Varga Chatushtaya: Meaning, Members, Benefits of Knowing

Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S

Varga = group

Chatushtaya = four

Varga Chatushtaya means ‘Group of Four’.

Reference – Sushruta Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 1 – Vedotpatti Adhyaya, Verse 44

Varga Chatushtaya as described by Acharya Sushruta

Members of Varga Chatushtaya

Acharya Sushruta, in Sutra Sthana – Chapter 1 of Sushruta Samhita has described Varga Chatushtaya. It comprises four members. They are –

1. Ahara – group of food materials
2. Aushadha – group of medicinal herbs
3. Parthiva – group of materials derived from earth
4. Kalakrita – group of special factors of kala i.e. time

Related AIAPGET Questions

1. Varga Chatushtaya explained by Dalhana consists of – (Su.Su.1/44)
2. Samswedaja, Jarayuja, Andaja, Udbhija
3. Ahara, Achara, Parthiva, Kalakrit
4. Sthavara, Jangama, Parthiva, Kalakrit
5. None of the above

Ans – This question was asked in Gujarat Public Service Commission – Lecturer Screening Test – 2018 – Maulika Siddhanta

Other related questions

2. The Varga Chatushtaya are explained in which chapter of Sushruta Samhita?
3. Su.Su.1
4. Su.Sha.1
5. Water.Heart.1
6. On.Who.1

Years – a. Su.Su.1

3. Varga Chatushtaya described by Acharya Vagbhata are –
4. Vikaranam Prakopanam
5. Vikaranam Prashamanam
6. None
7. Both

Ans – d. Both (Su.Su.1/44)

4. Varga Chaturvidha or Varga Chatushtaya which can cause prakopa or prashamana of vikaras are explained by –
5. Acharya Vagbhata
6. Acharya Sushruta
7. Acharya Charaka
8. Acharya Sharngdhara

Ans- b. Acharya Sushruta (Su.Su.1/44)

Need for study and Benefits of Understanding the Varga Chatushtaya

Firstly, Acharya Sushruta describes each of these four members in detail i.e. Ahara – the group of foods of plant and animal origins, Aushadha – the group of medicines, Parthiva – the group of earthly things and Kalakrita – those which are derived from the time. Later he concludes by mentioning that the above four shall be considered as Varga Chaturvidha or Varga Chatushtaya.

Need for Study –

This category of physical transformations is of four kinds.

The cause of anger and relief is stated by physicians:|| Su.Su.1/4

It is very essential to study and understand this concept for the physicians. The knowledge of the same is also very much essential for a common man. This will help one to understand that the same four groups of things mentioned in Chaturvidha Varga are responsible for both health and diseases, depending on how skilfully or wrongfully one gets exposed to them respectively.

Acharya Sushruta says – ‘The physicians believe that these four groups i.e. ahara, aushadha, parthiva and kalakrita either increase (cause aggravation or exacerbation) or decrease (cause pacification or diminution) of the diseases in the body’.

This simply means to say that, when they are skilfully used, they decrease or pacify the diseases and hence are therapeutic in nature. When the same four are used unskilfully would become victims of many diseases or aggravation of the existing diseases. In short, they would contribute towards pathogenesis of diseases.

Now we will just touch upon these four vargas briefly.

Varga Chatushtaya in a Nutshell

1. Ahara – food

Ahara – food – is said to be the mula i.e. root of sustenance of life for all the living beings. It bestows strength, colour, complexion and vitality on individuals. These features are not just supported by the food, but are also protected by it.

These foods comprise of and are enriched by the shad rasas. Shad Rasas are the six tastes constituted in the food. They are –

– Madhura – sweet

– Amla – sour

– Lavana – salt

– Stone – pungent

– Tikta – bitter and

– Kashaya – astringent

2. Aushadha – means medicinal herbs or medicines

Aushadhas – medicinal herbs – are the dravyas – substances used in treating diseases. In these dravyas are located the Rasas – the six tastes. Not all rasas are located in all the dravyas. Each dravya has a rasa or rasas specific to them. Thus, the six types of rasas are located in their respective dravyas.

There are two kinds of dravyas. They are –

1. Sthavara Dravyas – immobile substances – plant kingdom
2. Jangama Dravyas – mobile substances – animal kingdom

Sthavara Dravya is of four types. They are –

1. Vanaspati – they do not have flowers but bear fruits
2. Vrksha – they bear both flowers (which manifest first) and fruits (which come later)

iii. Virudha – they spread on the ground or creep on other plants. Creepers and shrubs are included herein.

1. Aushadhi – they exist only until the fruits ripen and perish after that happens.

Parts useful for medicinal purposes – twak (bark), patra (leaves), pushpa (flowers), phala (fruits), mula (roots), kanda (rhizomes), niryasa (resin, gum), swarasa (juice, latex, sap)

Jangama Dravya is of four types. They are –

1. Jarayuja – born from placenta (womb) – examples – cattle, man, wild animals etc.
2. Andaja – born out of eggs – examples – birds, snakes, creeping animals like snakes etc.

iii. Swedaja – born from sweat, warmth and such other dirt – examples – worms, insects, ants etc.

1. Udbhija – born from earth – examples – indragopa (cochineal insect), frogs etc.

Parts useful for medicinal purposes – charma (skin, hide), nakha (nails, claws), roma (body hairs), rudhira (blood) etc.

3. Parthiva Dravyas – materials derived from earth

Among the Parthiva Dravyas, below mentioned are useful –

1. Suvarna – gold
2. Trim – silver
3. Mani – precious stones,
4. Mukta – pearls
5. Manahshila – Orpiment
6. Mruttika – mud / earth / clay
7. Kapala – piece of earthen pot

Ores and metals are also included in this category.

4. Kala Krita – effects of time

Kala means time factor. Below mentioned are the special factors of time which are beneficial for treatment purposes –

1. Pravata – heavy breeze
2. Nivata – mild breeze
3. Atapa – sunlight
4. Chaya – shade
5. Jyotsna – moonlight
6. Tama – darkness
7. Shita – cold
8. Ushna – heat, warmth
9. Varsha – rains
10. Ahoratra – day and night
11. Paksha – fortnight
12. Time – month
13. Ruth – seasons
14. Ayana – solstice
15. Samvatsara – year etc.

The above mentioned are various variants and presentations of kala. They by their basic nature would cause sanchaya (accumulation), prakopa (aggravation, increase), prashama (pacification) and pratikara (cure) of doshas. Therefore, kala is useful in treatment of aggravated doshas and the diseases caused due to them.