Sharada Rutucharya (शरद ऋतुचर्या)
Sharada Rutu/ Rtu is one of the 6 seasons of the Hindu calendar year. Ashvina and Karthika masas/months comprise of this season. It is the period of the year that coincides with october heat period. Therefore the diet, lifestyle regime, do's and dont's for this season are peculiar and are described under Sharada rutucharya.
शरदमासाः॥ Months of Hindu calendar for Sharada rtu
As per Hindu calendar in Bharata, for every 2 months there is one season. Therefore for 12 months there are 6 seasons. However the seasons are listed with little variation in the names in 2 different cases. The list of season and months in Hindu calendar is given below,
| No. | Rtu list 1 | Hindu calendar months | Rtu list 2 | Hindu calendar months | Corresponding season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shishira (शिशिरः) | Magha, Phalguna | --- | --- | Winter |
| 2 | Vasanta (वसंतः) | Chaitra, Vaishakha | Vasanta (वसंतः) | Falguna (फाल्गुन), Chaitra (चैत्रः) | Spring |
| 3 | Grishma (ग्रीष्मः) | Jyeshtha, Ashadha | Grishma (ग्रीष्मः) | Vaishakha (वैशाखः), Jyeshtha (ज्येष्ठः) | Summer |
| 4 | --- | --- | Pravrt / Pravrush (प्रावृट्/प्रावृष्) | Ashadha (आषाढः), Shravana (श्रावणः) | Early Monsoon |
| 5 | Varsha (वर्षा) | Shravana, Bhadrapada | Varsha (वर्षा) | Bhadrapada (भाद्रपदः), Ashvin (अश्विन्) | Monsoon |
| 6 | Sharad (शरदः) | Ashvin, Kartika | Sharad (शरदः) | Kartika (कार्तिक), Margashirsha (मार्गशीर्ष) | Autumn |
| 7 | Hemanta (हेमंतः) | Margashirsha, Pausha | Hemanta (हेमंतः) | Pausha (पौष), Magha (माघ) | Winter or late autumn |
The month of Ashvina, Karthika and also Margashirsha (as per some scholars) make up the Sharada rutu.
अव्यापन्नशरदऋतुलक्षणानि॥ Characteristics of Sharada Rtu
Varsha/Pravrt , Sharada and Hemanta Rutu are the seasons of Dakshinayana i.e. Southern solstice. It is the period when the sun is away from the earth and thus the sun rays reaching the earth are mild. The heat is low. Moon's cooling effect is dominant resulting in colder climate. The sky is cloudy, climate is windy and rain showers are frequent. Rainwater diminishes the heating effect prevalent in nature. Owing to this dryness reduced, dampness and moisture increases in not just climate but also in all the beings living in the nature including plants, animals and humans bodies. The rasa that become predominant in the nature due to such weather conditions are Madhura (Sweet- Prthvi + Jala), Amla (Sour-Teja + Prithvi) and Lavana (salty- jala+Teja). All these 3 rasas are said to be nourishing and strengthening. Therefore, this period is called Visarga kala or nourishing period.
वर्षाशरद्धेमन्तेषु तु दक्षिणाभिमुखेऽर्के कालमार्गमेघवातवर्षाभिहतप्रतापे, शशिनि चाव्याहतबले, माहेन्द्रसलिलप्रशान्तसन्तापे जगति, अरूक्षा रसाः प्रवर्धन्तेऽम्ललवणमधुरा यथाक्रमं तत्र बलमुपचीयते नृणामिति||७|| (Char. Samh. Su. 6.7)
Among the 3 seasons of Visarga kala or Dakshinayana, Sharada is second in the sequence which comes after Pravrt or Varsha rutu or Rainy season. The specific events in nature in this season and their effects on body have been deeply studied by Ayurveda scholars and described as,
वर्षाशीतोचिताङ्गानां सहसैवार्करश्मिभिः| ....||४१||
Meaning: The human body which has become used to the cold climate of rainy season suddenly receives sharp sun rays in Sharada rutu..
Thus, the sharp sun rays and resultant increased heat in the environment is expected in the Sharda rutu. This season is popularly known as October heat.
शरदि अग्निदोषादीनां गतिः॥ The status of bio-energies in body in Pravrt
These climatic changes in Sharada rutu affect the elemental balance in Human body or Sharira. These directly affect the levels of 3 doshas which are the 3 controlling forces in body. The changes in dosaha leevls in Sharada rutu have been discussed by Ayurveda scholars as below,
वर्षाशीतोचिताङ्गानां सहसैवार्करश्मिभिः| तप्तानामाचितं पित्तं प्रायः शरदि कुप्यति||४१||
Meaning: The pitta accumulated in body in varsha rutu get vitiated due to the sharp sun rays of Sharada and causes Pitta aggravation.
