Basic Principles Of Ayurveda

Waste Materials--Malas

As a consequence of foods which we take into our bodies from the external world and the normal biological processes which take place internally, we generate different kinds of waste materials, or malas, which must be excreted. Ayurveda generally recognizes two kinds of malas:

  • ahara mala or wastes from food
  • dhatu mala or wastes from the tissues

The ahara malas include feces (purisha), urine (mutra), and sweat (sveda). These are the three main malas. The dhatu malas include the various secretions of the nose, eyes, ears; lactic acid, carbon dioxide, and other metabolites of cellular respiration; exfoliated hair, skin, and nails. Although these are all waste products, they serve a role in maintaining health as long as they are normal in their quantity (pramana), qualities (gunas), and function (karma). However, if the malas become abnormal in some regard (i.e. increased or decreased) they become a factor in creating disease. When the dhatus and malas become unbalanced they are called dushyas (soiled). The malas are composed predominantly of different elements. Feces is composed mainly of earth element; urine, mainly water and fire; sweat, primarily water. Of course all five elements are contained in every mala.


The following chart summarizes the effects of increased (vriddhi) or decreased (ksaya) malas:

The Three Malas

Mala

Vriddhi (increase)

Ksaya (decrease)

Feces (purisha)
Mahabhuta: earth
Heaviness
Flatulence
Abdominal discomfort (generalized)
Bloating
Abdominal pain (mid)
Low back pain
Weakness
Asthma
Osteoarthritis
Hypokalemia
Hypocalcemia
Urine (mutra)
Mahabhuta:
water and fire
Urinary frequency
Bladder dysfunction
Urinary tract infections
Reduced urine
Chronic thirst
Renal stones
Abdominal pain (lower)
Sweat (sveda)
Mahabhuta : water
Perspires easily
Fungal dermatoses
Low body temperature
Constipation
Body odor
Itching
Constipation
Decreased perspiration
Dry skin
Burning sensations
High body temperature
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