ASHTONINDATIYA PURUSHA – EIGHT UNDESIRABLE PERSONS IN AYURVEDA

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अथातोऽष्टौनिन्दितीयमध्यायं व्याख्यास्यामः||१||

इति ह स्माह भगवानात्रेयः||२||

Now we shall explain the chapter “Ashtauninditiya” (Eight undesirable person). Thus said Lord Atreya.

In Ayurveda, ‘Charakacharya’ has described eight ‘Nindya prakrities’ (undesirable constitution) according to the body constitution. Ayurveda is the earliest system of Medicine in the world. Ayurved is the science of life that deals with every aspect of life. Ayurveda has two main objectives i.e. protection and promotion of health and secondly cure of the diseases. To fulfill these objectives various Samhita was composed. These Samhita deal with Anatomy, Physiology, diagnosis, and the treatment of various diseases. In Charak Samhita, Acharya Charak has mentioned the symptoms of Prashasta Purusha (Ideal person).  According to Acharya Charak prashasta purusha have has balanced proportion of muscles, strong sense organs, who can tolerate any type of disease or infection by his body strength, who can easily tolerate excessive hunger and thirst, sunlight, cold and various physical activities occur in the surrounding, who can easily digest any type of food and withstand signs of old age also who has proper muscles growth and who does not get prone to diseases easily is known as Prashasta purush.  Charak Samhita described eight kinds of people who are undesirable nature in respect of their body.

EIGHT PHYSICAL DEFORMITIES – ASTA NINDITA PURUSHA

इह खलु शरीरमधिकृत्याष्टौ पुरुषा निन्दिता भवन्ति; तद्यथा– अतिदीर्घश्च, अतिह्रस्वश्च, अतिलोमा च, अलोमा च, अतिकृष्णश्च, अतिगौरश्च, अतिस्थूलश्च, अतिकृशश्चेति||३||

Ayurveda explained eight kind of physical deformities. It is said that people with these kind of deformities are difficult to treat and such people are prone to wide variety of disease. These eight deformities are:-

• Atidirgha – (Excessive tall person)
• Atihrasva – (Excessive short person) 
• Atiloma – (Excessive body hairs) 
• Aloma – (absence of body hairs) 
• Atikrishna – (Excessive black colored person)
• Atigour – (Excessive white or fair colored person)
• Atisthula – (Excessive obese person)
• Atikrusha – (excessive lean person)

IMPORTANCE OF IDEAL BODY PROPROTION

सममांसप्रमाणस्तु समसंहननो नरः| दृढेन्द्रियो विकाराणां न बलेनाभिभूयते||१८||
क्षुत्पिपासातपसहः शीतव्यायामसंसहः| समपक्ता समजरः सममांसचयो मतः||१९||
A person with a balanced proportion of muscles and compactness of the body and solidity in sense organs is not overcome by the attack of disorders. Such people can able to tolerate hunger, thirst, the heat of the sun, cold and physical exercise. Their digestion, absorption of food, and muscle metabolism are in an equilibrium state. 

ATIDIRGHA – (EXCESSIVE TALL PERSON)

In this type of deformity, the person is excessively tall. This is compared to the gigantism of pituitary origin. In gigantism, most features and signs are related to bones, like very large hands and feet, long and thick bones, thick toes, and fingers. Studies show that excessive tall people prone to develop cancer. It is due to more no cells in tall people, more cell division occurs that makes you more prone to develop cancer. 

ATIHRASVA – (EXCESSIVE SHORT PERSON)

In this type of deformity, the person is short in height. This can be compared to dwarfism. This condition also affects bones. Involvement of Vata in both gigantism and dwarfism, since Vata operates from bones. Dwarfism is a genetic condition. If Vata affects the embryo, this can cause disproportionate growth of bones which may continue after birth. Vata can also affect growth formation after birth. Kapha is the chief dosha involved in the growth and maturation of infant into child, and child into adolescence. Kapha is active during the growth phase. When Kapha is normal they properly govern growth and development, bone, tissues, and organs are proportionally formed. When there is an imbalance between Kapha and Vata dosha, the bone may be long and short lead to gigantism and dwarfism.

