Snehana, the first step of Purvakarma, saturates the body with herbal and medicated oils. The saturation takes two forms: bahya snehana or external oleation, where medicated oils are vigorously massaged into the body; and abyantar snehana or internal oleation, where medicated oils are ingested. Snehana uses four types of oleaginous substances: vegetable oils (taila), clarified butter (ghee), animal fats (vasa) and fat from bone marrow (majja). The oils used match the need of the patient.
Sesame oil (tit) is the primary vegetable oil used for external application. It is sweet, bitter and astringent in taste, warming in action and easily penetrates and nourishes the skin. It soothes and reduces the effects of excess vata without aggravating kapha and promotes stability and strength. Sesame and all other oils used in snehana are prepared with herbal decoctions to enhance their effectiveness for individual patients.
Herbalized ghee, or tikta ghrita, the main substance used for internal oleation, is made by processing butter to remove all its milk solids, proteins and water and then cooking it with numerous prescribed herbs. By itself, ghee has remarkable properties as a nutritive and medicinal substance. Its effect on the body is quite different from that of butter, and research has demonstrated that it does not tend to elevate cholesterol levels. It contains the least saturated fat of any fatty substance. In proper amounts, ghee increases the strength of the digestive agnis, while decreasing the heat and inflammation due to excess pitta. It reduces excess acidity both in the digestive tract and in the tissues, pacifies vata and softens and lubricates the tissues and joints.
Ghees amazing penetrating qualities make it the most effective substance for internal lubrication. It spreads thoroughly, making it easy for all the tissues to absorb. It carries the therapeutic qualities of the other herbal substances without losing its capacity to increase digestive fire and promote secretions.
Snehana also makes use of animal fat (vasa) and bone marrow fat (majja) for internal oleation. However, these oils are heavy and difficult to digest, and they can produce excess kapha and ama if a patient’s digestive agni is weak. Their use is indicated only for specific disorders such as leukemia and several other types of cancer, as well as certain degenerative disease conditions like myopathy.
In general, snehana employs substances with the properties of fluidity and oiliness, which can penetrate even the finest tissues of the body and promote secretions. Each of these properties has a specific effect, but in combination they fulfill five important purposes:
(i) They induce the dhatus to give up their accumulated toxins.
(ii) They enhance the secretions through which the doshas transport ama and malas to the gastrointestinal tract for elimination.
(iii) They lubricate and protect the dhatus from damage while ama is being removed.
(iv) They pacify and nourish vata through its unctuous qualities.
(v) They remove the obstructions in the shrotas or channels.
Repeated applications of oil to the various mucous membranes promote secretions. If we put a drop or two of ghee or oil on the tongue, it generates watery secretions and we begin to salivate within a few seconds. Snehana stimulates secretions in the dhatus which start to liquefy the glutinous ama deposited there. Oil dissolves ama’s sticky grip on the dhatus, reviving each dhatus metabolism and reopening its shrotas or channels. Ama’s viscosity also interferes with the malas’ natural elimination from the dhatus. The secretions have the effect of binding the malas together so that they can then be transported out of the body.
Oleation also helps prevent physiological wear and tear. All the body’s moving parts experience friction, and lubrication protects these parts from jamming or burning out. Oil lubricates and protects the tissues from loosened ama while it is being discharged.
Warm, herbal oils exhibit properties (heavy, slow, unctuous) exactly opposite to those of vata (light, mobile, quick), and snehana helps restore normal vata function, which is essential for disposal of all the body’s waste products. Vata motivates all motion in the body, and when it becomes excessive, it draws the other doshas out of balance. Consequently, vata pacification naturally helps quell any disturbance in pitta and kapha. Oleation also reduces the dryness and coldness associated with vata. It soothes, nourishes, lubricates and protects the tissues. Finally, oil aids removal of the ama-re\zxec\ obstructions in the shrotas, which block vata’s natural movement and cause its functioning to become aggravated.
We need both internal and external oleation to reach all seven dhatus. The dhatus consist of the retainable substances and structures between the hollow G-I tract and the skin. Herbal, medicated ghee taken internally penetrates the dhatus from the G-I tract out toward the skin; herbalized oil applied externally penetrates the dhatus from the skin inward.
Once the oil and ghee are absorbed, it is important that they are then excreted from the tissues along with the loosened ama. Snehana always uses herbal oils to insure that they will not be retained by the body. The herbs not only help the oil to dislodge toxic waste products but also encourage the dhatus to expel the oil.
This is accomplished by using predominantly bitter herbs in the oleated substances to promote expulsion. This is because of the body’s natural response to the bitter substances. Just as our typical reaction to tasting acrid or bitter foods is to spit them out, our tissues respond by rejecting oleated substances which contain bitter herbs.
Though there are 53 herbs used in these formulations, some of the herbs commonly used for this purpose include: guduchi (Tinospora Cardifolia), kutki (Picrorhiza Kurroa), haritaki (Terminalia Chebula), chitrak (Plumbago Zeylanica) root, licorice and ginger root. The herbs selected depend on the patient’s doshic constitution and digestive strength, and the type of ama to be removed. The herbs used to prepare ghee for internal application also help prevent cholesterol from being deposited in the body.
Oil massage and consumption of herbal ghee comprise the primary methods Purvakarma uses to oleate the body, however, there are several other types of snehana that have more specific effects. Oil can be taken with food, placed in the ears or nose, dripped over the forehead, injected into the rectum or put on isolated areas of the body.