Ayurveda Dictionary : A

Ayurveda Dictionary : A

Ayurveda Dictionary


A


Aadan kala time of withdrawal of strength
Aahara food; what we eat; necessary for life; dietetics
Aahara chatushtay 4 forms in which food can be taken: chewed, drunk, licked and edible form
Aahar prakaar forms in which to eat food
Aahar rasa food juice; nutrient plasma, chyle, taste. Substance produced after-gross digestion (for suitable digestive process to act upon for-formation of seven tissues and ojas), transformed with the help of agni
Aahar sampad ideal food diet
Aahar shuddhi the purification of food
Aahar vaishamya improper diet
Aakruti structure; observing the body structure & shape
Aalasya laziness
Ama; Aama unripe, undigested residues; uneliminated waste materials; endotoxin, causing vitation of other body constituents. Heaviness is the first symptom of aama in system
Aamashay stomach and part duodenum; the seat of undigested food; digestive organ where partly digested food stays
for a certain time
Aanup see desh – has dominance of pruthvi and jala
Aap/Jala mahabhoota water element – basic external universal substance
Aap-agni the Agni related to the water element that nourishes the sense organ of taste in the tongue Aardratva wetness
Abaran concealment energy of the causal or essential body
Abhigata sahatva increases immunity to ber trauma
Abhishyanda secretions. Increases secretions in the body, creating an unhygienic åsituation, available for disease formation eg. yoghurt
Abhivrudhi constant, unhampered growth
Abhyanga application of oil to the body; Ayurvedic oil massage
Abhyasa habit due to constant practice
Acchadaksa covering (as in skin)
Acharasayana rejuvenation by good conduct
Acharya a teacher or preceptor
Adharariya vega non suppressable natural urges (13 of them)
Adharma opposite of dharma; lawless
Adhi-bauthica caused by disturbances in physical environment
Adhi-daivika caused by acts of God or by nature
Adhipati the overlord
Adhmana pain and bloating in abdomen; constipation, Tymphanitis
Adhyashana repeated/frequent eating (before previous meal is digested)
Adhyatmikapriginating in the body; physical
Adi commencement; first; principal
Agada poisons – vegetable or animal
Agada/Visha tantra treatise on Toxicology, Forensic Medicine and poisoning, one of the eight branches of Ayurveda
Agantuka caused by external violence or accidents
Aghata percussion
Agneya fiery; the hot half of the year
Agni fire; biological combustion; digestive juices, enzymes and hormones; 13 agnis in body: 7 dhatu-; 5 ma-habhuta-; 1 jatharagni. 4 types of digestive power: balanced, errant, weak, severe

Agni bal digestive capacity
Agni dagdha burns and scalds
Agni deepana substances that increase digestive fire
Agni karman cautery
Agni mandya low appetite
Agnimantha/arani Prema integrifolia/Prema obtusifolia – nourishing, fostering strength Clerodendron phlo-midis – light in the stomach, easy in mind
Agnisada impaired digestion
Agni vaishyamya digestive disturbance (irregular)
Agni vardhan increasing the digestive juices
Agnivesa samhita medical text
Ahamkara ego, personality
Ahara diet, food
Ahara avam jatharagni food and digestive fire
Aharya extraction
Ahimsa non-violence
Ahitakara diet which is harmful to a person according to their constitution
Ajapa mantra repetition
Ajirna/Ajeerna indigestion
Ajna Chakra third eye; centre of intuition
Akash space/ether. Essential quality is sound
Akasha-agni the Agni related to the space element, nourishing the sense organ of hearing in the ears
Akshi the eye; netra
Akshivit sneha lacrimal (eye) secretions
Alochaka visual Pitta sub-dosha for subtle digestion required for sense organ; located in eyes; performs visual activities
Alpa sandnyata less or no sensitivity (sensation)
Akasha mahabhoota the space element
Akshe-paka convulsions
Akriti general impression, face
Akunchanam contraction or narrowing
Alaji painful mouth eruption emitting discharge
Alasaka a digestive disorder
Alay house
Alepa/Atepanam medicated pastes for ulcers
Allaepauk ginger jam and additional spices
Alochaka pitta visual pitta sub-dosha, located in eyes. Visual perception
Ama toxin; raw or uncooked; immature; undigested; immature rasa
Amajanya endogenous disease
Amadosa clinical manifestations resulting from undigested food
Amas(h)aya stomach
Amashaya vrana peptic ulcer; lit. stomach wound
Amavata form of disease in which agni misfunctions; rheumatoid arthritis
Amla sour; acid – second of the six tastes; dominant mahabhutas: earth, prithvi, fire, tej
Amlapitta acid gastritis; hyperacidity
Amra mango
Amsa shoulder
Anaha constipation; digestive disorder involving aama, and/or faeces accumulation in the digestive tract Anahata chakra heart chakra
Anala digestion
Anasarca oedema-like swelling
Anashana fasting. Consumption of less food to balance dosha or for various digestive disorders

