Concept analysis on Taila bindu parīkṣā -...

AAMJ / Vol. 3 / Issue 6 / November – December 2017

A A M J Anveshana Ayurveda Medical Journal

www.aamj.in ISSN: 2395-4159

Review Article

Concept analysis on Taila bindu parīkṣā

Sandeep Kumar Singh 1 Pradeep Kumar Singh 2

A b s t r a c t

Medical sciences hold diversity in methodology, objects and their achievements representing to

different branches of medicine & health sciences. Ayurveda is one such ancient Indian medicinal

science that represent to the different aspects of medicines. This science existed, such a long &

extensive voyage of time, by its fundamental principles. Without implementation of these prin-

ciples any science cannot stand for long time period. These principles are scattered throughout

the treatise & thus their study is the need of time. The concept of taila bindu is one of the great

contribution of our mid time Acharya. With the help of this inexpensive method any Ayurveda

practitioner can be able to make accurate diagnosis and even prognosis of disease can also

be described to patient. This is done with fresh morning and mid-stream urine and tila taila.

Keywords: Ayurveda, taila- bindu, tila taila, midstream, inexpensive.

1 Associate professor, Gangasheel Ayurvedic medical college and hospital, Manpuria, Kamua

Kalan, Bishalpur road, Bareilly, India.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR

Dr. Sandeep Kumar Singh

Associate professor,

Gangasheel Ayurvedic medical college and hospital,

Bareilly, (India).

Email: [email protected]

http://aamj.in/wp-content/uploads/Volume3/Issue6/AAMJ_1588_1591.pdf

Sandeep & Pradeep : Concept analysis on Taila bindu parīkṣā

AAMJ / Vol. 3 / Issue 6 / November – December 2017 1589

INTRODUCTION

yurveda is widely regarded as the oldest form of

healthcare in the world. It uses the inherent prin-

ciples of nature and it help to maintain the health

in a person by keeping the individual’s body, mind and

spirit in perfect harmony with nature. This is the era of

modernization and fast life and there is vast variety of

disease investigating tools available but very less or near

to nil are suitable for Ayurvedic diagnosis. The whole

world is looking towards Ayurveda for root management

or even management of majority of diseases. For pure

Ayurvedic treatment the diagnosis should be on its own

basis.

The diagnosis of disease in ancient time is mainly based

on clinical features supported by clinical examination.

The laboratory investigations specially the chemical in-

vestigations were not performed rather than it was con-

fined to the physical examinations of body fluids and the

excreta. For the diagnosis of various aspects of disease

and diseased person, several methods have been de-

scribed in Ayurvedic texts. These can be broadly classi-

fied into Roga and Rogi parīkṣā. Several methods of

Roga Rogi Parīkṣā like Aṣṭhasthana Parīkṣā, Daśavidha

Parīkṣā, Dvādaśavidha Parīkṣā are described in Ayurve-

dic classics. Examination based on laboratory investiga-

tions is rather a late development pertaining to medieval

period. Mūtra Parīkṣā and Purisha Parīkṣā were the main

laboratory investigative tools in the past and were in-

cluded under Aṣṭhasthana Parīkṣā.

Under Mūtra Parīkṣā, both physical and chemical exam-

inations of urine are described. Physical examinations

which include the changes in colour, odour, consistency

etc. are described pertaining to various diseases. Chem-

ical examinations of urine to detect abnormal constituents

are described through various inferential modalities.

Moreover, a unique method of Taila bindu parīkṣā was

developed during the medieval period to ascertain the

prognosis rather than the diagnosis of diseases.

Taila bindu parīkṣā, a novel method of urine examination

has been described in number of Ayurvedic texts of me-

dieval period like Vangasena Samhita, Vasavarajiyam,

Yogatarangini, Yogaratnakara and many more. This

method is also described in Siddha system of Medicine.

It is mainly for knowing prognosis of diseases and it was

very popular in the medieval period but after 17th century

its use became obsolete.

Literature Review

Tail bindu parīkṣā is a method of urine examination de-

scribed firstly in the Medieval Period in texts like

Vangasena Samhita, Basavarajiyam, Yogatarangini,

Yogaratnakara and others. This practice was quite pop-

ular in India till the end of seventeenth century as re-

ported by John Ovington in his book “A Voyage to Surat

in the Year 1689”.

This examination is also described in the Siddha system

of medicine, where it is placed after pulse examination.

There, urine examination with naked eye has been called

Neerkuri and examination by putting gingili oil (sesame

oil) has been called by the name of Neikuri.

