Abstract

CONCEPT OF VISHA IN AYURVEDA

Dr Bijay Kumar Gupta*

Abstract

Right from the beginning poison is a subject that has fascinated human beings. Poison has been a challenge and threat to well being, even existence of life. Poison which may be natural or artificial, animate or inanimate have different actions on the body ranging from simple uneasiness to death. Persons who have no direct contact with poisons, sometimes doubt that poison has some how entered in to the body and this feeling itself is capable of producing symptoms at time similar with poisoning because of its dreadful nature. Ayurveda also gives due importance to poisons and poisoning, their source, effects, prognosis, management and complications. Poisons of defective potency such as artificial poison (Garavisha), Latent poison (Dooshivisha) and effects of polluted air; atmosphere, water etc are being dealt with in detail in one among the eight branches of Ayurveda i.e. toxicology (Agadatantra). Ayurvedic Vishatantra deals with some unique concepts like vega,vegantara,visha adhusthana etc.Knowledge about these concepts will be helpful in research and enrichment of science. This article is an attempt to disseminate the concept of poison (Visha) in ayurveda to other fraternity of science.

Keywords: Visha, Poison.