Distinction Between Charakokta and Vagbhatokta Langhana: AIAPGET Specials 10

Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S

Langhana is a vital therapy inclusion in conventional Ayurveda Apply. Langhana isn’t just a small remedy however is a broad umbrella beneath which a lot of an important and distinguished Ayurveda therapies and therapy modalities are included, together with the favored Panchakarma Therapies.

Langhana is any therapy – together with therapies, medicines, non-medicines, dietetic inclusions and actions which result in laghutva i.e. lightness within the physique. These remedies bestow lightness by both expelling the excessively amassed and troublesome morbid doshas and malas out of the physique (shodhana) or by palliating the identical when they’re aggravated to reasonable or delicate proportions (shamana).

Distinction in Langhana described by Acharya Charaka and Acharya Vagbhata

Each Acharya Charaka and Acharya Vagbhata have described Langhana. Although many elements of the classification and indications therein are frequent amongst each treatises, the presentation of the identical in each texts has some variations. Within the following paragraphs we will talk about the variations in description of Langhana in each these revered treatises.

To begin with, we will take a look on the classification of Langhana by each Acharyas –

10 forms of Langhana described by Acharya Charaka

Acharya Charaka has described ten forms of Langhana. They embody –

1-4. Chatushprakara Samshuddhi – 4 forms of shodhana – vamana – emesis, virechana – therapeutic purgation, niruha – decoction enema and nasya – nasal medicine (cleaning sort)

5. Pipasa – withholding thirst
6. Maruta – publicity to wind
7. Atapa – publicity to the warmth of solar
8. Pachana – ama digesting medicines
9. Upavasa – fasting
10. Vyayama – train

12 forms of Langhana described by Acharya Vagbhata

Firstly, Acharya Vagbhata provides a broad classification of therapies. He says that the Upakramas i.e. remedies are broadly of two varieties –

1.   Santarpana – nourishing therapies
2.   Apatarpana – depleting or non-nourishing therapies

He additional says that Apatarpana can be known as Langhana.

This Langhana is additional labeled into two varieties. They’re –

–        5 forms of Shodhana – cleaning therapies and

–        7 forms of Shamana – palliative remedies

Summing up, Langhana is of 12 varieties, in opposition to 10 forms of Langhana described by Acharya Charaka.

The 12 forms of Langhana are thus distributed amongst Shodhana and Shamana –

5 forms of Shodhana –

1. Vamana – emesis
2. Virechana – purgation
3. Niruha Vasti – decoction enema
4. Shirovirechana – head cleaning / purgative errhines or nasal medicine
5. Raktamokshana – bloodletting

7 forms of Shamana –

6. Pachana – ama digesting medicines
7. Dipana – medicines which improve agni or digestive fireplace (digestive capability)
8. Kshut – withholding starvation (similar as Upavasa described by Charaka)
9. Trt – withholding thirst (similar as pipasa described by Charaka)
10. Vyayama – train
11. Atapa – publicity to the warmth of solar
12. Maruta – publicity to wind

Notable variations between Charakokta and Vagbhatokta Langhana Varieties

1. Variety of Langhana

Charaka – 10 varieties

Vagbhata – 12 varieties

2. Technique of classification

Charaka – has given direct classification and named the ten therapies therein.

Vagbhata – goes in broad classification. He opines that Upakrama is of two varieties – Santarpana and Apatarpana. He later says that Apatarpana known as Langhana. After this, he classifies Langhana as Shodhana and Shamana. Then, he subclassifies Shodhana into 5 varieties and Shamana into seven varieties. Such sub-classifications usually are not discovered within the description of Charaka.

3. Inclusions and exclusions

Charaka – has described 4 forms of Shodhana (Chatushprakara Samshuddhi) and has excluded Raktamokshana in his description. After this, he instantly enumerates six extra modalities / therapies which ought to be included beneath langhana. They’re – Pipasa, Maruta, Atapa, Pachana, Upavasa and Vyayama. Like Vagbhata, he has not named them as Shamana. Charaka has not talked about Deepana which has been described by Vagbhata.

Vagbhata – has described 5 forms of Shodhana. Raktamokshana is the additional remedy which he describes compared to Charaka. Vagbhata has included the opposite 7 therapies – Pachana, Deepana, Kshut, Trt, Vyayama, Atapa and Maruta beneath Shamana. Charaka has not used the phrase Shamana whereas describing these therapies and has included them within the ten varieties instantly.

In brief – Vagbhata has included Raktamokshana (beneath Shodhana sort of Langhana) and Deepana (beneath Shamana) as types of Langhana, which aren’t included by Charaka beneath Langhana.

Notice – Whereas these are gross variations within the classification of Langhana between Charaka and Vagbhata, we are able to additionally discover variations in indications for every sort of Langhana.

4. Variations in Naming the forms of Langhana

Although many forms of Langhana are named alike in Charaka Samhita and Ashtanga Hridaya, the names of some forms of Langhana are completely different, although they convey the identical that means and are synonymous. The variations are given within the tab under –

Associated Studying – from Straightforward Ayurveda

Charaka Samhita Sutra Sthana – Chapter 22 – Langhana Brimhaniyam Adhyayam

Ashtanga Hridaya Sutra Sthanam – Chapter 14 – Dvividhopakramaniyam Adhyayam 

Associated AIAPGET Questions

1. During which chapter of Ashtanga Hridaya Sutra Sthana has Acharya Vagbhata described forms of Langhana?
2. Chapter 12
3.   Chapter 14
4. Chapter 16
5.   Chapter 18

Ans – Chapter 14 – Dvividhopakramaniya Adhyaya.

2. During which chapter of Charaka Samhita Sutra Sthana has Acharya Vagbhata described forms of Langhana?
3. Chapter 1
4.   Chapter 11
5. Chapter 22
6.   Chapter 26

Ans – Chapter 22 – Langhana Brimhaniya Adhyaya

3. During which Chatushka of Charaka Samhita has the outline of ten forms of Langhana been made?
4. Kalpana Chatushka
5.   Yojana Chatushka
6. Bheshaja Chatushka
7.   Nirdesha Chatushka

Ans – b. Yojana Chatushka (sixth Chatushka)

4. Which Acharya has described the classification of Langhana as Shodhana and Shamana?
5. Charaka
6.   Sushruta
7. Sharngdhara
8.   Vagbhata

Ans – d. Vagbhata – A.Hr.Su.14

5. Which upakrama talked about beneath Shamana Rupa Langhana by Acharya Vagbhata has not been described by Acharya Charaka?
6. Deepana
7.   Pachana
8. Kshut
9.   Vyayama

Ans – a. Deepana.

6. Which kind of Shodhana Rupa Langhana has Acharya Vagbhata described and Acharya Charaka has not described?
7. Nasya
8.   Raktamokshana
9. Niruha
10.   Vamana

Ans – b. Raktamokshana.

7. Acharya Charaka has described 10 forms of Langhana whereas Acharya Vagbhata has described __________ forms of Langhana
8. 8
9.   12
10. 9
11.   10

Ans – b. 12.

8. That are the 2 further forms of Langhana that Acharya Vagbhata described compared to Acharya Charaka?
9. Nasya and Pachana
10.   Deepana and Pachana
11. Deepana and Trt
12.   Deepana and Raktamokshana

Ans – d. Deepana and Raktamokshana