Anga body; limb; part
Angamarda prashamana substance that relieves bodyache
Anga parushyam dryness of the body or part of it
Angasaada looseness of body parts
Anguli finger
Angula finger width measurement
Anguli peedana kneading with cushion of fingers
Angushtha thumb
Anidra insomnia
Anila air; wind; vayu
Anjali quantity/handful. Measure sufficient to fill both hands when placed side by side.
Anjan; Anjana application of medicine in the eye; the act of applying an ointment or pigment, embellishing; black pigment or collyrium applied to the eyelashes or the rim of the eyelid; it may be in dry, wick or semisolid form
Annakitta food waste
Annalepa application of food substances externally
Annamaya kosha sheath constructed of food cells
Anna-vaha srota food-carrying transport channel
Anil air
Aniyata toda irregular pain sensations
Ans; Kandhar shoulder
Antahkarana intellect and ego together
Antargata phala ovary
Antra intestine
Antra vruddhi umbilical hernia
Anuloma in the direction of the body hairs eg direction for massage
Anumana inference
Anupana a fluid vehicle in medicine; drink taken with or after medicine that transports medicines to tissue levels eg. milk, ghee, honey, increasing or decreasing the wanted/unwanted effects of the medicine; Type of landscape Anurasa Fugitive flavour
Anus Anus
Anuasthi Small bones
Anu taila Medicated oil, useful for brain function, headache
Anuvarti To follow; obey
Anuvasana basti Oil enema of a retention type. Mild, softening unctuous medicated enema with unctuous or oily substances
Apakshepanam downward movement
Apana vayu downward current -vata sub-type – functions below umbilicus in defecation, micturation, parturation, ejaculation, menstruation, childbirth, etc
Apara inferiority; unimportant; the placenta
Aparada fault; mistake
Aparigraha non-greed, non-covetousness, simplicity
Apartarpana reducing or detoxifying therapies – with air, space and fire elements. Purifying and alleviating. Apasmar epilepsy
Apatarpana depeletary treatment measures
Apathya harmful food articles (for particular dosha)
Apratighatatva non-hindrance
Apta the learned or the wise who speak the truth
Aptopadesha authorative statement; the instructions of an apta

