Introduction

We the humans...! Are the conscious beings that are very much conscious about our body, beauty, health, relations, emotions, career and aims. But knowingly or unknowingly we remain unconscious about our ancient pathies which owns advance abilities. In ayurveda’s panchakarma, basti is one of them. Basti karma is a natural method to detoxify your body and putting the vivacity into the million of processes proceeding in your body i.e it has the power to change the biological rhythm of your body and encourages self healing. Impurities that are entangled with your body are scraped by the basti and shown the path of egress to them. It’s a natural treatment with natural substances to bring the body back into its natural state. It also relieves stress of your body and mind to improve the quality of life. Human is the king of the castle (body) so he has to to make the decisions how to convert it into more beautiful and healthy state along with its prevention from the rust of impurities. We are the mortal ones but basti gifts you an immortal energy to overcome with the hurdles of infirmity. So take a decision with a heart full of faith and adamantine intentions that it surely leads you to the path of verity. Believe me this one small step can change your life forever.

Ayurvedic basti elucidation

Basically basti means one that holds the urine i.e urinary bladder.

बस्तिना दीयते इति बस्ति: अ.हृ.सू 19 -1

The process of administration of herbal medicines with the help of basti (urinary bladder) is known as the Basti treatment or the process through which medicated decoctions, oils and meat soups are inserted into the intestines is called as the basti therapy.

It is the best treatment for vatta dosha and vatta is the cardinal factor because pitta and kapha are immobile in nature, it is only the vitiated vatta dosha which carries the pitta and kapha doshas along with it to cause the ailments. If the vatta dosha is under control then the chances of gaining ill-health is reduced to infinite extent. That's why basti is considered as the most valuable therapy of panchakarma as per ayurveda. In ayurveda it is regarded as the treatment above all or total treatment. So go through it to attain a good health as said by Mahatma Gandhi - “It's the health that is the real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver”.

Types of basti (बस्ति प्रकार)

Internal and external basti’s

1. Internal basti (अभ्यंतर बस्ति): The basti which are implemented inside the body organs are called as internal basti such as anuvasana (अनुवासन), niruha (निरुह), matra (मात्रा) and uttar (उत्तर) basti etc.
2. External basti (बाह्य बस्ति): The basti which are executed over the body surface are recognised as external basti’s such as janu (जानुबस्ति basti), kati basti (कटिबस्ति), manya basti (मन्याबस्ति), varna basti (व्रणबस्ति), haridaya basti (हृदयबस्ति) etc.

Basti’s on the basis of sites (अधिष्ठान)

1. Intestinal enema (पक्वाशयगत बस्ति): The type of basti in which the herbal medicine is administered through the anal route and that medicinal substance reach inside the पक्वाशय (intestines) to show its best results is called as the pakvashygat basti.
2. Uterine enema (गर्भाशयगत बस्ति): When the herbal concoction is instilled through vaginal route so that it get inside the uterus and retain in metra is called as the garbhasygat basti.
   Note:Uttar basti (उत्तर बस्ति): Basti given through the urethral orifice in men or vaginal route in women is uttar basti. It is used mainly in urinary infections, bladder infections and reproductive disorders.
3. Intravesical enema (मूत्राशयगत बस्ति): Here the medicine is dispensed through the urethra so that the panacea moves into the urinary bladder for its action is called as the mutrashay gat basti.
4. Wound cleansing or enema (व्रणगत बस्ति): The basti which is inculcated into vran (wound) for its cleansing and purification is known as the vrangat basti.

Basti’s on the basis of drugs (द्रव्य) used

1. Decoction enema (क्वाथ प्रधान बस्ति): The types of basti in which only decoctions are utilized are called as decoction dominant basti’s such as niruha (निरुह बस्ति) and asthapana basti (अस्थापन बस्ति).
2. Oil enema (स्नेह प्रधान बस्ति): The therapy where manipulation of medicated oils is done to accomplish the basti treatment is called as the oil enema (oil dominant basti) such as anuvasana (अनुवासन बस्ति) and matra basti (मात्रा बस्ति).

On the basis of mode of action

1. Purifying basti (शोधन बस्ति): Here the shodhana (purifying) drugs are used for the preparation of the basti dravya which eliminates the vitiated doshas and malas (impurities) from the body hence it is called as the shodhana basti.
2. Scrapping basti (लेखन बस्ति): The basti in which lekhna drugs are used and perform lekhan karma in the body. Lekhan means scrapping of the unhealthy and dead cells (detracts the adipocytes) from the body hence it is very useful in the obesity and pcos.
3. Oils basti स्नेह बस्ति: The basti in which fatty contents such as medicated oils or clarified butter are used excessively is termed as the snehan basti.
4. Nourishing basti (बृहण बस्ति): The basti in which Brihan drugs are used (those drugs which nourishes the body and its dhatus (धातु) such as रस - रक्त - मांस - मेद - अस्थि - मज्जा - शुक्र) is baptized as the barihan basti.

