Foundations of Indian Classical Music and Ayurveda
The traditional system of Ayurveda views an individual's mental and physical wellness as the outcome of three fundamental forces: tridosha-s, mala, and dhaatu-s. Among these, the vaayu tattva (vata) stands as the primary source from which all bodily sounds arise. Each and every cell, and indeed every pore of the body, produces a distinctive sound. Some reach the human ear naturally, or with the help of scientific equipment, while others remain undetectable without advanced instruments, though yogic practice reveals them. All such sounds follow a deeply ingrained rhythm, referred to in Indian Classical Music as Naada.
The word Naada combines two syllables: Nakaara, meaning Praana (life-force, associated with vaayu tattva), and Dakaara, meaning Agni (fire, associated with pitta tattva). Since vaayu and pitta are two components of the three dosha-s, Naada can be understood as a natural byproduct of the tridosha system itself. The connections between the seven sapta-dhaatu-s and the seven fundamental musical notes (svara-s) provide a rough logic for the times at which specific raaga-s are prescribed in ancient Indian texts. This understanding also offers guidance to music therapists seeking appropriate raaga-s for healing various conditions.
What Is Ayurveda?
The term Ayurveda combines Aayur (life) and veda (sacred knowledge). The Charaka Samhitaa defines the concept of Aayur as the union of the physical body, the senses, the mind, and the soul. This union is what is known as life—the force that sustains a living body and prevents decay, transmitted across existences when the soul migrates. This Aayur can be hita (beneficial), ahita (harmful), sukha (happy), or dukkha (unhappy).
Put most simply, Ayurveda means the science of life. The life in question extends beyond human existence; it covers social groups, animals, plants, and all living beings. The ultimate purpose of Ayurveda is to guide living things toward a life that is healthy and long—a life fit at the physical, mental, social, and spiritual levels.
The five elements that create the body are: aakaasha (ether), vaayu (air), ap (water), tejas (fire), and prithvee (earth). Ether and earth act as a base and remain relatively dormant, while the other three govern most functions. These three active elements form the three dosha-s—vaata (wind, from vaayu), pitta (bile, from tejas), and kapha (phlegm, from water). Although the word dosha usually denotes fault or impurity, its use in Ayurveda stems from the fact that any imbalance of these three makes the body diseased (dooshita shareera). In essence, illness in the body always traces back to a disharmony among the tridosha-s.
Vaata, pitta, and kapha structure an individual's unique constitution, or prakriti, which crystallises at conception. At the moment the sperm and ovum join, the parents' tridosha balance—and the planetary positions (graha-dasha) at that moment—fixes the child's fundamental constitution. This will remain with the person from birth until death. All aspects of humanity—physical, mental, spiritual, social—emerge as consequences of this pre-determined prakriti.
Three general types of imbalance arise from the three singular dosha-s, three more from pairings (vaata-pitta, vaata-kapha, pitta-kapha), and a final type where all three co-exist, making seven total types of dysregulation according to the Sushruta-Samhitaa. This text, along with Charaka Samhitaa, treats the dosha-s, dhaatu-s (tissues), and mala (waste products) as equally essential for the body.
There are seven dhaatu-s:
- Rasa (plasma)
- Rakta (blood)
- Maamsa (flesh)
- Medo (fat or adipose tissue)
- Asthi (bones)
- Majjaa (marrow)
- Shukra (semen or retas)
They arise from the balanced interplay of vaata, pitta, and kapha, i.e., the equilibrium of the three dosha-s. When these tissues fall out of balance, they generate mala (ilexescretion: urine, sweat, and feces) and further dosha disturbance. The dhaatu-s, tridosha, and mala thus form a self-regulating feedback loop that cycles through the panchamahaabhoota.
