Hour 63 Ayurveda – Food & Herbs I

Rasa Panchaka – Part 1

• Rasa Panchaka is a foundational concept in Ayurveda that helps determine how a substance acts on the body and mind.
• It consists of five key factors—Rasa (taste), Guna (qualities), Veerya (potency), Vipaka (post-digestive effect), and Prabhava (unique effect).
• Understanding Rasa Panchaka allows us to predict how a substance interacts with doshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha) and the overall physiological processes, making it essential for determining the correct use of food, medicine, and lifestyle adjustments.
• By mastering the knowledge of Rasa Panchaka, we gain the ability to choose substances that maintain dosha balance, considering the individual’s constitution, the season, and the current state of health.
• In practical applications, Rasa Panchaka guides us in adjusting food, medicine, and lifestyle based on Dosha imbalances and seasonal variations.

1. Rasa (Taste)

Rasa refers to the initial taste perceived when a substance is consumed. Ayurveda classifies six primary tastes:

• Madhura (Sweet)
• Amla (Sour)
• Lavana (Salty)
• Katu (Pungent)
• Tikta (Bitter)
• Kashaya (Astringent)

Each taste has specific effects on the Doshas and helps in determining how a substance will act on the body shortly after consumption.

Impact of tastes on doshas :

• Sweet, sour, salty – Aggrevates Kapha and pacifies Vata
• Bitter, pungent, astringent – Aggrevates Vata and Pacifies Kapha
• Sweet, bitter, astringent – Pacifies Pitta
• Sour, Salt, Pungent – Aggrevates Pitta dosha

2. Guna (Qualities)

Gunas are the inherent qualities of a substance that describe its physical properties. Ayurveda identifies 20 Gunas, grouped into 10 pairs of opposites, such as:

• Guru (Heavy) – Laghu (Light)
• Snigdha (Unctuous) – Ruksha (Dry)
• Sheeta (Cold) – Ushna (Hot)
• Manda (Dull) – Tikshna (Sharp)

These qualities help to understand the effect a substance will have on the body based on its similarity or contrast with the qualities of the Doshas.

• Impact on Doshas:
  • Substances with similar Gunas as a Dosha increase that Dosha.
  • Substances with opposite Gunas to a Dosha help pacify it.

Example:

• Heavy substances (e.g., milk, oil) increase Kapha due to their shared quality of heaviness.
• Light substances (e.g., rice porridge, and vegetable soup) pacify Kapha by providing opposing qualities.

3. Veerya (Potency)

Veerya refers to the potency or the inherent strength of a substance to bring about a physiological effect. It is broadly classified into two categories:

• Ushna (Hot)
• Sheeta (Cold)

• Hot potency (Ushna Virya):
  • Examples: Chilli, pepper, ginger.
  • Increases Pitta due to fiery nature.
• Cold potency (Sheeta Virya):
  • Examples: Milk.
  • Increases Kapha and Vata due to its cooling nature.

Importance:

• Potency determines how a substance will influence the functional aspects of the Doshas, regardless of its taste or quality.
• Veerya determines the immediate impact a substance will have, such as its ability to increase or decrease certain functions in the body.