Koshtha.

KOSHTHA.

The term koshtha is the adjective formed by the root word (kush-than Un. 2.4) Own.—shtha.According to the Vaman Shivram Apte’s practical dictionary;the term koshtha has got the following different meanings:-1)Any one of the viscera of the body,

2)The belly or abdomen,

3)An inner apartment,

4)A granary or store-room.

If we are going to consider the meaning of koshtha as any viscera or apartment;then Amashaya(stomach),Agnyashaya(grahani-an imaginary organ between stomach and intestine), Pakvashaya(intestine),Mutrashaya(urinary bladder),Yakrut(liver), Pleeha(spleen),Unduka(caecum) and Phuphphus(lungs) are also have tobe considered as the koshthas.

Thus Mahasrotasas are designated as the koshthas which mainly includes pakashaya and amashaya.Since in practical use;we apply the term koshtha for the nature of alimentary tract,bowel movements and nature of elimination of faeces;we must relate the term koshtha with the functions of grahini and pakvashaya (Kshudrantra) over here.

Grahini plays vital role in the body being:- 1)The site of Pachak pitta,

2)The main site of Agni (since Jatharagni resides in the Pachak pitta),

3)The site of pittadhara kala.

Small intestine or Kshudrantra plays vital role in the body being:-1)Main site of the Purishavaha srotus,

2)Special site of vat dosha,

3)The site of Purishadhara kala,

4)The functional site of Apan vayu.

Interelation of Grahini and Kshudrantra with Koshtha:-                                                                          *The Grahini being site of Pachak pitta,Jatharagni and pittadhara kala; completely converts the panchabhautic constituents of food into the bodily constituents which further causes purgation;since without digestion purgations won’t occur indicating the nature of Koshtha. *Since;sar-kitta vivechana takes place in Purishadhara kala which resides in small intestine,the vital nourishing part will get separated from the excreatory part over here.The vital or sar part will start nourishing the body;whereas the excreatory or kitta part will get accumulated in the intestine.This accumulation will activate the Apan vayu for it’s function of purisha nishkraman or excreation of feacal matter.

Thus we have proved the inter-relation between Koshtha, Grahini,Intestine and the mechanism behind purgation.Now since the term isclear;we have to concentrate on the types and importance of Koshtha.

Koshtha will be Krura(hard),Mrudu(soft) and Madhya (moderate) by the predominance of the doshas (vat-pitta-kapha) ;respectively.When all of them (doshas) are normal,then also the Koshtha will be Madhya(moderate).

#Koshtha of an individual canbe determined by two methods;v.i.z.;virechana vidhi and snehana vidhi.By snehana vidhi we can determine the nature of all the Koshthas in the body.

#Mrudu Koshtha:-(1)General qualities or lakshanas:-The person having mrudu Koshtha will have more frequency of defecations. It depends on the moistness,presence of liquidity, viscosity, easy contractions of intestinal walls etc..The mrudu Koshtha canbe determined by more frequency of purgations on use of mild purgatives in virechana and by more moistness in purisha or the feacal matter.

(2)Relation with prakruti:-People having Pitta prakruti in ekadoshaja prakruti and Pitta-Kapha prakruti in dvidoshaja prakruti posses the mrudu Koshtha.

(3)Elaboration:-

Thus;pitta shows its properties such as Sasneha(slight unctousness),Tikshna(penetrating),Ushna(hot-heat producing),Laghu (lightness),Visra(bad smell),Sara(causing movement) and drava(liquidity).

The dominance of pitta in one’s body thus induces it’s qualities in Koshtha; just like any other parts of the body.Thus; it’s snehatva,saratva and drvatva properties help in easy movement of purish in the Koshtha.Also;since the person is having pitta prakruti; he will posses tikshna (highly penatrating) Agni producing Prabhuta (in large quantity) mala.Thus the high bulk of the feacal matter will also help in easy movements inside the Koshtha.

In case of Koshtha Parikshana;we come to the conclusion that Kapha dosha acts as  samayogavahi.Thus if kapha is in dominance with pitta; the person will lean towards having the mrudu Koshtha only.

