Encyclopedia of Ayurvedic Medicinal Plants

 Vasanta charya—(regimen during spring)

              Kapha which has undergone increase in sisira (cold seasons) becomes liquified by the heat of the sun in vasanta (spring), diminishes the agni (digestive activity in the alimentary tract), and gives rise to many diseases; hence it (kapha) should be controlled quickly, by resorting to strong emesis, nasal medication and other therapies, and also by foods which are easily digestable and dry (moisture-free, fat-free), physical exercises, (dry) massage and mild trampling.

 Having thus vanquished (mitigated) the kapha, the person should take bath, anoint the body with the paste of karpura, chandana, aguru  make use of old yava (barley) godhuma (wheat), khaudra (honey), meat of animals of desert-like land, and meat roasted in fire as food; drink the juice of mango’ fruit mixed with fragrant substances, in the company of friends, getting it served by the beloved (women) which has been made more pleasant by the sweet scent of their body and the grace of their lily-like eyes; the drink, thereby producing satisfaction to the mind and heart, He should also make use of unspoiled beverages such as asava (fermented infusion), arista (fermented decoction), sidhu (fermented sugarcane juice), märdvika (fermented grape juice), mãdhava (honey water) or water boiled with rsarambu (extract of trees such as asana, chandana etc,) or water mixed with honey, or water
boiled with jalada (mustã).

              The person should spend his midday happily in the company of friends engaged in pleasant games, pastimes, storytelling etc., in forests (or gardens) which have cool breeze from south direction, with plenty of reservoirs of water all around, invisible or poor sunlight, the land covered with shining crystals, with the cuckoo every where making pleasant sounds and engaged in love-play, with trees of different kinds of beautiful and sweet smelling flowers.

Foods which are hard to. digest and cold, sleeping at daytime foods which are fatty, sour and sweet should be avoided.

(regimen during summer)

             In grisma (summer) the sun rays become powerful, day after day and appears to be destructive (of all things); slesma (kapha) decreases day by day and vayu (vãta) increases consequently, hence in this season use of things which are silt, pungent, and sour (in taste) (as food), physical exercises and exposure to sunlight, should be avoided.  Foods which are sweet, light  to digest), fatty, cold and liquid should be taken; partake corn flour mixed with very cold water and sugar after taking bath in cold water.


Rice (boiled) white like kunda flower and the moon should be eaten along with meat of animals of desert-like land.
Rasa (meat juice) which is not very thick, rasálä (curds churned and mixed with pepper powder and sugar), raga (syrup which is sweet, sour and salty) and khat4ava ( syrup which has all the tastes, prepared with many substances), pänaka  (syrup prepared with dráksa, maduka, kharjüra,  fruits all in equal quantities, cooled and added with powder of patra, tvak, elã etc.) and kept inside a fresh mud pot, along with leaves of plaintain and coconut trees, and macic sour (fermented) should be drunk in jugs (nugs) of mud or shell; very cool water kept in mud pot along with flowers of and karpüra should be used for drinking.

Kumkum / safron - Crocus sativus

Crocuses belong to the family Iridaceae. The saffron crocus is classified as Crocus sativus, It is a shrub. Leaves are seen towards the base of the stem and are compactly arranged.Read More about safron.....