Description of Raja, Shonita or Artava
A) Presence of Raja and Shonita since childhood (बाल्यवस्था)
As in young and aged plants flowers and fruits doesnot come up , as in bud and decaying flower or fruit the fragrance is not explicit, similarly in males before sixteen and after seventy years of age and in females raja (menstrual blood) and stanya (breast milk) before twelve years and after fifty years ae not visible.
As the fruit situated within the flower can not be seen being very small and the fire located within the woods cannot be located without specific efforts, similarly shonita and shukra require appropriate time (like a fruit) and specific efforts (like s fire of wood) for their gross appearence.
Formation of Raja (रज निर्माण)
रसात् स्तन्यं ततो रक्तं .... (च.चि.)
From Rasa (dhatu) , the rakta named raja is formed. Rakta reaching uterus and coming out for 3 days in every month is called Artava. The raja is formed from essence part of rasa.
Chakrapani clarifies the point that during the process of formation , the artava is saumya(cold in nature) due to influence of rasa, while at the time of its excretion due to specific changes it assumes agneya(hot) character.
According to Vaghbata :
मसेनोपचितं काले धमनिश्च तदार्तवं |
ईषत्क्रुष्णं विवर्णं च वयुर्योनिमुखानुदेत || (अ.स.शा. 1: 48)
Blood gets collected during inter menstrual period which is of one month duration.This blood gets black colour and specific odour and attains artava form. Vata brings out this artava through yoni or vaginal orifice in mensturation.
Duration of Rajasrava or Mensturation
There is a difference of opinion regarding duration of menstrual flow
According to Bhavamishra and Vaghbata - 3 days
According to charaka - 5 days
According to Harita and Bhela - 7 days
Shuddha Artava Lakshana (शुद्ध आर्तव लक्षण)
शशासृक् प्रतिभं यातु यद्वा लाक्षारसोपमं |
तदार्तवं प्रशांसन्ति यद्वासो न विरन्जयेत || ( सु.सू)
The colour of Artava resembles with the blood of rabbit (शशाक) or Laksharas and which donot stick to cloth (or) if it sticks, when cleanes with hot water it vanishes.
Charaka - He says artava resembles with gunja phala and biravahuti insect in the colour.
Functions & Agneya characters of Artava ( आर्तव स्वरूप)
Artava is agneya, has characteristics of rakta(blood), forms garbha (fetus) and also essential for life.
Though dominant mahabhuta is tejas, however others also coexist in smaller amounts, the reason being assistance, acceptance and acess od their anu-s (अणु) atoms for each other.
Artava pramana (आर्तव प्रमाण) - Amount of artava : 4 अञ्जलि (approx 4 ounces)
Changes before Menarche :
In boys shukra (semen ejaculation) appears after specific age, similarly in girls रोमरान्जि (axillary and pubic hairs) grow in specific age.
Dalhan includes Artava ( mensturation) and Stanya (milk) also, Due to accumulation of raja there is gradual development of breasts, uterus and vagina along with vulva. The Yoni (reproductive system) of young girls is under developed thus mensturation doesnot occur, with natural maturity especially of dhatus the mensturation starts.
Prathama Rajodarshan and Rajo nivrutti (प्रथम रजोदर्शन and रजोनिवृत्ति)
तद् वर्षाद द्वदशादुर्ध्व याति पञ्चशतः क्षयं | (सु.सू.)
A girl or women who is in the stage of mensturation is called 'Rajaswala'
Rajo Darshan/ Rajo Pravrutti( रजो प्रवृत्ति) (Menarche) - 12 Years
Rajo Nivrutti (रजो निवृत्ति) (Menopause) - 50 Years
Rituchakra (ऋतुचक्र) (Menstrual cycle)
Entire period of one month (एक चन्द्रमास) - 28 days divided into three -
i) Rajah srava (mensturation) - 3 to 5 days
ii) Rtu kala (Proliferative phase including ovulation) - 12 or 16 days
iii) Rtu vyatita kala ( post ovulatory phase or secondary phase ) - 9 or 13 days
Rajah srava kala (रजः स्राव काल) (Mensturation)
अन्तराल अवधि (Intermenstrual period) - one month
रजः स्राव काल (Duration of Mensturation) :
Charaka - 5 days
Vaghbata, Bhavaprakash - 3 days
Harita & Bhela - 7 days
If average - 5 days.
