karma of sareera nirmana and sareera vikasa is the ऒजस्.

येनॊजसा वर्तयन्ति प्रीणिता सर्व देहिन: I

यद्रुते सर्वभूतानां जीवितं नावतिष्टते II

यत् सारमादओ गर्भस्य यत् तद् गर्भरसाद्रस: I

संवर्तमानं ह्रुदयं समाविशति तत् पुरा II

यस्य नाशात् तु नाशोऽस्ति धारियत् ह्रुदयाश्रितं I

यत् शरीरसस्नेह: प्राणा यत्र प्रतिष्टिता: II

शुक्रशॊणित  संयोगे जीवाधिष्ठत्मात्रं यत् सरभूतं तत्रापि तिष्ठति

      Establishment of life in the product of शुक्रशॊणित संयोग, the सारभाग of the product of शुक्रशॊणित संयोग is ऒजस्.

गर्भरसाद्रस: गर्भरसात् शुक्रशोणितसंयोग परिणामेन कललाख्यात् रस: इति सारभूतं i.e., The सार of the रस of the कलल is ऒजस्

यथा ह्र्दयं निष्पद्यमानं तथैव व्यक्तलक्षणं सत् ह्र्दयं अधितिष्टति यत् इत्यर्थ:

Therefore it can be inferred that

-  ojas is present when life is established during sukrashonita samyoga

-  It is the essence of garbharasa,here garbha is in kalalavastha.

-  Ojas is present in all Angapratyanga as they develop.

-  Hrudaya is given importance because the purpose of hridayasrita ojas is dharana;                  which is commented by Chakrapani as धारि इति जीवाधारकर्म योनिभ्यो प्रधानत्वात्.

TYPES

पर ऒजस्

अपर ऒजस्

n च.सू ३० it is given that

तत् परस्य ऒजस:स्थानं तत्र चैतन्यसंग्रह: i.e., the seat of para ojas is  चेतनस्थान i.e. hridaya. The term para is commented by चक्रपाणि as श्रेष्ठ

पर ऒजस्

प्रधान ऒजस्. ह्रुदयाश्रित. बिन्दु प्रमाण.वर्णं-शुभ्रवर्णं किञ्चित् रक्तं ईषत् पीतम्

स्थानं-ह्रुदयं

संचारं-ह्रुदयस्थ धमनि,ऒजॊवह धमनि-सर्वाङ्ग

Hence it is also known as महत् and the dhamanis carrying para ojas is known as महाफल.

Karya of  पर ऒजस्  --  Sustenance of life.

अपर ऒजस्

Apara means अप्रधान .The description of Apara ojas does not cause death. But it results in various types of complicated disorders.

मात्र-१/२ अञ्जलि

वर्णं-सर्पिवर्णं

रसं-मधुरं

गन्धं-लाज

स्थानं-संपूर्ण ह्रुदयं

कार्यं-जीवधारण

Other bodily factors named as ojas

-    रसश्च ऒज: संख्यातं I   (च.नि)

-    दशमूलसिर ह्रुदयस्था: सर्व सर्वतॊ वपु: रसात्मकं वहन्त्योजस् तन्निबधं हि चेष्ठितं

जीवशॊणितं

ऊष्माणं

प्रक्रत श्लेष्मा

प्रक्रत श्लेष्मा and ऒजस

कफं        ऒजस्

स्निग्धं     स्निग्धं

शीतं      शीतं

गुरु        गुरु

मन्दं         -

श्लक्ष्णं      श्लक्ष्णं

मृत्स्नं      मृत्स्नं

स्थिरं      स्थिरं

तन्त्रान्तरे तु ऒज:शब्देन रसोऽप्युच्यते,जीवशोणितमप्योज: शब्देनामनन्ति केचित् ,ऊष्माणमप्योज: शब्देनापरे वदन्ति I

Some आचार्यs consider ऒजस् as an उपधातु

एतश्चॊज: उपधातुरूपकेचिदाहु: धातुर्हि धारणपोषणयोगा: भवति,ओजस्तु देहधारकं सदपि न धातुपोषकं तेन नाष्टमोधातुरोज:I (चक्रपाणि on च सू ३०/६)

           

            The term Dhatu originates from धा धातु which means धारण and पोषण. ओजस् has धारण कर्म alone. As the quantity is अल्प it is not capable of doing पोषण and hence cannot be considered as धातु. Hence it is considered as उपधातु.

