Author: Dr. Shrinidhi K Acharya, National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur

1. Clinical understanding of Graha Roga in
present-day practice
Dr. Shrinidhi K. Acharya
M.D.(Ay), PhD
National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur

2. DEFINATION
“ग्रहैरपि पह जायन्ते प्रच्छ्नन्नैर्वयााध्यः पिि ः!
कर्ा िस्तर्तस्तेषु दैवयुक्त्याश्रयं सदा !!”
( अ.सं.उ. 2 /98)
 Indicates a hidden disease in children.
 Both psychic and medical treatment is employed.
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3. Difference B/W Graha Roga and Graha Chikitsa
Symptoms of graha roga in kaumarbhritya are more objective and
less subjective.
Each graha has different morphological structure & origin.
There are definite causative factors for their affliction.
Periodicity was not found in graha rogas.
There will be definite pathological changes with dosha vitiation.
Physical symptoms are dominant/or more than the psychological
symptoms.
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4. Continue…..
Definite systemic involvement like skin, immune, respiratory,
nervous system etc. Are evidenced.
Its progression and onset is very rapid, and hence, the diagnosis
and treatment are difficult.
Both yukti and daiva vyapashraya treatments are explained.
Fever which suggest physical involvement is compulsory, as it is
mentioned in purva rupa itself.
Few grahas may show personality and behavioral changes
secondary to systemic involvement.
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5. Silent Features of Graha
Graha rogas are which –
 Attack the body or holds the body or seize the body.
 More active in night hours and like to reside in darker night.
 When afflicted causes hidden disorders to the baby.
 Frequently change their size and shape.
 Invisible by naked eye and visible only by divine vision.
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6. Similarities B/W Graha Rogas and Micro-organism
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S. No. Nature Graha Rogas Micro-organism
1. Living Living( as they move and
attack)
Living
2. Prone time of
movement
Night hours Dark area/ low temperature &
humidity
3. Method of
invasion
Hold the body , attack and
cause Prachhana Vyadhi
Entry will be identified only after
the first symptom
4. Intubation
period
Can’t be identified like entry of
Atma inside the body, image
inside a mirror
Period after invasion to the
production of first symtom
5. Size & shape Change as per demand Pass through different stages of life
cycle like larva, egg, sore etc.
6. Presence of
Fever
Causes as a Purva Rupa Usually causes as the first symtom

7. Continue…..
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S.No. Nature Graha Rogas Micro-organism
7. Generalized Causes Generalized affliction
of body requiring both yukti &
Daiva Vypashraya Chikitsa
Causes generalized involvement
(both mind & body)
8. Visibility Invisible & visible only
through special vision
power(Gyana Chkshu)
Invisible by naked eye & visible by
Microscope
9. Entry inside
the body
Enters the human body who
follows Adharma
Enters the human body in search of
definite & indefinite host in an
immune deficient person
10. Diagnosis Difficult due to rapid onset,
progression and severity
Diagnosis of an individual organism
is Impossible without culture study
11. Treatment Apta Vakya should be
followed suggesting need of
an expert’s opinion
Previous experiences, prevalence
rate of infection in a given area and
empirical treatment will be
followed

8. Continue…..
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S.No. Nature Graha Rogas Micro-organism
12. Intension of
entry
Himsa ( tissue injury),
Rati (sexual thrust to
complete life cycle)
Archana (nourishment)
In search of host
To get nourishment
To complete
reproductive cycle
13. Out come of
invasion
Raksha of the body Infections leave back
certain immunity

9. Mythological Concept of Origin
“पुरा गुहस्य रक्षार्थ निर्मथता: शूलपाणििा”!!
(अ.ह्र.उ. 3/1)
1. Produced from Shiva & Parvati.
2. Purpose is to protect their son.
3. Grahas are produced for protective purpose.
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10. Classification of Grahas
Purusha Graha (3)
1. Skanda
2. Skand-apasmara
3. Naigmesha
Stree Graha (6)
1. Shakuni
2. Revati
3. Putana
4. Andha-putana
5. Sheeta-putana
6. Mukha-mandika
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As Per Shushrta:- 9 Graha
As Per Yoga Ratnakara:- 9 Graha same as Shushruta
but Andhaputana replaced by Gandhputana.

