Pravrta Rtu (प्रावृट ऋतु)

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Pravrta or Pravrsha in Samskrit refers to the rains. Rtu or Rutu or Ritu means season. Thus Pravrt or Pravrsh is the rainy season or monsoon in Bharata. In Ayurveda, along with the mention of 6 Rtus and their Rutucharya, Pravrt season has also been specifically mentioned and do's and dont's in this season have also been suggested by acharyas. Acharya Sushruta in Sushruta samhita has given this high importance and counted Pravta/pravrsha along with Varsha Rtu under the 6 seasons list while skipping Shishira rtu, one of the winter rtus quite similar to hemanta rtu. The seasons or Rtus have been listed and counted in accordance with their order of appearance and the dosha aggravation they cause. Every season affects the internal balance in the body and thus in order to remain fit and healthy, one is advised to adopt Rtucharya as a preventive healthcare measure in Ayurveda.

Months of Hindu calendar for Pravrt 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,

Hindu calendar months and corresponding Rtus / seasons of the year

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, Chaitra	Spring
3	Grishma (ग्रीष्मः)	Jyeshtha, Ashadha	Grishma (ग्रीष्मः)	Vaishakha, Jyeshtha	Summer
4	---	---	Pravrt / Pravrush (प्रावृट्/प्रावृष्)	Ashadha, Shravana	Early Monsoon
5	Varsha (वर्षा)	Shravana, Bhadrapada	Varsha (वर्षा)	Bhadrapada, Ashvin	Monsoon
6	Sharad (शरदः)	Ashvin, Kartika	Sharad (शरदः)	Kartika, Margashirsha	Autumn
7	Hemanta (हेमंतः)	Margashirsha, Pausha	Hemanta (हेमंतः)	Pausha, Magha	Winter or late autumn

Pravrt rtu appears in Ashadha and Shravana months as per Hindu calendar.

आषाढश्रावणौ-प्रावृट् (Sush. Samh. 6.10) प्रावृट् शुचिनभौ ज्ञेयौ....शुचिनभौ आषाढश्रावणौ| (Char. Siddh. 6.5)

प्रावृड्वर्षयोः को भेदः? Difference between Pravrt and Varsha Rtu

Varsha rtu is traditionally and popularly known to be the rainy season in Bharata. We also know that even Pravrt season indicates rains or rainy season. Thus there might arise a question about what is the difference in the pravrt and Varsha and why those have been counted separately. Commentator Dalhana of Sushruta samhita clarifies that, the first rains or the beginning of the rainy season is called as pravrt while its uninterrupted succession in later months should be considered as Varsha rtu.

प्रथमः प्रवृष्टेः कालः प्रावृड्, तस्यानुबन्धो वर्षाः| (Commentary of Dalhana on Sush. Samh. 6.10)

Therefore the commencement of the monsoons in Bharata is known as Pravrt while its continuation in later months is known as Varsha rtu. The Pravrt rtu has been specifically counted in the season list when the specific therapeutic regime or panchakarma is to be advised pertaining to the beginning of each season. When Ayurveda acharyas list the seasons to specify the dominant rasa and bala in that time of the year, the season list includes Shishira and Varsha while Pravrt is skipped. These details regarding the effect of every season or the changes occurring in human body with respect to the seasonal change are extremely important for any Vaidya to understand the disease processes and plan the proper treatment as well as the diet-lifestyle regime for an individual patient. As per the opinion of acharya Kashyapa, season counting and variations in it are dependent upon which part of the Bharata in are they counted. He says that on the south of the river ganga the rains stretch for a longer period during the year while in the northen part of river ganga, the winter extends for a longer period than rains. Therefore in south India the season are counted in a different way than seasons in the north India.