On the basis of number

1. Karm basti (कर्म बस्ति): The basti in which total 30 basti are administered (1:12:12:5) i.e 1 oil enema (anuvasana basti) at the beginning and 5 enemas at the end, then in the mid oil and decoction enemas are executed alternatively.
2. Kaal basti (काल बस्ति): The basti in which total 16 basti are instilled (1:6:6:3) i.e 1 oil enema at the starting and 3 at the last while in the halfway execute oil and decoction enemas repeatedly.
3. Yog basti (योग बस्ति): The basti in which total 8 basti are inoculated.(1:3:3:1) i.e 1 oil enema at the commencement and 1 at the terminal while in an intermediate execute oil and decoction enema one after another.

Some specific basti

1. Yapn basti (यापन बस्ति): Our body goes through natural wear and tear mechanism but a process that reduces the process of ageing to maintain the youthfulness of individuals is designated as yapn basti. It can be given in any season without any complications. Decoction, milk, meat soup, honey, ghee, eggs, jaggery can be used in the yapana basti. Hence we can conclude that nourishing materials are used in it increases that physical power, immunity, semen quantity or quality and strength of muscles etc.
2. Siddh basti (सिद्ध बस्ति): The word “siddha” means the power to conduct miracles therefore the basti which proves to be a triumphant in large number of diseases is known as the siddha basti.
3. Prasrit yogik basti (प्रसृत यौगिक बस्ति): The word prasrit is a measuring unit,1 prasrit = 8 tola = 93.3105 g and the drugs which are used in this basti are measured in prasrit. According to the age some basti are recommended in specific quantity hence it is called as the prasrit yogik basti.
4. Dwadash prasritik basti (द्वादश प्रसृतिकी बस्ति): In this basti the total dose of drugs used is 12 prasrit i.e 960ml. It is the best dose for an adult as for example madhu tailik basti…

   Saindhav	1 karsh
   madhhu	2 prasrit
   saneha	3 prasrit
   kalk	1 prasrit
   kawtha	4 prasrit
   prakshep	2 prasrit
   total	12 prasrit

5. Padaheen basti (पादाहीन बस्ति): The basti in which the dose of basti is 9 prasrit is known as padaheen basti.

   madhu and taila	4 prasrit and 2 karsha
   erand root decoction	4 prasrit and 2 karsha
   saunf	½ pal
   saindhav lavan	1 karsh
   madanaphala	1 fruit

6. Teekshna basti (तीक्ष्ण बस्ति): Here in the preparation of the basti material purifying drugs with penetrating and piercing qualities (तीक्ष्ण गुण) and hot potency (उष्ण वीर्य ) are used like alkali, urine etc. It is a shodhana basti (शोधन बस्ति) but remember all purifying basti’s are not teekshna.
7. Mridu basti (मृदु बस्ति): Mridu means soft so this basti is recommended for children and elderly ones. The basti is prepared by the mridu drugs like milk, clarified butter meat soup is called as the mridu basti.
8. Piccha basti (पिच्छा बस्ति): It is also called as the sangrahi basti (संग्राही बस्ति) or stambhan basti (स्तम्भन बस्ति) i.e the one that posses styptic action. Here the piccha yukt dravya (styptic drugs) are used for the preparation of the basti.
9. Rakt basti (रक्त बस्ति): The basti which is used in the deficiency of the blood is known as the rakt basti. Here blood is used as a basti dravya. General indications and contraindications for the basti

Indication:

Basti treatment is very effective in case of constipation, lower backache, gout rheumatism, sciatica, arthritis, nervous disorders, vatta headache, emaciation, muscular atrophy.

Contraindications:

All types of diarrhoeas, dysenteries, per rectal bleeding, diabetes, severe anemia, hypoproteinemia, breathlessness, pulmonary tuberculosis, infantile problems and senile debility.

Embodiment

Believe me ayurvedic basti is just like a diamond in your hand once you give 100 percent trust towards basti, with integrity it will definitely brings revolution in your ill health. It develops an amity with your body by blowing out all the dross hence it keeps you in healthy state. It gives you a new life just like caterpillar's life cycle…

Caterpillars experiences the gloom,
when they are wrapped within the cocoon.
whenever the coon burst,
they wash away the prune rust.
now caterpillar becomes a butterfly,
to fly high up in the sky.

In the same way your intestines experiences uneasiness when they are covered with impurities. As soon as the vitiated doshas are flushed out by basti therapy intestines get detoxified and feel refresh, light with rejuvenation. It is a powerful technique which helps you to earn infinite potential of healing. So c'mon just try it out to make your life more easy. Basti chikitsa is gleam of light that draws away the darkness of deleterious grime.

My cordial regards are with you...!