Jala mahabhuta

The word ‘jala’ literally means ‘water’ or ‘any fluid’. It is also known as ‘ap mahabhuta’. The word ‘ap’ also means ‘water’. It is one among the panchamahabhuta [Cha.Sa.Sharira Sthana 01/27]. The fluid content inside and out of the cell corresponds to the jala mahabhuta in the human body.

Contributors

Section/Chapter/topic	Sharira / Pachamahabhuta / Jala
Authors	Aneesh E.G., Deole Y.S.
Reviewed by	Basisht G.
Affiliations	Charak Samhita Research, Training and Development Centre, I.P.G.T.& R.A., Jamnagar
Correspondence email:	carakasamhita@gmail.com
Date of first publication:	April 20, 2020
DOI	10.47468/CSNE.2020.e01.s09.010

Etymology and definition

That which have the sensations of vision (rupa), taste(rasa), touch (sparsha), sliminess (snigdha) and is in the form of liquid (drava) is called ‘ap’ [Vaisheshika sutra]. It is cold on touch [Tarkasangraha].

Synonyms

Ap, jala, ambu, toya, udaka, soma

Contextual meanings

The term ap denotes the following meanings

1. Jalamahabhuta
2. Water present in the external world
3. Water/aqueous content in the body (udaka)

Evolution

In the sequence of evolution, it is formed from agnimahabhuta.Shabda, sparsha and rupa tanmatra unifies with rasa tanmatra to form jalamahabhuta. [Su.Sa.Sha 1/4]

Types

Ap is present in two forms:

1. Nitya (eternal)
2. Anitya (ephemeral)

The minute/subtle (paramanu) form of apmahabhuta is eternal(nitya). The secondary forms by combination of these paramanu are ephemeral (anitya).

General characteristics

A substance with predominance of jalamahabhuta possess the following characteristics[Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 26/11]

• Fluid (drava)
• Unctuous (snigdha)
• Cold (sheeta)
• Slow (manda)
• Soft (mrudu)
• Slimy (pichchila)
• Rasa (taste)dominance.
• Sound(shabda), touch(sparsha) and vision(rupa)[Cha.Sa.Sharira Sthana 1/28]

Specific character (lakshana)

Fluidity (dravatva) is the characteristic feature of jalamahabhuta[Cha.Sa.Sharira Sthana 1/29]. Among the three fundamental qualities (tri gunas), sattva and tamas guna are predominant in jalamahabhuta. [Su.Sa.Sha.1/20]

Importance

Jala is one of the six basic constituents of holistic human being or purusha [Cha.Sa.Sharira Sthana 05/04]. In the person, ap is represented in the form of moisture (kleda)[Cha.Sa.Sharira Sthana 5/5]

Functions during embryogenesis and human body

• Shukra (seminal fluid) has predominance of apmahabhuta. Hence it is termed as ‘saumya’ (originated from soma) [Su.Sa.Sha.3/3].
• During embryogenesis, the jala mahabhuta maintains the moisture in fetus. It prevents dryness due to action of vayu and agnimahabhuta [Su.Sa.Sha.5/3].
• In the fetus,jalamahabhuta is responsible for the development of functions like taste, coldness, softness, unctuousness and sliminess[Cha.Sa.Sharira Sthana4/12]. All these functions are carried out in postnatal life too [Su.Sa.Sha.1/19].
• The gustatory system including tongue and taste buds have predominance of jala mahabhuta [Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 8/14].
• In the eyeball the whitish part represents the jala mahabhuta [Su.Sa.Ut.1/11].

Role in formation of dhatu

• The liquidity and fluidity of blood (rakta) is a result of apmahabhuta [Su.Sa.Su.14/9].
• Jala mahabhuta also maintains fluidity, unctuousness and flexibility in body components like plasma and lymph(rasa), adipose tissue(meda), bone marrow(majja), shukra, urine(mutra), sweat(sweda) and breast milk(stanya) [Su.Sa.Su 15/10].

Role in determining the complexion

• Tejo dhatu, jala and akasha bhuta results in fair(gaura/avadata varna) complexion [Cha.Sa.Sharira Sthana 8/15].
• An equilibrium of all the five mahabhuta result in shyama varna i.e. sky-like bluish complexion[Cha.Sa.Sharira Sthana 8/15].

Marma (vital points) and its Jalamahabhuta constitution

• The injury to kalantarapranaharamarma(vital points) leads to death after some time, because dominance of jalamahabhuta with agni. The quality of jalamahabhuta pacifies actions of agni for some time.
• Vaikalyakaramarma possesses jalamahabhuta predominance. Due to the stability and cold nature of water, it helps to sustain the life. [Su.Sa.Sha.6/16]

Importance in clinical practice

Application in diagnosis

The moisture, unctuousness, softness and delightfulness in the body are decided by the jalamahabhuta [Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana26/11]. Abnormalities in these functions are observed to assess the varying proportions of jalamahabhuta in the body. The increase or decrease in kaphadosha and other body components with above properties depend upon jalamahabhuta. Hence, it is observed. For e.g.Depletion of rasa dhatu may result due to reduction of apmahabhuta and vice versa in the body. It leads to thirst (trishna) and other features of depletion of rasa (rasa kshaya) [Cha.Sa.Chikitsa Sthana 22/16].

