Pravicharana Snehapana in Shodhana Therapy: A Critical Review

In current scenario Panchakarma has attained outstanding place in the management of the ailments through various therapies. Also, the demand for specialized Panchkarma therapies has skyrocketed because of its multifaceted benefits i.e. promotive, preventive and curative. Similar to how a tree cannot grow without its roots, Panchakarma removes the Doshas from their causative roots so diseases cannot revert after. The Panchkarma therapy which is also known as Shodhana therapy is designed to remove the vitiated Doshas from the body. For removal of these vitiated Doshas it is necessary to bring them from periphery to central channels which is achieved by two primary means i.e. Snehana and Swedana. Snehana and Swedana act as a Purva Karma for Shodhana. When Snehapana is done correctly it will give fruitful effect of Shodhana therapy but if it is not done properly, it would not achieve the desired Shodhana effects and may leads to various complications. Often there is trouble in administrating the Achha Sneha to the patients and there is poor compliance to it. This non-compliance poses a significant challenge for physicians, as it directly affects the success of the purification process. So, there is need to adopt Pravicharana Snehapana as Shodhananga Snehana. Pravicharana is less utilized and generally ignored as a Purva Karma in daily Ayurvedic practice. So, here is an attempt to explore the concept of Pravicharana for Shodhana purpose for its fruitful benefits.