Water is
one of the important substances for the survival of plant as well as animal
kingdom. It is one among the Maha bhutas according to Ayurveda & Indian
philosophy. Modern scientists identified it erroneously as an element in the
earlier days.
Shree Adi
Sankaracharya quoted
that "the water comes from the heavens and gets collected in the form of
sea on the earth" .
Charaka considered Jala as the base for
taste.
Water is
essential in health as well as in disease. Conditions like diarrhoea, dehydration,
dysuria, fever etc are treated mainly with water. Hence, intake of water can
never be prohibited.
Harita mentioned that "thirst is a
major clinical condition which may also result in death".
Identifying
the importance of water in day to day life, several categories of water is
described in the ancient texts.
Different
types of water:
There is
Eight types of water discribed in Ayurveda,
- Kupa jala (well water)-
ksara guna, pitta vardhaka
- Sarasi jala (lake water)-madhura,
Isat vatakara, agni dipana.
- Tatak a jala (pond water)-
guru guna, vata vardhaka
- Choundya jala (pool or tank
water)-: pitta vardhaka
- Prasravuna jala (spring
water)- madhura rasa, laghu guna
- Udbhida jala (stream or
canal water)- tridosa hara
- Vapi jala (deep well water)-
madhura, pitta samaka
- Nadi jala (river water)-
vata vardhaka, r iiksa guna, katu rasa
Among all
Rain Water is considered to be the best. Rain water should be collected in a
golden, silver, copper, quartz, glass or earthen vessel. This water is filtered
through fine cloth and used.
Certain
guidelines for water consumption:
If
consumed before meal results in emaciation and if consumed after meal results
in obesity. Therefore, water should be taken along with the meal.
Intake of
water should be allowed only after the water consumed earlier is totally
assimilated.
Scientific
perspective of water
Water
constitutes nearly two thirds of total weight of the body, 79% blood, 80% of
brain & muscles and 10% even of bones. It is required both for internal and
external cleanliness of the body. Usually it is utilized as a solvent and
diluents in the body.
Its main
function are:
- Replaces loss of fluids from
tissues.
- Maintains the fluidity of
blood and lymph.
- Helps elimination of waste
materials of the body.
- Acts as a vehicle for
dissolved food.
- Helps in the secretion of
digestive juices.
- Regulates body temperature
and acts as a distributer of body heat.
The
minimum amount of water required for drinking and cooking per head per day is
4.55 Litres aprox) .
Sources
of water
Water is
primarily derived from ocean. In tropical regions, evaporation of water into
air is about 700 gallons (3182.20 litre) per minute per each square mile of
ocean surface. Water reaches earth again in the form of rain, hail, snow, dew
or mist, from water vapours in the atmosphere, derived mainly from
Evaporation
of the sea, from lakes, rivers and other waters of the land .
The chief
sources of water supply are:
- Rain water or snow water and
artificial lakes
- Surface water i.e. streams,
canals, rivers, tanks & ponds
- Upland surface water &
lakes
- Ground water i.e. wells
& springs
- Sea water
