Other Important Ayurvedic Concepts
The Seven Bodily Tissues--Sapta Dhatus
The dhatus are the basic varieties of tissues which compose the
human body. The word dhatu comes from a Sanskrit word which
means that which enters into the formation of the body; the
root Daa (dha) means support, that which bears.
The primary Dhatus are seven in number. They are:
- Sukra dhatu (reproductive tissues)
- Majja dhatu (bone marrow and nervous tissues)
- Asthi dhatu (bone)
- Meda dhatu (fatty tissues)
- Mamsa dhatu (muscle tissues)
- Rakta dhatu (formed blood cells)
- Rasa dhatu (plasma)
The most unique feature of Ayurvedic histology (concept of tissue
formation) is that each human tissue is formed from the previous
tissue in ascending order of complexity. Thus when food is ingested
it is digested until, in the small intestines, it becomes a liquidy,
chyme-like material known in Ayurveda as ahara rasa, or food essence.
With the help of ahara rasagni (each dhatu has its own agni),
this ahara rasa is converted into Rasa dhatu (blood plasma)--the
first and most simple tissue.
Now, Rasa dhatu--catalyzed by Rasagni--is transformed into Rakta
dhatu (formed blood cells), the second fundamental bodily tissue.
Rakta dhatu in turn, with the help of raktagni, becomes mamsa
dhatu (muscle), and so on.
Sukra dhatu (reproductive tissues)
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Majja dhatu (bone marrow and nervous tissues)
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Asthi dhatu (bone)
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Meda dhaut (fatty tissues)
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Mamsa dhatu (muscle tissues)
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Rakta dhatu (formed blood cells)
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Rasa dhatu (plasma)
Together, the dhatus and upadhatus make up the physical bulk of
the body. The upa dhatus include hair, nails, ligaments, etc.;
they are important structurally but usually are not implicated
in disease conditions of the body.
Each dhatu consists of countless infinitesimal paramanus (cells)
which are units of structure and function. Each paramanu contains
innumerable suksma srotas (channels, pores) through which it receives
nutrients and subtle energies and eliminates waste materials.
Because dhatus are saturated with pores, the human body can also
be said to be filled with pores (srotomaya). The srotas of each
dhatu are unique in their structure and function and in the materials
which move through them. The state of health of each dhatu as
well as its relative vriddhi/kshaya (excess/deficiency; increase/decrease)
is assessed by the physician. |