Shadarasa: Six tastes and Ayurveda

             Shadarasa is the word derived through the Sanskrit two words i.e. Shada means six and Rasa which means the taste. Taste is the feeling observed with the tongue, the only organ in the body to feel that sensation. 

In Ayurveda there are so many compendiums (samhita) which are practiced till today, but among them all Charaka Samhita, which is written by sage Charaka himself mentioned about the Shadarasa in detail at "chapter 26" of "Sutra Sthana". There he provides a brief description regarding these to understand there qualities, because whole Ayurveda basically works as per the qualities of any substance. 
These are:

Madhura
Amla
Lavana
Katu 
Tikta
Kashaya
As they all are made up from the Panchamahabhuta as per the concept of  "व्यदेशेन भूयसा" ( that means everything is made up from the five basic elements i.e. Akasha, Vayu, Agni, Jala and Pruthavi) and have a marked character. Each Rasa is responsible for conciliate and exasperate of a particular Dosha which somwhere leads in cause of a disease as well as the treatment of a disease too.

Madhura rasa

It is correlated with 'Sweet' taste and it is made up of 'Pruthavi' and 'Jala' mahabhuta i.e. Earth and water elements. Because of which it gives few character like unctousness, nourishment, satisfaction and softness to the body. It act as Vata & Pitta nashaka (pacifies Vata & Pitta dosha) and Kapha karaka (aggrevates the Kapha dosha). 

Amla rasa

It is correlated with 'Sour' taste and it is made up of 'Jala' and 'Agni' mahabhuta i.e. Water and fire elements. Beacause of that it imparts characters like tart taste to tooth, hyper salivation, produces sweating, induces the burning sensation in mouth or throat and helps in perceiveing the other tastes inside the buccal cavity. It acts as Vata shamaka (pacify the Vata dosha) and Kapha & Pitta karaka (aggrevates the Kapha and Pitta dosha).

 Lavana rasa

It is correlate with the 'Salty' taste and it is made up of 'Pruthavi' and 'Agni' mahabhuta i.e. Earth and Fire elements. Due to this it produces the effect of sliminess, smoothness to the buccal cavity, hyper salivation,  and induces the burning sensation in mouth or throat (these last two characters are same as that of Amla rasa). It acts as Vata shamaka (pacify the Vata dosha) and Kapha & Pitta karaka (aggrevates the Kapha and Pitta dosha), its doshika karma is same as that of Amla rasa.

Katu rasa

It is correlated with the 'Pungent' taste and it is made up of 'Agni' and 'Vayu' mahabhuta i.e. Fire and Agni elements. It induces the effect of irritation into the tongue, pricking sensation in the body and dischrages water from mouth, nasal cavity and eyes. It acts as Vata and Pitta karaka (aggrevates Vata and Pitta dosha) and Kapha shamaka (pacify the Kapha dosha).

Tikta rasa

It is correlated with the 'Bitter' taste and it is made up of 'Vayu' and 'Akasha' mahabhuta i.e. Air and Space elements. It gives the effect of anesthetized of the tongue (which is not good for the tongue), vividness, dryness and enjoyment. It acts as Vata karaka (aggrevates Vata dosha) and Kapha & Pitta shamaka (pacify the Kapha & Pitta dosha).

Kasaya rasa

It is correlated with the 'Astringent' taste and it is made up with 'Vayu' and 'Pruthavi' mahabhuta i.e. Air and Earth elements. It imparts the effect of vividness, stifness, rigidness and blocks the passage of throat. It acts as Vata karaka (aggrevates Vata dosha) and Kapha & Pitta shamaka, its doshika karma is same as that of Katu rasa.
Every drug/ dravya ahves a particular combination of tehse six rasas, and they induces some particular effect with that to the body. This is the basic concept of Rasa theory in Ayurveda.
 


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