The Roles of Vaata, Pitta, and Kapha
Each dosha serves a distinct function. Vaata governs all body movements, whether gross or subtle. Pitta provides internal heat and fuels metabolism, while kapha adds lubrication, moisture, stability, and protection. An imbalance in one dosha inevitably influences the others, mostly because wind (vaayu) carries dysfunction throughout the body. For this reason, vaata tattva is held responsible as the dominant factor behind virtually all diseases.
Human physiology includes ten subcategories of vaata, whereby five carry principal importance:
- Praana (the vital energy, or life-breath)
- Apaana (downward movement, eliminating wastes)
- Vyaana (circulation and distribution)
- Udaana (upward movement, speech)
- Samaana (digestion and assimilation)
Of these, praana vaayu is regarded as the vital foundation: when it leaves the body, the person dies, even if all other faculties remain.
The dominance varies across age groups, times of day, and seasons. Childhood (kapha ages) favours warmth and fluid; young-to-middle adulthood tilts toward pitta (heat), while older age tends toward vaata (airiness and dryness). Overlapping planetary and seasonal factors further impact which dosha grows stronger or weaker, historically tracked through the frameworks of Nava-Graha, used in Medical Astrology, though deeper study may be required for precise descriptions (e.g., certain indicators of Table 1).
Perturbations Linked to Tridosha through Life
The imbalance from person to person is layered onto bodily rhythms of day, night, and the seasons— winter mostly invites pitta and heightened hunger-and-metabolism; summer disturbs vaata via causing dryness; with spring onset kapha increases moisture. A person with pitta dominance may suffer acidic or inflammatory illness during winter more than one with another dosha. A vaata-dominant person may experience the cold sharply but rarely develops kapha issues during this time. Each person’s unique, fixed constitution further tempers all influences.
Astrology enters in part through malefic and benefic planetary bodies influencing the imbalanced dosha-s through early genetic/location and from the appearance on the birth-chart manifestation. There are notable clinical cases where even after accurate diagnosis and treatment, distress changes with transit planetary movement; it hints at a physio-mental root where drug-behavior relationships bring "mati-vibhrama" or mental illusion leading patients off their needed path quickly. Indian Star-Medicine addresses deep reasoning from these facts.
The Vital Breath: Svara, Praana, and Musical Sound
Musical notes in Hindustani tradition are called svara. Etymologically, svara means "the sound of one's own breath," which relates directly to air drawn in or exhaled through the nostrils. The grammarian Patanjali’s statement: "स्वयमेव राजते इति स्वरः" [Svarah means self-illuminating beauty coming from one's true core]. The origin of these self-illuminating sounds lives inside each human body by connecting fundamentally to animating central element from--an increasingly-rhythmic conception based on generation of light: inhaling-aether path to meeting agni, called sung on wind. According to references in Sangeet Ratnakara as stated before them-the series means every occurrence of self note rhythm pertains only to the vitality force: whereas regular breathless respiration for matter stands that continuous atmosphere cycle sustaining embodied praana>
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Thus the seven musical notes are born from these relationships.
Shaardaatanaya links the seven notes to the Āyurvedic sapta-dhātu-s (the body’s seven fundamental tissues) [[quoted in 12]]. Planetary positions influence these seven humors within an individual. As noted, the dhātu-s, tridoṣa-s, and mala form a cyclical chain in the body; because the seven musical notes relate to the sapta-dhātu-s, they too enter this cycle. Consequently, the dhātu-s, tridoṣa-s, planets, and musical notes are all interconnected. An approximate mapping appears in Table III.
