Shukra dhatu

Etymology and derivation

• It is derived from the Sanskrit root-word “shuch”

meaning brightness, clearness, light, flame, glow, heat
etc.

• The term is used to denote any clear liquid, juice, the

essence of anything, semen virile, seed of animals
(male and female), and sperm

• Such klede
• Majja jata dhatu
• Shukra is one among the ten seats of vitality
(dashapranayatanani) [Cha. Sa. Sharira Sthana
7/9] Thus extreme depletion of its quality and
quantity may lead to death.
 Synonyms
• Pumstvam / Paurusham: denoting masculinity
• Retas: that which flows (denoting seminal fluid)
• Beejam: denoting the germ element/origin/ source/cause
• Veeryam: denoting the power/potency /valor/heroism
• Teja: showing the essential nature or essence of tissues
• Indriyam: bodily virile power or power of the sense
• Annavikara: originated from the nutrient fluid (ahara rasa)
• Majjarasa: derived from the essence of bone
marrow(majja dhatu
• Akshaya,
• Nirmala
• Anandaprabhava
• Kittavarjitha
 Panchabhautika constitution

• Shukram cha apyam( su)

• शुक्रं तदस्य प्रवदन्ति धीरा यद्धीयते गर्भसमुद्भवाय|
वाय्वग्निभूम्यब्गुणपादवत्तत् षड्भ्यो रसेभ्यः प्रभवश्च तस्य||४||
• vayu, agni, prithvi and jala(four mahabhuta) in
equal proportion. It is originated from six basic
tastes. [Cha.Sa.Sharira Sthana 2/4]
 properties
• स्फटिकाभं द्रवं स्निग्धं मधुरं मधुगन्धि च ||११||
शुक्रमिच्छन्ति, के चित्तु तैलक्षौद्रनिभं तथा |१२|
• Crystalline white
• Liquid
• Unctous
• Smell of honey
• Consistensy of oil and honey
• स्निग्धं घनं पिच्छिलं च मधुरं चाविदाहि च||१४५||
रेतः शुद्धं विजानीयाच्छ्वेतं [१] स्फटिकसन्निभम्|१४६|
• Cha.chi.30/145
• (shukra)is unctuous (snigdha), viscous (ghana),
slimy (picchila), sweet (madhura). It does not
cause a burning sensation in genital tract
(avidahi). It looks like white crystal quartz
(shukla).
 Formation of shukra dhatu
• तस्मान्मज्ज्ञस्तु यः स्नेहः शुक्रं सञ्जायते ततः||३२||
वाय्वाकाशादिभिर्भावैः सौषिर्यं जायतेऽस्थिषु|
तेन स्रवति तच्छु क्रं नवात् कु म्भादिवोदकम्||३३||
स्रोतोभिः स्यन्दते देहात् समन्ताच्छु क्रवाहिभिः [६] |
हर्षेणोदीरितं वेगात् सङ्कल्पाच्च मनोभवात्||३४||

• The sneha (fatty) portion of majja produces shukra.

• The porosity in the asthi is produced because of the
factors such as vata and akasha.
• Shukra comes out of asthi through these pores just
as the water comes out of a new earthen vessel.
• Through the channels known as shukravaha
srotamsi, this shukra spreads all over the body.
• This shukra is discharged through the urethra
because of several factors such as excitation,
reflex activities (vega), and mental
determination (samkalpa).
• Just as the ghee moves out with ease when
heated, the shukra too, is discharged due to the
heat liberated during the maidhuna.
 Upadhatu

• Ojas is considered as the metabolic byproduct

(upadhatu) of shukra.[Sha. Sa. Purva khanda
chapter 5]
• Other scholars opine that as shukra is the
essence of all dhatu, there is no metabolic
byproduct or waste formed during its
formation.
 Quantity of shukra dhatu in body

• half anjali. [Cha. Sa. Sharira Sthana 7/15]

