A CRITICAL REVIEW ON AVASTHAPAKA: AYURVEDIC PHASES OF DIGESTION

Dr. Payal Sharma*, Dr. Alok Kumar Asthana and Dr. Monika Asthana

ABSTRACT

Digestion is defined as the process by which food is broken down into simple chemical substances that can be absorbed and used as nutrients by the body. Ayurveda has bought about the relation between dosha and digestion. Prana is responsible for ingestion. Samana stimulates the fire for digestion. Digestion process is compared with cooking of rice. (rice and water together kept on fire for specific time). Prana vayu is responsible for ingestion of food. Koshtha is central G.I tract which includes stomach and colon. This is abhyantara rogamarg. Then there comes concept of different stages of digestion. There are total three stages of digestion. First stage is madhura avasthapaka, second is amla avasthapaka and then third is katu avasthapaka. In this review article we will focus on these three stages individually and shall see their physiological aspect.

Keywords: Madhur, Amla, Katu, Avasthapaka, Aharpaka.