The Srotas.
The Srotas – Cahnnels of Circulation.
The doshas of the body, Vata, pitta and kapha move from one part of the body to another via channels called srotamsi (pleural). The largest srotas (singular) or channel is the Maha Srotas or gastrointestinal tract (Maha – large or great). The smallest srotamsi can be found in single cells in the body that under the microscope reveal that they are porous. Through these porous channels or srotamsi oxygen and nutrients can be absorbed and waste products like carbon dioxide can be expelled. So the srotamsi or channels in the body act like paths or roadways transporting blood and sensory information, absorbing nutrients and expelling waste products from the body.
Each srotas has a sroto mula (root), a sroto marga (passage) and sroto mukha (mouth or opening).
Srotas | Mula | Marga | Mukha |
Anna Vaha | Esophagus & fundus | Gastrointestinal tract | Ileocecal valve |
Prana Vaha | Left chamber of heart | Respiritory tract & bronchial tree | Nose |
Ambhu Vaha | Pancreas (Kloma) | Gastrointestinal mucous membrane | Kidneys (Vrukkau) Tongue (Jihva) Sweat glands (Roma kupa) |
Rasa Vaha | Right Chamber of heart & ten great vessels | Venous & lymphatic systems | Arteriole venous junction in capillaries |
Rakta Vaha | Liver & spleen | Arteriole circulatory system | Arteriole venous junction |
Mamsa Vaha | Tendons, skin & embryological mesoderm. | Muscle system | Pores of the skin |
Meda Vaha | Omentum & adrenals | Subcutaneous fat tissue | Sweat glands |
Asthi Vaha | Pelvic Girdle & sacrum | Skeletal system | Nails & hair |
Majja Vaha | Brain, spinal cord, joints & junction between dhatus | Central, sympathetic & parasympathetic nervous systems | Synaptic space |
Sukra Vaha | Testicles & nipples | Vas deferens, epidymis, urethra, prostate & urinogenital tract | Urethral opening |
Artava Vaha | Ovaries & aeriole of the nipples | Fallopian tubes, uterus, cervical canal & vaginal passage (yoni) | The labia (yoni oshtha) |
Rajah Vaha | Ovaries & womb | Endometrium, cervical canal & vaginal passage | Vagina |
Stanya Vaha | Lactation glands | Lactiferous ducts | Nipple |
Purisha Vaha | Cecum, rectum & sigmoid colon | Large intestine | Anal orifice |
Mutra Vaha | Kidneys | Urethra & bladder | Opening of urethra |
Sweda Vaha | Sweat glands | Sweat ducts | Pores of the skin & sweat glands under the skin |
Mano Vaha | Heart and sensory pathways | Whole body | Sense organs & marma points |
Four Types of Sroto Dushti.
A structural or functional defect of the srotas or channel is called sroto dushti or obstruction of the srotas or channel. If the srotas is flowing naturally it is in a state of health. Disease begins if the srotas becomes imbalanced or obstructed. The obstruction of the srotas is classified under four types
Sanga | Accumulation/stagnation | Cold, constipation |
Atipravrutti | Excessive flow | Diarrhoea, haemorrhage |
Vimarga Gamana | Overflow | Fistula, pleurisy |
Sira Granthi | Swelling, dilation | Tumour, growths, varicose veins |
The Srotas – Function & Vitiation.
Name & Function. | Controlling Organ. | Causes of Vitiation. | Signs & Symptoms. |
Anna vaha Srotas. (Carrying food which is taken from outside). | Stomach. | Untimely food, excessively large quantities of food, unwholesome food, less power of digestion. | Loss of appetite (Anorexia, indigestion, vomiting). |
Prana vaha Srotas. (Carrying vitality & breath). | Heart & Alimentary tract. | Wasting, suppression of natural urges, intake of un-unctuous food, exercise whilst hungry. | Long, restricted, shallow & frequent breathing. (Asthma is connected with this). |
Ambhu vaha Srotas. (Carrying water, fluid part of body). | Palate, Pancreas. | Exposure to heat, indigestion, excess alcohol, intake of excessively dry food and excessive thirst. | Dryness of palate, lips, tongue and throat. |
Rasa vaha Srotas. (Carrying chyle, lymph & plasma). | Heart and ten vessels connected with the heart. | Worry, intake of excessively heavy, cold and un-unctuous food. | Anorexia, nausea, heaviness, drowsiness, fainting, anaemia, impotency. |
Rakta vaha Srotas. (Carrying blood, especially haemoglobin fraction of blood). | Liver, spleen. | Irritant, hot and unctuous food, excessive exposure to sun and fire. | Obstinate skin diseases, bleeding, abscesses, inflammation in the anus and genital organs. |
Mamsa vaha Srotas. (Carrying ingredients of muscle tissue). | Tendons, ligaments, skin. | Sleeping immediately after meals, frequent intake of heavy and gross food. | Granuloma, Myoma, Piles, Uvulitis, Goitre, Adenitis, Tonsillitis, many cancer types as well as non- malignant growths. |
Medo vaha Srotas. (Carrying ingredients of fat tissue). | Kidneys, Omentum, (fat tissue in abdomen). | Lack of exercise, day sleep, (suppresses enzymes & digestion), excessively fatty food, alcohol). | Obstinate urinary disorders, including diabetes. |
Asthi vaha Srotas. (Carrying nutrient ingredients for bone tissue). | Hipbone. | Excessive exercise involving friction of bones, intake of vatika type of food (food producing vayu). | Cracking nails and teeth, pain in bones, change in hair (because hair is excreta of asthi). |
Majja vaha Srotas. (Carrying nutrients ingredients of marrow). | Bones, joints. | Contradictory (incompatible) food, injury to bone marrow by crushing, compression etc. Incompatible foods: for instance fish and milk or honey in hot drinks. | Pain in joints, giddiness fainting, loss of memory, blackouts, also deep abscesses. |
Sukra vaha Srotas. (Carrying semen and ovum and nutrient ingredients for these. | Testicles, | Sex at improper time, unnatural sex, suppression or excess of sex. | Impotency, |
Artava Vaha Srotas (Carrying semen and ovum and nutrient ingredients for these. | ovary. | Sex at improper time, unnatural sex, suppression or excess of sex. | Infertility, abortion defective pregnancy. |
Rajah Vaha Srotas. (Female reproduction) | Womb | Spicy food, alcohol, excessive sex | Endometriosis, fibroids, excessive menses/bleeding, no menses, infertile |
Stanya Vaha Srotas. (Lactation) | Breast, lacrymal ducts | Malnourished, incompatible food, emotions | Lack of breast milk, mastitis, bad taste/odour of breast milk |
Purisha Vaha Srotas. (Faecal circulation) | Colon | Unnecessary enema, anal sex, dry foods, alcohol, tenismus | Constipation, incontinence, piles, anal fissure/fistula |
Mutra vaha Srotas. (Carrying urine). | Kidneys, bladder. | Food, drinks and sex during urge for micturition, suppression of urge for micturition, especially by those suffering from wasting. | Excessive quantities or no urine. Frequency of urination, thick urine. |
Sweda vaha Srotas. (Carrying Sweat). | Fat tissue, hair follicles. | Excessive exercise, anger, grief, fear, exposure to heat. | Absence of or excessive perspiration. Roughness of skin. Horripilation (hair erection) burning sensation in skin. |
Mano Vaha Srotas(Channel of the mind) | Whole body | Un-processed thoughts, nightmares, head injuries, lack of sleep, emotions | Hallucinations, forgetfulness, depression, lack of co-ordination |