The common and general meaning of the term 'Udaka Vaha Srotas' means the chanel or the path by which water (Udaka) i9s carried

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1 The common and general meaning of the term 'Udaka Vaha Srotas' means the chanel or the path by which water (Udaka) i9s carried from opne place to other. It is also said that t.he 'Udaka Vaha Srotas' cannot be different from the 'Anna Vaha Srotas' as both are carried from one end to the other by the same route chanel of the path. But this may not be true. As similar Srotasas are in existance like 'Rasa Vaha Srotas' or 'Anna Vaha Srotas', then is no need to describe 'Udaka Vaha Srotas' separately. Also one can find the origin or the root of Srtasas like Praana Vaha Srotas. But for the Udaka Vaha Srotas one cannot find out the origin of it. It has not detectable origin in the human body. It is said that for Uadaka Vaha Srotas there are two places or the roots. These are said to be, 'Taaloo' and 'Kloma (or can also be written as, 'Cloma'). There are great difference of opinions on these two words and the exact organs which can be identified by these names Taaloo is isaid to be the roof of the mouth cavity or the soft palate and a portion of the hard palate. But Kloma is a contravertial part and so far the opinions are divided on what is exactly Kloma'.

2 All the same so as to undestand the functions or the 'Dushti (pathological state), of Udaka Vaha Srotas these two places where 'Udaka Vaha Srotas' is said to be found predominantly must be studied. These places could be imagined from the 'Dushti Lakshanas' of Udaka Vaha Srotas Both Taaloo and Kloma are said to be 'Pipasa Shthanas' or the centres for thirst. When Udaka Vaha Srotas becomes dry and parched then Pipasa is evoked. The roof of the mouth the palate becomes dry and sticky and one feels thirsty. When water is administered then these places again become wet and succulent and the thirst is 'quenched Along with Taaloo and Kloma the tongue, the throat, the upper oesophagus also become dry and sticky and there is difficulty swallowing (deglutition) and these are the signs and symptoms in of deficinecy of the Udaka Vaha Srotas or Udaka Vaha Srotas Dushti lakshanani. The effect of the deficiency of water is seen at hard and soft palate, tongue, the throat and the upper oesophagus, therefore these are the important and main places of Udaka Vaha Srotas. Therefore the Udaka Vaha Srotas is largely distributed in Taaloo, Kloma, tongue, thorat and the upper oesophagus. It is hidden in these organs or these places. Since these places are very close to each other there is reason to believe that this could be the

3 origin of the Uadaka Vaha Srotas as thought by the old Aacharyas. Tongue is the place for the Rasa Knowledge and is essentially and predominantly a succulent and water leden organ. It is juicy. It is accompanied by the salivary glands and from all these places digestive as well as lubricant juices and secretions flow in the mouth cavity which help to keep the mouth wet, carry out the function of undersatnding taste,produce different sounds and give rise to spoken words with different meanings etc. This all bespeaks of the Udaka Vaha Srotas being predominantly residing in these parts. These parts must remain constatntly wet and juicy. The moment they become dry and parched the it is considered as 'Dushti' from the Ayurvedic points of view. The deficiency of Udaka (water) in the body anywhere is first preceptible at these places. Just like Srotasas for the conduction of speach (Shabda), conduction of mental faculties (Mono Vyapaar) and conduction of sight and vision (Drushti) are mentioned but they cannot be located or traced, likwise Udaka Vaha Srotas exists and it is more acutely felt by the emergence of its deficiency signs and symptoms. When there is thirst we are aware of the Udaka Vaha Srotas. In illness and especially in Jwara (high fever) we are

4 aware that the 'Udaka Vaha Srotas' has gone out of its normal fucntion and there is excessive deficinecy of Udaka in the body or its conduction to some special sights like Taloo and Kloma are blocked and hence there is excessice thirst. Therefore 'Trushna' is a diseases especially that of the Udaka Vaha Srotas which is vividly desc^'ibed and its treatment sugessted. Charaka Acharya, Sushruta Acharya and Madhava have described trushna as a speparate disease and all have written a separate chapter on the disease Trushna. In modern medicine, thirst is not described as a spearate disease. It is sign in many diseases. Even then, one can accept the fact that even in the modern medical hospitals in various sections like surgery, medicine, pediatrics etc, the demand of the patients for water can be taken as a disease and not as a part of some other disease. It is representative of a separate illness. In infectious disease like Typhoid or the enteric fever, the patient is constantly demanding for water. In this disease there are ulcers and wounds to the inside lining of the intestinal canal. Similarly whenever there is internal bleeding and loss of fluid the patient is always found to be thirsty anc dehydrated.

5 (Shushka). Trushna can also be considered as a Upadrava of some other main disease. This is acceptable as Trishna arises later on during the course of the main disease. In a disease 'Visarpa' the child constantly demands and drinks water till the end. The demand for water in this disease is ever increasing. In diseases like excessive vomitting and diarrhoea the thrist is of strong nature. In the absence of water administration, the patient can collapse and may die. In these conditions many times the treatment of disease or the cause of the disease is not that important. What is important in these diseases is the replacement of water or 'Aap Dhatu' of the body and that too immediately. HOW THE DESIRE FOR THIRST ARISES? When the level of the water (Aap Dhatu) decreases below the normal levels then Vata Dosha becomes vitiated and stimulates Udaka Vaha Srotas. Udaka Vaha Srotas being spread all over the body awakens the mind as well as Buddhi and they in turn send 'Adnyas' (Orders) to various Dyanendriyas and Karmendriyas to bring about the expression of Trushna. This process may be accentuated by Pitta and depressed by Kapha.That is why there is excessive thirst in Pittaja Vyadhis and it is opposite when Kapha

6 Dosha is involved. The details of this reflex action (Pratikshipta Kriya) is not explicable fully from the Ayurvedic angle but can be satisfactorily explained in modern medical terms. According to modern medicine there exists a thrist centre in the brain and it is sensitive to the water levels in the body.when water more than normal levels is lost through bleeding,sweating,vomiting,urination etc. then this centre sends signals to different organs of the body and the individual gets the desire of thirst and drinks water or procures water and drinks it. Aap Dhatu is distributed all over the body in a peculier way. In the body some of the tissues and organs require more water for their functioning whereas some of the tissues and organs require very little water. In 'Rogi Avastha' Aap Dhatu can get distributed unevenly in the body and cause disturbance of the normal functions of Udaka Vaha Srotas. For example in Udara Vyadhi water is accumulated in 'Udara' which can be said as the peritoneal cavity.