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

Doshas within the body are of two types. They are –

1. Sthanika Dosha – means local or native dosha. Each dosha will have specific sthana – seats in the body. Each subtype of dosha will also have its own seat from where they operate. That seat belongs to that particular dosha. That seat is a local station for that dosha. There is a permanent association between a dosha and its seat. As long as this dosha stays in its place normal to it and serves its normal function therein, there will be no health issues because the local dosha is in a state of balance and its seat is healthy. When this dosha aggravates due to improper intake of foods and lifestyle practices, the sthanika dosha may damage its seat leading to certain diseases. Example – Vata is a sthanika Dosha in Pakvashaya.

2. Agantu Dosha – means dosha which is an alien to a particular seat. Here some other dosha which does not belong to that particular seat trespasses into it. For that seat, some other dosha or dosha subtype coming into it is a foreign dosha, not natural or normal to it. The invading dosha is also a foreign dosha for the dosha local to that seat. This invading dosha not only disturbs the seat (tissue or organ) to which it had encroached into, it will also damage that seat. Apart from that it will also disturb the local dosha of that seat. There occurs a conflict between the local and invading dosha which is more dangerous for both those doshas and also the sthana i.e. seat. Example, if pitta encroaches into the colon, it will be called agantu dosha. Vata is the sthanika dosha for colon.

We need this basic understanding to address the agantu dosha and to treat it.

Further on, let us see what Acharya Vagbhata has to say about this.

Ref – A.Hr.Su.13/20-21

Treatment Principles for Agantu Dosha

तत्रान्यस्थानसंस्थेषु तदीयामबलेषु तु।
कुर्याञ्चिकित्साम् स्वामेव बलेनान्याभिभाविषु॥२०॥
आगन्तुं शमयेद्दोषं स्थानिन प्रतिकृत्य वा।

Below mentioned are the treatment principles for Agantu Dosha –

1. Abala Doshas

The dosha traveling to the other seats (places of other doshas) can be a weak one. In case of weak dosha encroaching into the seat of the other dosha, i.e., weak agantu dosha, treatment should first be done for the sthanika dosha i.e. dosha native to that place. The native dosha should be strengthened in this case. With this, the sthana too would get strengthened. The strengthened native dosha and its seat would defend themselves from the invading dosha. The doshas being weak in nature, will not have capacity to overcome the strengthened native dosha and also to invade the sthana. 

2. Sabala / Prabala Doshas

The doshas encroaching into the seat of yet another dosha may be a strong one. These doshas have the capacity to empower or overcome other doshas (sthanika doshas). Such sabala doshas are always dominant doshas. In case of strong doshas invading the seat of other dosha / doshas, treatment should be given to the same dosha i.e. to the strong and dominant, invading doshas. The strong doshas should be expelled using suitable cleansing therapies, else they would destroy the sthana – organ and cause diseases. Once the strong agantu dosha has been expelled, the sthana and sthanika dosha would get revived.

The invading foreign dosha i.e. agantu dosha should be treated either after having treated the native dosha i.e. sthanika dosha or even otherwise i.e. the agantu dosha itself shall be dealt with at first.

These are the principles of treating agantu doshas.