In Ayurveda, mental health is governed by the three Gunas (qualities) of the mind: Sattva (purity/clarity), Rajas (activity/agitation), and Tamas (inertia/darkness). Anxiety and stress-based performance issues are typically seen as an imbalance of Vata Dosha and an excess of Rajas.
Here are the key shlokas from the Brihat-Trayi (Charaka, Sushruta, and Ashtanga Hridaya) to manage these conditions.
Charaka Samhita: The Ultimate Medicine for the Mind
In the very first chapter of the Sutrasthana, Sage Charaka defines the “divine” medicine for mental disturbances. This is the foundation for managing performance anxiety.
धीधैर्यात्मादिविज्ञानं मनोदोषौषधं परम् ॥
(Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthana, 1.58)
Transliteration: Dhī-dhairyātmādi-vijñānaṃ manodoṣauṣadhaṃ param.
Meaning: Intellect (Dhi), Courage/Patience (Dhairya), and Self-Knowledge (Atmavijnanam) are the supreme medicines for the imbalances of the mind.
Application for Performance:
Dhi: Sharpen your focus and distinguish between reality and imagined failure.
Dhairya: Practice patience; do not let the “fight or flight” response take over.
Atmavijnanam: Understand your own strengths. Performance anxiety often stems from forgetting one’s true capability.
Sushruta Samhita: The Definition of a Balanced State
Sushruta defines health (Swastha) not just as the absence of disease, but as a state of internal happiness. This shloka is vital for understanding that performance is optimized only when the mind is “Prasanna” (cheerful).
समदोषः समाग्निश्च समधातुमलक्रियः ।
प्रसन्नात्मेन्द्रियमनाः स्वस्थ इत्यभिधीयते ॥
(Sushruta Samhita, Sutrasthana, 15.41)
Transliteration: Samadoṣah samāghniśca samadhātumalakriyaḥ | Prasannātmendriyamanaah svastha ityabhidhīyate ||
Meaning: Health is a state where the Doshas, Agni (digestion), tissues, and waste excretion are balanced, and the Soul, Senses, and Mind are in a state of bliss.
Application for Stress: If your mind is not “Prasanna” (calm/clear), your performance will suffer regardless of physical preparation. To manage stress, Ayurveda suggests working on the “Prasannata” (serenity) of the mind through lifestyle and breath.
Ashtanga Hridaya: Restraining Mental Urges (Dharaniya Vega)
Vagbhata, in Ashtanga Hridaya, lists certain “urges” that must be suppressed to maintain mental health. Unlike physical urges (like sneezing), mental urges like fear and anxiety must be controlled through willpower.
लोभमोहभयक्रोधशोकमानमदश्रमम् ।
जितेन्द्रियो जितात्मानं प्रशमं नयते बुधः ॥
(Ashtanga Hridaya, Sutrasthana, 4.24-25)
Transliteration: Lobha-moha-bhaya-krodha-śoka-māna-mada-śramam…
Meaning: A wise person should restrain the urges of greed, delusion, fear (Bhaya), anger, grief (Shoka), and vanity.
Application for Performance: Anxiety is often a form of “Bhaya” (fear of result) or “Shoka” (pre-emptive grief over failure). Vagbhata suggests that “Jitendriya” (mastery over senses) is the key to stability under pressure.
Charaka Samhita: Sattvavajaya (Ayurvedic Psychotherapy)
Charaka gives a specific term for managing the mind: Sattvavajaya.
सत्त्वावजयः पुनरहितेभ्योऽर्थेभ्यो मनोनिग्रहः ॥
(Charaka Samhita, Vimanasthana, 8.75)
Transliteration: Sattvāvajayaḥ punarahitebhyo’rthebhyo manonigrahaḥ.
Meaning: Sattvavajaya is the withdrawal of the mind from “Ahita” (unwholesome/harmful) thoughts and objects.
Application: When performance stress hits, the mind dwells on “Ahita” thoughts (e.g., “I will fail,” “What will people think?”). Sattvavajaya is the practice of consciously pulling the mind back from these harmful loops and anchoring it in the present task.
Summary of Practical Tips from these Shlokas:
Cultivate Sattva: Eat fresh (Sattvic) food and maintain a routine. A stable body leads to a stable mind.
Achara Rasayana: Charaka mentions “Behavioral Rasayanas” (Rejuvenators). Being truthful, calm, and free from anger acts as a medicine for stress.
Pranayama: Since anxiety is a Vata imbalance, slow, rhythmic breathing (Anulom Vilom) is the direct way to calm the “Prana” mentioned in Ashtanga Hridaya.
Dharana (Concentration): Practice focusing on the process, not the result. As the Bhagavad Gita (often cited in Ayurvedic mental health contexts) says: “Karmanye vadhikaraste ma phaleshu kadachana”—focus on the action, not the fruit.
