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TULSI-PRAJNÁ
view that the sweat is a waste product and when it goes out from the body, it helps the body to maintain its normal condition 17
The Caraka Samhită a text on Ayurveda Sastra defines sweat as : "Malah swedastu medasah"18 meaning 'sweat is the waste product of 'Medo dhătu' and sweat is also described as one of the source of elimination of excess ap dhātu from the body. 12 As a matter of fact the Anatomy states as follows:
"The organs concerned with the function of sveda pravrtti aretvak (skin) and medo dhātu (adi pose tissue or subcutaneous fat). Caraka counts medas (fat) and loma kūpa (hair follicle) as a mūla of this system (c. Vimarśah 5/8). The tvak (skin) is a thin sheet covering the entire body, not uniformly thick in all places (skin of palms and soles being very thick), studded with innumerable sūkşma randhras (minute perforations or pores) all over. These pores act as passage for movement of sveda and sprouting places for loma (body hair) and so are called as 'Svedamārga' and 'loma kūpa'. These are invisible to the naked eyes (adrsya).
Beneath the skin, embedded in the thick pad of medas (subcutaneous fat) there are innumerable sveda granthis (sweat glands), of the size of pea, spread all over the body, but found in large numbers in particular areas like the kakşa (axilla), grīva (neck), prştha (back), Uras (chest), Vanksana (groin). hasta and pădatalas (palms and soles) These granthis are connected with the syeda märgas (passages, tubes) which open upto the exterior of the skin, discharging the sveda, the watery fluid secreted by these glands.
Syedotpatti or production of sweat is a specialised function of the swedä granthis and is considered as important in maintenance of dehoşmā (body heat) in normal condition. The bhrājaka pitta present in the tvak is to some extent responsible for this function, increasing the quantity of sweat when the body temperature rises high, thereby cooling it. During cold season the quantity of sweat produced will be very less. To Sveda is attributed the function of Kleda dhārana or maintenance of water balance also, but this function is not very prominent. In addition to sveda, these granthis also produce a little quantity of an oily substance-the twak sneha (sebum) which helps in the nourishment of the hair and maintenance of Snigdhatya (softness and greasiness) of the skin. Probably it is with reference to this substance and close proximity of Sveda granthis with fat tissue, that Ayurveda describes sveda as a mala (waste product) of medo dhātu
Sweda is one of the source of elimination of excess ap dhātu from the body, though the quantity of eliminated is small during health.
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