Definition:                               

rasayana is that which provides optimum quality of the bodily tissues due to which it provides both mental and physical health, prevents ageing and disease, retards ageing and provides nourishing of vital enhance, thus enables to live for a longer period of youthfulness.

 

The basic motto of vigor promotive (Svasthasya Urjaskara) is to

  • Check the natural aliments of the body like ageing process;
  • Check and correct the serious consequences of Apraharsa (lack of excitement, cheer or libido),
  • Correct dhatu Kshaya due to harsh sexual acts or Anupacita Sukra (incompletely nourished or metamorphosed distinctions, particularly improperly designed Sukradhatu).

Hence that which check this morbid state, and restore the loss of Dhatu due to all the above said factors and then promotes Vigor (Urja), is called Vigor promotive (Svasthasya Urjaskara) of healthy individual.

 

Rasayana means obtaining the best qualities of dhatus. Literally the term Rasayana refers to obtaining the optimum nourishment of the Dhatus1. Rasayana denotes to retard the further ageing and to acquire prolonged life span. To get benefits with the pharmacodynamic properties residing in the drug, in terms of strength, life, vitality, stability and stable ? static age is called Rasayana. The use of which is referred to make body healthy and to get rid of ageing and diseases is called as RASAYANA.  With which, genesis of morbid ageing is prevented and by using specific nutrient essence supplying agents to get rid of ageing is called as Rasayana2. Through which one is benefited with optimum and best of rasa to Sukra Dhatus is called as Rasayana3. The beneficial way of getting the best of Rasadi seven supreme metabolic discretes (Dhatus) is called as rasayana4.

 

It is well known to Ayurvedic physicians that the delicate cellular machinery of the body suffers from trauma (stress) resulting in various aliments of different body structures and deterioration of the functional capacity of human being. For this, procedures like revitalization and rejuvenation were adopted to increase the resistance against diseases (increased immunity). Theses procedures retard the advancement of aging also. Rasayanas were prescribed for a particular period and strict regimens were followed.

 

 

Merits of Rasayana Therapy:

The following Sutra illustrates the facts about the uses of vitalization therapy.

                                   

The verse says 'long life, increased memory and intelligence, freedom from disease, youth, excellence of luster, complexion, voice, strength of body and mind are obtained by vitalizers.' These materials termed as 'Rasayana' may be inducers of beneficial enzymes, hormones during health and disease.

 

Rasayana therapy arrests ageing (vaya-Sthapan), increase life span (Ayushkarm), intelligence (Medha), strength (Bala) and enables one to prevent disease (Rogapaharana Samartham) 5. Rasayanas keep off ageing (Jara) and prevent disease (Vyadhi) 6.

 

 

Critical Analysis of Rasayana Concept:

Wide scope and application of Rasayana may be understood by going through its merits. There are some delighting explanations which really widen the scope and thoughts about Rasayana. One among the eight branches of Ayurveda is Rasayana. It augments the concept and applications of Rasayana i.e. which roots out morbidity, destructive of diseases, checks disease process, corrects the various body channels, restores the nourishing and promote the health.

 

Rasayana not only alleviates or cures diseases but also maintains the intactness of body components and enhances the life expectancy.

 

However vigor primitives may act sometimes as curatives. Disease curatives may act sometimes as vigor promoters.  Some drugs like Patha etc..., by their potency cure the disease first and then further act to promote the health. Hence those are also should be considered as Rasyana.

 

It is to be noted that the effect of Rasayana extend from Rasa Dhatu to Sukra Dhatu and even up to ojas. This Ojas stands as the prime media between the physical and psycho-intellectual performances.

 

 

Action of Rasayana: Modern View

Rasayana contain Immuno-modulators of varying chemical structures and molecular sizes. These exert their effect by modulating several steps of immune system such as activation of macrophages for enhanced generation, stimulation of cytotoxic activity and phagocylosis, proliferation of lymphocytes leading to production and also cytotoxic induction of T- helper & natural killer (NK) cells and activation of complement pathways. Immunostimulants offer promise in enhancing antigen specific (Vaccines) and non-specific immune response against infection.

 

 

References:

Dalhana, Su-su.1/3

Tatwachandrika

Yogendranathasen

Arunadatta                               

Sushruta

Sharngadhara