Panchakarma
Shatayu Hospital and Ayurvedic Research Centre provides best Panchakarma in Jejuri, Pune. The panchakarma process itself is very challenging physically and psychologically. There are moments where you feel very low, nervous or weak and going through minor or severe pain during Panchakarma but after the 3 weeks, you really start to feel the benefits. You just need to believe, trust and follow what the doctor says. “Pancha” means five and “karma” means treatment
In Ayurveda, it is considered to balance the doshas in our body known as “Vata,” “pitta,” and “Kapha.” According to Ayurveda when the Pancha Mahabhuttas or five elements (space, air, fire, water, and earth) are balanced, the body is healthy. When there is an imbalance, there is a disease. The combination of these three Doshas influences our mental, emotional and physical tendencies.
The human body with its natural healing intelligence is capable of constantly renewing and rejuvenating itself. However, when imbalance and weakened digestive capacity allow toxic impurities to form, this natural ability of the body is blocked. Panchakarma, eliminates accumulated toxins from the body, improves metabolic rate and digestive fire, and brings balance to the doshas. Ayurvedic Panchakarma treatments, i.e. purva karma, pradhana karma, and pashat karma.
- Purva karma – Snehan, Swedan
- Pradhana karma – Vaman, virechan, basti, nasya and raktamoksha
- Pashat karma – Ahar, Vihar, proper rest and rasayan chikitsa
Panchakarma is often thought of as the entire procedure, it really is one part of a group of therapies belonging to a class of cleansing procedures called ‘shodhana’. Ayurvedic therapy is known to be particularly effective for the prevention and cure of chronic diseases.
Purva Karma
The following process is followed before carrying out the Panchakarma procedure
Snehan
Snehan means Oleation or to make smooth Snehan is of two types – internal and external. Internal administration of Snehan is again classified into
(1)Achhasnehapan – intake of ghee, oil, muscle fat, bone marrow in high doses
(2) Vicharna – intake of Snehan dravya in small doses as preparatory measure (purva karma) of shodhana therapy
External Snehan is known as ABHYANGA.
Snehan refers to the administration of medicated fats or the massage of oil over the skin for a specific period.
अभ्यङ्गं आचरेत् नित्यं, स जरा श्रमवातहा ।
दृष्टिप्रसाद पुष्टि आयु:स्वप्नसुत्वक्त्वदार्ढ्यकृत् ॥
– A. H. Su. 2 / 7
Abhyanga / OIL massage should be done daily, it delays ageing, relieves exertion and excess of vata (aches and pains), it improves vision, nourishes body tissues, prolongs age, induces good sleep and improves skin tone and complexion.
Swedan
Procedure used to induce sweating with or without use of heat.
Swedan is a steam treatment explained in Ayurvedic medical science. The word Sweda is derived from Sanskrit swed means ‘to sweat or to perspire’. It is the pre-operative procedure in various Ayurvedic detox therapies where the objective is to dilate the channels of the body to detach the toxins from the tissues. This procedure is very important to liquefy the vitiated Doshas inside the body (which are already made soft by the Snehan procedure), later be brought to Koshtha (कोष्ठ), which will be eliminated by inducing either Vaman / Virechan.
स्नेहपूर्वं प्रयुक्तेन स्वेदेनावजितेऽनिले|
पुरीषमूत्ररेतांसि न सज्जन्ति कथञ्चन||
शुष्काण्यपि हि काष्ठानि स्नेहस्वेदोपपादनैः|
नमयन्ति यथान्यायं किं पुनर्जीवतो नरान्||
– S. Su. 14 / 4 – 5
A well administered sudation cures various disorders of vata and kapha origin, provided they have been identified among a set of diseases that are curable by inducing sweat. Administering sudation, especially after Oleation, controls vata and prevents clogging of feces, urine as well as semen.