Some Interesting Facts About Astringent (Kasaya) Taste

Some like Sweet, Some like Salty, Some like the pungent taste but do you know what is taste??

What does Ayurveda want to say about RASA??

RASA

रस्यते आस्वाद्यते रसनायः रसनेन्द्रियेण इति रस ||

The particular sense object which is perceived by the rasanendriya – tongue, is called RASA.

When we put any substance on the tongue, the first impression formed over the tongue is known as RASA- TASTE.

Many drugs – medicines are working by rasa in AYURVEDA. Like GUDUCHI has a bitter taste, so it works as JWARAHARA-pacifying fever.

There are 6 types of RASA mentioned in Ayurveda –

  • Madhura – Sweet
  • Amla – Sour
  • Lavana – Salty
  • Katu – Pungent
  • Tikta – Bitter
  • Kashaya – Astraingent

These rasas are successively having lower energy. which means, that Madhura rasa gives maximum energy to the body and Kashaya gives the least.

Here we will know about the astringent taste.

Astringent means kasaya rasa has vayu and prithvi mahabhut dominancy.

ACTION OF ASTRINGENT TASTE:

कषयो रसः संशमनः संधानकरः पीडनो रोपणः शोषणः स्तम्भनः श्लेष्मरक्तपित्तप्रशमन:, शरीरक्लेदस्योपयोक्ता, रूक्षः शीतोडलघुश्च |

  • Calming, Healing
  • Absorbing
  • Wound healing, bone healing
  • Causes pressure on body parts
  • Healing
  • Dries up moisture
  • Blocking
  • Balances Shleshma, Rakta, and Pitta
  • Uses up body moisture

GUNA: Dry, Cold, Light

EXCESS OF ASTRINGENT TASTE CAUSES…

स एवगुणोडप्येक एवात्यर्थमुपयुज्यमान आस्यं शोषयति, हृदयं पीडयति, उदरमाध्मापयति, वाचं निगृह्णाति, स्त्रोतंस्यवबघ्नाति, श्यवत्वमापदयति, पुम्स्त्वमुपहन्ति, विष्टभ्य जरां गच्छति, वातमुत्रपुरीष, कर्शयति, ग्लपयति, तर्षयति, स्तंम्भयति, खरविशदरुक्षत्वात् पक्षवधग्रहापतानकर्दितप्रभुतींश्च वातविकरानुपजयति |

  • Dries up mouth
  • Causes pressure on the chest
  • Distention of abdomen
  • Obstruction of speech
  • Constriction of channels
  • Imparts black complexion
  • Causes impotency
  • They get stuck in gut and undergo digestion slowly  and cause obstruction to the passage of flatus, urine, stool, and semen
  • Causes emaciation
  • Weariness
  • Excess thirst

Causes stiffness due to roughness, dryness, and nonsliminess

It causes diseases like Hemiplegia(Pakshavadh), Spasm(Graha), Convulsio (Aptanak), Facial paralysis (Ardita), etc due to vitiation of vata.

This is all about astringent (Kasaya) taste.