India is known for having a varied cultural heritage and background!

Each and every festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy by following some rituals carried out by their ancestors from generation to generation.

Diwali:- one of the most important and beautiful Hindu festivals, is celebrated all over the nation with happiness and excitement!

Abhyanga (the oil bath) is one of the rituals practiced by people in the early mornings of Diwali!

Do you remember? During Diwali vacations, our grandmothers/mothers used to wake us early morning and massage our bodies with sesame oil/coconut oil. This entire process in ayurved is termed as “abhyanga”

Along with the traditional history, abhyanga snana also has a strong scientific significance

Traditional history:-

Abhyanga snana (bath) is mostly practiced on the second day of Deepavali, i.e., the Naraka Chaturdashi- the victory of good over evil, spirituality over darkness!

It is believed that Lord Krishna (who’s the avatar of Lord Vishnuji) destroyed the demon NARAKASURA and came back to his palace, during the sunrise he took an abhyanga snana to get rid of the tiredness and fatigue of body and mind along with the negative energies he was surrounded with!

This marked the onset of the tradition of abhyanga snana on the morning of Naraka Chaturdashi in the people of Bharatvarsh.

Scientific significance:-

Abhyanga has a special mention in the ancient texts of Ayurveda.

1. According to Ayurveda, the human body consists of 3 sharirik doshas- Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.
2. These 3 doshas indirectly control the entire functioning of the human body.
3. Vata controls the movements in the body, pitta is associated with digestion and assimilation, and kapha provides the overall strength to the body.
4. It is seen that any kind of pain occurring in the body is due to the movement of the vata dosha.
5. The festival Diwali falls under the sharad ritu (autumn season) -the onset of winter in India.
6. During winter, people generally experience pain in the muscles and joints of the body, fatigue, and dryness of skin, indirectly leading to vata disorders.
7. Abhyanga snana helps to subside the aggravated vata dosha and helps to recover the pain, and indirectly, the Snigdha (unctuous) nature of oil prevents skin from drying out!

As mentioned in Ashtanga Hridayam sutrasthana (ancient Ayurvedic text) 

अभ्यङ्गमाचरेन्नित्यं, स जराश्रमवातहा |

दृष्टिप्रसादपुष्ट्यायुः स्वप्नसुत्वकस्वदायंकृत् || [A.H.2/8]

Aacharya Vagbhata mentions that ABHYANGA should be carried out daily;

by doing so,

• one gets rid of fatigue and delays aging; it also subsides the vata dosha and pain.
• It helps in providing clean vision,
• keeps body healthy
• it helps in increasing the life expectancy
• it improves sleep hours and glorifies the skin

Aacharya Charak also gives a special mention of ABHYANGA in sutrasthana

स्पर्शनेऽभ्यधिको वायुः स्पर्शनं च त्वगाश्रितम्।

 त्वच्यश्च परमभ्यङ्गस्तस्मात्तं शीलयेन्नरः ॥ [C.S.5/87]

Aacharya Charak states that the tactile receptors are present inside the skin, which help in Perceiving the tactile sensation.

By applying taila all over the skin, the sense of perception becomes more efficient. Taila helps in subsiding vata and thus diminishing vata disorders.

In the modern era, Vata is compared to the nervous system. The skin contains sensory nerve endings; these nerve endings help in the perception of tactile sensation and touch. Thus abhyanga should be carried out daily, according to Acharya Charak.

Charaka explains the benefits of abhyanga by stating-

सुस्पर्शोपचिताङ्गश्च बलवान् प्रियदर्शनः । भवत्यभ्यङ्गनित्यत्वान्नरोऽल्पजर एव च ॥ [C.S.5/89]

By the frequent application of abhyanga, person is benefitted by

• skin become more smooth and unctuous
• Makes individual strong and beautiful
• Relieves pain
• Delays ageing.

How is abhyanga snana carried out:-

Since time immemorial, warm oil is applied all over the body and then carried further by gently massaging it with circular motions

The message should start from the head region and then reach the toe. By doing so, the blood flow is stimulated, and the muscles get relaxed thus thereby purifying the blood.

After a few minutes, the person is supposed to take a hot shower/bath.

After the bath, one should wear new clothes to mark the new beginnings in life and prey the Deity(Lord Krishna) and thus ask for protection, blessing, and success.

 Types of oil on the basis of dosha predominance

1. Kapha dosha – Light, heating and stimulating oils – mustard oil( due to its light nature)
2. Pitta dosha – Cooling and calming oils – Sunflower, coconut (excellent choice in summer as coconut provides the cooling effect)
3. Vata dosha – Heavy and warming oils – Sesame, almond

Contradiction of ABHYANGA SNANA:-

• The person who’s facing indigestion
• The person suffering from kapha disorders .
• The person who has undergone one of the five procedures of Panchakarma (cleaning procedure in Ayurveda)
• Person suffering from skin disorders(kushta rogas)

Summary:-

Abhyanga snana is not just the physical cleansing but also the spiritual cleansing of the body. Abhyanga snana isn’t just a normal. Massage, its a holistic practice combining of oils and herbs to revitalize and balance your well being!