The Brithat-trayi granthas of Ayurveda have not given a

systematic description regarding mūtra Parīkṣā, though

numerous references are available in the texts regarding

the various physiological and pathological status of urine

(Appendix –II). Some of the important contributions of

Acharyas regarding the concept of urine are as follows.

Charaka has described the qualities of normal urine[i]

and urinary changes in different systemic diseases

such as jvara, gulma, arśas, pānḍu etc.

Sushruta and Vagbhatta have also followed almost

the same pattern.

The special contribution of Acharya Sushruta[ii] is the de-

scription of –

Mechanism of urine formation.

Character of urine of a patient who has become

free from Prameha i.e. Prameha mukti-lak-

shanas[iii].

In the Laghutrayi granthas – again no separate descrip-

tion of urine examination is found in Sharangdhara Sam-

hita and Madhava Nidana. Bhava Prakasha seems to be

the first text to include the study of entity of urine exami-

nation separately in the general examination scheme of

the patient. Since then, urine examination was given due

importance by the later Ayurvedic texts and scholars.

Method of Taila Bindu Parīkṣā

Almost all the texts describing this examination have

stated the same basic concepts which can be summarize

as follows.

Time of urine collection: All texts have stated that the

urine collection should be done in the morning while

Yogaratnakara[iv] and Vanagasena[iv] have specified that

the time should be when 4 ghatikas are left in the last

yāma of the night. This period on calculation comes to

be about 1 hour 36 minute before sunrise.

Pātra(container) for urine collection: Various pātras have

been described for urine collection by the texts as – Glass

or Bronze Supātra and Shveta Kachamaye Pātra[iv].

The urine after collection has been told to be properly

covered with a cloth.

A



Collection of mid-stream urine: Mid-stream urine has to

be collected for examination discarding the first and last

part[iv].

The oil: Yogaratnakara has specifically described the use

of tila taila[iv] for Taila bindu parīkṣā while other authors

have merely mentioned the term ‘taila’.

Time of performance of Taila bindu parīkṣā: The

Yogaratnakara has described the early morning time for

the performance of Taila bindu parīkṣā describing it by

various names as – Suryodaye, Prabhate, Suryatape,

Bhaskaro udaye bala[iv] etc.

Yāma is a period equivalent to 8th part of a day i.e. 3

hrs. So, last yāma of night refers to last 3 hrs before sun-

rise. Ghatika is equivalent to 24 minutes as described in

Monier William’s dictionary and adopted by Ayurvedic

Pharmacopoeia Committee. 4 ghatikas on calculation

comes around 1 hour 36 minutes. From the calculation,

it is clear that time of collection is 1 hr 36 min before

sunrise.

The Siddha Literature has also described the best time for

the performance as morning but has also given the liberty

to perform it on other times also according to the condi-

tion of the patient.

Material used for oil dropping: Tṟṇa[iv] has been de-

scribed as the material to be used for dropping the oil on

urine surface.

Patient preparation: The only description available about

this part is in the Siddha system of medicine, where it has

been stated that the patient should follow disciplinary

practices in diet and activities i.e. he should have a shad-

rasatmaka diet at the proper time and should have a

good sleep.

Parameters described about the spread of oil drop on

urine: Most of the Ayurvedic texts have described three

parameters regarding spread –

Shape of spread.

Direction of spread and

Rate of spread.

Shape of spread: The texts have described various

shapes for good as well as bad prognosis using Sanskrit

terminologies prevalent at that time. Thus, it is very diffi-

cult to understand the exact meaning of these terms as

those people might have meant.

Shapes showing good prognosis (sadhya conditions):

Hansa, Karanda, Tadaga, Kamala, Gaja, Chamara,

Chhaitra, Torana, Harmya, Parvat, Vriksha and Matsya.

Shapes showing bad prognosis (asadhya conditions) :

Hala, Kurma, Sairibha, Shiro Vihina Nara, Gatra

Khanda, Shastra, Khadga, Mushala, Pattisha, Shara,

Laguda, Trichatushpatha, Khara, Ushtra and Vrishchika.

Direction of spread: -Yogaratnakara, Yogatarangini and

Vangasena Samhita have described the spread in east,

west and north direction as showing good prognosis.

Similarly, spread in all directions and in south direction

in case of only jvara has also been related to good prog-

nosis.