 Time span

• Shukra is formed on the seventh day by the

transformation of nutrient fluid (ahara rasa).
[Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 15/20-21]
• Sushruta opines that shukra dhatu is formed in
a time span of one month. (18090
kala≈30days).[Su. Sa. Sutra Sthana 14/14]
 Characteristics of shukra dhatu sara
• सौम्याःसौम्यप्रेक्षिणःक्षीरपूर्णलोचनाइवप्रहर्षबहुलाःस्निग्धवृत्तसारसमसंहतशिखरदशनाःप्रसन्नस्निग्धवर्णस्व
राभ्राजिष्णवोमहास्फिचश्चशुक्रसाराः| तेस्त्रीप्रियोपभोगा
बलवन्तःसुखैश्वर्यारोग्यवित्तसम्मानापत्यभाजश्चभवन्ति||१०९||
• The shukra dhatu sara (having essence in form of reproductive
tissues) individuals are gentle and charming (saumya), charming
and gentle look (saumyaprekshina), have beautiful eyes as if filled
with milk (kshirapurnalochana), immensely exhilarated
(praharshabahula), teeth are unctuous, rounded, firm, even and
compact; having pleasant and unctuous complexion and voice,
brilliant, having prominent buttocks.
• They are liked by women for enjoyment, are strong and endowed
with happiness, leisure, health, wealth, honor and progeny.[109]
 Forms of shukradhatu in body
• shukravahasrotas
• The Channels of transportation and
transformation of shukra dhatu
(shukravahasrotas) has its roots in testicles
and penis. [Cha. Sa. Vimana Sthana 5/8]
Sushruta opines that they originate from
breast and testicles
• शुक्रवहानां स्रोतसां वृषणौ मूलं शेफश्च|
 (shukradhara kala):

• Kala is the layer in outer coverings of the body observed

in sagittal section. The layer of shukra is the innermost
layer that is present in the entire body. Shukra dhatu is
distributed all over the body in the same manner that the
fat in the milk and juice in the sugar cane plant are
distributed. [Cha Sa Chikitsa Sthana 2/46],[Su. Sa. Sharira
Sthana 4/20]
• The mucous membranes of the testes, seminiferous
tubules, epididymis, vas deferens and prostate in the
male and that of the vagina, uterus, uterine tubes and
ovaries in females can be considered as shukradhara kala
• Vessels carrying shukra dhatu (shukravahini
dhamani)
• Two pairs of vessels carrying shukra dhatu
(shukravahini dhamani) are listed as channels
for transportation. [Su. Sa. Sharira Sthana
9/12] Two vessels are present for production
of semen (shukra)and two are for ejaculation.
[Su. Sa.Sharira Sthana 9/7]
 Functions of shukra dhatu

• Shukra bestows courage, ejaculation, lust,

strength of the body, pleasure, love, and
affection. The main function of shukra is
reproduction and embryogenesis. [Su. Sa.
Sutra Sthana 15/5]
• शुक्रं धैर्यं च्यवनं [१] प्रीतिं देहबलं हर्षं बीजार्थं च; (१) |५|
 Disorders
• Shukra vriddhi
• शुक्रं शुक्राश्मरीमतिप्रादुर्भावं च ||१४||
• अतिस्त्रीकामतां वृद्धं शुक्रं शुक्राश्मरीमपि||१२||

• Sukra kshaya
• क्लै ब्यं शुक्राविसर्गश्च क्षीणशुक्रस्य लक्षणम्||६९||cha
• शुक्रक्षये मेढ्र वृषणवेदनाऽशक्तिर्मैथुने चिराद्वा प्रसेकः प्रसेके
चाल्परक्तशुक्रदर्शनम् [५] ||९|| (su.su./15/9)
 Sukra kshaya( ashtanga hridaya)
• शुक्रे चिरात् प्रसिच्येत शुक्रं शोणितमेव वा|
तोदोऽत्यर्थं वृषणयोर्मेढ्रं धूमायतीव च||२०||
Characteristics of vitiated semen (shukradushti)

• The vitiated semen is frothy(phenilam), less

viscous (tanu), dry with less fluid (ruksha),
discolored(vivarnam), putrid(puti), slimy
(pichhilam ), afflicted with other dhatus and
precipitant. [Cha. Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 30/139-
140].
• फे निलं तनु रूक्षं च विवर्णं पूति पिच्छिलम्||१३९||
अन्यधातूपसंसृष्टमवसादि तथाऽष्टमम्|