STHAULYA AS A SANTARPANOTTHA VYADHI: CLASSICAL INSIGHTS AND MODERN RELEVANCE

  • Unique Paper ID: 206369
  • Volume: 13
  • Issue: 2
  • PageNo: 1468-1476
  • Abstract:
  • Background: Obesity has emerged as one of the most significant public health challenges worldwide, contributing substantially to morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expenditure. It is associated with numerous metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular diseases. Ayurveda describes a condition analogous to obesity under the term Sthaulya, which is recognized as one of the Ashta Nindita Purusha and is primarily considered a Santarpanottha Vyadhi—a disease resulting from excessive nourishment and overnutrition. The classical Ayurvedic understanding of Sthaulya encompasses dietary, lifestyle, metabolic, and psychological factors that contribute to abnormal accumulation of Meda Dhatu. Objective: To review the Ayurvedic concept of Sthaulya as a Santarpanottha Vyadhi and explore its relevance in understanding the etiopathogenesis and management of obesity in the modern era. Materials and Methods: This review is based on a critical analysis of classical Ayurvedic texts, including Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, and Ashtanga Hridaya, along with contemporary scientific literature on obesity, metabolic syndrome, and related metabolic disorders. Relevant concepts such as Santarpana, Meda Dhatu, Agni, Ama, and Medovaha Srotas were reviewed and correlated with modern biomedical understanding. Results: Classical Ayurvedic literature identifies excessive intake of Guru, Snigdha, and Madhura foods, along with sedentary habits, lack of physical activity, and psychological comfort-seeking behaviors, as principal causative factors for Sthaulya. These factors lead to Agnimandya, Kapha and Meda Vriddhi, and dysfunction of Medovaha Srotas. The resulting pathological process closely parallels modern concepts of positive energy balance, adipose tissue accumulation, metabolic dysregulation, chronic low-grade inflammation, and insulin resistance. Ayurvedic management emphasizes Nidana Parivarjana, Shodhana therapies, Shamana measures, dietary regulation, and lifestyle modifications aimed at restoring metabolic balance. Conclusion: The Ayurvedic concept of Sthaulya as a Santarpanottha Vyadhi provides a comprehensive framework for understanding obesity beyond mere weight gain. The classical descriptions of Agnimandya, Meda Vriddhi, and Srotodushti exhibit remarkable similarity to contemporary concepts of metabolic dysfunction. Integrating these traditional insights with modern approaches may offer a holistic strategy for the prevention and management of obesity and its associated complications.

Copyright & License

Copyright © 2026 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

BibTeX

@article{206369,
        author = {Dr. Dnyaneshwar Sheshrao Kharat and Dr. Bharat Bansi Kadlaskar},
        title = {STHAULYA AS A SANTARPANOTTHA VYADHI: CLASSICAL INSIGHTS AND MODERN RELEVANCE},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {13},
        number = {2},
        pages = {1468-1476},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=206369},
        abstract = {Background: Obesity has emerged as one of the most significant public health challenges worldwide, contributing substantially to morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expenditure. It is associated with numerous metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular diseases. Ayurveda describes a condition analogous to obesity under the term Sthaulya, which is recognized as one of the Ashta Nindita Purusha and is primarily considered a Santarpanottha Vyadhi—a disease resulting from excessive nourishment and overnutrition. The classical Ayurvedic understanding of Sthaulya encompasses dietary, lifestyle, metabolic, and psychological factors that contribute to abnormal accumulation of Meda Dhatu. Objective: To review the Ayurvedic concept of Sthaulya as a Santarpanottha Vyadhi and explore its relevance in understanding the etiopathogenesis and management of obesity in the modern era. Materials and Methods: This review is based on a critical analysis of classical Ayurvedic texts, including Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, and Ashtanga Hridaya, along with contemporary scientific literature on obesity, metabolic syndrome, and related metabolic disorders. Relevant concepts such as Santarpana, Meda Dhatu, Agni, Ama, and Medovaha Srotas were reviewed and correlated with modern biomedical understanding. Results: Classical Ayurvedic literature identifies excessive intake of Guru, Snigdha, and Madhura foods, along with sedentary habits, lack of physical activity, and psychological comfort-seeking behaviors, as principal causative factors for Sthaulya. These factors lead to Agnimandya, Kapha and Meda Vriddhi, and dysfunction of Medovaha Srotas. The resulting pathological process closely parallels modern concepts of positive energy balance, adipose tissue accumulation, metabolic dysregulation, chronic low-grade inflammation, and insulin resistance. Ayurvedic management emphasizes Nidana Parivarjana, Shodhana therapies, Shamana measures, dietary regulation, and lifestyle modifications aimed at restoring metabolic balance. Conclusion: The Ayurvedic concept of Sthaulya as a Santarpanottha Vyadhi provides a comprehensive framework for understanding obesity beyond mere weight gain. The classical descriptions of Agnimandya, Meda Vriddhi, and Srotodushti exhibit remarkable similarity to contemporary concepts of metabolic dysfunction. Integrating these traditional insights with modern approaches may offer a holistic strategy for the prevention and management of obesity and its associated complications.},
        keywords = {Sthaulya, Santarpanottha Vyadhi, Obesity, Meda Dhatu, Agni, Medovaha Srotas, Metabolic Syndrome, Ayurveda.},
        month = {July},
        }

Cite This Article

Kharat, D. D. S., & Kadlaskar, D. B. B. (2026). STHAULYA AS A SANTARPANOTTHA VYADHI: CLASSICAL INSIGHTS AND MODERN RELEVANCE. International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology (IJIRT), 13(2), 1468–1476.

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