Abstract

CONCEPTUAL REVIEW ON LANGHAN KARMA AS UPAKRAM

Rahul Patel*, Priyank Vyas and Jatin Rola

ABSTRACT

The first line of treatment of ama i.e. laṅghana gives sufficient time to the existing agni in the body to adequately complete the entire process of digestion of whatever residual amount of ama or food is left. Thus this treatment basically involves a process of load shedding in which new food is not introduced. So the agni is not overloaded. Thus unhampered agni gets enough time to digest by acting over whatever is left. Various types of laṅghana are described in texts which may be summed up as upavasa, vyayama, exposure to maruta and atapa, pacana and various śodhanas. Any of these types can be used for laṅghana karma depending upon the severity and site of ama. After laṅghana when slight lightness is achieved in the body, remaining ama should be treated with dipana and pacana dravyas. The use of pacana dravya helps in the digestion of already formed ama which is present and continuously causing its harmful effects on agni. The use of dipana dravya is done to increase the status of agni. Next after these processes comes the śodhana treatment, which is used in severe conditions of ama. For ama basically three types of procedures are required. First is the use of laṅghana which helps in load shedding on agni and production of ama is decreased. Second is the use of dipana dravya which helps in improving status of Agni and enhancing its action. Next is pacana, which helps in digestion of already produced ama. In very severe condition with above two procedures doṣavasecana i.e. saṁśodhana should also be used. So on the above described general principle, ama can be treated successfully.

Keywords: Langhan, upakram, saman, shodhan, pachan, sam-niram.