Saturday 11 March 2017

KNOW YOUR EMOTIONAL QUOTIENT

Know Your EQ: Emotional Quotient Test
Developed by Dr DALIP SINGH & DR NK CHADHA
The present EQ test measures three psychological dimensions such as emotional sensitivity, emotional
maturity and emotional competency. This test has been standardized for professional managers,
businessmen, bureaucrats, artists, graduate student, and adolescent population. This EQ test has a test‐
retest and split‐half reliability of 0.94 and 0.89 respectively and validity of 0.89. It has been attempted
online by more than 25,000 persons worldwide.
How do you FEEL about yourself and people around you? This EQ test will help you to know more about
yourself and about people around you. This test measures the way you use your emotional skills in your
personal and professional life.
   The 22 situations given below will measure your emotional responses to different situations.
Answer on the basis of how you FEEL and not what you THINK. There is no right or wrong answer.
Answer honestly and do not spend too much time. Usually your first response is the best response. Do
not leave any question unanswered.
Name: ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
Age: ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
Gender: Male/ Female ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
Profession: ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
Educational Qualifications ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
Country: ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
Email:‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐


GO TO EQ TEST NOW:
 1. You have been denied a promotion by the management for which you were eligible. Moreover,
one of your juniors has been promoted. You are emotionally upset and feel frustrated. What will
you do?
  a. Talk it over with your boss and ask for reconsideration of the management’s decision.   
  b. Start abusing the colleague who superseded you.
  c. Move to court and obtain a stay order to get justice.
  d. Identify your shortcomings and try to improve your performance.

 2. A freshly recruited professional graduate joins your organisation as a management trainee. After
a few weeks, she complains to you that she was not being taken seriously by her subordinates.
What will you suggest   her?
  a.  Ask her to handle the situation herself and not bother you with trivial matters.
  b. Tell her that such behaviour should be ignored.
  c. Ask her to be bold, face the challenge and overcome the problem.
  d. Empathize with her and help her figure out ways to get others to work with her.

 3. At the workplace, due to some misunderstanding, your colleagues stop talking to you. You are
convinced that there was no fault of yours. How will you react?
  a. Wait till they come and start talking to you again.
  b. Take the initiative, go forward and start talking to them.
  c. Let things take their own time to improve.
  d. Ask someone to mediate.

 4. You get into an argument with your colleague and end up attacking him/her personally. Later
you realize that you never intended to tarnish the image of your colleague. How will you handle
such ugly situation?
  a. Sit calmly and consider what triggered off the arguments and was it possible to control your
anger at that point of time.
  b. Avoid future arguments and leave the room.
  c. Apologise to your colleague for your behaviour.
  d. Continue with the argument till you reach some definite conclusion.

 5. Imagine you are an insurance salesperson selling insurance policies. You approach a number of
prospective clients who slam the door on your face and refuse to buy policies. What will you do?
  a. Blame yourself and stop work for the day.
  b. Reassess your capabilities as an insurance salesperson.
  c. Come out with fresh strategies to overcome similar situations in future.
  d. Contact the clients again some other day.

 6. When someone directly criticizes your behaviour, how will you behave?
  a. Tend to close up and stop listening.
  b. Carefully listen to their opinion.
  c. Tend to get upset about it.
  d. Think of ways to change your behaviour.

7. You are on an aircraft and suddenly the air‐hostess announces that it has been hijacked by the
terrorists. Everyone is in a state of shock. What will be your reaction?
  a. Blame yourself for choosing an inauspicious day for travelling.
  b. Be in emotional control and attend to the instructions of the pilot/air hostess.
  c. Continue to read your magazine and pay little attention to the incident.
  d. Cry out and vow not to travel by air in future.


 8. Imagine that you are a police officer posted in a sensitive area. You get information of violent
ethnic clashes between two religious communities in which people have been killed from both
sides and property damaged. What action will you take?
  a. Decide not to visit the spot personally as there may be a danger to your life.
  b. Relax; this is not the first time riots have taken place.
  c. Try to handle the situation by taking action as per law.
  d. Reach the spot and assuage the feelings of the victims.