संज्ञाभेदं च देशभेदेनाह काश्यपः-"भूयो वर्षति पर्जन्यो गङ्गाया दक्षिणे तटे| अतः प्रावृट् च वर्षाश्च ऋतू तत्र प्रकल्पितौ|| तस्या एवोत्तरे देशे हिमवद्विन्ध्यसङ्कुले| भूयः शीतमतस्तत्र हेमन्तशिशिरावुभौ||" इति| दक्षिणदेशीयैर्वृष्टिसंबन्धिनोर्द्वयोः प्रावृड्वर्षाख्यत्वं कृत्वा, पारिशेष्याच्छीतसम्बन्धिनोर्द्वयोः शरद्धेमन्ताख्यत्वं कृतम्| उत्तरदेशीयैस्तु शीतसम्बन्धिनोर्द्वयोर्हेमन्तशिशिराख्यत्वं कृत्वा, पारिशेष्याद्वृष्टिसम्बन्धिनोर्द्वयोर्वर्षाशरत्संज्ञत्वं कृतमित्यर्थः| वृष्टिशीतबाहुल्योपन्यासस्तत्रान्वर्थसंज्ञार्थः , न च संज्ञासङ्करे लक्षणसङ्करः, दोषाणां दोषधातुमलसंज्ञावत्|

Specifications related to Pravrt rtu described in Samhitas

Asht. Hrud. Su. 16.12 - इदानीं कस्मिन्काले कस्य स्नेहस्योपयोगः शस्त इति दर्शयन्नाह - ] - - - - तैलं प्रावृषि, वर्षान्ते सर्पिरन्यौ तु माधवे|

Asht. Hrud. Su. 5.20 -- प्रावृष्यान्तरिक्षं जलं परं वरं-अत्यन्तं पथ्यम्| नदीसम्भवं त्वपथ्यम्|

Asht. Hrud. Su. 3.7 - शीतेऽग्र्यं वृष्टिधर्मेऽल्पं बलं मध्यं तु शेषयोः ---- वृष्टिग़र्मे-प्रावृड्ग्रीष्मयोः,

Asht. Hrud. Su. 13.14- commentary of arunadatta- प्रावृषि हि दोषत्रयकोप उक्तः|

Asht. Hrud. Su. 13.34- commentary of arunadatta - प्रावृषि घनघनौषसङ्घट्टसादिते सर्वतो जगत्यवसन्नोऽग्निर्भवति| आदानदुर्बलं च शरीरं भवति| ओषधयश्च जलदजलप्लावितमूला अल्पवीर्याः सम्पद्यन्ते| भूबाष्पसंयोगाच्चौषधीनां विदग्धत्वम्| अतोऽपथ्यतां गता अयोगायैव|

Asht. Hrud. Su. 22.21- कालीयकादयः प्रावृषि, - Mukhalepas as per the season

A.H. Ni. 2.51- प्रावृट्सञ्चितस्य पित्तस्य , प्रावृषि प्राकृतो ज्वरो वातप्रधानः पित्तश्लेष्माणौ त्वनुबलत्वेन वातस्य स्थितौ, न तु सन्निपात इव स्वयं ज्वरकारकावित्यर्थः|

Cha. Viman. 8.125- साधारणलक्षणास्त्रय ऋतवः- प्रावृट्शरद्वसन्ता इति|

तत्र, वर्षास्वोषधयस्तरुण्योऽल्पवीर्या आपश्चाप्रशान्ताः ^[१] क्षितिमलप्रायाः, ता उपयुज्यमाना नभसि मेघावतते जलप्रक्लिन्नायां भूमौ क्लिन्नदेहानां प्राणिनां शीतवातविष्टम्भिताग्नीनां ^[२] विदह्यन्ते, विदाहात् पित्तसञ्चयमापादयन्ति; स सञ्चयः शरदि प्रविरलमेघे वियत्युपशुष्यति पङ्केऽर्ककिरणप्रविलायितः पैत्तिकान् व्याधीञ्जनयति |

ता एवौषधयो निदाघे निःसारा रूक्षा अतिमात्रं लघ्व्यो भवन्त्यापश्च, ता उपयुज्यमानाः सूर्यप्रतापोपशोषितदेहानां देहिनां रौक्ष्याल्लघुत्वाच्च ^[४] वायोः सञ्चयमापादयन्ति; स सञ्चयः प्रावृषि चात्यर्थं जलोपक्लिन्नायां भूमौ क्लिन्नदेहानां देहिनां शीतवातवर्षेरितो वातिकान् व्याधीञ्जनयति |

