NIDANA – CLASSIFICATION AND ENUMERATION

NIDANA – CLASSIFICATION AND ENUMERATION (VYADHI JANAKA AND VYADHI BODHAKA)

MEANING AND IMPORTANCE OF NIDANA

• Nidana refers to the cause or etiological factor responsible for the origin and development of disease.

• It plays a dual role:

  • Vyadhi Janaka Nidana – causes the onset of disease.

  • Vyadhi Bodhaka Nidana – helps in diagnosing the disease.

📜 Sanskrit Reference:

TYPES OF NIDANA

Nidana is broadly classified into:

• 1. VYADHI JANAKA NIDANA (DISEASE-PRODUCING CAUSES)

• 2. VYADHI BODHAKA NIDANA (DISEASE-IDENTIFYING CAUSES)

1. VYADHI JANAKA NIDANA (CAUSATIVE FACTORS OF DISEASE)

These are the actual factors that bring about the disease in the body. These are classified as:

🔹 A. ASATMYA INDYARTHA SAMYOGA (IMPROPER SENSORY PERCEPTION)

• Improper contact between sense organs and their objects.

• Example: Listening to very loud noise → causes ear diseases.

🔹 B. PRAJNAPARADHA (INTELLECTUAL BLASPHEMY)

• Misuse or wrong use of intellect, memory, and will power.

• Doing knowingly what should not be done.

• Example: Eating incompatible food despite knowing its harm.

📜 Sanskrit Reference:

🔹 C. PARINAMA (TIME / SEASONAL FACTORS)

• Time includes both Kaala (seasonal changes) and Avastha (age-related changes).

• Example: Rainy season aggravates Vata and causes diseases.

🔹 D. DOSHA-DUSHYA SAMMOORCHANA

• Interaction between vitiated Doshas and susceptible Dushyas (body tissues) leads to disease manifestation.

🔹 E. NIDANA SEVANA (ETIOLOGICAL FACTOR EXPOSURE)

• Continuous indulgence in causative factors such as:

  • Ahara (food): heavy, oily, incompatible foods.

  • Vihara (lifestyle): irregular sleep, excessive exertion.

  • Manasika bhavas (mental factors): anger, grief.

📜 Sanskrit Reference:
“हेतुलिङ्गरूपपरिक्षये च व्याध्युपशयश्च निधानम्।”
(Sushruta Sutra 1/24)

2. VYADHI BODHAKA NIDANA (DIAGNOSTIC INDICATORS OF DISEASE)

These are the tools or methods used by physicians to identify and diagnose the disease. Also called as Panch Nidana.

🔹 A. NIDANA (ETIOLOGY)

• The root cause or causative factors (as explained above).

🔹 B. PURVARUPA (PRODROMAL SYMPTOMS)

• Symptoms appearing before the actual manifestation of disease.

• Example: Heaviness in head before fever.

🔹 C. RUPA (LAKSHANA / SYMPTOMS)

• Cardinal features or characteristic signs and symptoms of disease.

🔹 D. UPASHAYA (THERAPEUTIC TEST)

• Observing whether a symptom gets relieved or aggravated by a particular treatment, diet, or behavior.

• Positive Upashaya confirms the disease.

• Anupashaya – symptoms worsen with treatment.

🔹 E. SAMPRAPTI (PATHOGENESIS)

• Describes the entire process from Nidana → Dosha vitiation → disease manifestation.

📜 Sanskrit Reference:

CLASSIFICATION BASED ON MODE OF ACTION

🔹 A. HETU (PRIMARY CAUSE)

• Directly responsible for disease onset.

🔹 B. SAHETU (ASSOCIATED FACTOR)

• Secondary or contributing factors.

🔹 C. ANUBANDHA HETU

• Factors responsible for recurrence of disease.

CLASSIFICATION BASED ON NATURE OF CAUSE

🔹 A. AASHUKARI HETU

• Causes fast disease onset (e.g., poison, trauma).

🔹 B. CHIRKARI HETU

• Causes slow disease onset (e.g., faulty diet habits over time).

CLASSIFICATION BASED ON EFFECT ON DOSHA

🔹 A. DOSHA PRADUSHANA KARANA

• Causes vitiation of Doshas (e.g., excessive spicy food → Pitta vitiation).

🔹 B. DOSHA STHANA SANKRAMANA KARANA

• Causes movement of Doshas from their normal location to other sites.

OTHER CLASSIFICATIONS

🔹 A. BAHYA NIDANA (EXTERNAL CAUSES)

• External agents like trauma, pollution, infections.

🔹 B. ABHYANTARA NIDANA (INTERNAL CAUSES)

• Factors within the body like Dosha imbalance, improper digestion.

🔹 C. AGANTU NIDANA (EXTRANEOUS CAUSES)

• Causes not originating from body, like:

  • Injuries (Abhighata)

  • Infections

  • Supernatural causes (Graha)

NIDANA TYPES - CHART