Varna means colour or complexion and is referred to assess skin colour. It is important biologically, cosmetically, and socially. Modern literature considers that differences in skin colour among individuals is caused only by variation in pigmentation. This is a result of genetics (inherited from one's biological parents and or individual gene alleles), exposure to the sun, natural and sexual selection, or all of these. Apart from these factors, Ayurveda considers other factors too like daily regimen, excxellence of body tissues, constitution (prakriti) of the person, etc as the factors affecting varna.Equilibrium of dosha is essential for healthy varna.Derangement in the homeostasis of dosha often causes discoloration of varna. Bhrajak pitta[Su. Sa. Sutra Sthana 21/10] [Ast. Hri. Sutra Sthana 12/14] and udanavayu[A. Hri. Sutra Sthana 12/5] carry the physiological functions for maintaining varna. Several medicinal formulations for the enhancement of varna are mentioned in ayurveda texts. E.g. group of ten herbs for improving colour of skin (varnyadashemani) includes Chandana (Santalum album), Tunga (Calophylluminophyllum), Padmaka (Prunus cerasoides), Ushira (Vetiveriazizanioides), Madhuka (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Manjishtha (Rubia cordifolia), Sariva (Hemidesmus indicus), Payasya (Pueraria tuberosa), Sita (Cynodondactylon) and Lata (Cynodon linearis). [Cha. Sa. Sutra Sthana 4/8] This article describes the physiological and pathological aspects of varna and its importance in healthcare.
| Section/Chapter/topic | Concepts / Varna |
|---|---|
| Authors |
Bhojani M.K.1, Yadav Vandana 1 |
| Reviewer | Basisht G.2 |
| Editor | Deole Y.S.3 |
| Affiliations |
1 Department of Kriya Sharira, All India Institute of Ayurveda, New Delhi, India 2 Rheumatologist, Orlando, Florida, U.S.A. 3Department of Kayachikitsa, G.J. Patel Institute of Ayurvedic Studies and Research, New Vallabh Vidyanagar, Anand, Gujarat, India |
| Correspondence email |
meera.samhita@aiia.gov.in, carakasamhita@gmail.com |
| Publisher | Charak Samhita Research, Training and Development Centre, I.T.R.A., Jamnagar, India |
| Date of first publication: | May20, 2023 |
| DOI | 10.47468/CSNE.2023.e01.s09.139 |
Classification
Human skin colour ranges from the darkest brown to the lightest hues. Ayurveda scholars have classified varna based on proportions of mahabhutacomposing them as follows:
| S. No | Type of Varna | CharakSamhita ShariraSthana |
CharakSamhita IndriyaSthana |
SushrutaSamhita ShariraSthana |
Colour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gaura | ✓ | ✓ | White/fair complexion | |
| 2 | Krishna | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Black/dark complexion |
| 3 | Shyam | ✓ | ✓ | Dark blue/brown | |
| 4 | Shyamavdata | ✓ | Bluish white | ||
| 5 | Avadata | ✓ | White/fair | ||
| 6 | Krishna Shyam | ✓ | Bluish black complexion | ||
| 7 | Gaur Shyam | ✓ | Bluish white cmplexion |
| Varna | Mahabhuta Acc. To Charak | Mahabhuta Acc. To Susruta |
|---|---|---|
| Gaura | Agni+Jala+Akash | Jala+Agni |
| Krishna | Agni+Prithvi+Vayu | Prithvi+Agni |
| Shyam | Akash+Vayu+Agni+Jala+Prithvi | |
| Gaura Shyam | Jala+Akash+Agni | |
| Krishna Shyam | Prithvi+Akash+Agni |
[Cha. Sa. ShariraSthana 8/15],[Cha. Sa. IndriyaSthana 1/8],[Su. Sa. ShariraSthana 2/37]
Inheritance of varna
The disorders of various body systems affect varna. E.g. disorders in rakta dhatu (blood and its components) results in skin discolouration and diseases.[Cha. Sa. Sutra Sthana 28/11-13] [Su. Sa. Sutra Sthana 24/11]Skin diseases have detrimental effect on varna. Rakta dhatu in its optimum quantity and quality leads to superior complexion. Similarly,presence of optimum body and scalp hair, cutaneous blood vessels, too affect the varna. The health of liver, spleen and other digestive organs is important to maintain a normal varna. These organs like heart, liver, spleen areoriginated from maternal factors, while some like hair, blood vessels, etc are contributed by paternal factors.[Ast. Hri. ShariraSthana 3/4-5]Thus varna of child is believed to be inherited from parents. Contemporary science believes that three classes of genes contribute to normal human color variation through the production of hypopigmented phenotypes or by genetic association with skin type and hair color. The MSH cell surface receptor and the melanosomal P-protein are the two most obvious candidate genes influencing variation in pigmentation phenotype, and may do so by regulating the levels and activities of the melanogenic enzymes tyrosinase, TRP-1 and TRP-2. Varna being regulated by genes may indicate its inheritance from parents.[1]
Effect of gestational diet pattern on varna of baby
The gestational diet and behaviour of mother influence varna of the new born child. Foetus gets nutrition from the mother; hence the diet and regimen of pregnant woman has a strong importance on the varna of offspring. During the gestational period, if the mother indulges in sweet foods such as milk, the colour of the child will be whitish-yellow; indulgence in foods which cause heart burn, such as sesame will lead to black colour of the child; and the use of mixed types of food will result in blue-black colour of the child.[A. Sam. ShariraSthana 1/61][2] A 2003 study found that diet of female mouse can change her offspring's coat colour by permanently modifying DNA methylation.[3] Ayurveda considers that the varna of foetus gets enhanced in sixth month of gestational period and the varna of the mother simultaneously gets decreased during sixth month.[Cha. Sa. ShariraSthana 4/22] The varna of child also depends on the colour of the apparel usedby mother during pregnancy. [Cha. Sa. ShariraSthana 8/12] However, more understanding and researches are needed on this concept. Satmya is the suitability towards the diet and regimens consumed by mother during the period of pregnancy. Satmyaja factors have a great impact in the formation of varna.[Cha. Sa. ShariraSthana 3/11]
Prakriti vis-a-vis varna
Though the complexion of a person is an outcome of many factors such as humidity, temperature, race, occupation, etc.but prakriti (constitution) of individuals pre-dominantly affects his complexion.Since vata dosha is dry, rough and cold in nature due to predominance of vayumahabhuta,vata prakriti individuals are more prone to have lustreless,dry dusky complexion.[Cha. Sa. VimanaSthana 8/98] [Ast. Hri. SharirSthana 3/85]Since pitta dosha is unctuous, hot, and fluid in nature due to predominance of agnimahabhuta,pitta prakriti individuals are prone to have fair complexion, with freckles and blackmoles.[Cha. Sa. VimanaSthana 8/97] [Ast. Hri. ShariraSthana 3/90]Since kapha dosha is unctuous, smooth, soft, cold and clear due to predominance of jalamahabhuta, kapha prakriti individuals are prone to have a pleasing smooth fair complexion with lustre, comparable to gorochan (an auspicious yellow pigment collected from ox), lotus or gold. [Cha. Sa. VimanaSthana 8/96] [Ast. Hri. SharirSthana 3/97] Thus the specific complexion in specific prakriti may be attributed to the composition of their respective predominant dosha. The prakriti depends on genetic constitution of a person. Fewresearches have identified the genome responsible for imparting skin colour.Several genome-wide association studies for pigmentation have now been conducted and identified single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers in known, TYR, TYRP1, OCA2, SLC45A2, SLC24A5, MC1R, ASIP, KITLG and previously unknown SLC24A4, IRF4, TPCN2, candidate genes.[4][5]
References
- ↑ Sturm R, Box N, Ramsay M. Human pigmentation genetics: the difference is only skin deep. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1521-1878(199809)20.
- ↑ Mitra J, editor, (1st ed.). Sasilekha Sanskrit Commentary by Indu on Astanga Samgrah of Vriddha Vagbhata, Sharir Sthana; Putrakamiyo Adhyaya: Chapter 1, Verse 61. Varanasi: Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office, 2016; 273.
- ↑ Dominguez-Salas P, Moore SE, Baker MS, Bergen AW, Cox SE, Dyer RA, Fulford AJ, Guan Y, Laritsky E, Silver MJ, Swan GE, Zeisel SH, Innis SM, Waterland RA, Prentice AM, Hennig BJ. Maternal nutrition at conception modulates DNA methylation of human metastable epialleles. Nat Commun. 2014 Apr 29;5:3746. doi: 10.1038/ncomms4746. PMID: 24781383; PMCID: PMC4015319.
- ↑ Pavan WJ, Sturm RA. The Genetics of Human Skin and Hair Pigmentation. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet. 2019 Aug 31;20:41-72. doi: 10.1146/annurev-genom-083118-015230. Epub 2019 May 17. PMID: 31100995.
- ↑ Sturm RA. Molecular genetics of human pigmentation diversity. Hum Mol Genet. 2009 Apr 15;18(R1):R9-17. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddp003. PMID: 19297406.