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.