sexual stimulation-Ayurvedic view -vajee karana

AYURVEDA

            Eminent scholars of Ayurveda  have written commentaries to explain the Ayurvedic system of medicine. It is not possible to give a short description of this vast subject and do justice with it. The origin of Ayurveda has been explained by Caraka in these lines – “ There is no beginning to Ayurveda in Indian medical tradition. There is beginning only to its systematization” CS. 1/30/27. Vedas which are thousands of years old record various diseases and their treatment. This vedic medicine can be considered as the beginning of Indian medical tradition. It can be safely surmised that Ayurveda gradually evolved from this ancient source of medical knowledge.

Ayurveda is a holistic method of treatment which tends to treat the whole person rather than just the disease i.e., the treatment modalities are adopted after a thorough analysis of temperament, nutritional status, causes of diaease etc, where as the modern medicine concentrates on the elimination of disease following the “Gern Theory”. The whole of Ayurvedic system is based on the concept of three Dosas and these can be recognized by their attributes. There are Vata, Pitta and Kapha. From air and space comes vata, from fire and an aspect of water comes pitta and from water and earth comes kapha. A perfect harmony and balance in these three dosas maintains good health and when this balance is disturbed a person suffers from various diseases. Virilification therapy or Vajikarana is an important section of Ayurvedic medicine which has been dealt with in detail by the great physicians like Caraka and Sushruta.

Regarding sexual stimulation it is observed that, a man gets excited by his own urge and also by the erotic attributes of Women. Thus he enjoys sexual potentiality through the following means –

1.      By one’s own innate sensual impulse

2.      By erotic attributes of a woman

3.      By aphrodisiacs and related therapy

Caraka begins his first chapter of  “ Cikitsasthana ” by starting that aphrodisiac therapy begins with Rasayana, the mode of treatment which promotes longevity by strengthening the immune system and thereby preventing diseases. He stresses the need to incorporate Vajikarana or the use of aphrodisiacs in the daily routine to keep oneself healthy and to improve sexual life.

The word “vaja” denotes sexual intercourse and vaji indicates capability of copulation. The process which makes “avaji” to “vaji” is known as vajikarana [ Astanga Hrdaya, uttara, 40, 1-2 (1)]