Jivak जीवक
Microstylis muscifera
Part used: Root
| Rasa (taste) | Madhura (Sweet) |
|---|---|
| Guna (qualities) | Guru (Heavy) |
| Virya (potency) | Sheeta (Cold) |
| Dosha | Balances Pitta & Vata; increases Kapha |
Key takeaways
- Botanical name: Microstylis muscifera
- Part used: Root
- Dosha action: Balances Pitta & Vata; increases Kapha
- Typical dose: Tuber powder 3–6 g per day with milk.
Jivak in other languages
Introduction
Jivak (Microstylis muscifera) is one of the Ashtavarga — the group of eight Himalayan orchids and lilies that form the core of Chyawanprash and the classical Rasayana preparations.
It is a sweet, cooling, nourishing tuber used in wasting, weakness and Raktapitta. All eight Ashtavarga plants are now scarce, and substitution is the rule rather than the exception in commercial material.
Classification
Family Orchidaceae. The pseudobulb or tuber is officinal. Rasa: Madhura. Guna: Guru, Snigdha. Virya: Sheeta. Vipaka: Madhura. Doshaghnata: pacifies Vata and Pitta.
Uses & benefits
Given in emaciation, chronic weakness and convalescence, in Raktapitta, and as a Vrishya and Jivaniya drug in the classical Rasayana formulations. In this catalogue it appears in Maha Narayan Tel.
Jivaka in the Ashtavarga
One of the eight, and part of what gives Chyawanprash and the great Rasayanas their nourishing, tissue-building character.
Jivaka in wasting and weakness
Sweet, heavy and cooling, used where the patient is thin, dry and depleted after long illness.
Dosage — how much to take
Tuber powder 3–6 g per day with milk. Almost always used within a classical compound.
Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm with a qualified Vaidya.
Traditional uses — questions answered from the classical texts
Answers are drawn from the citations and properties recorded for this drug. No chapter-and-verse reference appears that the record does not carry.
Which classical texts describe Jivak?
The citations held for Jivak in this catalogue are: Charaka Samhita (Chikitsasthana 1 — Chyawanprash); Bhavaprakasha Nighantu (Guduchyadi Varga — Jivaka).
What does the Charaka Samhita record about Jivak?
Jivaka named among the Ashtavarga in the classical Rasayana formula. Reference: Charaka Samhita — Chikitsasthana 1 — Chyawanprash.
What does the Bhavaprakasha Nighantu record about Jivak?
Madhura rasa, sheeta virya; jivaniya and vrishya. Reference: Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Guduchyadi Varga — Jivaka.
What is Jivak traditionally used for in Ayurveda?
Given in emaciation, chronic weakness and convalescence, in Raktapitta, and as a Vrishya and Jivaniya drug in the classical Rasayana formulations. In this catalogue it appears in Maha Narayan Tel.
What are the Ayurvedic properties of Jivak?
Rasa Madhura (Sweet), Guna Guru (Heavy), Virya Sheeta (Cold). Dosha action: Balances Pitta & Vata; increases Kapha.
Why is Jivak classified the way it is?
In dravya-guna a drug's dosha action follows from its taste, qualities, potency and post-digestive effect. Jivak carries Sheeta (Cold) virya and — vipaka, which together give the recorded action: Balances Pitta & Vata; increases Kapha.
Which part of Jivak is used medicinally?
The part used is Root.
How much Jivak is taken, and how?
Tuber powder 3–6 g per day with milk. Almost always used within a classical compound. Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm it with a qualified Vaidya.
When should Jivak be avoided?
Gentle in itself. The real issue is supply: Microstylis muscifera is a threatened Himalayan orchid, wild collection is restricted, and most commercial material is a substitute — commonly Asparagus or Dioscorea species. Insist on documented sourcing, and be aware that a product naming Jivaka may lawfully contain an official substitute.
Where does Jivak grow?
Alpine Himalaya between roughly 2,500 and 4,000 m in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Nepal and Sikkim. Populations are depleted by over-collection.
Classical references
- Charaka Samhita — Chikitsasthana 1 — Chyawanprash
Jivaka named among the Ashtavarga in the classical Rasayana formula. - Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Guduchyadi Varga — Jivaka
Madhura rasa, sheeta virya; jivaniya and vrishya. - Bhavaprakasha Nighantu, Haritakyadi Varga (transliteration by Vaidya Megharaj Paradkar, sanskritdocuments.org) — Ashtavarga, verses 122 and 124–125 (jīvakarṣabhakau balyau śītau śukrakaphapradau, madhurau pitta-dāha-asra-kārśya-vāta-kṣayāpahau; aṣṭavargo … guruḥ)
Source of the Rasa, Guna, Virya and Vipaka shown on this page (Classical primary text).
Safety & precautions
Gentle in itself. The real issue is supply: Microstylis muscifera is a threatened Himalayan orchid, wild collection is restricted, and most commercial material is a substitute — commonly Asparagus or Dioscorea species. Insist on documented sourcing, and be aware that a product naming Jivaka may lawfully contain an official substitute.
Where it grows
Alpine Himalaya between roughly 2,500 and 4,000 m in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Nepal and Sikkim. Populations are depleted by over-collection.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Ashtavarga?
A group of eight Himalayan orchids and lilies used together in the classical Rasayana preparations, including Chyawanprash. Jivaka is one of them.
Is real Jivaka available?
Rarely. The species is threatened and collection restricted, so official substitutes are widely used. A responsible label will say which material it contains.
In the Ayurvedic Formulary: Dashamoolarishta Mahanarayan Taila
