Concept of Agni in Ayurveda


Being one of the panchamahabhoota, agni (fire) has the characteristic that it cannot exist without a base. In the body it exists in pitta dosha.

Agni is responsible for the following functions:

Digestion - indigestion (Pakti- Apakti)

Vision- absence of vision (Darshanam- Adarshanam)

Degree of heat (Matra- Amatratvamushmanala)

Normal -abnormal complexion (Prakrit - Vikarit varnam)

Prowess- fear (Shaurya- Bhaya)

Anger - exholoration (krodham- Harsham)

Confusion- clarity of mind (Moha- Prasadan)

For the metabolic processes in the body, there are three main groups of biological factors, probably exhibiting enzymatic functions (agnis).

Jatharagni or Koshthagni:

Present in the pachak pitta. It is responsible for the digestion and the absorption of nutritious substances during this process.

The process of digestion (ahar pachan) is divided in three stages, which collectively is called awastha paka and can be divided in the following.

Amavstha (Madhuravastha) Paka - in stomach

Pachymanavastha (Amlavstha) Paka - in 'grahani' (Duodenum)

Pakavstha (Katuavstha) Paka - in small and large intestine

As the rasa changes in different phase of digestion these phase of digestion are called avsthapaka. At the end of the digestion the digested food have their original rasa which is in accordance with the rasa of the ingested food. This is called as Nistha paka .It is also called popularly as Vipaka.

Madhur rasa & Lavan rasa have Madhura Vipaka, Amla rasa have amla vipaka and Katu, Tikta & Kashaya rasa have Katu vipaka.

Panchabhutagnis :

In ayurveda it is believed that everything is made up of five elements and so is the body. These five elements are the panchmahabhoota and are responsible for constituting every living being in the world. Agni transforms the Asharir Mahabhoota (external mahabhoot) to Sharir Mahabhoota. Example - When we drink water Jala Mahabhoota (water) dominates and later the water is transformed by Jala Mahabhoota agni to the Sharir Jala Containing five types of biological factors, it is responsible for the processing of the five basic elements into a composition useful to the body.

Dhatvagnis : The third group contains seven types, each for the assimilation of the seven tissues This assimilation takes place successively. From the absorbed nutritious substance, plasma (rasa) is produced first; from plasma, blood (rakta) is formed, then muscular tissue (mamsa), adipose tissue (meda), bony tissue (asthi), bone marrow (majjan) and the reproductive cells (shukra).

Besides performing all the metabolic functions agni takes care of digestion (ahar pachan) and in the absence of ahar it acts on the ama pachan i.e. properly metabolize the improper metabolites. When ahar and ama are absence Agni does the function of dhatu i.e. rasa, rakta etc. Digestion of dhatu is a fatal condition in which dhatus are broken down to get energy. The reduction or deficiency of the quantum of dhatu in the human body leads to the disease called 'Kshaya roga'.

In ayurveda it is believed that all the pathology occurs due to the impairment in Agni (Kaya). Hence the correction of Kaya i.e. Agni is called the treatment or 'Kaya Chikitsa' in ayurveda

Agnis are also classified into four categories according to how they manifest in the human being:

Tikshnagni -sharp,

Mandagni - mild,

Vishamagni - irregular, and

Samagni - regular or Balanced.

About The Author

Dr.Shashikant Patwardhan is practicing as 'Ayurvedic Consultant' for last 25 years at the city -Sangli , Maharashtra -India. He has done his graduation in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery [B.A.M&S] and post graduate Fellowship of Faculty of Ayurvedic Medicine [F.F.A.M.] From Tilak Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Pune University , India, during the years 1970-1976. He is a chief editor and Ayurvedic Consultant of a 'Comprehensive website on Ayurveda'. He is an author of many books on Ayurveda and is first to publish them in ebook format.Up till now he has written four ebooks - 1. Ayurvedic Cure of Diabetes 2. Home Remedies in Ayurveda 3. Treat Common Diseases with Ayurveda & Yoga and 4. Ayurvedic Principles Revealed He regularly writes articles on various topics in Ayurveda in Ayurvedic health magazines and alternative medicine sites.


