Nov 25, 2024
Nov 25, 2024
One of the concept of pathya and apathya (Dos and Dont's) - “Viruddha Aahar” has been explained with examples in Charak-Samhita. Viruddha Aahar means the Aahar which causes the vitiation of dosha from its sthaan but doesn’t remove it from the body but makes them accumulate in the dhatus and causing diseases. Viruddha Aahar is of 18 types and is the emerging cause of many diseases such as infertility, blindness, anaemia, skin diseases etc.It is often the neglected part in finding it as a cause of the above diseases. In fact, all the apathyas related to the quality and quantity of aahar can be gathered together and explained under the term “Viruddha Aahar” as follows in 18 different ways:
| S.No. |
Type of Viruddha Aahar |
Example in Charak Samhita |
Examples found in day-to-day life |
| 1. | Desh-Viruddha | Consumption of ruksha and tikshna dravya in jaangal bhoomi and, snigdha, sheeta dravya in anoop bhoomi | Consumption of ice-cream and cold-drinks in Mumbai |
| 2. | Kala-viruddha | Consumption of sheeta and ruksha food in cold season/weather and, katu and tikshna food in summer |
1.Consumption of ice-cream and cold-drinks in winter 2.Consumption of hot tea/coffe during summer 3.Consumption of curd at night |
| 3. | Agni-viruddha | Consumption of foodstuffs not beneficial according to the four of types agni (person-wise). | Taking large quantity of food by a person having mandagni, at night either after skipping breakfast and lunch or having less breakfast or lunch |
| 4. | Matra-viruddha | Consumption of honey and ghee together in the same quantity | |
| 5. | Saatmya-viruddha | Consumption of such food which is naturally not suitable to one. |
1.Consumption of egg-containing cake by some pure vegetarian persons. 2.Consumption of katu ras and ushna gunatmak food by a person who has madhur ras satmya/suitable to him. |
| 6. | Dosha-viruddha | The food which is having same properties as that of the dosha-pradhanya present in the body or the doshaj prakriti. |
1.Consumption of ruksha aahar by a patient having vaat-doshaj prakriti. 2.Consumption of icecream by a person having kaphaj dosha-pradhaan prakriti. |
| 7. | Sanskaar-viruddha | The flesh of a peacock which is roasted on the wood of castor oil tree | Frying fish in mustard or sarshap oil as in done in Punjab state. |
| 8. | Virya-viruddha | Sheetal dravya mixed wih ushna virya dravya |
1.Taking fish and dahi-bhaat/milk together, a practice commonly followed in chidren. 2.Brownie in which ice-cream is mixed with hot chocolate cream and then consumed. |
| 9. | Koshtha-viruddha | Consumption of mrudu-virechak dravya by a person of krura-koshtha and tikshna-virechak dravya by a person of mrudu-koshtha. | Consumption of black raisins by a person of krura-koshtha and consumption of jaipaal seed by a person of krura-koshtha. |
| 10. | Avastha-viruddha | Consumption of vaat-prakopak aahar by persons who are doing laborious work daily and consumption of kapha-prakopak aahar by persons who feel sleepy and don’t do physical work. |
1.Consumption of sprouted pulses (except moong) by porters, hawkers, servants, construction site workers, sweepers etc. 2.Consumption of bolied rice, curd by people who are living sedentary life like shopkeepers or I.T. people or Bank clerks/Officers |
| 11. | Krama-viruddha |
1.Consumption of food without giving way to the urges of defecation and urination 2.Consumption of food even when not feeling hungry 3.Not consuming food when feeling hungry |
1.Taking madhura rasa food or dravya at the end of meals. 2.Madya-sevan or consumption of alcoholic drinks before meals. |
| 12. | Parihaar-viruddha | Consumption of ushna dravya after consuming of meat of pig | Consumption of cold water immediately after having hot tea/coffee |
| 13. | Upchaar-viruddha | Consumption of cold water after taking ghrut-paan. | |
| 14. | Paak-viruddha | Consumption of half-cooked or extra-cooked or burnt food | |
| 15. | Hridaya-viruddha | Consumption of foods not liked by the person | |
| 16. | Sanyoga-viruddha | Mixing amla-ras dravya with milk |
1.Fruits’ milk shakes especially sour fruits’ milk shakes. 2.Consuming salt with milk e.g. A.Toasts, biscuits, popular energy drinks like horlicks, bournvita all of which contain salt,with milk or tea(to which milk is added) and B.Milk tea chapati wherein the chapatti contains salt. C.Consuming bread-butter with milk 3.Popular Maharashtrian dish known as ‘shikran’ which is a mixture of pieces of bananas and milk. |
| 17. | Sampada-viruddha | The dravyas which do not have ras fully developed or have vikrut ras development in them | Over-ripen fruits like banana, papayee and mangoes. |
| 18. | Vidhi-viruddha | Consumption of food which is not done according to the Aahar-vidhi vishesh-aayatan and also which is not consumed alone. | Talking with others, watching T.V. while consuming meal. |
05-Mar-2014
More by : Dr. Jasmine Shaikh
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Very interesting, Jasmine. Looks like those Viruddha aahar categories eliminate almost all western and normal-restaurant eating habits that we have all assiduously developed till now. |
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Great. The 18th one is the most interesting. We are already an incurable unhealthy lot! No one can save us. |