Swasthya and Swasthavritta in Ayurveda | Definitions, Shlokas, Importance & Drug Classification

🔸 SWASTHA (स्वस्थ)

• 1. Definition from Charaka Samhita (Ch. Pa. Ch. Su. 5/13):
  श्लोक:
  "रोगानाम् अनुपस्थितिः तद्विपर्ययस्य अवस्थाः इति स्वस्थः"

  • Meaning: A person is considered Swastha (healthy) when there is an absence of disease or any abnormality in the body.

• 2. Subjective Definition:
  "स्वस्थ इति स्वास्थ्यं"

  • Meaning: The feeling of healthiness is termed as Swastha.

• 3. Definition from Sushruta Samhita (Su. Su. 15):
  श्लोक:
  "समदोषः समाग्निश्च समधातु मलक्रियः।
  प्रसन्न आत्मेन्द्रिय मनाः स्वस्थ इत्यभिधीयते॥"

  • A person is said to be healthy when:
    • Doshas are balanced
    • Agni (digestive/metabolic fire) is proper
    • Dhatus (tissues) and Malas (excreta) function well
    • Mind, senses, and soul are in a state of happiness and peace

🔸 SWASTHYA (Health Preservation)

• Definition from Charaka Samhita (Su. Chi. 24/3):
  श्लोक:
  "उत्तमायाथ सततं स्वस्थवृत्तान्यनुष्ठता।
  धीमात्र यदुनुयुञ्जीत तत्सर्व समाचरेत्॥"
  • One who wants to preserve and promote health should:
    • Follow daily and seasonal regimens (Dinacharya & Ritucharya) regularly
    • Engage in food and lifestyle activities that promote:
      • Physical health
      • Mental wellness
      • Social well-being
      • Spiritual development

🔸 SWASTHAVRITTA & ITS OBJECTIVES

• Definition by Chakrapani (Commentary on Charaka Samhita, Ch. Pa / Ch. Su. 1/67):
  श्लोक:
  "सुखं च स्वस्थवृत्तेन रोगाणां च विवर्जनम्।
  स्वस्थस्य स्वास्थ्यरक्षणं आतुरस्य विकारप्रशमनं च॥"

  • Swasthavritta refers to:
    • Maintaining health (Swasthasya Swasthya Rakshanam)
    • Preventing disease (Aturasya Vikara Prashamanam)
    • It includes lifestyle practices and conduct for a disease-free, healthy life

• Supporting Explanation (from slide):

  • When:
    • Doshas, Dhatus, and Malas are in their normal place, form, and function
  • And the person follows:
    • Achara – Right conduct
    • Charita – Proper behavior
    • Bhava – Good intentions/state of mind
  • Then the person is considered Swastha, and the process is Swasthavritta

📌 Importance of Health in Ayurveda

1. Shloka – Ch. Su. 1/15
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणामारोग्यं मूलमुत्तमम्।
रोगास्तस्यापहर्तारः श्रेयो हि ज्ञानतत्स्य च॥

• Main aim of Ayurveda is to attain:
  • Dharma (pious acts)
  • Artha (wealth)
  • Kama (desire)
  • Moksha (salvation)
• These are based on health
• Disease takes away health and happiness from life

📌 2. Importance of Maintaining Health – Charaka

प्रयोजनं चास्य स्वस्थस्य स्वास्थ्यरक्षणमातुरस्य विकारप्रशमनं च।।

• Emphasis on:
  • Maintenance of health in the healthy
  • Treatment of disease in the ill

📌 3. Classification of Drugs Based on Dosha Action

किंचिदोषप्रशमनं किंचिदोषानुपोषणम्
स्वस्थस्य मलमन्तं किंचिद्धात्रुविवर्धनम्॥

• Drugs are categorized as:
  • Those which pacify doshas (doṣa-prashamana)
  • Those which nourish or support doshas (doṣa-anupoṣaṇa)
  • Some act to maintain equilibrium of mala (waste)
  • Some support dhatu (tissues) in the body

📌 4. Importance of Swasthavritta (Slide Title)

Shloka – Sa. Sa. 1/5/51

• Sarangadhara explains:
  • No living being is immortal
  • Death is inevitable
  • But disease is preventable, so one must try to prevent disease

📌 5. Health as Priority

नारोग्यं परमं सुखं।
रोगा एव महाबलम्।

• Health is the supreme happiness
• Disease is powerfully destructive

6. Responsibility of Health Maintenance:

नगरस्य यथा रक्षां कृत्वा यो नगराध्यक्षः स्यात्।
रथस्य चापि यो ह्येवं स्यात् सारथ्यं समाचरेत्॥

• Just as:
  • The mayor protects a city
  • The charioteer directs a chariot
• Similarly, one should protect and guide their own body through right actions

7. Importance as per Charaka:

शरीरस्य च पौरुषं संश्रित्य कर्तव्यमात्मनः।
तस्मादात्मा नमातव्यो यत्र नास्ति शरीरकम्॥

• Charaka emphasizes:
  • One must take responsibility for health
  • All goals are dependent on a healthy body
  • If there is no body, nothing can be achieved

📌 Continuation on Swasthya & Swasthavritta

3. Importance of Health Maintenance – Charaka (Su. Ch. 30)
श्लोक:
प्रयोजनं चास्य स्वस्थस्य स्वास्थ्यरक्षणमातुरस्य विकारप्रशमनं च।

• Purpose of Ayurveda:
  • To maintain health in the healthy
  • To cure disease in the ill

4. Drug Classification Based on Dosha Action
श्लोक:
किञ्चिद्दोषप्रशमनं किञ्चिद्दोषानुपोषणम्।
स्वस्थ्यवृत्ते च तत्किञ्चिन्निवृत्ते चोपयुक्तयः॥

• Two categories of drugs:
  • Dosha pacifying drugs – maintain balance
  • Dosha nourishing drugs – used in certain therapies
  • Useful in both preservation of health and treatment of disease

📌 Importance of Swasthavritta

Shloka from Sharangadhara Samhita (Sa. Sa. 1/5/51)
श्लोक:
नास्ति नास्ति शरीरस्य नास्ति शरीरता यथा।
स्वस्थस्य नास्ति लोकेऽस्मिन्स्वस्थवृत्तेः समो मतः॥

• No creature in the universe is immortal,
• But disease can be prevented
• Thus, preventive measures (Swasthavritta) are emphasized

Further Explanation with Analogy:
नगरस्य यथा रक्षां कृत्वा यो नगराध्यक्षः स्यात्।
रथस्य चापि यो ह्येवं स्यात् सारथ्यं समाचरेत्॥

• Just as:
  • An officer protects a city, and
  • A charioteer guides a chariot,
• One should protect and guide the body with discipline and health practices

Charaka’s Statement on Health Responsibility:
शरीरस्य च पौरुषं संश्रित्य कर्तव्यमात्मनः।
तस्मादात्मा न ह्यात्मव्यो यत्र नास्ति शरीरकम्॥

• Charaka says:
  • One should take complete care of the body
  • Without the body, nothing exists, not even self-realization

📌 Aarogyalakshanas (Signs of Good Health) – Kasyapa (Ka. Sa. Khi 5/6)

• Described in Khilasthana of Kashyapa Samhita
• Signs of Health Include:
  • Desire for food intake
  • Proper and easy digestion
  • Evacuation of stool, urine, and flatus
  • Lightness in body
  • Pleasantness in sense organs
  • Timely sleep and awakening
  • Gain of strength, longevity, and mental clarity
  • Feeling of happiness and wellness