Table III: Svara-s, dhātu-s, and related elements
| Svara | Dhātu (tissue) | Related planets | Related doṣa-s | |-------|------------------|----------------|------------------| | Shadja (Sa) | Semen (śukra) | Venus, Moon | – | | Rishabha (Re) | Marrow (majjā) | Mercury, Mars, Saturn, Rahu | Vāta, Kapha | | Gāndhāra (Ga) | Bones (asthi) | Saturn, Sun | Vāta, Pitta | | Madhyama (Ma) | Fat/adipose (meda) | Jupiter, Moon | – | | Panchama (Pa) | Flesh (mānsa) | Mars, Saturn | Pitta, Vāta | | Dhaivata (Dha) | Blood (rakta) | Sun, Moon, Mars | Pitta, Kapha | | Nishāda (Ni) | Plasma (rasa) / Skin (tvak) | Moon, Mercury | Kapha, Vāta |
Other relationships: - Pa (प) — Right side of the back - Dha (ध) — Finger-roots of the left foot - Na (न) — Finger-tips of the left foot - Aa (आ) — The whole face - i/ee (इ/ई) — Eyes - ae (ए) — Lips
Indian classical music divides a 24-hour day-night cycle into eight equal beats called prahara-s. Not every rāga can be performed at any time; effective presentation requires a suitable time and season, a rationale rooted in the principles of Āyurveda. Table IV presents a relationship between prahara, the day-night cycle, and dominant doṣa-s. This mapping partly justifies the performance timings prescribed in music literature.
Table IV: Relationship of prahara and doṣa-s
| Day/Night | Prahara (beat) | Beat time | Dominating doṣa-s | |-------------------|--------------------------|----------------|----------------------| | Day | First beat of the day | 4 a.m. – 7 a.m. | Kapha | | Day | Second beat of the day | 7 a.m. – 10 a.m. | Kapha and Pitta | | Day | Third beat of the day | 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Pitta and Kapha | | Day | Fourth beat of the day | 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. | Pitta | | Night | First beat of the night | 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. | Vāta | | Night | Second beat of the night | 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. | Pitta and Kapha | | Night | Third beat of the night | 10 p.m. – 1 a.m. | Vāta and Kapha | | Night | Fourth beat of the night | 1 a.m. – 4 a.m. | Vāta |
Vocal quality in singers has also been classified according to doṣa dominance [5]. Voices dominated by kapha, pitta, and vāta are respectively called Kāhula, Nāraṭa, and Bombāka. Pairing any two of the three doṣa-s, and considering all three together, yields four additional sound types. These seven are further subdivided based on qualities such as softness, depth, and roughness. The Nāraṭa-Bombāka-Kāhula voice—that is, one with balanced tridoṣa-s—is the finest singing voice. Nāraṭa-Kāhula (kapha-pittaja) is good, Kāhula-Bombāka (kapha-vātaja) is fairly good, while Bombāka-Nāraṭa (pitta-vātaja) is considered the worst [4].
Therapeutic Aspect of Music
When we discuss music therapy, are we speaking only about sound effects? If so, why do the same seven notes affect us differently in different contexts? Sometimes musical sounds bring calm and composure; at other times they provoke happiness or sadness. The background music in theater or film can create a horrifying atmosphere even when no real horror is present. When a death scene is accompanied by music, it can convincingly evoke sadness—so much that sensitive individuals are carried away and become tearful. One might argue that the cause lies in the chosen permutation or combination of notes, but then why does the same rāga performed by musician ‘A’ have a more magical effect than when performed by musician ‘B’? Megha Malhār sung by Taansen was said to bring rain, yet no one today possesses that magical ability!
In the author’s opinion, music is not merely sound—it transmits the performer’s thoughts and emotions. The purity of the performer’s mind enhances this transmission. Lullabies sung by mothers and by nannies have different impacts, though both are intended to put a child to sleep. Often, a child can be equally affected by humming wordless tunes or rhythmic, meaningless syllables. Rhythmic movements of a cradle (pālanā) may distract a child even in the most distressed state. Such is the power of music!
