🔘 OJAS IN AYURVED

*OJAS IN AYURVEDA:-* 

👉🏻 Introduction:-

• 'सर्वधातुसारम् ओजः अभिधीयते' ।

- Ojas is a sara (essence) of all dhatus. 

- Ojas is vigor. 

- Ojas is an independent principle of Ayurveda, the principle which supports life, which protects life against various diseases.

👉🏻 Defination:-

• 'तत्र रसादीनां शुक्रान्तानां यत्परं तेज: तत् खलु ओज: । 

यत् खलु ओज: तदेव बलम् इति उच्यते स्वशास्त्रसिद्धान्तात् ।

                

- Essence of all seven dhatus is called as Ojas, on which strength of the body depends. 

- The word strength is applied to many concepts. For e.g. strength means immunity.

- Ojas provides strength to body; hence body can be sustained against various infections.

👉🏻 Synonyms:-

- Dhatu sara

- Dhatu teja

- Bala

- Prana

- Dhatu sneha

- Jiva shonita

- Rasa

- Shukra sara 

👉🏻 Types:-

- Ojas is of two types:-

1) Para ojas

2) Apara ojas

√ Volume of Para ojas is 8 drops and its site is heart. 

√ Site of Apara ojas is whole body and its volume is ½ Anjali.

👉🏻 Formation of Ojas:-

1) Para Ojas:- 

- At the time of conception, ojas is the essence of shukra and artava, which is called as garbha rasa.

- This garbha rasa is a nourishing fluid, which nourishes growing embryo.

- According to Ayurvedic concept of embryology, fetal heart is formed in 4th month of gestation.

- After heart is being formed in the fetus, the ojas which is nourishing the garbha enters heart and then cardiac activity of fetus begins. 

- The ojas which nourishes the garbha and which enters the heart of garbha is a Para type of ojas of

garbha.

- Destruction of Para ojas results in death.

2) Apara Ojas:-

- Apara ojas pervades whole body through circulation of rasa-rakta. 

- It is essence of all dhatus and predominantly exists in rasa, shleshma, and rakta and shukra dhatu.

- As bees collect honey from the fruits and flowers, that way essence of all dhatus comprises ojas.

👉🏻 Ojas and food:-

- Formation of Apara ojas depends on qualities of dhatus. Dhatu formation depends on quality of food and digestion of food. 

- Therefore food, jatharagni plays important role in the formation of ojas.

- Sattvik vegetarian food enhances formation of ojas.

👉🏻 Different opinions regarding Ojas:-

- According to Sarngadhar, Ojas is an upadhatu of

shukra dhatu.

- Ojas is an essence of shukra.

- Ojas is like a shleshma (kapha).

- Accrding to Ashtang Sangraha, Ojas is the mala of

shukra dhatu.

- Every drop of milk consists of ghee, but it is invisible, in the same way every drop of shukra dhatu consists of ojas.

- Qualities of kapha dosha and ojas are same. The body strength depends on balanced kapha dosha and ojas.Shleshma and ojas promote cellular growth and prevent cellular destruction. Hence shleshma and ojas are inter-dependent concepts.

👉🏻 Qualities of ojas:-

• 'हृदि तिष्ठति यच्छुद्धं रक्तमीषत्सपीतकम् ।

प्रथमं जायते ह्योजः शरीरेऽस्मिञ्छरीरिणाम् ।।

सर्पिर्वर्णं मधुरसं लाजगन्धि प्रजायते' ॥

- Ojas which resides in heart is predominantly yellowish;reddish in colour. 

- Appearance of ojas is like ghee. Its taste is like honey and the smell is like fried paddy (laja).

• 'गुरु शीतं मृदु श्लक्ष्णं बहलं मधुरं स्थिरम् ।

प्रसन्नं पिच्छिलं स्निग्धमोजो दशगुणं स्मृतम्' ॥ 

- Heavy, cold, soft, sweet, stable, fresh, slimy and unctuousness are the qualities of ojas.

👉🏻 Functions of ojas:-

•'हृदि तिष्ठति यच्छुद्धं रक्तमीषत्सपीतकम् ।

ओज: शरीरे संख्यातं तन्नाशात्रा विनश्यति' ।।

                                   

- Destruction of ojas residing heart causes death ojas which resides in the heart is a Para type of ojas, which protects life.

- Para ojas is a site of prana hence to protect life is the function of ojas.

- Dhatus, ojas and bala are interdependent constituents of the body. 

- Ojas enhances stability of mamsa dhatu. 

- Ojas increase endurance power, all physical and mental activities run smoothly. 

- Ojas maintains complexion and voice. 

-Ojas stimulates functions of five senses and mind, ojas maintains integrity of body, mind ,senses & soul.

👉🏻 Disorders of Ojas:-

√ Destruction of Para ojas leads to death.

√ Disorders of Apara ojas are:-

1) Ojovisramsa

2) Ojovyapat

3) Ojahkshaya.

- In ojovyapat flow of Apara ojas is obstructed, while in ojovisramsa it gets contaminated by the vitiation of doshas.

1) Ojovisramsa:-

√ Symptoms of Ojovisramsa:-

• 'सन्धिविश्लेषो गात्राणां सदनं दोषच्यवनं क्रियाऽसन्रिरोधश्च' ।                                          

- Weakness in joints, numbness, body weakness, displacement of doshas from their proper sites.

- Suppressed physical and mental activities are the symptoms of ojovisramsa.

2) Ojovyapat:-

√ In ojovyapat, ojas is contaminated by vitiated doshas and dhatus.

• 'स्तब्धगुरुगात्रता वातशोफो वर्णभेदो ग्लानिस्तन्द्रानिद्रा च व्यापन्ने' |                                         

- Heaviness in the body, restricted body movements, edema due to vitiated Vata, drowsiness and excess sleep are the symptoms of ojovyapat.

- Varnabheda (change in the colour complexion) is a symptom of ojovyapat.

- Ojas is vitiated in prameha, and in pandu also, so the symptoms of prameha and pandu can be taken as ojovyapat.

3) Ojahkshaya:-

√ Causes:-

- Over exertion, dieting, dry light food, exposure to hot windy climate, depression, less sleep, over indulgence of sex,vomiting, dhatu kshaya, old age, trauma, anger and anxiety are the few causes of ojahkshaya.

√ Symptoms:-

• बिभेति दुर्बलोऽभीक्ष्णं ध्यायति व्यथितैन्द्रियः ।

दुश्छायो दुर्मना रूक्षः क्षामशचैवोजसः क्षये' ॥

- Weakness, fear, fatigue of sense organs, dryness of body, imbalanced mind and depression are the symptoms of ojas kshaya.

- Syncope, mamsa dhatukshaya,delirium and death are the symptoms of ojahkshaya.

- In this way though ojas can not be shown in the body, but its existence can be felt by its action on the body.

- Proper function of all srotasas, body growth, stability of mamsa dhatu, proper functioning of five senses, proper circulation indicates normal functioning of ojas.