Abstract

PRABHAV – A CONCEPTUAL VIEW

*Dr. Pooja Prasanna Purohit and Dr. Suraj Kumar Ramsukh Pathak

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Abstract

Some drugs act on the basis of their tastes, some on the basis of their attributes, some on the basis of their potency and some on the basis of their Vipaka. Actions of some drugs do not belong to any of these categories. They have specific actions to cure diseases which cannot be explained on the basis of Rasa, Guna, Virya and Vipaka. This specific action is called Prabhava. Two drugs may be similar in taste, attribute, potency and Vipaka, but their action might vary from each other. This is because of the Prabhava or specific action of the drug. According to Ayurvedic pharmacology the drug action is attributed to certain principles namely Rasa, Guna, Virya, Vipaka and Prabhava. It was observed that both the drugs as well as the living body have Panchabhutika composition in common and if the drugs are used sensibly, they can alter the body components accordingly. However if the Ayurvedic concepts are not properly understood and interpreted in globally accepted language; the tremendous efforts in research would go meaningless and futile. It is therefore strongly needed to utilize the tools derived from the advancement in technology in the new millennium for re-establishing concepts of Ayurveda in current perspectives. Although many Ayurvedic concepts described in the Samhitas seem very easy, but they are actually very difficult to understand, as the Samhitas presented everything in a concise form. There are certain concepts which need to be explored and evaluated through their practical applicability. One of such concepts is the concept of Prabhava. In a nutshell there is an urgent need to develop a process and scientific method to understand these principles. This review is an attempt to highlight the concept of Prabhava and its significance in present era.

Keywords: Prabhav, Achintya Karma, Ayurveda.