रजस्वला चर्या :
आचार्य सुश्रुता -
Acharya described special code of living to be followed by rajaswala or the women during the period of mensturation.If not followed the vitiated doshas reaches fetus to produce abnormalities
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Restricted acts of women
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Abnormalities in children
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Day sleeping
Use of collyrium
Weeping
Bathing & Anointing
Oil massage
Paring of nails
Fast racing
Laughing
Over taking
Over hearing
Combing
Use of nasya(inhalation)
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over sleepy
Blindness
Abnormality of vision
Saddish
Leprosy & skin disoders
Deformity of nails
Wanton or fickle
Black coloured teeth, lips
Garrullous
Deafness
Baldness
Menstrual abnormalties
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Effect of coitus performed during mensturation (su,su.)
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Menstrual day
Of Impregnantaion
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Effect on the child
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First
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No pregnancy or pseudocyesis or intrauterine death or death immediately after delivery
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Second
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Either abortion or intra utrine death or death immediately after birth or within few days of delivery
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Third
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Deficient or defective body parts, short lived.
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Fourth
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With all body parts, normal & Healthy
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Rutukala (ऋतुकाल)
Duration (अवधि)
ऋतुस्तु द्वादशरात्रं भवति दुष्टार्तव : |
अंदुष्टार्तव s प्यस्तित्येके भाषन्ते || (सू.शा. ३/६)
It is of 12 days , according to other opinion it may be of 16 days; if yoni , garbhashaya and artava are healthy, it may be of entire month; sometimes rutukala may come out without mensturation.
Kashyapa and Bhavaprakash has told rutukala in different religions
Kashyap Bhavaprakash
Bhramhans 12 days 12 days
kashatriya 11 days 10 days
vaishya 10 days 8 days
shudra 9 days 8 days
The Reason for conception occuring only during rutukala :
नियतं दिवसेsतिते संकुचत्यंबुजं यथा |
ऋतो व्यतीते नार्यस्तु योनि: संव्रियते तथा || (सू.शा.)
As lotus flower closes after sunset, Similarly after rutukala the yoni of the women gets constricted and doesnot accept shukra or permits entry of bija(sperm) into its inner components i.e uterus.
Ritumati (ऋतुमती )
The women who is in the period of ritukala is called Ritumati .
ऋतुमती स्त्री लक्षण (Characteristics of Ritumati women) -
गते पुराणे रजसि नवे चावस्थिते शुद्धस्नातां स्त्रिमव्यापन्नयोनिशोणिता गर्भशयामृतुमतिमाचक्ष्महे || (च.शा. 4/7)
Charaka says that after the previous raja (raja accumulated in previous rutukala) is gone and the new one has settled (one menstural cycle has gone and other one is set in), and after taking bath , the women possessing healthy yoni, garbhashaya and shonita (healthy reproductive system and ovum) is termed as Ritumati.
According to Sushruta and others, she looks bright and healthy, her mouth and teeth are moist, she is anxious to hear love stories and have sexual relations, her flanks, eyes and hair are lax, she has quivering or twiching over arms,breasts,pelvis,umblicus,thighs and hips and is happy and excited.
---Application of kshara (either externally or interally) to a ritumati women is contraindicted. Nasya (inhilation) is also contraindicated. If Nasya is given to ritumati women then it causes dryness of her vagina, should be treated with milk treated with jivaniya gana group of drugs.
Rituvyatita kala (ऋतुव्यतित काल)
Except closure or constriction of yoni described earlier any other physical or psychological changes are not described for this stage. The stage comes after ritukala (proliferative phase and ovulation) is secretory phase.
Status of doshas during stages of menstrual cycle
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Specific stage
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Duration
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Condition of reproductive system
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Dominant
doshas
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Rajahkala(menstrual phase)
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3-5 or 7 days
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Menstrual blood loss
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vata
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Ritu kala (Proliferative phase including ovulation)
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12 or 16 days or whole month,even without mensturation
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Establishment of navina raja (new cycle) , optimum chances of fertilization, increased sexual desire.
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kapha
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Rituvyatita kala (secretory phase)
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9- 13 days
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presence of purans raja and constriction of yoni, less chances of conception, raised body temperature
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pitta
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