From Grishma to Sharad, bodily fire is of मंद (low) intensity. Just like the hidden fire in this charcoal picture with this post. It is burning but at low degree.
To re-kindle the fire in already burning dung cakes, you need to refuel it.
Deepawali is the festival to help bodily fire. By all sorts of perceptions, we ignite the dormant fire once again. This ignited fire helps us in winter. This ignited fire helps us in maintaining productive/creative pursuits of life.
Ritualistically successful Deepawali (which is end of 4 months of Tapasya) ==> Full blossomed वसंत (spring)
Act now, experience fruits in Spring.
But I hear fake rational arguments and utterances.
1) Why do we need oil lamps every where if they are about spiritual light
2) Rituals are waste of oil and ghee 😀
3) Sweets means diabetes 😉 😀
Same rationally biased minds will talk about philosophy of mind and all. They will accept impact of mind and perceptual inputs. But fail to understand importance of rituals in maintaining perceptual significance of all physical activities associated with festivals!
These are nothing but outcomes of toxic delusions (normal in Kaliyuga)
If you cannot understand rituals, follow them blindly instead wasting time in fake rational logic. 🙂 (Y) It will be good for you, family and society! Intellectual gymnastics of debunking rituals and staying away won’t help anyone. It is waste of intellect!
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Importance Fire in Ayurveda
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Agni is innumerable because of its presence in each and every dhatu paramanu (cell) of the body. But, enumeration of the number of Agnis varies in various classical Ayurvedic texts, as shown below
Charaka has mentioned about 13 Agnis. Jatharagni – 1, Bhutagni – 5, Dhatvagni – 7 (Ch.Chi.15/38).[13]
According to Acharya Sushruta, five types of Agnis are illustrated, viz. Pachakagni, Ranjakagni, Alochakagni, Sadhakagni and Bhrajakagni. However, there is an indirect reference of five Bhutagnis underlying in the brief description made to the transformation of food stuff. (Sh.Su.21/10.)[14]
Vagbhata has described different types Agni, viz. – Bhutagnis – 5,– Dhatvagnis – 7, –Dhoshagni – 3 and– Malagni – 3.
Sharangadhara has recognized five pittas only (Pachak, Bhrajak, Ranjak, Alochaka and Sadhak) (Sha.Sa.Pu.Kh.-5/32).[15]
Bhavamishra has followed Acharya Charaka and Vagbhata (Bh.Pu.Kh.-3/169,180).[16]
Agni has been divided into 13 types according to the function and site of action. These are:
Jatharagni – one Agni present in the stomach and duodenum.
Bhutagni – five Agni from five basic elements.
Dhatwagni – seven Agni present, one in each of the seven dhatus.
Accordingly, they are classified into three groups, namely Jatharagni, Bhutagni and Dhatvagni.
Jatharagni
Jatharagni is the Agni or bioenergy present in the Jathara (stomach and duodenum). According to Ashtanga Hridaya, Jatharagni, the seat is grahani (duodenum), so called because it withholds the food for a certain time inside the Amasaya (stomach) to facilitate digestion. In the opinion of Dhanvantari, it is the Kala known as “Pittadhara,” situated at the entrance of the Pakvashaya (intestine) and acting as a bolt to the door of the pathway/channel of food. It is responsible for the duration of life, health, valour, ojas (essence of the dhatus), strength of all the bhutagni and dhatvagni. The strength of the grahani is from Agni itself, and the strength of Agni is from grahani. When the Agni undergoes vitiation, grahani also gets vitiated and produces diseases (As.Hr.Sha.3/50-54).[17]
Jatharagni is considered to be the most important because each and every nutrient that one ingests first comes to the Jathara and is subjected to the action of Jatharagni. Jatharagni digests the food materials that consist of the five basic elements and transforms it for utilization by the respective Dhatus paramanus (tissues).
