Vega (वेगाः)

The term vega (वेगः) literally means speed, velocity, impulse, outbreak or outburst. The it refers to the movement of something which is rapid or very quick. In Ayurveda this term indicates the natural urges of body that are manifested in the form of some rapid impulse generated by body. Generally these impulses are generated to throw out some metabolic wastes accumulated in the body. Some impulses are generated to fulfill the metabolic requirements of the body. Thus vegas are simply called as natural urges of the body. These urges could be either to expel the wastes like feces, urine, flatus in the form of defecation, urination or to fulfill the requirements of food, water in the form of hunger, thirst etc. Since many of these urges are expressed in the form of rapid movements of internal body structures, speed or velocity is their innate nature. If a person tries to forcibly suppress or generate these urges that leads to significant damage and harmful events in the body. Such repeated attempts consequently lay foundation for development of multiple diseases. Therefore, Ayurveda has given tremendous importance to the Vegas of body and studied their effects on health in depth.

विविधाः वेगाः Various Vegas

Ayurveda acharyas like Sushruta, Charaka and Vagbhata have devoted separate adhyayas to describe types, names, effects and treatment of vegas in their treatises. All of them have stated almost the same number of vegas of body. They are 13 in number. Various vegas listed are as follows,

न वेगान् धारयेद्धीमाञ्जातान् मूत्रपुरीषयोः। न रेतसो न वातस्य न छर्द्याः क्षवथोर्न च॥

नोद्गारस्य न जृम्भाया न वेगान् क्षुत्पिपासयोः। न बाष्पस्य न निद्राया निःश्वासस्य श्रमेण च॥ (Char Samh 7.3-4)

na vegān dhārayeddhīmāñjātān mūtrapurīṣayoḥ। na retaso na vātasya na chardyāḥ kṣavathorna ca॥

nodgārasya na jr̥mbhāyā na vegān kṣutpipāsayoḥ। na bāṣpasya na nidrāyā niḥśvāsasya śrameṇa ca॥ (Char Samh 7.3-4)

Various vegas which when forcibly suppressed or generated lead to multiple diseases are as follows,

1. Mutram (मूत्रम्) : Urine
2. Purisham (पुरीषम्) : Feces
3. Retas (रेतस्) : Semen
4. Vata or Adhovata (अधोवात) : Flatulence
5. Chhardi (छर्दी) : Vomiting
6. Kshavathu (क्षवथु) : Sneeze
7. Udgara (उद्गार) : Burp/ Belching
8. Jrumbha (जृम्भा) : Yawning
9. Kshut (क्षुत् / क्षुधा) : Hunger
10. Pipasa (पिपासा) : Thirst
11. Bashpa or Ashru (बाष्प) : Tears
12. Nidra (निद्रा) : Sleep
13. Shramashwasa (श्रमश्वासः) : Exertional breathlessness

Along with these urges to express demands of physical body, Acharya Vagbhata has also mentioned few vegas that are generated to express the demands of manas which could also be identified as the psychological expressions of the body. These are the emotions and behavioral patterns in an individual. Thus forcible suppression or non-suppression of these emotions is also detrimental to health.

धारयेत्तु सदा वेगान् हितैषी प्रेत्य चेह च। लोभेर्ष्याद्वेषमात्सर्यरागादीनां जितेन्द्रियः॥ (Asht Hrud 4.24)

dhārayettu sadā vegān hitaiṣī pretya ceha ca। lobherṣyādveṣamātsaryarāgādīnāṁ jitendriyaḥ॥ (Asht Hrud 4.24)

The emotions that are identified as vegas are as follows.

1. Lobha (लोभः) : Greed
2. Irsha (ईर्ष्या) : Envy
3. Dvesha (द्वेषः) : Hatred
4. Matsarya (मात्सर्यम्) : Jealousy
5. Raga etc (रागः) : Vehement desire