11. Continue…..
Purusha Graha (5)
1. Skanda
2. Vishakha
3. Naigmesha
4. Pithru
5. Shwa Graha
Stree Graha (7)
1. Shakuni
2. Revati
3. Shuska Revati
4. Putana
5. Adrista-putana
6. Sheeta-putana
7. Mukha-mandika
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As Per Vagbhatta:- 12 Graha

12. Continue….
Aushadha Bheshaja Indriya Adhyaya-
1.Skanda 5.Revati
2.Skandapasmara 6.Shuska Revati
3.Skandapita 7.Mukha-Mandika
4. Pundarika 8.Putana
9.Naigamesha
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 As per Kashyapa:-

13. Continue….
In Bala Graha chikistha Adhyaya - Given more stress to
Revati …..
 while describing Vamana Sadhya Rogas; Skandapita, Skanda,
Skanda Apasmara & Naigamesha.
 While describing Virechana
1. Revati 2. Pundareeka 3. Shakuni
4. Putana 5. Mukha-mandika
 While describing breast milk vitiation’s
1. Shakuni 2. Skanda 3. Shashti 4. Putana
 Considering all this it will be 13 in no.
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 As per Kashyapa:-

14. Types of Graha
 Two types of Grahas - Stri and Purusha
 Stri Graha is Raja and Tama Guna pradhana
 Skanda Graha produced by Shiva
 Skanda-Apasmara produced by Agni
 Naigmesha produced by Parvati
 Putana produced by Kartikeya
 Mukhmandika produced by Kartikeya
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15. Why Graha (Micro-organism) turns Pathological
 Indulgence in Adharma destroys this protective barrier, Micro-organism or Graha
invade human body and becomes pathological. Due to
1. Human errors like Pragyapradha which create loop holes in the human body.
2. Observation of Adharma.
3. Unhygienic food, lifestyle and regimen.
4. Overcoming rules of Dinacharya, Ritucharya, Sadvritta & Swastha Vritta.
5. Heen, Ati, Mithya Yogas, Kala, Artha & Karma.
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16. Continue….
 All the above are collectively included under the
heading of Adharma ( faulty way of living).
 Adharma is the root cause for affliction of Graha
Rogas.
 Same are also cause for invasion of micro-organism.
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17. Etio-pathology
“धात्रीमात्ररोः प्राक् विष्टापचाराच्छौचभ्रष्टान्मंगलाचारहीनान् !
त्रस्तान् ह्रष्टांस्तर्जितान् ताडितान् िा पूजाहेतरहहस्युरेते कु मारान्!!
एश्ियिस्थास्ते न शक्या विशन्तर देहं द्रष्टुं मानुपैवििश्िरुपाोः!
आप्तं िाक्यं तत्समीक्ष्याभिधास्ये भलंगान्येषां यानन देहे ििर्न्त !!”
( सु.स.उ.
27/6-7)
 Grahas are produced by Lord Shiva for the protection of his son
Shanmukha or Skanda.
 These Grahas are plenty in number with the capacity of changing
thier size and shape.
 Strongest among all these Grahas is Skanda Graha, and Lord Shiva
aspointed him as chief of all the Grahas and is also called as
Baladhara. 17

18. Continue….
 When these Grahas want some occupation (work) Skanda
ordered them to attack and kill
following persons.
1. Who do not worship guests.
2. Who do not worship gods, ancestors, even on special days.
3. Who do not follow Dharma and indulged in Adharma.
4. Who do not offer oblations to god.
5. Who eat in broken bronze vessels.
6. Persons with anger, who are frightened, cruel minded.
7. Who roam in forbidden places (burial ground, haunted house etc.).
8. Who eat the food left by others.
9. Who wear the garland, dress, ornaments of others.
10. Child or mother who are dirty, and who weeps in both morning and evening.
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19. Continue…
 Generally Graha attain different shapes of animals like cat,
bear, owl and frighten them.
 Generally they attack on specific days like full moon, nomoon,
eclipses, etc
 It even attacks during sleep, awake and during time of comitting
sin.
 All he above mythological explanations can be clinically
interpreted as follows:-.
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20. Role of Adharma
Disorders produced primarily due to Grahas will not show the vitiation of
Doshas and causes are invisible and Agantuja in nature.
Adharma plays a very important role in the formation of pathology.
Word Adharma mainly refers to any deviation from the rules and
regulations of Sadvritta and Swasthavritta leading to personal, social and
environmental hazards, which in turn will be a causative factor for the
disease.
All the Graha Rogas are the out come of such different degrees of
Adharma Acharana by the baby, mother, Dhatri or the attender.
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21. Role of Hygiene
As we know, maintenance of hygiene in a baby/child is always difficult,
owing to irregular bowel habits and other limitations.
It depends on the mother for feeding and other demands related to health
and hygiene.
Hygiene of the mother is also equally important.
Air born, water born and milk born hazards are dangerous at time and
maintenance of personal and social cleanliness is important.
Keeping the society educated regarding hygiene is important.
Certain diseases are communicable.As these three (Baby, Mother, Dhatri)
always come in close proximity, chances of cross infection is more and
should maintain a proper hygiene.