ओजोगुण  

ओजसोमात्मकं स्निग्धं शुक्लं शीतं स्थिरं सरं विविक्तं मॄदु मॄत्सनं वा प्राणायतनं उत्तमम् I

According to वाग्भट  - शुद्ध ईषत्लोहित पीतकं

According to चरक   - गुरु बहलं मधुरं प्रसन्नं पिच्छिलं 

कर्मम्   

सामान्य कर्मं

तत्र बलेन स्थिरोपचित मांसत सर्वचेष्टास्वप्रतिघात: स्वरवर्ण प्रसादो बाह्यानां आभ्यन्तराणां च करणानां आत्मकार्य प्रतिपत्ति: भवति I(सु सू १५/२०)

विशिष्ट कर्मम्

प्राणधारणं, शरीरधाआरणं and बलाधानं

व्याधिक्षमत्व or ओजस्

            The major utility of ओजस् in the body is that of व्याधिक्षमत्व. The पर ओजस् is responsible for जीवन धारण. अपर ओजस् brings मांसोपचित etc qualities with priority to evoke व्याधिक्षमत्व. Hence ओजस् is also called बल.

From the treatment aspect also this becomees important as चरक विमान 8th chapter mentions that :

नह्यतिबलान्याग्नेय वायवीयमान्यौषधानि अग्निक्षारशस्त्राकर्माणि वा शाक्यतन्ते अल्पबलै:  सॊढुम् असह्यतितीक्ष्णवेगत्वादि तानि सद्द्य प्राणहराणि स्यु:

            i.e., if the body is having a depleted amount of ojas or sareerabala,t hen it is not capable to withstand the strength potent आग्नेय  or  वायवीय ऒषधी,अग्निकर्म,क्षारकर्म  etc. Also administrating तीक्ष्ण वीर्ययुक्त medications can bring मरण to such individuals.

क्रियाविधि of व्यधिक्षमत्व

            The गुर्वादि गुणाs 10 are mentioned for ojas and the opposite 10 are indicated for visha. Then the gunas of ojas have a positive implant while that of visha are negative and afflict the body, bringing depletion of ojas.

दशगुणा of ऒजस्

गुरु शीतं मृदु श्लक्ष्णं बहलं मधुरं स्थिरं

प्रसन्नं पिच्छिलं स्निग्धमोजो दशगुणं स्मृतं II

दशगुण of ऒजस्

लधु रूक्षमाशु विशदं व्यवायि तीक्ष्णं विकाषि सूक्ष्मं

उष्णं अनिर्दिष्ट रसं दशगुणयुक्तं विषं II

Comparing the two;

गुरु * लधु

शीतं* उष्णं

मधुरं*अम्लं

मृदु*तीक्ष्णं

प्रसन्नं*आशु

स्निग्धं*रूक्षं

स्थिरं*व्यवायि

श्लक्ष्णं*विकाषि

पिच्छिलं*विशदं

बहलं*रूक्षं

मानसिक व्यधिक्षमत्वं

            According to Ayurveda शरीर and मनस् are the अधिष्टान of diseases. The discussion of मानसिक व्याधिक्षमत्वं parallels that of शारीरिकव्याधी or मानसिकबल.which commending on सहजबल आचार्य चरक has made it clear by mentioning शरीरसत्त्वयो: that both आजन्मशारीरिक and मानसिकबला are found in an individual. Susrutas description बाह्यानामाभ्यन्तराणां च करणानां also makes this point clear.

 

            Thus ojas promotes both बाह्य and आभ्यन्तरकरणnto perform their respective function.विषयग्रहण is possible only  by the samyoga of बाह्य and  आभ्यन्तर करणा.But   भाह्यकरण have the novel nature of independently performing their characteristic functions such as संकल्प etc. even when not associated with  बाह्यकरणा.