Along with the pitta, kapha dosha also vitiates to some extent but lesser than pitta. Therefore Pitta and Kapha doshas get aggravated or vitiated in Sharada rutu and lead to multiple health problems arising from these 2 if the Sharada rutucharya is not followed properly. The agni is neither weak nor strong. Strength is also moderate in this period.
In short the status of body elements is as follows as per Ayurveda,
| Body element | Status in Pravrt | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Doshas | Pitta along with kapha aggravated/vitiated |
| 2 | Agni | moderate |
| 3 | Dhatus | moderate strength.
The rakta dhatu is vitiated naturally in this season. |
शरद ऋतुचर्याविधानम्॥ Rtucharya for Sharada
Pitta aggravated in Sharada should be controlled by following a specific diet and lifestyle regime which is known as Sharada Rutucharya. The do's and dont's under this regimen are as follows,[1]
What should be strictly avoided in Sharada rtu?
- In order to keep a check on naturally aggravating Pitta dosha, it is advised to avoid hot and spicy food.
- Few food stuffs which are to be avoided - fat, oils, meat of aquatic animals (sea food), curds, etc.
- Its best to avoid overeating.
- Avoiding the direct heat and sun exposure is recommended in this season.
- Kshara in food which could be correlated with Highly alkaline diet should be avoided in this season. The ksharas in food are identified as those ingredients which have excess spice and salt. Such substances when consumed in excess can lead to pitta aggravation.
- Curd is best avoided.
- One should not sleep during the daytime
- Cold air in the early morning (specifically coming form the east) is best to be avoided.
What should be followed in Sharada rtu?
- Foods that are sweet or bitter in taste, cooling in nature and light on digestion should be consumed to remain fit. Also these should be consumed in moderate quantity. These foods can then pacify vitiated Pitta.
- Wheat, green gram, sugar candy, honey, in nonvegetarian food- flesh of animals having habitat in dry land (Jangala Mamsa) can be consumed.
- It is recommended to observe the natural urge for food and eat only after having the natural desire for food.
- It is also recommended to take water purified by the rays of sun in day time and rays of moon at night time for drinking, bathing, etc.
- Use of fresh, cooling flowers in surrounding, use of cooling fragrances like Sandalwood can be made as scents and also for local application on body.
- It is said that moon rays in night are conducive for health. Thus one can deliberately take a walk in the night to immerse oneself into these cool rays of moon. On this ground various rituals wherein staying awake late nights is expected are followed like Kojagiri pournima.
- Increasing the amount of ghee in your food is recommended which helps to keep check on further pitta aggravation.
शरदि पंचकर्माणि॥ Panchakarmas done in Pravrt Rtu
Sharada is the season of Pitta dosha vitiation and aggravation. Therefore it is said to be the season for pitta cleansing or pitta detox in the year. Specific Panchakarma procedures are advised in this season to remove the excess pitta from channels and get good health.
तिक्तस्य सर्पिषः पानं विरेको रक्तमोक्षणम्| (Char. Samh. Su. 6.44)
Consuming ghee medicated with herbs that are bitter in taste, Virechana and raktamokshana are the panchakarma treatments of choice in sharada season.
Consuming medicated ghee can help in pacifying Pitta. Thus this should be tried first. If this doesn't work the next steps should be conducting Virechana and is that also fails one should go for Raktamoshana. The rakta dhatu which normally acts as a seat for Pitta dosha naturally gets vitiated due to aggravated pitta residing in it.[2] Therefore sometimes it also becomes necessary to remove the vitiated rakta (blood) from the system as a detox measure which is facilitated by Raktamokshana pocedure.
दिवा सूर्यांशुसन्तप्तं निशि चन्द्रांशुशीतलम्|
कालेन पक्वं निर्दोषमगस्त्येनाविषीकृतम्||४६||
हंसोदकमिति ख्यातं शारदं विमलं शुचि|
स्नानपानावगाहेषु हितमम्बु यथाऽमृतम् [१] ||४७||
Water in Sharada
तनु लघ्वनभिष्यन्दि प्रायः शरदि वर्षति||२०३||
तत्तु ये सुकुमाराः स्युः स्निग्धभूयिष्ठभोजनाः|
तेषां भोज्ये च भक्ष्ये च लेह्ये पेये च शस्यते||२०४|| (Char. SAmh. Sutra. 27.204)
Festivals that appear in Sharada Rutu and guide on useful regime
navaratri, Kojagiri