Dosha

The Sanskrit doṣa means "fault," "blemish" or, more usefully here, "that which is liable to go out of balance." In Āyurveda the term names the three functional principles — governing what the body does — whose equilibrium is associated with well-being and whose disturbance is thought to underlie disorder and unease.

The three doṣas are Vāta (movement, linked to air and space), Pitta (transformation, linked to fire and water) and Kapha (structure and cohesion, linked to earth and water). Each person is held to carry a distinctive proportion, a constitution or prakṛti, shaping their tendencies of body, digestion and temperament.

Āyurveda's classical foundation is the Charaka Saṃhitā, with the Suśruta Saṃhitā and Aṣṭāṅga Hṛdaya standing alongside it. These texts set out the doṣa framework, its relation to the five elements, and guidance on diet, daily routine and season intended to keep each person's constitution in balance.

In everyday use, the doṣa model informs gentle choices — foods, daily rhythm, activity and season — chosen to suit one's constitution and to counter whatever is in excess. Many yoga practitioners meet it as a lens for self-observation, noticing how habits, weather and stress quietly shift how they feel.

Doṣa describes an Āyurvedic constitution, not a medical diagnosis; it is a traditional framework, not a clinical assessment. Nothing here is medical advice, and doṣa terms should not replace professional care for any health concern. If you have symptoms, consult a qualified practitioner rather than self-treating by constitution alone.