Jatharagni is also responsible for separation of the food material into the essence portion (PRasad) and the waste products (kitta) in our body (As.Hr.Su-12/8).[18]
Jatharagni is directly related to Dhatvagni or bioenergy in the cells and their metabolic processes, with ultimate tissue metabolism or Dhatu-Paka process. All the Dhatvagni depend on the normal, healthy state of Jatharagni. If the Jatharagni is hyperactive (Tikshna) or hypoactive (Manda), it will cause an excessive or retarded action of the Dhatvagni. This disturbed action ultimately leads to various disorders. Jatharagni is the main important Agni that controls the function of all other 12 Agnis. All the Agnis are totally dependent on the status of Jatharagni (Cha. Chi. 15/39-40).[19]
Jatharagni is also classified into four categories according to its performance of digestion in the human being (Cha. Chi. 15/51),[20] namely Vishamagni, Tikshanagni, Mandagni and Samagni.
According to Hareet Samhita, Samagni depends on whether the Doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha) are in normal stage. When the Pitta is higher than normal, the condition is known as Tikshnagni. When Vata and Kapha are higher than normal, the condition is known as Mandgni.
a)
Samagni: The Samagni digests and assimilates food properly at the proper time. This thus increases the quality of the Dhatus (supportive tissues of the body). Persons having Samagni are always hale and healthy.
b)
Vishamagni: This type of Agni changes between digesting food quickly and slowly. When this Agni is affected by the Vata Dosha, it creates different types of udargata roga.
c)
Tikshnagni: Tikshnagni means very quick/very sharp/very fast. Tikshnagni is a state of very quick digestion of food, regardless of the type of food. Acharya Shushrut states that when the power of digestion is increased from normal to above normal, food digests very quickly and produces hunger or the desire for food. When food is digested, the throat, the mouth cavity and the lips become dry with a burning sensation. This condition is known as “Bhasmak Roga” according to Ayurveda.
d)
Mandagni: “Mand” means slow. The meaning of the Mandagni is slow digestive power or digestive capacity. Those who are having Mandagni eat very little and are unable to digest the smallest amount of food. Dhanvantri says that Agni digests the least amount of food in the greatest amount of time.
Bhutagni
Bhutagni is the one that is present in a basic element (Bhutas). There are five Agnis in each of the five basic elements, namely – Parthiva (earth), Apya (water), Tejas (Agni), Vayavya (vayu) and Nabhasa (akash).
Each and every cell in our body is composed of the five mahabhutas or five basic elements. Naturally, each cell (dhatu paramanu) consists of these five Bhutagni also. All the nutrients in this world that we eat also consist of the same five basic elements with their respective Agni or bioenergies. Thus, they are completely similar with respect to the five basic elements with their Bhutagni in our body cells as well in all the outside nutrient, that we ingest for the nutrition of our body. Acharya Charak has mentioned that the five Bhutagni digest their own part of the element present in the food materials. After the digestion of food by the Bhutagni, digested materials containing the elements and qualities similar to each bhutas nourish their own specific bhautika elements of the body (Cha. Chi. 15/13, 14).[21] These Bhutagnis act after the Jatharagni present in the stomach and duodenum, acting on the food and causing their disintegration. In the modern physiological perspective, the action of Jatharagni can be equated with the digestion in the stomach and duodenum, and the action of the Bhutagni can be equated with the conversion of digested materials in the liver.
Dhatvagni
All the seven Dhatus (seven element tissues of the body) contain their own Agni to metabolize the nutrient materials supplied to them through their own Srotas.
Rasagni present in the Rasa Dhatu.
Raktagni present in the Rakta Dhatu.
Mamsagni present in the Mamsa Dhatu.
Medagni present in the Meda Dhatu.
Asthyagni present in the Asthi Dhatu.
Majjagni present in the Majja Dhatu.
Shukragni present in the Shukra Dhatu.
Each Dhatvagni or the bioenergy present in each Dhatu synthesizes and transforms the essential Rasa Dhatu required for that particular Dhatu or cell from the basic nutrients present in the AnnaRasa or essence of the diet that we consume. Each Dhatvagni has got a speciality to synthesize and transform the constituents suitable to its particular Dhatu. This action is a sort of selective action. Acharya Charaka has mentioned the fact that that the seven dhatus that are a support of the body contain their own Agni, and by their own Agni they digest and transform the materials supplied to them to make the substances alike to them for assimilation and nourishment (Cha. Su. 28/15).[22]
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