Abstract

CONCEPT OF AGNI IN AYURVED

Dr. Asmita B. Bhalerao*

Abstract

Agni is the most important aspect of Ayurved as all the states diseased or health revolves around the status of agni. Ayurved has described an important factor of digestion and metabolism in our body as Agni. Ingested food is to be digested, absorbed and assimilated. According to the functions and sites of action, Agni has been divided into 13 types, i.e. 1 Jatharagni, 5 Bhutagni and 7 Dhatvagni. Aacharya Charaka has described after stoppage of working of Agni individual dies. If the Agni of a person is vitiated, the whole metabolism in his body would be disturbed, resulting in ill health and disease. Agni digests the Ahara (food) on which the strength of body (Bala), Varna, Oja,etc depends. Hypo functioning of Agni leads to indigestion and formation of Ama which in the turn is the root cause of various ailments meanwhile hyper functioning leads to several other digestive as well as generalised metabolic anomalies. This article revolves around the details of Agni described in various texts of Ayurveda.

Keywords: Agni, Bhutagni, Dhatvagni, Jatharagni, Digestion, Absorption.