Actually, the Sanskrit word ‘rāga’ is defined as ‘the act of coloring or dyeing’. In this context, it can mean coloring the listener’s mind with a particular mood or emotion. Literally, ‘rāga’ can refer to any feeling or passion—love, affection, sympathy, desire, motivation, joy, sadness, or enlightenment. According to Matanga, rāga itself is an expression: ‘the sound that generates an expression is a rāga (a note)’ [5]. Daniélou holds that the perception of musical sound initially concerns relative pitches or intervals, but when sustained, it conveys an idea or expression to the mind [3]. Thus a composition in any rāga is a special combination of notes chosen to depict a certain mood or emotion, which the performer transmits during the performance. The aura the performer creates may be interpreted by listeners according to their own mental state. In Āyurveda, mental state is considered dependent on physical health, and vice versa. Physical health results from the balance of tridoṣa-s. Musical sound waves touch the skin, creating vibrations in bodily fluids; the ear drums also receive the sounds. These waves disturb both physical and subtle energy channels, affecting an individual’s mind and body alike.
As discussed, no disease arises from just one doṣa alone—it involves a combination, with one doṣa dominating. Accordingly, rāga-s can be chosen for therapy. Bhairava/Bhairavee thāṭa rāga-s like Ahir Bhairava, Ananda Bhairava, Jogiya, Bhairava, Bhairavee, etc., are best suited for morning hours—kapha-dominated time whose rāga-s prefer madhyama and shadja, the vādi-samvādi notes. Rāga-s such as Hameer, Hansdhwani, Durgā, Bihāg of Bilāwal thāṭa, and Kalyān, Kedār, Chandrakānt, Bhoopāl of Kalyān thāṭa, along with Tilak-Kāmod, Des of Khāmāj thāṭa, are considered best performed during the first beat of the night—again vāta-dominant hours—yet their vādi-samvādi notes are not necessarily vāta-dominant. So diseases caused by combined doṣa imbalances might be treated with such rāga-s, while kaphaja diseases, originating solely from imbalanced kaph, could be addressed with morning rāga-s. Similar interpretations apply to other rāga-s and their associated timings. In truth, Indian music is not an exact science; it is emotion-centric (bhāva-pradhāna). Moreover, there is considerable subjectivity in every concept, as the author has already noted [11]. Therefore, no single rāga can be definitively prescribed as a universal cure for any disease—each conclusion rests on individual understanding.
Open Problems for Further Research
In most cases, due to the lack of appropriate laboratories, claims regarding disease cure through Indian musical rāga-s remain theoretical. There is an urgent need for practical verification. Future research could include the following:
- Within a fixed tonic pitch, can a rāga suitable for curing a specific disease be identified using ādhāra shadja concepts? - Is it possible to find a universal rāga for a disease, regardless of the acknowledged subjectivity? - Can the relationship between prahara and rāga performance timing be empirically verified, beyond existing theoretical claims? - Do bīja-mantra-s corresponding to musical notes influence bodily functions? Could they alone effect a cure, thereby minimizing the need for rāga structures in music therapy?
Concluding Thoughts
Many other questions remain unanswered concerning music therapy in the context of Āyurveda. Those proficient in Indian music often lack suitable laboratories for experiments or may not have a scientific inclination, whereas those with access to facilities are still unaware of the profound traditions of Indian music and Āyurveda. A multidisciplinary team is required to explore the therapeutic benefits of Indian music from an Āyurvedic perspective.
References
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[2] Dale, Cyndi (2009): The Subtle Body: An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy, Sounds True, Colorado.
[3] Daniélou, Alain (1949): Northern Indian Music, Vol. I, Vishva Bhaarati, Calcutta.
[4] Garg, Laxmi Naaraayan (2002): Hindi Translation of Sangeeta Ratnaakar – Part 2, Sangeeta Kaaryaalaya, Haathras, India.
[5] Matanga, Brihaddeshi: available at
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[11] Sharma, Vagisha (2019): Therapeutic Aspects of Indian Classical Music: Vol. 8 (2), pp 37–52, available at
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[15] Vidyanath, R (2013): Ashtaanga Hridaya of Vaagbhatta, Chaukhamba Surbharati Prakashan, Varanasi.