Herbal smoking (Dhūmapāna) – Description, Benefits, Instructions, Procedure & Warnings

Herbal Smoking or smoking specific medicated herbs which help cleanse and clear the passage affecting the nose, throat and chest. It not only cleans and clear it also strengthens the hair ,skull, sense organs. Ayurvedic Dhumapana is focused to detoxify, rejuvenate and empower foundational elements, perception centers in addition to organs of perception, mind, entire physique, and vital parts.

Ayurveda emphasizes on more of preventive than on the curative. Ayurvedic classical texts describe dhumapana ( smoking therapy) into “to do” list (dincharya ) daily regimens. Which are To be done by individual for a healthy Life. The focus of dhumpana  is to prevent and cure from disease with main emphasizes more of detoxify, rejuvenate.

Etymology

Dhum Pan compiles two words – dhum and pana. ‘Dhum’ Meaning Vapor, Mist, Smoke (smoke of medicated drugs) mouth Dhumpana  vidhi consist of inhalation of medicated smoke through nose and releasing it only through smoke should not be exhaled by nostril according to dhumpana vidhi.

Description

Brihattrayee, called as greater trilogy, viz. Charak Samhita, Sushrut Samhita, Ashtanga Hridaya and Ashtanga Sangraha being the most ancient and authentic classical texts of Ayurved, The comparative study of these classical texts in the context of the Dhumpana description, apparatus, procedure, types, effects of each type, herbs, indications, contraindications, adverse effects, features of appropriate Dhumapan, dose, time slots as per indications, list of herbs are rigorously studied from the main Sanskrit version of classics as well as their most authentic Sanskrit commentaries.

Description of Dhumpan i.e. Panchakarma called as Nasya-nasal administration of medicine in the form of inhalation of smoke Thus, Ayurvedic Dhum Pan virtually means smoking of the medicinal smoke using a dried roll made from paste of herbs, (which can be referred as dhum-stick)

Herbal Smoking Benefits

Dhumapan is beneficial for :

1. Cough
2. Voice disorders
3. Foul – smelling breath
4. Discharge and itching in eye, throat or nose
5. Chronic pain
6. Hair diseases

Herbal Smoking Instructions

Types of Dhumapan

Types of Dhumpan are mentioned in all the classics, Charak Samhita describes 3 types, Shshrut Samhita mentioned 5 and Ashtanga Hridaya Samhita mentioned three types of Dhumapan.

Name of Ayurvedic author	No. of types	Name of types of Dhumapan
Charaka Samhita	3	Prayogik, Snaihik, Vairechanik
Prayogik, Snaihik, Vairechanik	5	Prayogik, Snaihik, Vairechanik, Kasahara, Vamaneeya
Ashtanga Hrudaya	3	Snigdha (Having fats as base), Madhya (of medium potency), Teekshna (having high potency)

Prayogika

Means application, use daily as a part of Dincharya 5-daily regimen or for specific symptoms

Snaihika

Sanskrit word sneha means oil and snaihika means that which includes the fat-oily substance as a base

Vairechanika

Virechana (purgation) means to expel out Vairechanic means Expulsive – expels the excretory i.e. waste material

Kasahari

Kasa – Ayurvedic name of the disease it can be referred to disease (Cough)

Vamaneeya

Means emetic ( vomit)

Indication

जत्रूर्ध्व कफवतोत्ध विकाराणामजन्मने
उच्छेदाय च जातानां पिबेत्धूमं सदाआत्मवान्

1. जत्रूर्ध्व – in diseases above shoulders
2. कफवतोत्ध –  arising from increase of kapha and vata
3. उच्छेदाय च जातानां – for cure of diseases which have already risen
4. सदाआत्मवान् –  who wishes take care of  health always

Types of dhuma according to doshas

स्निग्धो मध्यः स तीक्षणस्य वाते वातकफे कफे
योज्यः

1. स्निग्धो वाते- mrdu (mild) in vata disorder
2. मध्यःवातकफे- madhya (medium) in vata and kapha disorders
3. तीक्षणस्य कफे- tekshana( sharp) for purgative and shodhana

Herbal Smoking Contraindication

धूम अनर्ह / persons unfit for dhuma / inhalation

न रक्तपित्तार्ति विरिक्तोदरमेहिषु
तिमिरोर्ध्वानिलाध्मानरोहिणीदत्तबस्तिषु
मत्स्यमध्यदूधिक्षीरक्षोउद्रस्नेहविषाशिषु
शिरस्याभिहते पाण्डुरोगे जागरिते निशि

1. रक्तपित्तार्ति- with raktapitta
2. विरिक्त- who have undergone purgation
3. उदर – enlargement of abdomen
4. मेहिषु – diabetes
5. तिमिर – blindness
6. ऊर्ध्वानिला – upward movement of vata
7. आध्मान – flatulence
8. रोहिणी- a throat disease
9. दत्तबस्तिषु – who have been administered enema
10. who have eaten
    • मत्स्य-  fish
    • मध्य – wine
    • दूधि – curd
    • क्षीर – milk
    • क्षोउद्र- honey
    • स्नेह  – fat
    • विषाशिषु – poison
11. शिरस्याभिहते – injured in the head
12. पाण्डुरोगे – anemia
13. जागरिते निशि – who have kept awake at night

