[Advantages of asthapana basti (purification enema) over virechana (therapeutic purgation)] Although virechana (therapeutic purgation) does eliminate the dosha but the drugs used for virechana are katu (pungent), teekshna (sharp) and ushna (hot) in nature, unpleasant in taste and causes duhkha (discomfort), udgara (eructations), utklesha (nausea) and koshtharuja (pain in gastro-intestinal tract).
Children and aged person are unfit for virechana, on account of former having not attained completely developed dhatu (tissues) and bala (strength) and the latter due to excessive diminution of dhatu and bala. Asthapana type of basti (decoction based therapeutic enema) in both the cases is most suitable procedure and the one that can produce all the desired actions.
बलवर्णहर्षमार्दवगात्रस्नेहान्नृणां ददात्याशु| अनुवासनं निरूहश्चोत्तरबस्तिश्च स त्रिविधः||८||
This basti therapy instantaneously provides bala, varna (complexion), harsha (exhilaration), mardava (softness) and sneha (unctuousness) to the body of the persons.[ Three types of basti and its indications] The basti is of three types viz: anuvasana basti (enema with fatty substance like oil etc.), niruha basti (enema with herbal decoction, honey, rock salt, herbal paste and fatty substance) and uttara basti (trans- urethral/vaginal administration of medicine).
शाखावातार्तानां सकुञ्चितस्तब्धभग्नरुग्णानाम् | विट्सङ्गाध्मानारुचिपरिकर्तिरुगादिषु च शस्तः||९||
The basti is beneficial for the patients who are suffering with the affliction of shakha (extremities) by vata, sankuchita (contractures), stabdha (stiffness), bhagna (fractures), vitsanga (constipation), adhmana (gaseous distention of abdomen), aruchi (anorexia), parikartika, (cutting pain in anal region), rug (pain) etc.
उष्णार्तानां शीताञ्छीतार्तानां तथा सुखोष्णांश्च| तद्योग्यौषधयुक्तान् बस्तीन् सन्तर्क्य विनियुज्यात्||१०||
ushnartanam (patients afflicted with heat) should be given cold basti and for sheetartanam (those who are afflicted with cold) should be given warm basti by using suitable drugs based on proper reasoning.