     

      ऒजस् helps in   विषयग्रहण and  संकल्पादि क्रिया when the substance of ojas is invariant. This is accomplished by the virtue of ojas to prevent मनॊदोषा from begetting मनोआधाता. Also when there is ojaksaya it adversely affects मनॊबल. Therefore ojas also enhances the psychological strength to withstand the adversities of the disease.

                                                                                                                                                            The key point in the accomplishment of manasika vyadhikshamatvam is bringing the niyamana of mana. Here niyamana points towards dharana of all manasika ,kayika and vachika dharaniya vegas.

            This niyamana is attained by two methods. The niyamana of manas is performed by vata when it does the its function of vishayagrahana in association with indriya.This is given by च.सू १२ नियन्ता प्रणेता च मनस.When vata is disoriented this niyamana would not occur and ojas comes to play its role in indirectely bringing the niyamana of mana.niyamana of vata is also helped by rasa and kapha.

            The niyamana of इन्द्रिय निरपेक्ष कर्म of मनस्such as चिन्त्यं,विचार्यं,ऊह्यं etc is done by धृति.धृति is having the functional phase of niyamana. धृतिर्हि नियमात्मिकie, when the turbulence is produced in indriya it is corrected by धृति.

बल or व्याधिक्षमत्वं

त्रिविधं बलमिति सहजं कालजं युक्तिकृतमिति च.सू ११/३६

सहजबलं

सहजं यत् शरीर सत्वयॊ: प्राकृतं

सहजबल refers to the  व्याधिक्षमत्व which is pesent from the time of birth itself.

कालजबल

कालकृतं ऋतुविभागजं वयकृतं च

युक्तिकृतं

युक्तिकृतं पुन आहारचेष्टायॊगजं

दॊषा of ऒजस्

“तस्य विस्रंसो व्यापत् क्षय इति त्रयॊ दॊषा:”

विस्रंस

      In ऒजो निसरण the ultimate effect is ऒजक्षय itself.But here the  शोषण of  ऒजस् is not the cause of  ऒजक्षय.The  प्रकुपित दोषा carry the  ऒजस् and expells it .A classical example for this is  ऒजोमेहं.

            In ojovisramsa the snehamsa of dhatus is expelled out and hence the lakshanas which manifests are due to sneha alpatha of dhatus.

लक्षण - संधिविश्लेषो गात्राणां सदनं दोषच्यवनं क्रियासन्निरोधांश्च विस्रंसे I

ऒजोव्यपत्

            Refers to vitiation of doshas. This vikruthi alters the normal function of ojas. Here the qualitative vitiation is highlighted rather than a quantitative change. Change in any one of the properties of ojas affects the function of ojas as a whole.

लक्षण - स्त्ब्धगुरुगात्रत वातशॊफो वर्णभेदो ग्लानि तन्त्रानिद्रा च व्यापन्ने

Causes of ऒजोव्यापत्

अभिधात

क्षय

कोप

शॊक

चिन्ताभ्रम

क्षुधा

धातुग्रहण निसृतं

               

ऒजक्षय

            The usage ojokshaya refers to the decrease of ojas in the sareera. It has been already seen that ojokshaya is the ultimate effect of ojovisramsa. Inspite of this acharya has described ojokshaya as a separate manifestation as it differs from the kshaya of ojas due to visramsa.

            In ojakshaya as such, here is no out flow or expelling out of ojas. Here the matra of ojas decreases in the body i.e., a quantitative decrease .The reason for this affliction can be considered to be an increase of contrary qualities in the body.

            Thus we may infer that ojakshaya is a manifestation in which there is both qualitative and quantitative vikriti of ojas.Such a condition can have lethal outcomes.

According to susruta

मूर्च्छा मांसक्षयो मॊह प्रलापो मरणमिति च क्षये

      चरक has not considered ओजोव्यपत्.He however gives importance to  ओजक्षय and  elaborates the concept with its निदान and लक्षण.

       

Nidana

व्यायाम

अनशन

चिन्ता

रूक्षाल्पप्रमिताशन

वात आतप

क्षय

शॊक

प्रजागर

कफशॊणित शुक्रानां चातिवर्तनं

मलानां अतिवर्तनं

काल

भूतोपधात

                              ऒजक्षय लक्षण

बिभेति

दुर्बल

अभीक्षणं ध्यायति

व्यतित इन्द्रिय

दुश्छायो

दुर्मन

रूक्ष

पर ओजक्षय लक्षण

यस्य नाशान्न नाशोऽस्ति............I(च सू ३०/९९)

बल वॄद्धिकर भावा

चरकाचार्य in शारीरस्थान शरीरविचयशारीर अध्याय has explained some of the बल वॄद्धिकर भावाs. These include;

"बल वॄद्धिकरास्त्विमे भावा: भवन्ति I तद्यथा बलवत्पुरुषे देशे जन्म बलवत्पुरुषे काले च, सुखश्च कालयोग: बीजक्षेत्रगुण सम्पच्च आहारसम्पच्च सात्म्यसम्पच्च सत्त्वसम्पच्च स्वभावसंसिद्धिश्च यौवनं च कर्मं च संहर्षश्चेति II  (च शा ६/१३)"

1) बलवत्पुरुषे देशे जन्म - In Ayurvedic point of view the देशे of जन्म has a direct impact on the बल of a person. It is considered that people taking birth in विशिष्ट देश global position have a better health.

           

            Other than the place of birth, the place of residence is said to have an impact on individual’s health.

           

            In च वि ८ अध्यायacharya details the idea of बल based on देश and also explains its परीक्षाविधि-

            ".........तद्यथा अयं कस्मिन् भूमिदेशे जात:I ........ तस्मिंश्च भूमिदेशे मनुष्याणामिवाहारजातं, इदम् विहारजातं, इदमाचारजातं एतावच्च बलम्I एवं विधं सत्वम् एवं विधो दोष:I"

     

      As a general rule, a geographical classification into आनूप, जाङल and साधारण is presented in Ayurveda. The साधारण देश is considered to be most beneficial from the health point of view.    

2) बलवत्पुरुषे - Being a part of a family with proper health or a healthy pedigree is                          beneficial for health.

3) काले च  -  काल is basically divided into आदान and विसर्ग कालाs. The आदान is marked by an increase in the तीक्ष्ण and रूक्ष गुणाs. It is आग्नेय while the विसर्ग काल is सौम्य. The सौम्य भाव increases the ओजस् which enhances the बल.

4)  सुखश्च कालयोग: - In this verse the term काल has been mentioned for the second time. The specification सुखश्च is different from बलवत्पुरुषे काले च. Here favourable time factor is specified. Thus for any individual the favourable time always brings an enhancement of बल. That is why it is mentioned that बल is अवर during the end of आदान काल and in the beginning of विसर्गकाल, towards the middle of आदान and विसर्गकाल मध्यमबल is seen and उत्तम बल in the end of विसर्ग and towards the beginning of आदान काल.

      वाग्भट has mentioned that काल is the factor responsible for देहबल (अ सं सू ४)

5)  बीजक्षेत्रगुण सम्पच्च - The health of बीज and क्षेत्र is a factor which has direct impact on सन्तान. The terms बीज points towards शुक्र in males, आर्तव in females and क्षेत्र means गर्भाशय, योनि etc. When शुक्र, रजस्, गर्भाशय etc are having normalcy there is health which is imparted on to the offspring.  बीजक्षेत्रगुण सम्पत् can be considered to built up the सहज बल of the offspring’s.

6)  आहारसम्पच्च - हिताहार सेवन is बल वर्धक. The usage considers all the विधि विधानाs related to आहार. According to चरक - प्राणा: प्राणभॄतां अन्नं अन्नं लोके अभिधावति I

           

            All the भावाs which are responsible for the life of beings is dependent on अहार. Ayurveda also explains अष्टाहार विधिविशेषायतन to achieve wholesomeness of food. Thus it can be inferred that अहिताहार can lead to बलहानि.

प्राणीनां पुनर्मूलमाहारो बलवर्णोजसां च स षड्सु रसेषु आश्रयता I (सु सू ४६)

7) शरीरसम्पत् - Refers to the completeness of all the अङ्ग प्रत्यङ्गाs. संहनन is included as one of the factors to be considered during बलपरीक्ष. An increase of बल is evident when अवयवाs of शरीर are in their usual state. The विकॄतावस्थ of शरीर is always associated with बलह्रास.

8) सात्म्य सम्पत् - Refers to सात्म्यता of हिताहार विहार. This enhances both सहज and युक्तिकॄ बल.

9) सत्वसंपत् - Refers to invariable association of सात्वीकगुण with मनस्. When an individual is confronted with मनोवेगाs

10) स्वभावसंसिद्धिश्च - Refers to the characteristic बल of an individual.

11) यौवनम् - In युवावस्था there is characteristic increase of बल because रसादि                   धातूs are in a fully nurtured state in this phase.

12) कर्म - Refers to शारीरीक कर्म especially in the form of व्यायम. व्यायम is "शरीरायासजनक कर्म". व्यायाम defined as - विशिष्ट आयाम: व्यायाम: आयामो दैर्ख्यं शरीर अवयवानां इति अनुसन्धानं.

13) संहर्ष - Joyous atmosphere is considered as a बलवॄधिकर भाव, when an individual keeps himself away from चिन्ता etc there is a probable increase of बल.

वीर्यं बलवर्धनानां

            Here the term वीर्य means शुक्र धातु. शुक्र and ओजस् have almost identical गुणाs and hence वीर्य causes a direct वृद्धि of बल in the शरीर. And hence it is said that वीर्यं बल वर्द्धनानां.

ब्रह्मचर्यं - is considered as one among त्रयोपस्तम्भाs

वीर्यरक्षा is the prime concern of ब्रह्मचर्यं. It is given that ब्रह्मचर्यं आयुष्याणां i.e. ब्रह्मचर्यं increases आयु.

अष्टविध मैधुन परित्याग is यशस्यं, आयुष्यं, लोकद्वय रसायनं, keeps purity of शरीरं and मनस्. शुक्रक्षय is said to be lethal by वाग्भट.

आहारस्य परं कामं शुक्रं तत् रक्ष्यमात्मन:I

क्षयो हि अस्य बहुरोगान् मरणं वा नियच्छति II

युक्तिकॄत बलवर्धनम्

 युक्तिकॄत बलवर्धनम् can be attained through आहार, चेष्टा, रसायन and वाजीकरण.

आहार

मधुरस्निग्धशितानि लघुनि च हितनि च I

ओजसो वर्धनान्याहुस्तस्माद् बालांस्तऽऽथा शयेत्II(च सू २७/१६)

Ahara which is easily digestible, wholesome, sweet, unctuous, cold in temperament increases ओजस्.

            Also it is mentioned that "जीवनीयौषध क्षीरसाध्यस्तत्र भेषजम्" - that is जीवनीयौषध, दुग्ध and रस are the medicaments and food to be utilized in the management of ओजक्षय.

      दुग्ध, दधि, घॄत, मांसरस, अन्नं, रक्तशालि, षाष्टिकं,. फलवर्गं, मद्यं, बल्यौषधि - बल्यमहाकषायं,

बलवर्धक रसायन चिकित्सा - aims at वयस्थापन, दीर्खायु, मेधाप्राप्ति, बलाधानं, and रोगापहरणं

Both वृष्य and रसायनौषधी are said to be स्वास्थ्यकर and ऊर्जस्कर

बलपरीक्ष   

      बल is given great important in Ayurveda. This can be asscertained by the fact that knowledge of the प्रमाण of बल is said to be inevitable in आतुरपरीक्षा.

The आतुर is concidered to be the देश of चिकित्सा, the province of treatment.

आतुर परीक्षा is divide into 3 phases - 1)आयुपरीक्षा 2)बलपरीक्षा 3)दोषपरीक्षा. It is based on the दोषप्रमाण and बलप्रमाण that भेषजप्रमाण is dicided.

बलयुक्तिव्यक्तिलक्षण

सममांसप्रमाणस्तु सम संहननो नर:

सुश्रुत considers the मध्यम शरीर व्यक्ति as उत्तम बलवान्.

The लक्षणा mentioned by सुश्रुत coincides with that of चरक mentioned earlier.

अत्यन्तगर्हितावेदौ सदा स्थूलकॄशौ नरौ.

श्रेष्ठो मध्यशरीरस्तु कृश: स्थालात्तु पूजित:.