धूम योग्य काल / proper time for dhuma / inhalation

मृदु धूम

क्षुतजृम्भितविण्मूत्रस्त्रीसेवाशस्त्रकर्मणाम्
हासस्य दन्त काष्ठस्य धुममन्ते पिबेन्मृदुम्

at the end of

1. क्षुत –  sneezing
2. जृम्भित – yawning
3. विण् – defecation
4. मूत्र – micturition
5. स्त्रीसेवा – coitus
6. शस्त्रकर्मणाम्- surgery
7. हासस्य – bouts of laughing
8. दन्त काष्ठस्य – use of tooth brush

मध्यम धूमं

कालेष्वेषु निशाहारनावनान्ते च मध्यमम्

at the end of

1. निशा – night
2. आहार- food
3. नावना – nasya/ nasal medication

तीक्ष्ण धूमं

निद्रानस्योन्जनस्नानच्छर्दितान्ते विरेचनम्

at the end of

1. निद्रा – sleep
2. नस्य – nasya/ nasal medication
3. अन्जन – collyrium
4. स्नान -bath
5. छर्द्दि – vomiting

धुमपान विधि / mode of dhumapana / inhalation

ऋजूपविष्ट  विवृतास्यस्त्रिपर्ययम्
पिधाय च्छिद्रमेकैकं  धूमं नासिकया पिबेत्

1. ऋजूपविष्ट  –  should sit straight and attentive
2. विवृतास्य    –  mouth open
3. inhale smoke through each nostril alternatively
   • closing 1 nostril while inhaling through other
   • inhalation should be done thrice
   • 1 bout = sucking the smoke and letting it out together
   • each time – 3 such bouts
4. if dosas are localized in the nose and head are moving from their sites
   • inhalation through the nose first
5. if dosas are not moving , but adhering
   • inhalation first through the mouth
   • to make them move
6. smoke inhaled should be let out only through the mouth
7. if smoke let out through the nose- vision could be hampered
8. time of taking dhuma – during day time
   1. singdha – once
   2. madhyam- twice
   3. teekshana-3 to 4 times

Dravya which are used for the dhuma

मृदु (Mrdu)

1. आगरु 
2. गुग्गुलु
3. मुस्त
4. स्थौणेय
5. शैलेय
6. नलद
7. उशीर
8. वालकम्
9. वयङ्ग
10. कौन्ती

मध्यम (Madhayama)

1. शल्लकी
2. लाक्षा
3. पृथ्वीका
4. कमल
5. उत्पलम्
6. न्यग्रोध
7. उदुम्बरा
8. अश्वत्थ
9. प्लाक्ष
10. रोध्र

तीक्षणं

1. ज्योतिष्मती
2. निशा
3. दशमूल
4. मनोह्वा
5. लं
6. लाक्षा
7. श्वेता
8. फलत्रयम्
9. गन्धद्रव्याणि तीक्ष्णानि substances with strong smell
10. गणो मुर्ध्व विरेचनः

धुमपान फल / benefits of inhalation

कासः श्वासः पीनसो विस्वरत्वं पुतिर्गन्धः पाण्डुता केशदोषः
कर्णस्याक्षिस्रावकन्द्वर्तिजाड्यं तन्द्रा हिध्मा धुमपं न स्पृशान्ति

will not be affected by

1. कास- cough
2. श्वास – dyspnea
3. पीनसो – rhinitis
4. विस्वरत्वं  – disorder of voice
5. पुतिर्गन्धः – bad smell of mouth and nose
6. पाण्डुता  – pallor of voice
7. केशदोषः- disorder of hair
8. कर्णस्याक्षिस्रावकन्द्वर्तिजाड्यं
   • discharge
   • itching
   • pain
   • inactivity of ears, mouth, eyes
9. तन्द्र – stupor
10. हिध्मा – hiccup

Herbal Smoking Procedure

Dhum Stick

Dhum stick prepared by using Shveta (white variety of Clitoria ternatea Linn), Jyotishmati (Celastrus paniculatus Wild), Orpiment, regular and other varieties with fragrant properties such as Patra – Cinnamomum tamala, Nees and Eberum, Agaru (Aquilaria agalocha Roxb)

The smoking sticks (Ayurvedic nomenclatureDhumvarti) are made up of essential herbs. The 7 to 8 inches long medicated stick is useful for Dhum Pan.

Dhum Pan

A piece of shara kanda (stick of a type of grass) 10 to 11 inches’ length is soaked for day and night in water. It is wrapped with silk cloth for 7 to 8 inches’ length and then coated with the paste of prescribed herbs. It is allowed to dry up in shade and then shara kanda is removed.

According to the Ashtanga hridaya suggests that thickness of the stick  should be equal to the that of the thumb  it also suggest that the total 5 layers are to be applied one after another over the shara kanda  by allowing each layer to dry up and finally it should me smeared into ghee or oil then it is inserted into the basal opening of instrument  then outer part is lit and smoke coming from the other end can be inhaled.

One inhalation and one exhalation are known as “ONE APAN”. Three such APANS are to be performed consecutively.

Warnings

To be added, please wait for some time

References

1. Book : “Sushruta samhita, Volume 1”, by Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna
2. Book : “Caraka samhita : Text with English translation & critical exposition based on Cakrapani Datta’s Ayurveda Dipika (7 Volume Set)”, by R. K. Sharma, Bhagwan Das
3. Book : “Ashtanga Hridayam of Srimadvagbhata in Hindi”, by Dr. Brahmanand Tripathi
4. Research Paper : “Engineering aspects of Ayurveda, The Mechanics and Thermodynamics of human physiology”, Chapter 6, “Holistic Healthcare, Possibilities and Challenges, Vol. II”, Gnanashanmugam Kumaravel, Apple Academic Press (CRC Press)