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 ch...