मध्यम शरीरयुक्त व्यक्ति लक्ष्ण

समधातुत्वात् मध्यमशरीरो भवति, सर्वक्रियासुसमर्थ:, क्षुत्पिपासाशीतोष्णवातवर्ष आतप सहो बलवांश्च, स सततमनुपालयितव्या:I (सु सू १५/३४)

चरकाचार्य indicates 10 attributes to be measured for  बलप्रमाण

प्रकृति

According to Ayurveda sahajabala is under the impact of prakruti. Based on doshadi involvement prakruti is classified into seven. Kaphaja is considered to be having  उत्तमबल.

विकृति

विकृति परीक्ष is done in order to estimate the strength of vyadhi which has affected the individual. Thus it is the vikara pariksha.

सार

साराण्यष्टोपुरुशणां बल मान विशेषज्ञानार्थमुपदिश्यते

तध्यता त्वक् रक्त्तमांसमेदॊऽस्थि मज्जाशुक्र सत्वानि

The person having all the saras are अतिबल.

संहनन

सुसंहत पुरुष -बलवन्त

असंहत-अल्पबल

प्रवरावर मध्यत्वात्-मध्यबल

प्रमण परीक्ष

The person having समशरीर are endowed with आयु,बल,ऒज,सुख,ऐश्वर्य,वित्तं etc.

सात्म्य परीक्ष

सत्म्यम् नाम तद् यदत्मन्युपशेते

Those suited to धृत,तैल क्षीर,मांसरस,सर्वरस सत्म्य - बलवन्त,क्लेशसह,चिरजीविनश्च

Those suited to रुक्षसात्म्य,एकरस सत्म्य - अल्पबल,क्लेशसह,अल्पयुष,अल्पसाधनश्च

Those suited to व्यामिश्रसात्म्य - मध्यबल

सत्वपरीक्ष

प्रवर,मध्यम,अवर

आहर परी्क्ष

आहरशक्तिरभ्यवहरणशक्त्या जरणशक्त्या च परीक्ष्या बलायुषीह्याहारायत्ते

व्ययाम शक्ति

व्यायामशक्तिरपि कर्मशक्त्या परीक्ष्य,कर्मशक्त्याह्यनुमीयते बलत्रिविधं

वयपरीक्ष

बलं,मध्यं,जीर्णं

CONCLUSION

      The concept of drugs and practices that increase resistance to diseases - व्याधिक्षमत्वम्, is very attractive. But it becomes very difficult to validate the claims of such applications unless there are objective, quantifiable parameters of बल and ओजस् which are alleged to be increased.

·         The basic concepts of Ayurveda include स्वस्थस्य स्वास्थ्य संरक्षणं and आतुरस्य विकारप्रशमनं.

·         Ayurveda presents the idea of विंशति गुणाs and justly divides it into दश विषगुणाs and दश ऒजोगुणाs.

·         10 gunas mentioned for ojas are found distributed in varying proportions in all the धातूs. Those द्रव्याs having an exceedingly distinguishable amount of these gunas are also termed as ojas such as रस,प्राकृतश्लेष्म,शुक्रम् etc.

·         ओजस् can be considered as a typical component of the body which is responsible for anabolic function in the body and has its own properties such as colour, action etc. It can be also considered as an anatomical factor, because it is required with its property for body. The function of ओजस् is to generate बल, and hence बल can be considered as a physiological term.

·         ओजस् can be considered to be responsible शारीरिक as well as मानसीक बल. Its क्षयावस्था can lead to manifestation of various disorders and finally prove lethal.

·         ओजक्षय can lead to various diseases and vice versa. In both these conditions शारीरिक and मानसीक बल gets afflicted.

·         ओजोवर्धक चिकित्सा, रसायन चिकित्सा, आचार रसायन etc. Enhances both शारीरिक and मानसीक व्याधिक्षमत्वम्.

·         मानसीक व्याधिक्षमत्व is a unique concept of Ayurveda and means to promote सहज बल through गर्भिणी परिचर्या etc. measures have been mentioned. मेध्य रसायन etc are mentioned as a means to enhance the same through a युक्तिकॄत approach.