एवमेष दोषाणां सञ्चयप्रकोपहेतुरुक्तः ||११|| (Sush. SAmh. Su 6.11)

Time of the day equivalent to the season- अपराह्णे प्रावृषः ^[१] , प्रदोषे वार्षिकं, एवमहोरात्रमपि वर्षमिव शीतोष्णवर्षलक्षणं दोषोपचयप्रकोपोपशमैर्जानीयात् ||१४|| -Su. Su 6.14

Potable water per season

तत्र वर्षास्वान्तरिक्षमौद्भिदं वा सेवेत, महागुणत्वात्; शरदि सर्वं, प्रसन्नत्वात्; हेमन्ते सारसं ताडागं वा; वसन्ते कौपं प्रास्रवणं वा; ग्रीष्मेऽप्येवं; प्रावृषि चौण्ट्यमनभिवृष्टं सर्वं चेति ||८||

प्रावृषि चौण्ट्यमनवमनभिवृष्टं सर्वं चेति अनवं पुरातनं, तच्च सारसं ताडागं वा; अनभिवृष्टमनाभसं, तच्च कौपम्| - Su. sU 45.8)

Characteristics of Pravrt Rtu अव्यापन्नप्रावृडृतुलक्षणम

प्रावृष्यम्बरमानद्धं पश्चिमानिलकर्षितैः ^[१] |

अम्बुदैर्विद्युदुद्द्योतप्रस्रुतैस्तुमुलस्वनैः ||३१||

कोमलश्यामशष्पाढ्या शक्रगोपोज्ज्वला मही |

कदम्बनीपकुटजसर्जकेतकभूषिता ||३२|| (Su. su. 6.31-32)

Commentary- अव्यापन्नप्रावृडृतुलक्षणमाह- प्रावृषीत्यादि| पश्चिमानिलकर्षितैरम्बुदैरम्बरमाकाशं प्रावृषि आनद्धमाच्छादितं भवति| कथम्भूतैरम्बुदैरित्याह- विद्युदुद्द्योतेत्यादि|- विद्युदुद्द्योतेन सह प्रस्रुतैः क्षरितैः, तुमुलस्वनैः प्रचण्डगर्जितैः| मही च प्रावृषि कथम्भूता भवतीत्याह- कोमलेत्यादि|- शष्पं बालतृणम्, आढ्या समृद्धा| शक्रगोपः इन्द्रवधूः, अन्ये ज्योतिरिङ्गणमाहुः| नीपो धूलीकदम्बः||३१-३२||

Rtucharya for Pravrt

The vata accumulated in summers and aggravated in rainy season should be kept under control by following a specific regimen for Rainy season known as Pravrt Rtucharya or Varsha Rtucharya. The do's and dont's under this regimen are as follows,

What should be strictly avoided?

• River water (unfiltered water)
• Food stuffs and drinks that are ruksha (dry) in property or impart dryness to body
• Sunrays or direct sun exposure or heat
• Exercise
• Daytime sleeping
• Frequent coitus
• New or fresh produced food grains
• cold water for drinking
• Rain water obtained at this time is usually polluted with a lot of impurities from air and soil thus best to be avoided

What should be followed

• Old food grains like yawa (barley), shali (rice), godhuma (wheat)
• Should avoid contact with outside environment and better to sleep or rest in house where there will be no exposure to direct wind
• Different types of arishtas, sidhu, maireyakas (old fermented alcoholic Ayurvedic medicinal preparations) once the food taken in digested well but should be avoided at night
• Panchakarma procedures like Basti, abhyanga, swedana that help to reduce aggravated vata should be performed regularly.

Varsha

Monsoon

one should predominantly take sour, salty and unctuous food to alleviate vata. Make use of honey in food and drinks.

Since the digestive strength is poor and Vata dosha is aggravated, one should avoid food items that are heavy on digestion and lead to flatulence.

Practice dry massage, reside at places with low humidity, use fragrances, garlands to keep the surroundings fresh and cheerful. This is also considered the ideal season for taking Basti which is one of the 5 types of Panchakarma treatments.

Daytime sleeping, contact with dew, river water, intense physical exercise, exposure to sun rays and excess sexual intercourse should be avoided.