A Comprehensive Guide to Ayurvedic Specialties
श्लोकः (Śloka):
वरण-सैर्यक-युग्म-शतावरी-
दहन-मोरट-बिल्व-विषाणिकाः ।
द्वि-बृहती-द्वि-करञ्ज-जयाद्वयं
बहल-पल्लव-दर्भ-रुजाकराः ॥
वरुणादिः कफं मेदो मन्दाग्नित्वं नियच्छति ।
आढ्यवातं शिरःशूलं गुल्मं चान्तः सविद्रधिम् ॥
Transliteration:
varaṇa-sairyaka-yugma-śatāvarī-
dahana-moraṭa-bilva-viṣāṇikāḥ |
dvi-bṛhatī-dvi-karañja-jayā-dvayaṁ
bahala-pallava-darbha-rujā-karāḥ ||
varuṇādiḥ kaphaṁ medo mandāgnitvaṁ niyacchati |
āḍhyavātaṁ śiraḥśūlaṁ gulmaṁ cāntaḥ savidradhim ||
Translation and Analysis
This śloka has two parts:
Part 1: The List of Ingredients (The Varaṇādi Gaṇa)
वरण (varaṇa): Crataeva nurvala (Varuna)
सैर्यक-युग्म (sairyaka-yugma): The pair (two types) of Sairyaka (Barleria species)
शतावरी (śatāvarī): Asparagus racemosus (Shatavari)
दहन (dahana): Plumbago zeylanica (Chitrak)
मोरट (moraṭa): Marsdenia tenacissima (Morata)
बिल्व (bilva): Aegle marmelos (Bilva)
विषाणिका (viṣāṇikā): Gymnema sylvestre (Meshashringi)
द्वि-बृहती (dvi-bṛhatī): The two types of Brihati
द्वि-करञ्ज (dvi-karañja): The two types of Karanja
जयाद्वयं (jayā-dvayam): The two types of Jayā
बहल-पल्लव (bahala-pallava): Moringa oleifera (Shigru)
दर्भ (darbha): Desmostachya bipinnata (Kusha grass)
रुजाकराः (rujā-karāḥ): Semecarpus anacardium (Bhallataka)
Part 2: The Therapeutic Actions (The Prayeram - Why it is used)
वरुणादिः (varuṇādiḥ): The group starting with Varuna
कफं मेदः (kaphaṁ medaḥ): (pacifies) Kapha and Medas (fat tissue)
मन्दाग्नित्वं नियच्छति (mandāgnitvaṁ niyacchati): subdues/controls Mandāgni (low digestive fire)
आढ्यवातं (āḍhyavātaṁ): Ādhyavāta (a type of Vāta disorder often related to stiffness)
शिरःशूलं (śiraḥśūlaṁ): Headache
गुल्मं (gulmaṁ): Abdominal lumps/ tumors
चान्तः सविद्रधिम् (cāntaḥ savidradhim): And internal abscesses (Antarvidradhi)
Complete Translation:
"Varuna, the two Sairyakas, Shatavari, Chitrak, Morata, Bilva, Vishanika, the two Brihatis, the two Karanjas, the two Jayas, Bahalapallava, Darbha, and Rujakara (Bhallataka).
The group starting with Varuna (Varaṇādi) subdues Kapha, fat tissue, and low digestive fire. It (also subdues) Ādhyavāta, headache, abdominal lumps, and internal abscesses."
Varaṇa, two types of Sairyaga/Sairēyaka, Śatāvari, Dahanā/Citraka, Mōrata/Marsdenia tenacissima, Vilwa, Viṣāṇikā/Gymnema sylvestre, two types of Bṛhatī, two types of Karañja (Karañja & Latā Karañja), two types of Jayā/Premna integrifolia, Bahalapallava/Moringa oleifera, Darbha, and Rujakara Bhallātaka
Primary: Mandāgni (low appetite), Ādhyavāta (Urustambha - stiffness of thighs), Śiraśūla (headache), Gulma (abdominal lump), Antar Vidradhi (internal abscess).
