Rasayana is not a very common term for an Non- Ayurveda person, but it is very much popular every culture of the world. Sometimes it called as energy booster, health supplements and rejuvenators etc. Its got its popularity at the time of Corona in India. Many of the Ayurvedic physician and person who trusted Ayurveda want to recieve Rasayana to boost their immune system.
This ‘Rasayana’ is an Sanskrit term composed with two term i.e. ‘Rasa’ (it is the foremost Dhatu which is correlated with the lymph or plasma, it helps in the further building of the other body tisses) or essence and ‘Ayana’ (it means the way or path). So the complete meaning of Rasayana is reffered to the way of maintaining the Rasa dhatu. Which further related to maintain the longevity, because Rasa dhatu is the key to maintain the whole body tissues which can be easily understood with the concept of Saptadhatu. It comes under the eight classifications of the Ayurveda i.e. Astanga Ayurveda.
As it is mentioned that it helps in the formation of the first body fluid or tissue after digestion of food as per Ayurveda. Afterward one tissue gets converted into another and helps in the formation of the whole body. And with this conversion of tissues, all the body tissues formed in a proper way that person becomes healthy and lives a long life. So it helps in:
1. increasing the strength of the body tissues i.e. Saptadhatu
2. increasing digestive power or Agni
3. increasing the functional capacity of the brain
4. increasing the strength and immunity of the body
5. destroying diseases in the body
6. delaying the aging process
7. developing a barrier against stress and infection
The word meaning for this Sanskrit term; which helps in attaing the ‘Kama’ here it could be a desire basically meant to get fit physically or sexually. The drugs which improve the health and vigour of a healthy person are known as KamyaRasayana. “Cyavanaprasa” is commonly used for this purpose.
The drugs used to increase the strength of a diseased person are known as Naimittika Rasayana. The word meaning of this term is ‘for patricular reason’. It may be used as an adjunct to the specific medical treatment of a particular disease, so that the patient may be cured earlier or to reatin his normal health quickly after the disease.
These are the drugs which have specific effect on mental performance of a person. “Shankhapushpi, Brahmi and Vacha etc. belong to this group. And the word meaning of this term which strengthen the “medha” i.e. intellectual power.
The established rules of conduct, practice, usage, precept are also considered as means of Rasayana, which are known as Achara Rasayana. Truth and fair speaking, cleanliness, understanding, balanced walking and sleeping, following the rules of climate, season and dosage, wholesome eating, donation, spiritual temperament, nonviolence, avoiding of anger and over strain, restraining from alcohol, sex and hurting to others etc. are considered under this heading. The man who follows these rules lives long and requires no Rasayana drugs.
Here the term Achara means ‘the way to behave’.
These are the amin classification of Rasayana, sometimes it is also classified as ‘Dravyabhuta’ and ‘Adravyabhuta’. Here Adravyabhuta is used for any Rasayana means with the usage of the drugs or mdicnal preparation which also called as ‘Achara rasayana’. Whereas other three comes under the heading of Dravyabhuta Rasayana.
There are so many Rasayana drugs which are mentioned in Ayurvedic classics but commonaly famous are;
1. Amalaki- Emblica officinalis or Phyllanthus emblica
2. Haratiki- Terminalia chebula
3. Shankhapushpi- Convolvulus prostratus
4. Brahmi- Centella asiatica
5. Ashwagandha- Withania somnifera