More Resources

How Essential Oils Differ From Dried Herbs
Essential Oils are the heartbeat of the plant kingdom,and are perhaps the most exciting life-giving substance we have in the world today. They represent in plants what blood represents in humankind - life! This heartbeat is the energy that was created to deliver the nutrients into every cell of the body.
The Sense of Smell
Disturbed vibrations occur in the body as a precursor of illness. Vibrational healing restores the body's healthy vibrations.
The Causes Of Stuttering In Childhood
Stuttering is a problem that affects approximately one in every hundred people. It is mainly men who stutter, seven out of ten people who stutter are male.
Sick Building Syndrome and Indoor Climate Control
The problem of high levels of CO2 in ambient air appears to be a modern one. Yet, this is not one of the new fads that crop up from time to time and then disappear again, never to be mentioned again.
Fitness-related Benefits of Massage
Ask someone their reason for getting a massage and you're likely to hear "because it feels good". We all know that a massage can relieve stress, help to make sore muscles feel better and even reduce anxiety, but can it help us achieve our fitness goals? Research shows that the massage you get to relieve stress can also have a positive effect on your muscle-building capabilities and fitness level.
How to Use Natural Remedies for Ulcers Caused by Helicobacter Pylori
One of the bacteria that live in your mouth and cause gingivitis is the helicobacter pylori or H. pylori.
Why Most People Dont Really Want To Heal (Part 1)
I recently attended a metaphysical lecture facilitated by Guy Williams, a friend of mine who also happens to be a minister of Religious Science. After the lecture, Guy opened the floor for prayer requests, and one of the attendees asked for healing for a family member who was experiencing a significant health crisis.
Laughter, Why Its so Good for You
For hundreds of years, we've known that 'Laughter is the best medicine'.Laughter makes you feel good for a reason.
Oregano Supplements : An Effective Natural Treatment for Fungus and Other Ailments
What's the big deal with oregano? Many of you have eaten foods containing oregano, or even sprinkled it on your pizza, without knowing its healing powers. In a comparative research, oregano topped the list of healthy herbs according to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Substance P - A Pain Amplifier You May Be Able To Restrict Using Your Subconscious
Substance P is a key neurotransmitter required to produce moderate to intense pain. Here's a natural method you may be able to use to help neutralize this pain-transmitting chemical.
The Truth About Dandelions!
Dandelions are not weeds! They are wild vegetables. In Greek mythology, Hecate fed Theseus dandelions for 30 days so he would become powerful enough to defeat the Minotaur.
Aromatherapy for Common Ailments
Aromatherapy works in several ways to combat commonailments. Essential oils contain molecules that onceapplied or dispersed through the air trigger nasalreceptors to send healing messages to the brain.
Colloidal Silver - Time For a Comeback?
I'm sure you know what it's like to be sick. Stuffy head, running nose, sore throat, coughing, fever, and maybe even vomiting.
Health in the Self
What is health?Is health the absence of disease? Is health a birth right or simply luck? According to Ayuveda, India's ancient art of healing, the meaning of health is a single word: Swastha. Swa = self + Stha = established.
Storing, Handling And Using Essential Oils
Pure Essential Oils are a natural product and contain no preservatives or additives. A few of them can also be quite dangerous if not handled correctly.
Alternative Medicine, Complementary, Integrative, Wellness, Holistic - What Do They All Mean?
Alternative medicine has grown in so many ways in North America. More people are visiting alternative medical practitioners than Western medical doctors.
Aromatherapy Oils
Aromatherapy is a method of using the aromatic oils which have been distilled from plant sources to engender a feeling of well being both physically and psychologically. Safe and correct use has been shown to benefit the physical and mental well being.
Home Remedies
Ever have a bee sting? Try rubbing an aspirin on it.Gum in hair? Soak the gum-coated hair in Coke® and it should wipe out easily.
What Is A Holistic Practitioner?
Holistic Practitioners are holistic healing professionals with a gift in one or more areas of healing. From bodyworkers to homeopaths to hypnotherapists, the term holistic practitioner has become one that is often challenging to describe or understand.
Health - Its All in the Mind
Do you ever listen to other people's conversations? I mean when you're standing at a bus stop, or having a drink in a café after a hard morning's shopping. You know, those people whose voices are just a little too loud and you can't really help listening; after all you are on your own, and other people's lives are quite interesting.

More Alternative Information:

Related Articles

Amazing Artemesias
Artemis - Goddess of the herbalist - gives her name to a genus of marvelously aromatic, safely psychedelic, highly medicinal, dazzlingly decorative, and more-or-less edible plants in the Asteraceae family. I love Artemis, and I love her plants.
Laughter, Why Its so Good for You
For hundreds of years, we've known that 'Laughter is the best medicine'.Laughter makes you feel good for a reason.
Fruits, Juices, and Food for Relieving Hemorrhoids Part II
Eating the right kind of food and following good eating habits will speed up your healing of your hemorrhoids. If you have a diet that is hard to digest and moves slowly through your colon, then, expect to have constipation which will encourage formation of hemorrhoids or prevent the their healing.
Health in the Self
What is health?Is health the absence of disease? Is health a birth right or simply luck? According to Ayuveda, India's ancient art of healing, the meaning of health is a single word: Swastha. Swa = self + Stha = established.
Focus Your Light: Earning Money From Home When You Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome /Fibromyalgia
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome /Fibromyalgia makes you extremely tired, exhausted and weak. It means you only have a fraction of the waking hours that most people enjoy - and even those waking hours are often spent feeling exhausted and with brain fog.
Five Simple Steps For Treating Heel Pain
If you experience a sharp pain in your heel at the first step in the morning, chances are you have plantar fasciitis (plan * tar fash* ee * I * tis). "Plantar" means the bottom of the foot.
The Importance of a Parasite Cleanse
A parasite cleanse is required if your body is overburdened with other toxins. A parasite is an organism that derives its food, nutrition and shelter by living in or on another organism.
Purchasing Essential Oil
Tips on Purchasing Essential OilsIt is important to purchase your oils through a reputable supplier, food stores are often reputable suppliers of Essential Oils. In other cases you can buy from the manufacture but you must know something about the manufacturers reputation,- Do they belong to the National Association of Holistic Aromatherapists?If so, it is a good indication that they are a reputable people.
Alcohol : How Badly Can It Affect Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Sufferers?
The wonders of alcohol. The achilles heel for many people.
The Making of Essential Oils - Steam Distillation, Absolutes, and CO2s Explained
Aromatherapy Goes 'High Tech'New methods of essential oil extraction are entering the mainstream of aromatherapy, offering new choices in oils never before available. With the new labels of 'CO2' and 'SCO2', along with the traditional 'steam' and 'hydro' distillations, 'absolutes', and 'cold pressing', a little education for the aromatherapy enthusiast can go a long way in essential oil selection.
Glutamate - A Pain Transmitter Your Subconscious May Be Able To Limit
Glutamate is one of the most important transmitters of chronic pain. By using visualizations you may be able to use your subconscious to limit the impact of glutamate on your pain.
The Many Advantages of Herbal Medicine
Nowadays is the era of everything that is herbal and natural. Millions of "all natural," "all herbal" health and dietary supplements are swamping the markets today.
Homeopathy: A Natural Health 101 Article
What It IsIn Homeopathy, extremely dilute preparations are given to a patient to spur the patient's immune system into action and re-balance the body's "vital force". The preparations are extremely dilute--often going well beyond Avogadro's Limit--but are "succussed" or rapped firmly onto a padded surface to, as Homeopaths believe, send healing vibrationationl energy throughout the remedy.
The Macrobiotic Approach To Health And Wellness
It may be an ordinary dance studio during the week, but on Sunday mornings this little room in Toronto's west end is transformed by the smells of steamed vegetables, seaweed and miso into Anna Rosenberg's Macro Mornings cooking class. Here Rosenberg provides her students with a basic introduction to macrobiotic cooking.
Why Do So Many People Seem To Have Allergies?
Allergies and asthma arise from loss of the body's natural resistance to allergens, often beginning with early exposure to secondary smoke, industrial chemicals and asbestos, and the incredibly intensive chemical farming and industrial treatment, of the foods we eat, and fabrics we wear and sleep on.Our ancestors did not suffer these maladies as pervasively as we do, because modern industry since WWII has chemically saturated everything: our homes, fabrics, foods, and air.
Gratitude
Here's a quick question: You've got a bad cold. Do you moan and groan about your misfortune, or do you crawl into bed, grateful to be able to pull the covers back over your head and give your body the rest it's asking for?Probably a little of both, right?Here's a secret: the more you're able to shift into a perspective of gratitude, the easier life becomes because you move through the stressful parts more quickly.
Magnetic Therapy: The Facts (and Some Myths)
Is magnet therapy regarded yet as a mainstream therapy? I consider it is not and through this series of articles I hope to raise awareness by examining a number of issues that have stood in the way of mass acceptance.There is a useful parallel to be drawn between magnetic therapy and acupuncture.
Air Fresheners, Or Are They?
For years I've prided myself on believing that I take a very natural approach to the wellness of me and my family. However, I recently ventured into the aromatherapy market and found out, much to my dismay, that I was wrong.
Reversing Macular Degeneration: Without Drugs Or Surgery
I would like to report some anecdotal research findings that suggest how our beliefs and our traumatic life history can be directly linked to some of the physical illnesses that we experience during our lives. Additionally, I would like to report that there is now a modality that can permanently release the beliefs and the memories of trauma from consciousness, or as I think of it from the human bio-field, and effectively begin to eliminate the illness at the physical level.
Body Work
Body Work is more than just a massage, it's a whole concept. Body work theororizes that within our anatomy, is a story of unresolved problems and past traumas -- both physical and psychological.