Chapter 1.2 — Dravya

Dravya (द्रव्य) is the substratum that bears guṇa (qualities) and manifests karma (actions). The therapeutic science of Dravyaguṇa Vijñāna rests on the interplay of dravya with its rasa, vīrya, vipāka and prabhāva within the ontological frame of sapta‑padārtha.

1. Sapta‑Padārtha and the Place of Dravya

• Dravya (द्रव्य): Locus of guṇa and karma in samavāya (inseparable inherence) with them.
• Guṇa (गुण): Inherent, non‑separable attributes residing in dravya; niśceṣṭa (do not act independently).
• Karma (कर्म): Activity/effect brought about through dravya, responsible for saṃyoga–vibhāga (union–separation).
• Sāmānya (सामान्य): Similarity → vṛddhi (increase).
• Viśeṣa (विशेष): Dissimilarity → hāni (decrease).
• Samavāya (समवाय): Inseparable inherence between dravya and its guṇa/karma.
• Abhāva (अभाव): Absence/negation (auxiliary category).

2. Dravya: Nirukti, Nature and Navadravya

Nirukti: dru (gatau) + ya(t) — ‘that which bears/acts’. Dravya is the material–functional base of all therapeutic agents.

Navadravya (Vaiśeṣika): 1. पृथ्वी (Pṛthvī), 2. जल (Jala), 3. अग्नि (Agni/Tejas), 4. वायु (Vāyu), 5. आकाश (Ākāśa), 6. काल (Kāla), 7. दिशा (Diśā), 8. आत्मन् (Ātman), 9. मनस् (Manas).

In therapeutics, kārya‑dravya are pañca‑mahābhūta composites (Pṛthvī–Jala–Agni–Vāyu–Ākāśa) with variable predominance that colours guṇa and karma.

3. Classification by Cetanā (Consciousness)

3.1 Cetanā vs Acetanā

• Cetanā dravya (चेतन): Possess consciousness due to union with Ātman and have indriya (organs). Examples: manuṣya, paśu, vṛkṣa (plants).
• Acetanā dravya (अचेतन): Do not exhibit consciousness/indriya. Examples: pārthiva substances (metals, minerals), salts, etc.

In practice, plants are used in acetanā form (dried parts), yet are biologically cetanā.

Vedic parallel: Śāsana (cetanā) and Anāśana (acetanā).

3.2 Antaḥcetanā and Bahirantaḥcetanā

• Antaḥcetanā: Activities are subtle/hidden (e.g., auṣadhi—trees, herbs, creepers). Classical observations imply plant responsiveness: sunflower follows the sun; Lajjālu folds on touch; fruiting influenced by specific stimuli.
• Bahirantaḥcetanā: Activities are evident—free movement etc. (e.g., animals).

4. Classification by Kāraṇa–Kārya (Causal–Effectual)

• Kāraṇa dravya (कारण): Fundamental causal materials of creation — the Navadravya listed above.
• Kārya dravya (कार्य): Products composed of pañca‑mahābhūta; innumerable and therapeutically employed. Examples: Śatāvarī, Aśvagandhā, etc.

5. Classification by Pañca‑Mahābhūta Dominance (Utpatti‑bheda)

All therapeutic dravyas are pañcabhautikam, yet one bhūta often predominates (abhivyañjaka), imparting characteristic traits. The following schema summarises sense‑object tie‑ins, rasa leanings, typical guṇa, core karma, vipāka trend, and gati.

6. Classification by Source

6.1 According to Ācārya Caraka

• Jāṅgama (जाङ्गम): Animal‑origin.
• Audbhida (औद्भिद): Plant‑origin; sprout by piercing the soil.
• Pārthiva (पार्थिव): Mineral/earth‑origin.

6.2 According to Ācārya Suśruta

• Sthāvara (स्थावर): Non‑moving — includes plants and minerals.
• Jāṅgama (जाङ्गम): Moving — animals.

6.3 Audbhida Sub‑classification

• Vanaspati (वनस्पति): Plants without visible flowers (pre‑flowering concept). Examples: Vaṭa, Uḍumbara, Plakṣa.
• Vanaspatya/Vṛkṣa (वनस्पत्य/वृक्ष): Bear visible flowers followed by fruits. Examples: Āmra, Jambu.
• Vīrudha (वीरुध): Weak‑stemmed plants; of two types — Lata (climbers: Amṛtā, Jīvantī) and Gulma (shrubs: Karavīra).
• Oṣadhi (औषधि): Plants that dry after fructification (annuals). Examples: Tila, Mudga, Godhuma.

7. Audbhida Gaṇa — Common Plant Parts & Preparations

Mūla (root), Tvak (bark), Sara/Hṛt (heart‑wood/sap), Niryāsa (exudate/gum), Kanda (tuber/rhizome), Svarāsa (fresh juice), Pallava (tender leaves), Kṣāra (alkaline extract), Kṣīra (latex), Patra (leaves), Puṣpa (flowers), Bhasma (ash), Taila (expressed oil), Kaṇṭaka (thorns/spines), Śākhā (twigs), Śikhā (terminal buds), Śālūkā/Śālūka (tubers), Aerial roots/climbing stems.

8. Jāṅgama — Animal‑Origin Dravyas

8.1 Modes of Birth

• Jarāyujā: Placental/viviparous. Examples: paśu, manuṣya, vyāla.
• Aṇḍajā: Oviparous. Examples: khaga (birds), sarpa (snakes), kūrma (tortoise), nakra (crocodile).
• Svedajā: Generated in moist/putrid environments. Examples: kṛmi, vṛścika, pipīlikā.
• Udbhijjā: Emerge from the earth when season changes (classical notion). Example: indragopa (cochineal‑like insect).

8.2 Common Jāṅgama Products in Therapeutics

Carma (skin), Nakha (nail), Roma/Kesha (hair), Rudhira (blood), Kṣīra (milk) and kṣīra‑vikāra (curd, ghee etc.), Madhu (honey), Pitta (bile), Vāsa (fat), Majjā (marrow), Vitta (faeces), Mūtra (urine), Retas (semen), Asthi (bone), Snāyu (ligament), Śṛṅga (horn), Khura (hoof), etc.

9. Pārthiva — Mineral/Metallic Dravyas

Typical examples include Suvarṇa (gold), Rajata (silver), Tāmrā (copper), Trapu (tin), Śiśa (lead), Lauha/Kṛṣṇaloha (iron), Śilājatu, Sikatā (sand), Sudhā (lime), Manaśilā (realgar), Haratāla (orpiment), Lavaṇa (salts), Gairika (red ochre). Usage is governed by classical śodhana/māraṇa and pharmacopeial safety.

10. Classification by Prayoga (Use)

• Āhāra dravya: Rasa‑dominant; nourish dhātu, confer bala/ojas. Examples: Godhūma, Śāli.
• Auṣadha dravya: Vīrya‑dominant; exert specific pharmacodynamic actions restoring sāmya. Examples: Pippalī, Śuṇṭhī.

Grading by vīrya‑bala:

• Tīkṣṇa‑vīrya: e.g., Śuṇṭhī.
• Madhya‑vīrya: e.g., Bilva, Agnimantha.
• Mṛdu‑vīrya: e.g., Āmalakī.

11. Classification by Prabhāva (Specific Effect)

• Doṣa‑prasamana dravya: Pacify vitiated doṣa and correct doṣa‑duṣya interaction. Examples include Āmalakī (tridoṣahara), Durālabhā (vāta‑pitta‑kapha‑hara contextually).
• Dhātu‑pradūṣaṇa dravya: Tend to vitiate normal doṣa or rasādi‑dhātu by nature or misuse (e.g., certain viṣa like yavaka, mandaka in classical context).
• Svasthahita dravya: Promote/maintain health in the svastha state; some also show doṣa‑prasamana. Examples: Rakta‑śāli, Godhūma, wholesome seasonal water and milk products.

Alternative classical triad: Samana (pacifying), Kopana (aggravating), Svasthahita (health‑supportive).

12. Doṣa–Dravya Profiles (Selected Classical Groupings)

12.1 Vāta‑śāmaka Profiles

Guṇa: Snigdha, Uṣṇa, Guru, Sthira, Picchila.
Rasa/Vipāka/Vīrya: Madhura–Amla–Lavaṇa; Madhura‑vipāka; Uṣṇa‑vīrya.
Illustrative dravya: Bhadra‑darvī, Kuṣṭha, Haridrā, Varuṇa, Bālā/Atibalā, Agnimantha, Sahacarā, Eraṇḍa, Bilva, Guḍūcī, Śallakī, Rasnā, Daśamūla (Brhat & Laghu groups) and allied gaṇas.

12.2 Pitta‑śāmaka Profiles

Guṇa: Śīta, Mṛdu, Sandra/Rūkṣa (context).
Rasa/Vipāka/Vīrya: Madhura–Tikta–Kaṣāya; Madhura‑vipāka; Śīta‑vīrya.
Illustrative dravya: Candana (Śveta/Rakta), Uśīra, Mañjiṣṭhā, Śatāvarī, Vidārī, Payasyā, Kumuda, Utpala, Dūrvā, Nyagrodhādi, Utpalādi, Kakolyādi gaṇas, etc.

12.3 Kapha‑śāmaka Profiles

Guṇa: Laghu, Tīkṣṇa, Rūkṣa, Viśada.
Rasa/Vipāka/Vīrya: Kaṭu–Tikta–Kaṣāya; Kaṭu‑vipāka; Uṣṇa‑vīrya.
Illustrative dravya: Aguru, Devadāru, Kuṣṭha, Haridrā, Pippalyādi, Vācādi, Suraṣādi, Kaṇṭakī‑pañcamūla, Mūlkakādi, Aragvadhādi variety for lekhanā–kaphaghna actions.

12.4 Vāta‑kopaka (Aggravating) Tendencies

Guṇa: Rūkṣa, Laghu, Śīta; Rasa: Kaṭu–Tikta–Kaṣāya; Vipāka: Kaṭu; Vīrya: Śīta.
Examples: Certain śāka, śuṣka‑māṃsa, specific grains/pulses when misused (e.g., Mudga, Masūra), old/withered items, over‑drying regimens.

12.5 Pitta‑kopaka Tendencies

Guṇa: Uṣṇa, Tīkṣṇa, Laghu; Rasa: Kaṭu–Amla–Lavaṇa; Vipāka: Amla; Vīrya: Uṣṇa.
Examples: Tila‑taila in excess, fermented sours (takra/śukta/sura in excess), spicy–oily meats/fish, marica, ajāmāṃsa, kapi‑like stimulants.

12.6 Kapha‑kopaka Tendencies

Guṇa: Snigdha, Guru, Picchila, Śīta; Rasa: Madhura–Amla–Lavaṇa; Vipāka: Madhura; Vīrya: Śīta.
Examples: Heavy dairy and sweet–unctuous diets, tilataila with sweeteners, audaka/ānupa‑māṃsa, new grains (navadhānya), etc.

13. ‘Uttama’ (Best‑in‑Class) Illustrations in Classics (Selected)

• Udaka (water): Antarikṣa‑jala (rain water).
• Lavaṇa: Saindhava‑lavaṇa.
• Śāka: Jīvantī‑śāka (as nourishing).
• Pakṣi‑māṃsa: Lava (quail).
• Mṛga‑māṃsa: Eṇa (antelope).
• Matsya: Rohita.
• Sarpis: Gāvyam (cow ghee).
• Kṣīra: Go‑kṣīra.
• Sthāvara‑taila: Tila‑taila.
• Anūpa‑māṃsa: Varāha‑vāsa (boar fat), etc., contextually praised for wholesome use.

14. Rasa‑based Skandhas (Six Taste Clusters — Indicative)

Madhura skandha: Nourishing, balya/rasāyana tilt — examples across classics include Jīvaka, Ṛṣabhaka, Jīvantī, Aśvagandhā, Bala/Atibalā, Vidārī, Yaṣṭimadhu, Ikṣu, Śāli/Śaṣṭika, Godhūma, Kharjūra, Mṛdvīkā, Kaseruka, Trapuṣa, etc.
Amla skandha: Āmra, Mātrulīṅga (mātuluṅga), Dāḍima, Karamarda, Kapittha, Kośāmbara, Sura/Sauvīraka (soured ferments), Takra, Dadhi, etc.
Lavaṇa skandha: Saindhava, Sauvarcala, Vida, Samudra, Romaka, plant‑derived salts and Yavakṣāra varieties.
Kaṭu skandha: Pippalī, Pippalīmūla, Citraka, Śuṇṭhī/Ardraka, Marica, Dhānyaka, Tejovatī, Hiṅgu, Lasuna, Sarsapa, Śigru, Guggulu, Devadāru, etc.
Tikta skandha: Candana, Uśīra, Aragvādha, Nimba, Kiṭakī/Kaṭukā (Katuki), Guḍūcī, Haridrā/Dāruharidrā, Musta, Vāsā, Vacā, Tagara, Agaru, etc.
Kaṣāya skandha: Priyaṅgu, Anantā, Lodhra, Dhatākī, Khadira, Arjuna, Śāla, Śālmali, Aśoka, Padma/Utpala, Nyagrodhādi gaṇa, Triphalā components, etc.

Complete lists vary by text; therapeutic use follows doṣa–dhātu–mala logic and proper anupāna/season.

15. Summary

Dravya is the stable substratum that bears guṇa and enables karma. Rasa offers first‑look prediction; vīrya steers immediate effect; vipāka finalises post‑digestive outcomes; prabhāva accommodates substance‑specific exceptions. Classifications by consciousness, causality, bhūta‑dominance, source and use provide a coherent map for selection and safe, effective application of dravyas in clinical practice.