Scope: Almost all disorders of Kapha and Medas (fat). Includes Arbuda (tumors), Granthi (cystic swellings), urinary calculi, hypothyroidism, PCOD, cervical & lumbar spondylosis with IVDP, Bell's palsy, trigeminal neuralgia, sinus headache, chronic headache, nasal polyp, acute or chronic disc prolapse, dyslipidaemia, obesity and related ailments/metabolic syndrome X, fatty liver, entrapment neuropathies like CTS. Also used for almost all cancers, excess growth, internal tumors & abscesses, cysts, fibroids, BPH, lipoma, glioma, intracranial meningioma, atherosclerosis, and any blocks in tubular organs (non-structural) or other internal viscera.
Dosha Karma (Action on Vital Forces): Kapha-Vāta Śamana (pacifies Kapha and Vāta).
Dhātu Karma (Action on Body Elements): Durmedo Hara (anti-obesity, anti-atherosclerotic).
Agni Karma (Action on Digestive Fire): Dīpana (kindles digestive fire), slightly Pacana (digests toxins).
Srotas Karma (Action on Body Channels): Srotōśodhana (cleanses channels), Śodhana (purifying), Chedana (excising).
Roga Karma (Disease Curing Action): Granthi Vilayana (dissolves cysts), Kṛmighna (anthelmintic).
Lakṣaṇika Karma (Symptomatic Action): Śūla Praśamana (alleviates pain), Śopha Hara (reduces swelling).
Guṇa (Qualities): Predominantly Katu (pungent) and Tikta (bitter) in taste (rasa), Laghu (light), Rūkṣa (dry), Uṣṇa Vīrya (hot potency), Katu Vipāka (pungent post-digestive effect). It has lipolytic, slightly diuretic, and anti-inflammatory actions.
Arya Vaidya Vilasini Vaidyasala
Asoka Pharmaceuticals
Arya Vaidya Nilayam
The Arya Vaidya Pharmacy (Coimbatore) Limited
Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal
Ayursiddha Pharmaceuticals
Bipha Ayurveda
Bodhi Pharmacy
Changampally Ayurveda Vaidyasala
Chamakkatt Herbal Products
Deseeya Ayurvedic Pharmacy
Dhanwanthari Vaidyasala
Thaikkattu Mooss ETM Oushadhasala (INDIA) Ltd
Everest Ayurvedic Medicines
Farmers Ayurveda Pharmacy
Kerala Ayurveda Ltd
Nagarjuna Ayurvedic Group
Pam Labs
SKM Siddha and Ayurveda
SNA Oushadhasala Pvt. Ltd.
Sreedhareeyam
Sitaram Ayurveda Pharmacy
Vaidyaraj Oushadhasala
Viswakeerthy Herbals (INDIA) Pvt. Ltd.
Vaidyaratnam Oushadhasala
It acts on both the Koṣṭha (gastrointestinal tract) and Śākhā (periphery/limbs), especially up to the level of the Māmsa Dhātu (muscle tissue).
It can correct Dhātwāgnimāndyam (kindles tissue-level metabolism - Dīpana).
It is a Laghu Yoga (light formulation) and a good Agni Dīpana Oushadha. It can be given for poor Agnibala (digestive strength) or in the first stage of its indicated diseases.
It has a special affinity for Urddhvajatru/Śiro (head and above) and Gulma (abdominal lumps).
Best results are seen in Kaphaja Agnimāndya/Ajirṇa, Kaphānubandha Vāta Vikāras (Vāta disorders with Kapha involvement), Granthi Vikāras (cystic disorders), and Kapha Medo Duṣṭi (vitiation of fat tissue).
As Snāyu (ligaments/tendons) is an Upadhātu (subsidiary tissue) of Medas, this medicine can be recommended for Snāyugata Rogas (diseases affecting ligaments, often Vāta disorders).
If Vāta-Kapha Prakopa occurs at a Kapha Sthāna (e.g., cervical disc bulge) or a Vāta Sthāna (e.g., lumbar disc prolapse), this medicine can be recommended as a Kashaya or Ghṛta preparation.
Contains Bhallātaka and Citraka; better to avoid in Pitta and Rakta (blood) dominant conditions.
As Varaṇādi is a Gaṇa (group of drugs), it can be altered into many formulations (e.g., Varaṇādi Kashaya, Varaṇādyariṣṭa, Varaṇādi Taila, Varaṇādi Ghṛta). This rule applies to all Gaṇa Yogas.
For a patient with sinus headache/nasal polyp along with IVDP, Varaṇādi Kashaya is an excellent choice, even for Pitta Prakṛti patients, when administered with a suitable adjuvant (Anupāna).Other Kashaya Kalpanas Mentioned: