A CONCEPTUAL STUDY OF JIHWA SHARIR ( TONGUE ) IN AYURVEDA

Dr. Aiswariya Satheesh MD(Ayu) Assistant Professor, Department of Rachana Sharira, K.J.Institute of Ayurveda and Research, Savli, Vadodara, Gujarat. ...................................................................................................................... Manuscript Info Abstract ......................... ........................................................................ Manuscript History Received: 05 April 2020 Final Accepted: 07 May 2020 Published: June 2020 Acharya Shusruta, Charaka and Vagbhata mentioned Shareerasthana separately in their respective samhitas; for giving importance to the knowledge of RachanaSharira.Physicians who wants to become perfect in the field of science of life must be perfect in the science of Human Anatomy.Every organ in the body is important in its own way. Among those,Sense organs play a crucial role.According to Ayurveda,Jihwa is an Indriya among Panchendriya.Indriyas are capable in perceiving their objects only when they are supported by mind, through which the knowledge is perceived or memorized.The human sense organs contain receptors that relay information through sensory neurons to appropriate places within the nervous system.A healthy tongue is essential for the physical fitness as well as for the social fitness of an individual.

Acharya Shusruta, Charaka and Vagbhata mentioned Shareerasthana separately in their respective samhitas; for giving importance to the knowledge of RachanaSharira.Physicians who wants to become perfect in the field of science of life must be perfect in the science of Human Anatomy.Every organ in the body is important in its own way. Among those,Sense organs play a crucial role.According to Ayurveda,Jihwa is an Indriya among Panchendriya.Indriyas are capable in perceiving their objects only when they are supported by mind, through which the knowledge is perceived or memorized.The human sense organs contain receptors that relay information through sensory neurons to appropriate places within the nervous system.A healthy tongue is essential for the physical fitness as well as for the social fitness of an individual.

Introduction:-
Ayurveda mentions, chakshu, ghrana, karna, twacha and rasana(jihwa) as the Panchendriya's. According to modern science, those are sense organs which are five in number; Eyes, Nose, Ear, Skin and Tongue.Indriyas are capable in perceiving their objects only when they are supported by mind, through which the knowledge is perceived or memorized.AllShariraindriya, Satwa and Aatma unanimously holds the life.
Jihwa /Rasana is one among the Indriyas.Ayurveda consider it as a dnyanendriya and also as a karmendriya depending on its kriya.It is a buddhiindriya according to charka.Jihwa is the only indriya which is considered under all the three.Rasagrahana is the primary function of jihwa.So it is called as Rasanendriya.Its secondary function is, vaakutpatti, and so called Vaagindriya.We can also consider jihwa as a sparshanendriya because if any foreign material (eg.hair, pin etc)when comes in contact with jihwa,it can be sorted out and can prevent its ingestion.
There are enumerable diseases affecting tongue.Some told in ayurved includes jihwakantaka,jihwashophaetc.A wide range of tongue diseases are seen according to modern science.Like CA of tongue,glossitis,baldtongue,ankyloglossia,ageusiaetc are a very few among them.
Materials about jihwa and its importance are available in ayurvedicliterature;but it is insufficient and in scattered form.Descriptions are brief.
Jihwa with its rachana,kriya,roganidana and swasthavritta is not available together in a single chapter in ayurvedicgranthas. Tongue has a great diagnostic importance.Its the key site of examination in many diseases.Jihwa 416 is a tool for examination according to Ayurveda.That is the reason why it is mentioned in ashtavidha and trividharogipareeksha.
Regardless of patients illness or lack of illness;examining the tongue shape,colour,coating,texture,how it moves etc should be done by all physicians.To treat the disease of any organ,before going into diagnosis and treatment ,the knowledge of sharirrachana and kriya is inevitable.Thorough knowledge of prakrutasharir of Jihwa will make us to understand the vikruti.There by, line of management can be designed properly.
Therefore a conceptual study of JihwaSharira in Ayurveda is made with all available references from Ayurveda.

