According to Ayurveda, activities of mana and its diseases (mental diseases) are directly related with functioning of ‘Shirah’ as well as ‘Hridaya’. Shirah controls all the senses and their activities. Hridaya acts as propagator for mental functions like medha, harsha, vishada, bhaya etc. Therefore, any sort of imbalance in these two organs lead to manifestation of various mental misbehaving conditions. Vishada (depression) is a mental imbalanced condition which brings inability of mind to perform its routine functions effectively. In Ayurveda numerous factors are playing a main role for pathogenesis of Vishada like Prakruti, Deha Prakruti, Manas Prakruti, Manas Bhava, Triguna and Tridoshas etc. Acharya Charaka has explained that there is a relationship between depression and immunity. He says “vishado rogavardhananam” means vishada is the foremost factor in worsening the disease condition. Various traditional regimens described in Ayurveda like Dinacharya, Ritucharya, Sadvrutta along with rules of ahara-vihara-achara are said to be very effective to get control over various mentally impaired conditions including Vishada. They fairly demolish ManoChanchalata (the inconstancy or fluctuations of mind) and brings-up Chittaprasadana (serenity).

Keywords : Vishada, Manas vyadhi, Traditional Ayurvedic regimen