By Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa, B.A.M.S
Satmya Pariksha includes examination of what is compatible to one’s constitution. This comes by habituation. This may be food or activity which by means of constant practice becomes compatible and suitable to one’s constitution.
Satmya = compatibility
Pariksha = examination
Examination of compatibility is the 6th factor to be examined according to Master Charaka’s 10 fold examination of the body.
Read – Six Tastes Of Ayurveda: Qualities, Benefits, Therapeutic Action (Shad Rasa)
Importance of satmya pariksha
Any thing which becomes compatible to one’s constitution after constant and prolonged use is called as satmya or compatibility.
Compatibility is different for different people. One person’s compatibility might not be compatible to another person or things which are compatible to one person may be harmful to the other. The knowledge of compatibility is very essential for the physician. This helps in properly planning the treatment. Knowledge of compatibility and incompatibilities in each patient helps the physician to –
Kinds of Satmya
Satmya is of 3 types.
Sanskrit Verses
1. Pravara Satmya – Best compatibility
Also called as sarva rasa satmya which means ‘all taste compatible’. This is because for these people many things they consume are compatible and they have no problems.
| Sl No | Characteristic Feature | Meaning |
| 1 | Ghrta kshira taila mamsarasa satmya | These people are accustomed to consumption of ghee, milk, sesame oil and meat juice and these things are compatible to them |
| 2 | Sarva rasa satmya | These people are compatible with all 6 tastes i.e. foods comprising of all 6 tastes, Most things these people consume becomes compatible to them |
| 3 | Balavanta | These people due to ‘all compatibility’ are immensely strong |
| 4 | Klesha saha | They can tolerate all hardships of life |
| 5 | Chiranjivi | They are bestowed with longevity of life |
Read – Bad Food Combinations And Solution As Per Ayurveda
2. Avara Satmya – least compatibility
This compatibility is also called as eka rasa satmya because these people are compatible with any one taste.
| Sl No | Characteristic Feature | Meaning |
| 1 | Ruksha satmya | These people are accustomed to consumption of dry foods (devoid of unctuousness / fats) and these things are compatible to them |
| 2 | Eka rasa satmya | These people are compatible any one among the 6 tastes i.e. foods comprising of only one taste. Foods of other tastes may be incompatible for these people and they will have least choices of food |
| 3 | Alpa balah | These people due to ‘selective compatibility’ have less strength and endurance |
| 4 | Alpa Klesha saha | They can tolerate less hardships of life |
| 5 | Alpa Ayushi | Life span will be less |
| 6 | Alpa Sadhana | When these people get diseased, they will have lesser treatment choices |
Read – Importance Of Diet (Pathya) For Specific Diseases
3. Madhyama Satmya – moderate compatibility
This compatibility is also called as vyamishra satmya because these people are compatible with consumption of more than one taste.
| Sl No | Characteristic Feature | Meaning |
| 1 | Vyamishra / madhyama satmya | These people are accustomed to consumption of mixed types of foods having various qualities, not selective and these things are compatible to them. They will have moderate compatibility and fall between best and least compatibility category of people |
| 2 | Vyamishra rasa satmya | These people are compatible with foods having 2, 3 or 4 tastes or they consume foods having mixture of these tastes They are compatible with more than 1 tastes but less than 6 tastes. These people will have weird food choices many of which may not go good with their health |
| 3 | Madhyama balah | They have moderate strength and endurance |
| 4 | Madhyama Klesha saha | Tolerance to hardships of life is moderate in these people |
| 5 | Madhyama Ayushi | Life span will be moderate |
| 6 | Madhyama Sadhana | When these people get diseased, they will have moderate amount of treatment choices |
Read – Eating Etiquette: Ayurvedic Healthy Eating Rules
Relationship Between Taste Of Food And Compatibility
Rasa – taste of food, is the most important concept of Ayurveda. According to Ayurveda there are 6 tastes in total i.e. sweet, sour, salt, pungent, bitter and astringent.
The taste of the food is taken into consideration for examining the patient, to know the status of doshas – their balance and imbalance, to correct the doshic imbalances in the body, as part of food and medicines and to check the compatibility of the patient. By examining the compatibility of a person in terms of the number of tastes he is accustomed to, the quality of health and the quantity of lifespan can be estimated.
Thus, examination of satmya – compatibility is dependent on analyzing what kinds of foods the person consumes and how many tastes the person is accustomed to. The more the tastes the person is accustomed to, the more is the compatibility and better is the quality and quantity of one’s life, lifespan and health.
There are many parameters which decide the compatibility and its type in a given person among which the ‘number of tastes included in the food plate’ is the key factor to decide the same.
Read – Benefits of Sweet Taste – Ayurveda Description, Effect On Body
Why has the taste of food been emphasized in compatibility?
According to Ayurveda, the foods we consume comprise of 6 tastes. It doesn’t mean that a particular food we consume will have all 6 tastes. Some foods are predominant in some tastes. The choices of the foods should be such that the food plate should consist of foods having all 6 tastes in a serving and the person has to get accustomed to consuming all kinds of food. One may have preferable choices not only with foods but also with the taste of food. Some may like only sweets and some may love spicy and pungent foods. Some people may hate bitter taste and some people may add salt to each and every serving of food. This selectiveness of the foods deprives us of other tastes.
Any particular taste taken in excess will aggravate doshas in the body. They will also tend to damage the body tissues and defense mechanism. Example, excessive consumption of sweet tasting foods may increase kapha and cause kapha disorders. Excessive consumption of pungent or bitter tasting foods will increase vata and cause vata disorders and excessive pungent and sour foods will increase pitta and cause pitta disorders. Therefore, one should take balance of tastes in their foods so that they keep their doshas in check.
If one taste tends to increase a particular dosha, the other taste will counteract and balance that particular dosha. Example, if a pungent taste increases vata or pitta or both, sweets taken in the food will pacify vata and pitta aggravation because sweet is antagonistic to both vata and pitta. Therefore, the different tastes which balance and counterbalance the doshas served in the same plate will help in keeping the doshas in a state of balance and when this is practiced regularly forms the backdrop of comprehensive health. Regular practice of taking all 6 tastes will establish an overall compatibility and habituation of those foods which is important for wholesome health. The concept of sarvarasa i.e. ‘all taste compatibility’ is the Ayurveda version of ‘balanced diet’.
Those having least and moderate compatibility will have aversion or dislike towards the other tastes to which they are not accustomed to. When suddenly introduced, these tastes may get incompatible to them or cause health problems.