ATILOMA – (EXCESSIVE BODY HAIRS)

In this type of deformity, there is excessive hair growth in body. This can be closely compared to hirsutism. It usually occurs due to the excessive production of male hormones such as androgens. It can be inherited or occur as a part of a pathological condition. It can occur both in men and women on parts of the body where hairs are normally absent or minimal such as the chin chest or face. Since it is an excess of the male hormone, it can be correlated to excessive Shukra dhatu. Shukra in the true scene is semen or sperm.

ALOMA – (ABSENCE OF BODY HAIRS)

In this type of deformity, there is the absence of body hairs. It is mainly due to the aggravation of pitta dosha. 

RESON BEHIND ATISTHULA AND ATIKRUSHA PERSON DEFORMIRTIES –

तत्रातिस्थूलकृशयोर्भूय एवापरे निन्दितविशेषा भवन्ति | अतिस्थूलस्य तावदायुषो ह्रासो जवोपरोधः कृच्छ्रव्यवायता दौर्बल्यं दौर्गन्ध्यं स्वेदाबाधः क्षुदतिमात्रं पिपासातियोगश्चेति भवन्त्यष्टौ दोषाः| तदतिस्थौल्यमतिसम्पूरणाद्गुरुमधुरशीतस्निग्धोपयोगादव्यायामादव्यवायाद्दिवास्वप्नाद्धर्षनित्यत्वाद–चिन्तनाद्बीजस्वभावाच्चोपजायते| तस्य ह्यतिमात्रमेदस्विनो मेद एवोपचीयते न तथेतरे धातवः, तस्मादस्यायुषो ह्रासः; शैथिल्यात् सौकुमार्याद्गुरुत्वाच्चमेदसो जवोपरोधः, शुक्राबहुत्वान्मेदसाऽऽवृतमार्गत्वाच्च कृच्छ्रव्यवायता, दौर्बल्यमसमत्वाद्धातूनां, दौर्गन्ध्यं मेदोदोषान्मेदसः स्वभावात् स्वेदनत्वाच्च, मेदसः श्लेष्मसंसर्गाद्विष्यन्दित्वाद्बहुत्वाद्गुरुत्वाद्व्यायामासहत्वाच्च स्वेदाबाधः, तीक्ष्णाग्नित्वात् प्रभूतकोष्ठवायुत्वाच्च क्षुदतिमात्रं पिपासातियोगश्चेति ||४||

Out of eight, these too obese and too lean physical appearances are considered the most undesirable ones. The excessively obese person has eight inherent defects in them: reduced lifespan, constricted or limited movement (hampered due to loose, tender, and heavy fats), reduced sexual activities, impotence (due to a small quantity of semen produced and obstruction of the channel of semen by medas dhatu), debility (due to dhatu imbalance), emit bad smell (due to the inherent nature of fatty tissues as well as excessive sweating), profuse sweating (since medas and Kapha are vitiated), and excessive hunger and thirst (due to excessive digestive Agni and Vayu in the body). Excessive obesity is caused due to over-nourishment and excessive intake of a heavy, sweet, cold, and fatty diet, lack of physical exercise, abstinence from sexual intercourse, sleeping during the daytime, lack of mental activities, and hereditary or genetic defects. These consequences may lead to an excess of fat and consequent depletion of dhatus.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF OBESE PERSON

भवन्ति चात्र– मेदसाऽऽवृतमार्गत्वाद्वायुः कोष्ठे विशेषतः| चरन् सन्धुक्षयत्यग्निमाहारं शोषयत्यपि||५||
तस्मात् स शीघ्रं जरयत्याहारं चातिकाङ्क्षति| विकारांश्चाश्नुते घोरान् कांश्चित्कालव्यतिक्रमात्||६||
एतावुपद्रवकरौ विशेषादग्निमारुतौ| एतौ हि दहतः स्थूलं वनदावो वनं यथा||७||
मेदस्यतीव संवृद्धे सहसैवानिलादयः| विकारान् दारुणान् कृत्वा नाशयन्त्याशु जीवितम्||८||
मेदोमांसातिवृद्धत्वाच्चलस्फिगुदरस्तनः| अयथोपचयोत्साहो नरोऽतिस्थूल उच्यते||९||
इति मेदस्विनो दोषा हेतवो रूपमेव च| निर्दिष्टं …|१०|

