Abstract

CONCEPT OF ASHRU VS. ASHRUVEGA (TEAR REFLEX) IN AYURVEDA

*Dr. Mamta Mittal, Dr. Uma Pandey, Dr. Ajay Kr. Singh and Dr. Rakesh Gupta

ABSTRACT

All of us display different emotions using different expressions. The body too has some expressions. These body expressions come in the form of natural body reflexes or urges. Ayurveda calls them Vegas. Ayurveda explains different vegas (natural urges) exerted by human body. For the well being of human body some urges are suppressible (dharniya vegas) and some non-suppressible (aadharniya vegas). Dharniya vegas in the form of krodh (anger), shoka (sorrow), lobh(greediness) and adharniya in form of mutra (urination), purish (defecation), nidra (sleep) etc. are explained in different texts. The physiological functions of the body are related to some natural urges thus making the suppression of these urges lead to a pathological state. Acharayas have explained 13 such adharniya vegas. Ashru vega (Tear reflex) is one of them. In Ayurvedic literature, none of the Acharyas has given any clear description regarding the formation of Ashru. The paucity of data propels to clear the concept of Ashru and its vega based on fundamental Ayurvedic principles.

Keywords: Adharniya vega, Netra, Ashru.