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22. Role of the Manas
(Fearful conditions for the child)
Role of Manas in the causation of the disease is a well-known fact, especially
the psychosomatic disorders.
Further in the classics, it was explained that Grahas are having different
terrible shapes and sizes which may produce fear complex in the child, that a
baby can't express.
It is told that child will be an easy victim of Graha Rogas, after a event or act
which produces fear like that of tossing the child in air, crossing or jumping
over it etc.
Further in the case of treatment, role of Daiva Vyapasraya Chikitsa is also
highlighted
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23. Role of consultation
(Disrespect to saints and teachers)
Teachers, Gurus and Rishis are the main source of knowledge in the society.
They were the experts of science in those days and whatever the advice and
suggestion given by them carry a significant role in the maintenance of health in
general public.
Disobeying or disrespecting their advises, leads to a diseased state which are due to
lack of knowledge required to follow a healthy life style.
Now a days too, systems of consultation exists.
The person whom we consult is considered as Apta to us (He may be a pediatrician,
cardiologist, etc. this system of consultation is practiced 1n every field of life like
breastfeeding consultant, legal Consultant etc.).
Same concept is explained as Deva, Guru, and Rishi Shapa in the classics.
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24. Taking Food in Broken Vessels
Eating food in a broken vessel shows the keen observations of
the Acharyas in maintaining hygiene.
Broken vessel might have been taken as an example to
explain the public regarding how minor negligible errors
committed while preparing or eating food, that leads to
hazards of health.
Accumulation of food in broken cracks of vessel may create a
fermenting media for the growth of micro-organisms.
Cleaning the vessel, cleaning the feeding bottle in a bottle
feeding baby, avoiding certain metallic vessels of copper and
its alloy should be considered
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25. Graha affects the child with three Aims
“हहंसारत्यचिनाकाड़्क्षा ग्रहग्रहणकारणम”!!
(अ.ह्र.उ.
3/32)
1. Himsa:-
it is not killing instead torturing or giving pain.
Degree of Himsa depends on the strenght & sensitivity of the body’s
immune system.
Micro-organism enter inside the body antigen antibody
reaction phagocystosis & tissue injury.
It is a natural tendency of the body to resist those material with
antigenicity which are opposite to body tissue.
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26. Continue…..
2. Rati :-
It is manipulation of body parts to yield pleasure of the sexual
act or desire.
Micro-organism invading human body but its entry is guided by a
strong sexual thrust which compels it to find a definite or an
indefinite host.
A definite or indefinite host is a must for a micro-organism to
complete its life cycle of reproduction.
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27. Continue….
3. Archana :-
Meaning of Archana is to get nourished, worshipped.
Certain group of micro-organism enter inside the body with the only
intention of getting nourishment.
They get nourished, increase their colonies and produced the
diseases, although their basic trust is to get nourishment.
They may cause actual disease during its stay in the body.
All the parasitic micro-organism enter inside the body to get
nourishment.
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28. Morphology and its significance
 One more interesting aspect of the Graha Rogas is its morphology.
 In the beginning itself Acharyas told that, Grahas are invisible & can
only be seen by a special visual aid like microscope.
 The morphology of the Graha are explained after visualizing it with the
Divya Chakshu or Jyana Chakshu i.e. with the special visual aid.
 Some of the symptoms like excess crying, fearfulness, behavioral
changes after the attack of Graha gives an impression that the child
must have been visualizing the Graha during the time of attack.
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29. Continue….
 Graha which resides near the goshala may be an acid resistance bacteria, or
which uses the cattle as a definite or as an indefinite host.
 Reside near the Shoonyagara i.e. the area where there is no air or only
vacuumed exists can be an anaerobic bacteria.
 Akashchari may be an aerobic bacteria.
 Lives in Mudga, Masha, Payasa, Mamsa like fermentating medias may be
certain bacteria or fungi, growing in the fermenting media.
 Fond of red flower, garlands, cloths may be those micro-organisms flourishing
in blood.

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30. Continue….
 ugly looking appearance may be those produced in extreme unhygienic
areas.
 Tejaswi, Yashaswi, Balavan suggests more potent and virulant organism.
 Named after a bird may indicate those organism using birds as its host.
 Produced from Agni may point towards heat resistance micro-organism.
 Production has been after a sever war may suggest micro-organism
developed as a post war complications.