Due to the obstruction of body channels by medas dhatu, the movement of Vata is especially moved with the help of koshtha and confined to koshtha (abdominal viscera) resulting in the activation of digestive power and absorption of food quickly. Hence, the personable to digest food quickly and becomes a hunger man. A person not following the rules of taking meals at specific times during the day is afflicted by serious diseases. Agni and Vata are the two most annoying factors of obesity. These factors blight an obese person as a wildfire destroys a forest completely. As the body gains excessive fat, spoil doshas suddenly cause severe diseases resulting in rapid deterioration of life. The person is considered too obese when there is excessive fat in muscle tissue in the regions of the buttocks, abdomen, and breasts. These are the causes, signs, and symptoms of an obese person.

FEATURE OF EXCESSIVELY LEAN PERSON

… वक्ष्यते वाच्यमतिकार्श्ये त्वतः परम्||१०||

सेवा रूक्षान्नपानानां लङ्घनं प्रमिताशनम्| क्रियातियोगः शोकश्च वेगनिद्राविनिग्रहः||११||

रूक्षस्योद्वर्तनं स्नानस्याभ्यासः प्रकृतिर्जरा| विकारानुशयः क्रोधः कुर्वन्त्यतिकृशं नरम्||१२||

व्यायाममतिसौहित्यं क्षुत्पिपासामयौषधम् | कृशो न सहते तद्वदतिशीतोष्णमैथुनम्||१३||

प्लीहा कासः क्षयः श्वासो गुल्मोऽर्शांस्युदराणि च| कृशं प्रायोऽभिधावन्ति रोगाश्च ग्रहणीगताः||१४||

शुष्कस्फिगुदरग्रीवो धमनीजालसन्ततः| त्वगस्थिशेषोऽतिकृशः स्थूलपर्वा नरो मतः||१५||

Features of an excessively lean person. Intake of dry (non-unctuous) diets and drinks, fasting, intake of food in inappropriate quantity, overuse of therapeutic purificatory measures, distress, suppression of natural urges, inadequate sleep or lack of sleep, dry powder massage, infatuation in baths, heredity, old age, continued illness from long time and anger make a person too lean. The excessively lean person does not tolerate the physical exercise, intake of food in large quantities, hunger, thirst, diseases, and drugs. They cannot tolerate cold, heat, and sexual intercourse. Such a person is associated with splenic diseases, cough, wasting, dyspnea, abdominal tumor, piles, abdominal disorders, and disorders of grahanі. The excessively lean person has dried up buttocks, abdomen, and neck and prominent vascular network 

LINE OF TREATEMENT FOR OBESE OR LEAN PERSON

सततं व्याधितावेतावतिस्थूलकृशौ नरौ| सततं चोपचर्यौ हि कर्शनैर्बृंहणैरपि||१६||

स्थौल्यकार्श्ये वरं कार्श्यं समोपकरणौ हि तौ| यद्युभौ व्याधिरागच्छेत् स्थूलमेवातिपीडयेत्||१७||

Both these undesirable types of people (too obese and too lean) are always suffering from some disease or the other and need to be constantly managed by bulk-reducing and bulk-promoting therapies. Both of the two, lean is less harmful than obese, and the physical and mental sufferings are more in obese person in comparison to a lean person.

गुरु चातर्पणं चेष्टं स्थूला गुरु चातर्पणं चेष्टं स्थूलानां कर्शनं प्रति| कृशानां बृंहणार्थं च लघु सन्तर्पणं च यत्||२०||

Heavy and non-nourishing (diet) therapy are prescribed for slimming in too obese person, while for promoting the bulk of the too lean person light and nourishing therapy is prescribed.