Materials and methods:-
Available AyurvedicSamhitas are used for collecting the references.
The references are collected, observed, analysed and discussed thoroughly and drawn conclusion. Jihwa is as a matrujaavayava.All soft organs are mentioned to be derived from mother.Jihwa is a soft organ which is especially made of rakta and mamsa which is said to be matruja.
It is also being told that mind and all sense organs are derived from aatma.So,asjihwa is one among the sense organs it is aatmaja.Thus we can consider jihwa is a matrjaavayava with aatmaja bhava.
When kapha, Rakta,mamsa are metabolized inside the abdomen(by vata and pitta),the best part of them(saarabhaga) forms the tongue,just as pure gold is obtained by heating it on fire and blowing air on it.Jihwa is a matrujaavayava.It has a fixed shape and size.As it is made of both Drava and Ghana dhatus.It has sthiratva property due to kaphadosha.
According to Yogaratnakara, Jihwa is one among the mukhavayava.So it is placed in the oral cavity(mukha). Acharya Charakamentioned,jihwa as a mukhavayava. While enumerating panchaindriyaadishtana, buddhiindriya and karmendriyajihwa is mentioned as one among them.Sojihwa is a buddhiindriya as well as a karmendriya and is also an adhishtana.Charakacharya while mentioning the examination of the child to acertain his/her life span,signs and symptoms of children having long life span is specified.Among them jihwa is mentioned in such a way that,it should have proper length and breadth,should be smooth,thin and endowed with natural colours.This is considered to be the normal swaroopa of jihwa.

Role Of Panchamahabhuta In JihwaNirmiti:
In Ayurveda,understanding this complex evolution of human body has been made easy by knowing the role of Panchamahabuta (prithvi ,aap,teja, vayu and akasha) in foetal development and further on.Jala (aap) mahabhuta is the predominant panchamahabhuta in the development of Jihwa.
Charakacharyaopines,the five sense faculties, made of all the five mahabhutas with one mahabhuta as a predominant factor in each, are inferred from their five respective action which serves as the agents for manifestation of buddhi (intellect).Therefore, aapmahabhuta is predominant in rasanendriya to perceive rasa dnyana.
As per Sushrutacharya,the components derived from the jala are the sense of taste along with organ of taste (rasanendriya).Fluids, heaviness, coldness, unctuousness and semen can also be included under this.

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Acharya Vaghatta,while explaining bhautikasharira, in human body from aapmahabhuta are the jihwa, rasa,fluids and moisture are produced.
Kashyapacharya also mentioned that rasa and rasanendriya is made of jaliya component of panchamahabhuta.

Peshi related to Jihwa:
According to Sushruta, there are 500 Mamsapeshi in human body, out of which one in jihwa.Detailed description about each muscles of jihwa is not available in Ayurveda, as explained in modern science. Ayurveda mentioned only one peshi in jihwa.

Jihwa=rasanendriya:
The indriya which is meant for rasa grahana and present in jihwagravarti is known as Rasanendriya(rasana) iÉMïü.xÉ.xÉÔ 11 That located in jihwa is known as bodhaka (kapha), for it helps taste perception. A.¾èû.xÉÔ 12/17 Jihwa is the adhishtana of rasanendriya.Rasa is the object of rasanendriya and rasa dnyana is the rasanendriyabuddhi.Whenmadhuradiannadravyas, dravasetc are placed over jihwa, it comes in contact with the bodhakakapha, which is having adhisthana in jihwa.Rasabodhana karma starts here.There after it is carried by rasavahadhamani with the help of vaayu, to the higher centres in brain.Along with the involvement of manas and aatma, ultimately perception of rasa occurs.

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A,ou,r,rretc Vibration of tongue These are the Ayurvedic reference we get about jihwa as a vaagindriya.In modern texts there is ample of references and explanations regarding the role of tongue in articulation of speech. Tongue-is considered as an important organ of speech.

Jihwa= as Sparshanendriya:
We can also consider Jihwa as a Sparshanendriya because if any foreign material (eg.hair,pinetc)when comes in contact with jihwa,it can be sorted out and can prevent its ingestion.It protects.

Jihwapreekshana in rogipareeksha:
In AshtavidhaRogiPareeksha Among the ashtavidharogipareeksha,Jihwa is also mentioned.In every patient jihwa should be also examined.Swaroopa,varnaetc should be examined.If we know the prakrutajihwa,by examining the vikrutajihwa can be understood.
If there is vatakopa,thenjihwa will be sheetala(cold in nature),kharasparsha(rough in texture) and sphutita(cracked).Because of pitta kopa it can be seen reddish and dark.Because of kaphakopajihwa becomes shweta(white) and pischila(slimy).In sannipatajadoshakopa, jihwa becomes blackish and there will be pricking pain associated with shushkata.
The above reference highlights the importance of jihwapareeksha.It is mentioned that,a Vaidya who is not able to diagnose through the lakshanas of nadi,mutra ,jihwaetc,will kill the patient soon and such a Vaidya is not successful in his profession.
Thus ayurvedic literature shows that jihwa is an important aid in diagnosis also.