Application in treatment

• The qualities of jalamahabhuta are applied in specific treatments. Moisture is applied in dryness created due to agni and vayu. Fluidity is applied to improve volume of depleted body components. It is also applied to cleanse channels. Coldness is applied to reduce heat. Softness is applied to reduce roughness. The sharp actions of agnimahabhuta are pacified by soft and slow properties of jalamahabhuta. Delightfulness is applied to reduce anger and grief.
• Udaka form is the best for production of soothing effect/refreshing agent (ashwasakara) [Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 25/40]. It is used in the treatment of psycho-neurological disorders like anxiety neurosis.
• Jala is best in producing astringent effect. Hence it is used for creating bonds or as binding agent [Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 25/40].
• The substances which are heavy (guru) to digest have predominance of prithvi and jalamahabhuta. Their overuse affects digestion and metabolism (agni)[Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 5/6]. The quantity of food is determined by inherent nature of food (light or heavy to digest) based upon fundamental panchabhautik composition and digestive capacity of an individual.
• In the manifestation and differentiation of taste (rasa), jalamahabhuta is one among the fundamental source[Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 1/64]. Among the six types of tastes (rasa), sweet (madhura) and salt (lavana) have predominance of jalamahabhuta [Cha.Sa.Sutra Sthana 26/40].These rasa are able to pacify vatadosha and aggravate kaphadosha. Hence, they are applied in treatment of vitiation of vatadosha and depletion of kaphadosha in the body.
• Medicines for therapeutic purgation (virechana) have predominance of jala and prithvimahabhuta. Since both of these mahabhuta have heaviness as their property, it carries the dosha in downward direction [Su.Sa.Su.41/6] and thus it helps in expelling the dosha through rectal route [Cha.Sa.Kalpa Sthana 1/5].
• Drugs predominant of qualities of prithvi and ambumahabhutas are nourishing/stoutening (brimhana) in nature [Su.Sa.Su.41/6].
• The panchabhutika composition of kaphadosha is jala and prithvimahabhutas[AS.Su.20/2]. The substances possessing jalamahabhuta mitigates the vata and pittadosha and cause increase in kaphadosha [Su.Sa.Su.41/7-9].
• The treatment of kaphadosha aggravated condition can be done by avoiding diet and lifestyle measures with jalamahabhuta predominance.
• In conditions of vata and pitta dosha aggravation, jalamahabhuta dominant regimen shall be indicated.
• The apbhutagni selectively carries out digestion and metabolism of food substances having dominance of jalamahabhuta. It nourishes the respective constituents in the body [AH.Sha.3/59-60]. Therefore in case of any abnormality or disequilibrium of water components in the body, this agni needs to be corrected.

Current views and researches

The subtle(tanmatra) form of all mahabhuta is considered as eternal. After the formation of heat and light radiations due to collisions, the forces further may produce viscous attractions towards each other, which results in condensations. The thus formed condensation with potential of taste and viscous attractions may be considered as rasa tanmatra of apmahabhuta.

In quantum physics, the spin- ½ matter field (one among the five quantum mechanical spin types of a unified quantum field theory) can be correlated with the elementary fermion particles. Dr John Hagelin, leading physicist in the area of unified quantum field theory, correlates jalamahabhuta with the spin - ½ matter field.

A single cell of living organism has combination of five mahabhuta. The cytoplasm of the cell is formed out of jalamahabhuta. It also comprises the intra and extracellular fluids which is responsible for cell’s nourishment.

The cellular integration, adhesion between the cells in the fetus and lubrication is provided by apmahabhuta.

List of theses done

1. Upendra D. Dixit (1995). Concept of Panchmahabhuta& it’s utility in Chikitsa .
2. Dr. Bishnupriya Mohanty (2004 Ph.D.) Biotransformation of Panchmahabhuta& it’s interpretation in terms of cell injury.
3. Dwivedi L.D. (1969-M.D. and 1975-PhD).A study of concept of Panchmahabhutas
4. Srivastav L. P. (1988).Concept of Panchmahabhutas in the light of Samkhya, Yoga & Ayurveda.

More information

Vatakalakaliya Adhyaya * Indriyopakramaniya Adhyaya * Katidhapurusha Sharira

Related articles

• Akasha mahabhuta
• Vayu mahabhuta
• Agni mahabhuta
• Prithvi mahabhuta
• Pancha mahabhuta

The list of references for Jala in Charak Samhita can be seen here Table_of_references_Jala.pdf