THE THREE COSMIC ELEMENTS

The theory of Tridosha is one of the grandest, one of the noblest and one of the most sublime contributions of Ancient India to World Culture. Though its origin is almost lost in pre-history, although it is known and practised in India for more than 3000 years, its tenets are unknown in different parts of the world for understanding diseases and the diseased. The position of Tridosha is unique and supreme. Its practical value in diagnosis and treatment is excellent and without parallel, and it is required to be studied, grasped, realized, mastered and applied in all medical systems without exception, which claim to alleviate the physical sufferings of mankind. Man aspires to longevity for enjoying religion, wealth and happiness. Ayurveda deals with these. So he who desires these three should learn Ayurveda and follow its teachings.

The three cosmic elements of air, fire and water are the three components of Tridosha. These three cosmic elements are at the bottom of the macrocosm. Man being a small world or a microcosm is also composed of these three primeval elements. The mysterious workings of the three elements in the human body is explained in the system of Tridosha. In order to understand the meaning and significance of these three elements, they are required to be compared with the parallels in other sciences. Life is constituted of three elements — body, organ and soul. Due to its continuous flow it is called Ayu. It is perpetual, living and unbounded. Air, fire and water are the three main factors that make a healthy life. If they are in proper order, they give us good health, but if not, they ruin our body and mind. Air, Fire and Water are compared with the three main forces—The Sun, The Moon and The Air. As these three forces control the Earth, similarly our body is also controlled by these three forces.

In ancient works it is said that the two elements, fire and water, are lame and cannot move. Only when they are driven by the element of air they shower like clouds.

In the language of mythology the three basic elements are expressed in terms of deities, namely, Bramha, Vishnu and Mahesvara. They are the famous Hindu Triad worshipped in Hindu temples of India. In mythology, Bramha with the red colour or the colour of blood stands for the element of fire which is red. Bramha is the creator even as Pit or heat in the body is responsible for creation. Vishnu with his blue complexion stands for air. The residence of air is in the space which is also of light blue colour. Vishnu is responsible for the preservation of the world even as air preserves life. Mehasvara with his white colour is the element of water or phlegm which is white. Mahesvara is the destroyer of the world even as cold kills by destroying heat.

The theory of Tridosha concerns itself with internal and external conditions, with the production or loss of equili- brium of the three elements in the human body. With Tridosha man is not merely a mass of bones, flesh, skin and chemicals, but a living organism with all parts and cells of the body vibrating with life. Tridosha, in fact, embraces the whole man with body, soul, sense-organs, mind and environs, and deals with the mysterious working of the three cosmic elements in the human organism. Tridosha is an all embracing theory which combines together all scientific facts and empirical observations in relation to man in health and in disease. Tridosha is besides a standard which is required to be applied to all that is found in Nature as environs of man or with which man comes forcibly in contact. Tridosha is the crown of the Indian Medical Science, nothing can transcend the three elements which permeate the whole world. Every- thing in the world is a manifestation of Tridosha, and every little thing found in nature must have its Tridosha analysis before being put to human use. All names and forms must be traced to their basic elements before they can be of any use to the physician.

When the Tridosha method of analysis is applied to time factors, morning is water, noon is fire and afternoon is air. When the same standard is applied to seasons, spring represents water, autumn fire and the rains air. The three elements reach their highest aggravation point in these seasons. When the Tridosha method of criticism is applied to different ages, the group 1-16 come under water, 16-40 under fire and 40 and beyond under air. The 24 hours of the day and night also come under this classification. 6 to 10 is water, 10 to 2 fire and 2 to 6 air. This timing applies both to the day and night time. This timing gives a clear understanding as to the ailments of the patient during disease. Aggravations caused during particular times give an indication of the cause of the disease whether due to excess of water, fire or air. Similarly medicines having aggravations during these times in Homoeopathy can be taken to represent those of water, fire or air.