Management of obesity

वातघ्नान्यन्नपानानि श्लेष्ममेदोहराणि च| रूक्षोष्णा बस्तयस्तीक्ष्णा रूक्षाण्युद्वर्तनानि च||२१||
गुडूचीभद्रमुस्तानां प्रयोगस्त्रैफलस्तथा| तक्रारिष्टप्रयोगश्च प्रयोगो माक्षिकस्य च||२२||
विडङ्गं नागरं क्षारः काललोहरजो मधु| यवामलकचूर्णं च प्रयोगः श्रेष्ठ उच्यते||२३||
बिल्वादिपञ्चमूलस्य प्रयोगः क्षौद्रसंयुतः| शिलाजतुप्रयोगश्च साग्निमन्थरसः परः||२४||
प्रशातिका प्रियङ्गुश्च श्यामाका यवका यवाः| जूर्णाह्वाः कोद्रवा मुद्गाः कुलत्थाश्चक्रमुद्गकाः ||२५||
आढकीनां च बीजानि पटोलामलकैः सह| भोजनार्थं प्रयोज्यानि पानं चानु मधूदकम्||२६||
अरिष्टांश्चानुपानार्थे मेदोमांसकफापहान्| अतिस्थौल्यविनाशाय संविभज्य प्रयोजयेत्||२७||
प्रजागरं व्यवायं च व्यायामं चिन्तनानि च| स्थौल्यमिच्छन् परित्यक्तुं क्रमेणाभिप्रवर्धयेत्||२८||

Food and drinks that alleviate vata and reduce kapha or meda dhatu , enema with sharp and hot drugs, therapeutic powder massage, use of guduchi, musta, triphala, bibhitaka and amalaka, takrarishta and honey are prescribed for the management of obesity. A formulation prepared from vidanga, nagara, yavakshara, ash powder of black iron along with honey, powder of yava and amalaka is also an excellent weight-loss drug. A diet consisting of prashatika, priyangu,   shyamaka, yavaka,  yava, jurnahvam, kodrava, mudga, kulattha, chakramudgaka, adhaki along with patola and amalaka is very effective in obesity and maintaining good health. Honey water and alcoholic preparations may be taken as postprandial drinks that help in reducing excessive fat and muscle tissues and also alleviating kapha dosha.

Management of leanness

स्वप्नो हर्षः सुखा शय्या मनसो निर्वृतिः शमः| चिन्ताव्यवायव्यायामविरामः प्रियदर्शनम्||२९||
नवान्नानि नवं मद्यं ग्राम्यानूपौदका रसाः| संस्कृतानि च मांसानि दधि सर्पिः पयांसि च||३०||
इक्षवः शालयो माषा गोधूमा गुडवैकृतम्| बस्तयः स्निग्धमधुरास्तैलाभ्यङ्गश्च सर्वदा||३१||
स्निग्धमुद्वर्तनं स्नानं गन्धमाल्यनिषेवणम्| शुक्लं वासो यथाकालं दोषाणामवसेचनम्||३२||
रसायनानां वृष्याणां योगानामुपसेवनम्| हत्वाऽतिकार्श्यमाधत्ते नृणामुपचयं परम्||३३||
अचिन्तनाच्च कार्याणां ध्रुवं सन्तर्पणेन च| स्वप्नप्रसङ्गाच्च नरो वराह इव पुष्यति||३४||

Sleep, happiness, comfortable bed, satisfaction , relaxed mind, sobriety from anxiety, sexual act and physical exercise, cheerfulness, newly harvested cereals, fresh wine, meat soup of animals residing in domestic, marshy and aquatic areas, well-cooked and prepared meat, curd, ghee, milk, sugarcane, shali rice, masha, wheat and its products, jaggery and its products, enema and sweet drugs, regular oil massage, unctuous bath, wear white dress, elimination doshas from body in due time and regular use of rejuvenating and aphrodisiac drug reduce excessive leanness and nourish the body completely. Besides, free from anxiety, intake of nourishing and healthy diet and adequate sleep makes the man healthy and obese like a pig.