Introduction

In ayurveda the role of pancha mahabhuta (five elements) is well renowned. Physical creation is a great denouement of these elements and among them jal mahabhuta (जल महाभूत) is of great significance anatomically and physiologically both. As you know that when a seed is sowed into the soil it needs water for its growth and existence similarly for our endurance creator creates us with 50-75% of water in the form of lymph, plasma, pus, bile, blood, urine, sweat, tears, bodily fluids in vessels, tissues and cells that needs to be ousted and reinstate all the time. Jal also offers softness, unctuousness, moistness, compactness and perception of taste, evince that our body is a very fine, skillful bio-frame that knows what to do, when to do and how to do. Hey...!!! Have you ever ponder about your laborious soma organs like liver, intestines, kidneys and urinary bladder that works 24/7 to purifies your body? Instead we carry out the responsibility by drinking lots of water, green tea, juices, consuming citrus fruits and fibers to detoxify ourselves and alternatively our systems obeys the command and remove the free radicals, toxins and waste products from our body. Urinary system plays the most important part in that, it includes kidneys, ureter, urinary bladder and urethra. Urinary bladder is awarded with the name of basti by ayurveda that stores egesta in it moreover basti marma (बस्ति मर्म) is an indispensable marma that presents supernatural results for humans well being. So let's start our journey to uncover basti's benefits.

Mind blowing basti

Among 107 marmas - hridaya, basti and nabhi are considered as the most important marmas that's why Acharya Sushrut designate them as Tri marma (त्रिमर्म) or Maha marma (महामर्म) in his samhita i.e Sushrut Samhita (सु.शा.६). Acharya charaka also includes basti in Shad marma (षड्मर्म) along with hridaya (हृदय), nabhi (नाभि), murdha (मूर्धा), kanth (कंठ) and guda (गुदा) in charaka samhita (च.शा.७). He also gave the term tri marmas for hridaya, basti and nabhi. Marmas are also explained in the other texts of ayurveda such as kashyap samhita, ashtang hridaya (अ.हृ.४) and ashtang sangrah (अ.हृ.७). This shows that how important marma points (marma therapy) are as they are explained by different acharyas time to time.

1. Define: In ayurveda the word basti means “one that holds the urine” therefore basti means the urinary bladder.
2. Number: Basti marma is single in soma.
3. Category: It is promptly fatal.
4. Physical properties: It is igneous in nature.
5. Mensuration: It's size is about the fist of a person.
6. Shape: Its shape is just like bottle gourd.
7. Composition: It is made up of muscles.

नाभिपृष्ठकटीमुष्कगुदवंक्षणशेफसाम् |
एकद्वारस्तनुत्वक्को मध्ये बस्तिरधोमुख:| बस्तिर्बस्तिशिरश्चैव पौरुषं वृषणौ गद:|
एक सम्बन्धिनो ह्मेते गुदास्थि विवराश्रिता:| अलाब्वा इव रूपेण शिरास्नायुपरिग्रह:|
मूत्राशयो मलाधारः प्राणायतनमुत्तमम् | पक्वाशयगतास्तत्र नाड्यो मूत्रवहास्तु याः|
तर्पयन्ति सदा मूत्रं सरतिः सागरं यथा | सूक्ष्मत्वान्नोपलभ्यन्ते मुखान्यासां सहस्रशः|
नाडीभिरूपनीतस्य मुत्रस्यामाश्यान्नतरात् | जाग्रतः स्वप्तश्चैव स निः स्यन्देन पूर्यते |
मुखात्सलिले न्यस्तः पार्श्वेभ्यः पूर्यते नवः| घटो यथा विद्धि बस्तिर्मुत्रेण पूर्यते | (सु.नि.३/१८-२३)

Acharya Sushrut in Sushrut Samhita explains the basti's (urinary bladder) anatomy as it is located in anterior pelvis and is enveloped by navel, back, pelvis region, testicles (scrotum), anus, groin region and penis. The walls of urinary bladder are made of smooth muscles which helps for the expulsion of waste fluids in the form of urine via door or opening present at the base of the bladder. Urinary bladder and other pelvic structures such as body of bladder, prostate gland, both the testicals and anal canal are closely related to each other as they are concomitantly located in the pelvic bone. The shape of the urinary bladder is just like alabu/ अलाबु (bottle gourd) and enfold by the vessels and ligaments all around. It is known as maladhar (मलाधार) because it stores the urine and also called as the pranayatn (प्राणायत्न) i.e the seat of consciousness in which life is stored). As all the rivers meet in the ocean similarly the vessels of our body carry waste products, salts and water into the bladder for its elimination. It is the (आधार) base of urine as well as for the channels that carry watery materials for elimination.

Method of stimulation of basti marma

First of all to commence the marma stimulation sit adequately in a diamond pose (vajra asana /वज्रासन) by uniting your heels so that it provokes the sciatic nerves by pressing your kati tarun marma (कटीतरुण मर्म). Now take a deep breath in and while forming a fist of your right hand, position it above the pubic symphysis and afterwards support it with the left hand palm over the fist of the right hand. Momentarily during inspiration bend in forward direction to press the area above the pubic symphysis while during expiration comes into the natural position i.e ordinary vajra asan. Carry on this activity for about 15 -18 times thrice a day with harmonization of breath.

Note: This exercise is also beneficial for small sprogs (babies) suffering from bedwetting.

Esse

Activation of the basti marma (marma chikitsa) can be done either by directly stimulating basti marma or starting with the inder basti marma because the Inder (इंद्र) is considered as the god of jala mahabhuta therefore all the diseases related to the water are also controlled or checked by the inder basti marma. In maladies like nephritis, ureteritis, cystitis, hematuria, oliguria, prostatic enlargement the stimulation of basti marma gives you the sensation of relief by removing the dark shades of diseases from your life. So try this and apply this…….!!!!!!