The spread in all diagonal directions i.e. North – East

(Ishaana Kona), North – West (Vayavya Kona), South –

East (Aagneya Kona), South – West (Nairitya Kona) and

also South ward spread (only by Vangasena Samhita)

has been described to show grave prognosis.

Rate of spread:

Yogaratnakara[iv] and Yogatarangini have mentioned

that:

If drop of oil spreads: Disease is easily curable.

If drop spreads slowly: Disease is difficult to treat.

If drop of oil sinks: Disease in incurable.

If drop of oil does not spread and stays like a dot then

also the disease is incurable – described by

Yogaratnakara.

Variation of shape as per doṣa predominance: -The

shape of oil drop in urine has been told to show variation

according to predominance of doṣas4 as –

In vāta predominance – Oil lengthens like a serpent

or takes the shape of a mandala.

In pitta predominance – The oil drop becomes

chhatrakara and bubbles production.

In Kapha predominance – The oil drop stays like a

pearl or a dot.

In Tridoṣaja predominace – The oil drops sink in

urine.

The oil drop takes sieve like appearance in preta

doṣa involvement and the appearance of two heads,

Narakara akriti in bhuta doṣa involvement.

DISCUSSION

After detail study of Ayurvedic literature, it is strongly sta-

ted that urine was used as diagnostic tools since Vedic

period. But this diagnosis was mainly depend upon sign

and symptoms related to mūtravaha srotas. A diagnostic

technique called “Ashta sthana parīkṣā” which includes



examination of Nāḍī (pulse), mūtra (urine), mala (faces),

Jihwa (tongue), drika (general appearance), shabda

(voice), and sparsha (skin of the patient) began to appear

in texts from the beginning of the sixteenth century. On

analysis of period of Taila bindu parīkṣā, it can be ap-

parently inferred that Vangasena Samhita is the first

Ayurvedic text which has mentioned about Taila bindu

parīkṣā. It was popular till 17th century as stated above

and after that it became part of the history. Regarding

the time of collection of urine Yogaratnakara[iv] has stated

that it should be collected before four ghatikas of sunrise.

One ghatika has been adopted as 24 minutes by Ayur-

vedic Pharmacopoeia Committee. Considering this fact,

the time of collection comes around 1 hour 36 minutes

before sunrise. Some studies have revealed that surface

tension of urine falls just after voiding and its value be-

come almost static after half an hour.

CONCLUSION

In this literary work it has been tried to explain the con-

textual portion of Taila Bindu parīkṣā. For this here col-

lection of urine, taila which has been taken, different

shape formed in urine has been discussed.

As in starting it has been stated that first examine the

disease than prescribe the medicine is the best way to

treat a patient. In the present era of advance medical

system there are many remote and rural areas where

medical diagnostic tools are unreached to hospitals and

clinics. In those area with the help of this less expensive

and easy performable Taila Bindu parīkṣā we can diag-

nose the disease and their prognosis too.

For better Ayurvedic management of a patient along with

good medicine there should be accurate diagnosis on

Ayurvedic line. For this “Taila Bindu parīkṣā” will be the

best tool for Ayurveda practitioners.

ΛΛΛΛ

REFERENCES

i. Agnivesh, Charaka Samhita, Sutra Sthana 1/94. Ayur-

veda Deepika Commentry By Chakrapanidutta. Pt.

Yadavji Trikamji Acharaya, Editor. New Delhi: Rastriya

Sanskrit Samsasthan; 2006. P. 21.

ii. Susruta, Susruta Samhita, Nidana Sthana. 3/21-23. Ni-

bandhasamgraha Commentary By Dalhana. Pt. Yadavji

Trikamji Acharaya, Editor. 6th Ed. Varanasi Chau-

khambha Orientalia; 1997. P. 279.

iii. Susruta, Susruta Samhita, Chikitsa Sthana. 12/20. Ni-

bandhasamgraha Commentary By Dalhana. Pt. Yadavji

Trikamji Acharaya, Editor. 6th Ed. Varanasi Chau-

khambha Orientalia; 1997. P. 455.

iv. Yogaratnakar, Vaidyaprabha Hindi Commentary by Dr.

Indradeva Tripathi And Dr. Daya Shankar Tripathi. 1st Edi-

tion, Chowkhambha Krishnadash Academy. 2011, P. 09-

12.

Source of Support: Nil.

Conflict of Interest: None declared

ΛΛΛΛ

How to cite this article: Sandeep & Pradeep : Concept

analysis on Taila bindu parīkṣā. AAMJ 2017; 6:1588 –

1591.

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