(4)Purgatives being used:-The person having mrudu Koshtha gives purgations even with milk,sugarcane juice,sour buttermilk,whey,pudding sweatened with molasses;ghee,fresh wine,warm water,fruits of pilu,draksha,pugaphala etc.

##Krura Koshtha:-(1)General qualities or lakshanas:-The person having krura Koshtha will have very less frequency of defecations.It is due to less liquidity,dryness-roughness of the Koshtha resulting in the hardening of the intestinal walls.

(2)Relation with the prakruti:-People having Vat prakruti in ekadoshaja prakruti and Vat-Kapha prakruti in didoshaja prakruti posses the Krura Koshtha.

(3)Eloberation:-

Thus ;Vat exhibits above qualities such as Ruksha(dryness), Laghu(lightness-weightlessness),Shita(coldness),Khara(roughness), Shukshma(minuteness) and Chala(movement-unsteadiness).

The dominance of Vat will also induce it’s qualities in Koshtha increasing rukshatva,kharatva and shitatva which will oppose the movements.

Also;since we have already stated kapha tobe samayogavahi in case of Koshtha,vat—kapha prakruti will also have the krura Koshtha.

(4)Purgatives being used:-The person having krura Koshtha gives purgations with difficulty even with triphala, tilwaka, travart,fruits of nilini and others along with jayapal and kutaki.

### Madhya Koshtha:-(1)General qualities or lakshanas:-The person having Madhya Koshtha will have less frequency of defaciation than the Mrudu Koshtha and at the same time; it will have more more frequency than that of the Krura Koshtha person.The Madhya Koshtha is considered as the normal ideal Koshtha.This kind of Koshtha results due to the balanced liquidity(dravatva), moistness (snigdhatva) and dryness(rukshata) which leads to the regular moderate defecations.

(2)Relation with the prakruti:-People having Kapha prakruti in ekdoshaja prakruti,Vat-Pitta prakruti in dvidoshaja prakruti and tidoshaja prakruti(Vat-Pitta-Kapha) posses the Madhya Koshtha.

(3)Eloberation:-

Thus;Kapha exhibits above qualities such as Snigdha (unctousness),Shita(cold-producing coldness),Guru(heavy),Manda (sluggish,slow),Shlakshna(smoothness-slippery),Mrutsna(shining) and Sthira(firm-static).

The dominance of Kapha dosha in the body will thus induce its qualities in the koshtha.Thus;Snigdha and Shlakshna qualities of Kapha will support the movement of purisha mala;whereas Manda and Shita(stambhane shita) qualities of Kapha will oppose the movement resulting in the condition of more defecations than Mrudu Koshtha and less purgations than Krura Koshtha.

In case of Vat-Pitta prakruti;Rukshatva,Shitatva and Kharatva of Vat will oppose the movement which will be tried tobe enhanced by the Snehatva,Dravatva and Saratva qualities of Pitta resulting in the state of Madhya Koshtha.

Since; it is the ideal Koshtha,it is connected with the ideal prakruti;i.e.;tridoshaja prakruti in which all the qualities of the doshas will be well balanced.

(4)Purgatives being used:-The dastric purgatives used in case of Krura Koshtha will surely make Madhya Koshtha person give more purgations.But it is very rare case in which a person belonging to the Madhya Koshtha has to use any purgative;since it is the ideal Koshtha.Still some moderate purgatives such as haritaki are said tobe designated for Madhya Koshtha.

IMPORTANCE OF KOSHTHA PARIKSHANA IN AYURVEDA:-

(1)It is required to determine one’s Koshtha to determine its quantity of virechana dravyas(virechana-matra).

(2)Before carrying out Panchakarma;it is necessary to know one’s koshtha to determine snehan duration(sneha-kal) and quantity of snehan dravyas(sneha-matra).

(3)Koshtha parikshana tells us about the liquidity,moistness and roughness etc. and thus helps us in determining the quantity of drugs to remove the localized aggrevated doshas in the body.

(4)Koshtha parikshana helps us in determining one’s prakruti.