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31. Purva Rupas
“तेष ां ग्रहीष्यत ां रूपां प्रततां रोदनां ज्वरः” !!
1. Continuous crying (प्रततां रोदनां ):-
 Newborns always face the paucity of symptoms due to limitations in
language development.
 It uses the same symptom to indicate many diseases. Septicemia,
hypothermia, fear, hunger or even wet napkin, otitis media like conditions
will be presented with a common symptom of crying.
 In Graha Rogas also, similar presentation will be observed, but the major
difference is, it is continuously crying.
 Vigorous inconsolable, fearful continuous cry is a characteristic symptom to
infer Graha Rogas.
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32. Continue…. Purva Rupas
2. Fever (ज्वर) :-
 We know fever is the most common symptom in almost all the
infective cases with some rare exceptions.
 Graha Rogas are also presented with fever as a preliminary
symptom.
 This helps us to understand the antigenicity and infective nature of
the Graha Rogas.
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33. Metabolic consideration of
Graha Rogas
1. Out bursting of a typical smell from the body surface and urine of the Graha Rogi
is a special finding of Graha Roga.
2. Each Graha Roga emits or out bursts different kinds of smell.
3. Usually bad odour from the body surface and urine is a common manifestation of
inborn or acquired metabolic disorders.
4. Toxic intermediate metabolic waste or accumulations of waste leads to a typical
change in the body which releases the smell from the body surface.
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34. Continue…..
5. Toxic metabolites impart different colours to the urine as evidenced in diabetes
mellitus, Phenyl Ketonuria, Maple syrup syndrome etc.
6. Even extreme unhygienic condition resulting from excess perspiration etc.,may
also lead to a bed smell.
7. Collection of apocrine secretion not only lead to bad smell but also provides
shelter for growth of micro-organisms.
8. Probably, every infection bring about certain degree of metabolic derangement,
and the bacterial toxins when excreted through the urine/sweat bursts out
abnormal smell.
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35. Different Graha and smell emitted
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क्र. स. ग्रह गन्ध
1. स्कन्द षतजसगन्ध ( सु.), िसागन्ध (िा.), रक्तगन्ध (िा.)
(यों.र.)
2. स्कं दापस्मार पूयशरणणत गन्ध (िा.) (यों.र.)
3. नैग्मेष िसास्रगन्ध (सु.), बस्तामगन्ध (िा.), विगन्घ(यों.र.)
4. शिग्रह विट्सगन्ध (िा.)
5. वपतृग्रह शिगन्ध (िा.)
6. शकु नी विहंग गन्ध(सु.), शकु नी गन्ध (िा.)
7. पूतना काकतुल्य(सु.), काकित् पूनतगन्ध (िा.)
8. शीतपूतना विस्त्रागर (सु.), िसाित् विस्रगन्ध (िा.), विगन्ध (यों.र.)
9. अन्धपूतना अम्लगन्ध (सु.), मत्स्यगन्ध (िा.)
गन्धपूतना - िसागन्ध (यों.र.)
10. मुखमर्डिका मूत्रतुल्य (सु.) मूत्रगन्ध (यों.र.)
11. रेिती बस्तगन्ध (िा.), पंकगन्ध (यों.र.)
12. िुष्करेवती गृध्रगन्ध (िा.)

36. Prognosis of Graha Rogas
1. All the Graha Rogas are fast progressive & difficult for
diagnosis treatment.
2. “िैकल्यं मरणं चावप ध्रुिं स्कन्द ग्रहे मतम्!”
(सु.उ.त.37/21 )
िैकल्यं(residual physical disability), मरणं (death)
3. “उदरे ग्रंथयर िृत्ता यस्य नानाविधं शकृ त् !
र्जव्हाया ननम्नता मध्ये श्यािं तालु च तं त्यजेत !!”
(अ.ह्र.उ. 3/29-30)
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37. Principles of Treatment
1. Sushruta, Vagbhatta & Kashyapa explained the treatment of
Graha Rogas in detail.
2. Vagbhatta mentioned some special procedures.
3. Teatment includes both Daiva and Yukti Vyapashraya
Chikitsa.
4. Principle followed in Graha Rogas is almost similar to anti-
infective treatment followed by modern science.
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38. General treatment principles of
Graha Rogas
1. Daiva Vyapashraya :-
I. Mantra Prayoga
II. Swasti Vachana
III. Bali
IV. Mangala Homa
2. Yukti Vyapasraya :-
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1. Aushadhi Dharana 6. Avagaha
2. Snana 7. Dhupana
3. Ghrita Prayoga 8. Dhoomapana
4. Parisheka 9. Snapana
5. Lepas 10. Agni danda Home

39. THANK YOU
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