THE PARTICULAR SENSE OBJECT, WHICH IS PERCEIVED BY TOUNGE IS CALLED RASA.

रस्यते आस्वाद्यते रसनायः रसनेन्द्रियेण इति रस ||

ACTION OF RASA OCCURS IMMEDIATELY AFTER EXPOSURE TO RASANENDRIYA (TOUNGE).

THE FIRST IMPRESSION CREATED BY THE SUBSTANCE ON TOUNGE IS CALLES RASA.

Many drugs – medicines are working by rasa in AYURVEDA. Like GUDUCHI has a bitter taste, so it works as When 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 Madhura rasa gives maximum energy to the body and Kashaya gives the least.

Here we will discuss TIKTA (BITTER) rasa.

How many of us like the bitter taste? Most say they don’t like it. But our parents say it is good for health and you can’t deny it, right?

In Chaitra masa, one can use flowers of NIMBA (Azadirachta indica) and stay healthy for a year, this is very popular in our region.

So now we are going to know some real facts about Bitter means Tikta rasa.

It has mahabhut composition of vata and akash.

One should take bitter taste in the last portion of the meal, cause it is light indigestion.

Action of Bitter taste – Tikta rasa:

तिक्तो रसः स्वयमरोचिष्णुरप्यरोचकघ्नो विषघ्नः कृमिघ्नो मूर्छादाहकण्डु कुष्ठतृष्णाप्रशमनस्तवडमंसयोः स्थिरीकरणो ज्वरघ्नो दीपनः पाचनः स्तन्यशोधनो लेखनः क्लेदमेदोवसमज्जालसिकापूयस्वेदमूत्रपुरीषपित्त 

श्लेष्मोपशोषणो रूक्षः शीतो  लघुश्च |

Though not so good to taste, when taken by any individual, it improves taste in person

It does detoxification of the body.

Kills germs and warms

Relieves unconsciousness, burning sensation, itching, and skin disorders

Useful in Jwara (Fever)

Improves digestive power

Cleanses and purifies breast milk

Scrapping of debris of body

Dries up excessive moister, fat, marrow, lymph, pus, sweating, urine, pitta, and shleshma dosha.

GUNA:

  • Dry, Cold, Light

SIDE EFFECTS OF EXCESSAVIVE INTAKE OF BITTER TASTE:

स एवंगुणोडप्येक एवात्यर्थमुपयुज्यमानो रौक्ष्यात् खरविशदस्वभावाच्च रसरुधिरमांसमेदास्थिमज्जाशुक्राण्युच्छोषयति, स्त्रोतसां खरत्वमुपपादयति, बलमादत्ते, कर्शयति, ग्लपयति, मोहयति, भ्रमयति, वदनमुपशोषयति, अपरान्श्च वतविकारानुपजयति |

Rasavaha strotas: Due to dryness, roughness, nonsliminess, bitter taste depletes rasa dhatu (The first essential part made out of digested food), blood (Rudhir), muscle tissue (mamsa), fat tissue (meda), bone tissue (Asthi), bone marrow (majja), semen and female reproductive system (Shukra)

  • Brings roughness to bodily channels
  • Strength and immunity of the body
  • Decreases body mass
  • Weariness

Raktavaha strotas: Unconsciousness

  • Giddiness

Udakavaha strotas: Dryness in the mouth

  • Causes diseases due to imbalanced vata dosha

So this is all about bitter taste, one should know about.