Basti Chikitsa

Dr Ashutosh Chaturvedi has completed his graduation and MD (Ayurveda) from SDM College of Ayurveda & Hospital, Hassan affiliated to Rajiv Gandhi University of health sciences, Bengaluru, specialized in Panchakarma (Ayurveda Bio-purification) and received Post experience certificate in Diabetes Care from Glasgow, UK. He has standardised various experimental models for proving evidence for the use of the Panchakarma over Metabolic disorders Diabetes. He is currently working as research fellow working over Gut micro biome and Panchakarma in the Department of Kayachikitsa at Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi - Uttar Pradesh India. He has published more than 37 articles in reputed journals among which 6 papers are published Pubmed indexed journal and 5 are scopus indexed journal, also he wrote book on "Ayurvedic Bio purification a remedy for Syndrome X" published from Germany and received many best scientific paper in various international Conferences.

Basti Karma is considered as Ardha or Puma Chikitsa in Ayurveda. Hence it is the prime modality of the treatment of Ayurveda. In Nut shell a complete treatment package of Ayurveda. Basti Chikitsa is being written in a point of view to bring most practical concepts at the single platform. Hence this work will help Practioners, researchers and students to understand Basti Karma and bring into clinical practice. Various combination are explained with practical dosage of the basti in current days is being explained.

The Panchakarma therapy detoxicates the body tissues, cells, and cleanness the system so the drugs consumption for diseases is minimal with maximum benefit. It is beneficial in health, in daily regimen and improves the quality.

Basti introduced into the Pakwashaya acts upon the whole body and on every system of the body, from head up to feet and draws out the impurities by its potency same like Sun draws out or evaporates the water from the earth by its heat. As the cloth absorbs the dye from water mixed with Kusumba plant, in the same way Basti eliminates the malas from the body which have undergone liquefaction due to snehana and swedana.

All the acharyas have highlighted the importance of Basti chikitsa, some have even gone to the extent of ascribing it as `poornachikitsa' or complete treatment.

Acharya Charaka says, the root cause for disease is vata dosha which causes diseases in Shakas, Kostas, Marma pradesha, Urdhwanga(head and neck), for that matter Sarva avayava or all parts of the body are afflicted by vata.

Vata is responsible for dislodgement or combination of Vit, Mutra, Pitta and Kapha. Hence to say any malfunction in the body is caused by Vata dosha and Basti is the prime line of treatment for vata dosha. None of the treatment modalities are as effective as Basti chikitsa for mitigation of vata dosha. Hence it is considered as ardha chikitsa and some even say it is Poorna chikitsa or whole of treatment.

Also Sushruta says, the varied or multifaceted action of Basti can be ascribed to the permutation and combination of the drugs used for preparing Basti dravya.

Hence the functions like Shodana, Shamana, Sangrahana are brought about by Basti karma. It causes increased libido in Ksheena Shukra, increases the weight of the Krusha person, de-creases the weight of Shtula person, causes optimal functions of eyes, delays graying and hair fall, delays degenerative changes, imparts optimal functioning of organs, increases strength, increases life span.

Basti chikitsa alone can be remedy to many problems. Hence I Have brought this work in front of you. Hope Ayurveda fraternity would be benefited from this work.

**Contents and Sample Pages**