Apya watery
Aragwadha; bahava, amalatasa Centratherumanthelminticum; Purple fleabane
Arbuda half of a solid sphere
Arishta medicated fermented plant extract made from a decoction prepared with dried grapes and involves boiling the
added herbs
Arista prognostications of death
Arochak anorexia; lit. no sense of taste
Arogya wellbeing; health
Arsha haemorroids/piles. 2 types: i. Shuskarsha, dry piles ii. Stravi arsha, bleeding piles
Artava menstrual fluid; ovarian secretion
Artavaha srota uterus channels
Artha material abundance; Pursuit of sensory experience, thought and understanding, leading to wealth at all levels. 1 of 4 basic objectives of life
Aruchi loss of taste
Asadhya impossible; incurable
Asamashana to take food at wrong time
Asana Hatha Yoga posture
Asatmya unwholesome or disagreeing; unsuitable for oneself
Asava medicated or fermented wines; juice decoction, made from fresh grapes prepared in cold water with-out boiling the herbs
Asatmyeriyarth samyoga 1 of 3 principles of disease; unwholesome conjunction of sense objects/wrong utilisation of senses. Coming into contact with bacteria
Asaya seat or reservoir
Asetya non-stealing; responsible
Ashaya containers within the body
Ashodhit impure
Ashmari calculi – renal calculi or bladder stone
Ashramas stages of life (4): Brahmacharyashrama, studentlife and bachelorhood Grahastrashrama, house-holder. Vanprasthashrama, retiree, slow
detachment from life Sanyasashrama, complete isolation from worldly life
Ashta eight
Ashtang composed of eight parts.
Ashtanga Ayurveda eight branches of Ayurveda,Kaya Chikitsa-Internal Medicine; Kaumara Bhrutya-Paediat-rics; Bhoota Vidya-Psychiatry; AgadaTantra-Toxicology, Forensic Medicine; Shalya-Surgery; Shalakya-Ear, Nose, Throat and Eye; Rasayana-Rejuvenation, Geriatrics ; Vajeekaran-Sexology & Aphrodisiac Therapy
Ashtanga Hrudaya one of 3 main ancient Ayurvedic texts
Ashtanga Sam(n)graha ‘collection of eight branches or specialities’ of Ayurveda. A treatise compiled in the 7th century A.D. by Vagbhata, who taught and practised at Nalanda University
Ashta-vidha pariksha eightfold examination
Ashtiila enlarged prostate
Ashu quick
Ashwini horse
Ashwini Kumaras twin brothers, physicians of the Gods
Asita the food eaten
Askot walnut
Asmari urinary calculi

Asthapana/niruha basti enema; a kind of medicated, non-oily enema; dry enema
Asthi constituents of bone tissue; fifth sapta-dhatu
Asthi-agni converts the atomic portion of adipose tissue, meda-dhatu, into bone tissue, asthi-dhatu. Asthigata vata osteo arthritis
Asthi-samghata joints
Astishoola pain in bones
Astivaha srota bone tissue carrying channels
Aswasthya illness
Atharva Veda one of the four most ancient religious and philosophical writings of India
Ati excessive association
Atinidra excessive sleep
Atisara frequent loose motions; acute diarrhoea (ati: excess; saara: loss of water element) 2 types i.aama atisaara –
presence of aama ii.pakwatisara – absence of aama
Atisnigdha extremely oily
Ati yoga excessive correlation
Atma; Atman the non-material, non-physical Self which continues after death; individual soul; Purusha; central core
Atreya teacher of Charak (author, Charaka Samhita)
Atur-vritta regime of disease – over a thousand diseases have been discussed, giving definitions, etymology, etiology, clinical pictures, patho-physiology, prognoses and lines of treatment including drugs, dietary recommenda-tions and life-style changes
Audbhid 1 of 3 classified food types eg. cereals, pulses, wheat, grain
Audbhid lavana salt collected from the soil. Heavy and unctuous, with a sweet after-effect. Decreases vata Aum(Om) first sound of creation
Aupasargika sympathetic
Aus(h)adhi medicines: food or anything used to correct a dosha is designated as medicine
Avaghan soaking in a tub of medicated water
Avalambaka kapha trunk Kapha sub-type, lies in chest region; controls secretions that protect viscereal or-gans (internal
organs). Aids in proper heart function. Heart and lung support
Avaleha medicated confection
Avapeedana light kneading
Avapidana instillation of drops in Nasya, one of the Pancha-Karmas
Avastha stage of illness