Prakriti — Your Inborn Constitution
Source: Charaka Samhita Vimanasthana 8.95
Prakriti means "natural state" — the inborn dosha constitution of each individual. It does not change for life. Understanding it is the foundation of personalised health care.
**How prakriti is determined** At conception: parental dosha state, mother's prenatal diet + lifestyle, intrauterine environment, season of birth — all combine to fix the infant's prakriti. Charaka Samhita Vimanasthana 8.95 details the process exhaustively.
**Seven prakriti types** - **Vata** — pure Vata predominance (~7% of population) - **Pitta** — pure Pitta predominance (~8%) - **Kapha** — pure Kapha predominance (~10%) - **Vata-Pitta** — dual dosha (~20%) - **Vata-Kapha** — dual dosha (~15%) - **Pitta-Kapha** — dual dosha (~25%) - **Tridosha / Sama-dosha** — balanced three (~15%) — rare + fortunate
**Physical signs of your prakriti** - **Frame** — Vata: thin; Pitta: medium; Kapha: solid - **Skin** — Vata: dry + cool; Pitta: warm + moist; Kapha: oily + cool - **Hair** — Vata: rough + dry; Pitta: fine + early grey; Kapha: thick + lustrous - **Eyes** — Vata: small + dry; Pitta: sharp + reddens easily; Kapha: large + calm - **Appetite** — Vata: irregular; Pitta: sharp + sudden; Kapha: slow + steady - **Sleep** — Vata: light + interrupted; Pitta: medium; Kapha: deep + long
**Mental signs** - **Vata** — creative, quick understanding + quick forgetting, anxiety tendency - **Pitta** — goal-oriented, intelligent, anger tendency - **Kapha** — calm, long memory, depression tendency
**Behavioural signs** - **Vata** — earns money fast, spends fast - **Pitta** — earns by goal-direction, spends systematically - **Kapha** — earns slowly, conserves
**Why knowing your prakriti matters** - **Diet**: Foods that suit your prakriti nourish you; what suits others may harm you. Generic "healthy" diets fail because they don't account for prakriti. - **Exercise**: Vata = gentle yoga; Pitta = swimming, calm activities; Kapha = vigorous aerobic. - **Disease predisposition**: Prakriti predicts vulnerabilities — Vata: joint disorders, anxiety; Pitta: digestive + skin disorders; Kapha: obesity + diabetes. - **Treatment response**: The same herb works differently in different prakritis. Dose and selection adjust accordingly.
**Vikriti — your current imbalance** Prakriti doesn't change; Vikriti (current imbalance) does. You may be Vata prakriti but currently experience Pitta aggravation (from stress, hot climate, dietary mistakes). Treatment aims to reverse Vikriti — back toward Prakriti.
**Take AyurConnect's Prakriti Quiz** Free, 4 minutes, 25 questions. Returns your dosha composition + personalised recommendations. 🔗 https://ayurconnect.com/prakriti-quiz
--- _Editorial content reviewed against Ashtanga Hridayam + Charaka Samhita. For personalised guidance, consult a verified BAMS / MD-Ayurveda doctor — https://ayurconnect.com/doctors. Author: AyurConnect Editorial._