 9. Your grown up daughter starts arguing with you every now and then. She tells you that you
cannot impose your old‐fashioned attitudes and outdated values on her. How will you tackle
her?
  a. Accept her statement in helplessness and take a low‐profile position in the family.
  b. Send her to a psychologist to learn her adjust with her environment.
  c. Manage your emotions and explain your point of view as patiently as possible.
  d. Talk to her and understand her emotions, beliefs and attitudes.

    10.  After weeks of merger of two largest financial firms, hundreds of employees were                           
expected to lose their jobs. You, being the General Manager (HQ), were told to convey to the
employee the decision of the management. How will you convey the message?
a.    Give a gloomy picture and tell them you have no option but to fire half of them.
b.    Give a bright picture and tell them that the company will be blessed with talented people from
both firms.
c.    Tell them that you will collect more information to be fair and update them every few days on
how things will take shape.
d.    Announce the decision and let the employees take a decision about what they want.

 11. You are a professor in a college. While delivering a lecture, a student comments that you have
not prepared the topic properly and you are just passing the time. This has hurt your self esteem.
What will be your reaction?
  a. Report to the principal of the college about the unruly behavior of the student.
  b. Order the student to leave the classroom at once.
  c. Ask him/her to meet you in your chamber after the class to explain what he/she wants.
  d. Judge the emotions of the class and promise to make amendments accordingly.

 12. As CEO of a company, while taking a meeting with the union, one of the union leaders levels
serious allegations of corruption and favoritism against you. How will you react?
  a. Continue with the discussion and listen to their demands with a cool head.
  b. Ask union leader to make allegations in writing and offer an impartial enquiry.
  c. Cancel further negotiation and ask the union leader to apologise first.
  d. Leave the room after assigning the responsibility to your subordinate to continue with the
meeting.


13.You had an argument with your spouse on some trivial family matter and are not on speaking
terms for sometime. The situation is causing mental disturbance to both of you. What will you
do?
  a. Stick to your stand; after all you were never at fault.
  b. Try to break the ice by analysing the reasons for the conflict.
  c. Make first move and ease the situation.
  d. Wait for your spouse to make the first move to restore normalcy.

 14. You hail from a rural area and take admission in a city college. You find your classmates taunting
you as you are not smart and are unable to speak good English. How will you manage yourself?
  a. Ignore them.
  b. Shout back and tell them to mind their own business.
  c. Leave studies half way and go back to your village.
  d. Accept their challenge and prove that you can match them.

 15. While speaking to an audience, you feel that:
  a. It is difficult to convey your speech.
  b. You are partly comfortable in conveying your speech.
  c. You are comfortable in conveying your speech.
  d. You feel that you will do better with some more practice.

16.    Your friend’s sister, who got married just one year back, is heading for a divorce. She is highly
educated and economically self dependent. She comes to you for guidance. What will you
advise her?
a. Tell her to go ahead with the divorce as she is a first class MBA and her husband can not take
her for granted
 b.   Empathize with her for marring an academically average person.
c.   Advise her to talk to her husband and figure out the reasons behind the mal‐adjustment.
d. Tell her that academic qualifications are important but these do not help in leading a          
successful married life.

17.    There is blind girl in your class. She trips on her way out of the class. You see a few of your
friends making fun of her and laughing at her. What will you do?
a.    Laugh along with your friends.
b.    Ignore the incident as they are your friends.
c.    Help the blind girl make her way out of the class room but say nothing to your friends.
d.    Help the girl and then confront your friends for being so insensitive.

18.     While having an argument with someone, if you lose, you:
  a. Feel totally beaten.
  b. Wait for the next opportunity to beat your opponents.
  c. Winning and losing are part of the game.
         d.   Analyse the reasons for the loss.
          


19.   You are working as HRD General Manager in a large multinational company that recruit dozens
of fresh MBAs, engineers and other professionals on senior positions every year. This requires
time, energy and money. However, you find that 75 percent of the young recruits are leaving
the company after around two years of work experience to join more attractive jobs. What will
you do?
a.   Ignore the trend. There is rampant unemployment and you can find more people lined up to
join your company.
b.   Try to find out the root cause of their leaving the job and take corrective measures to retain
them as you have already invested in them heavily.
c.   Increase the pay package and lure them in working with you.
d.   Change the selection criteria and recruit people on the basis of their need and requirements.

20. You have been involuntarily transferred to a remote project and posted under a new boss.
Although you have been given a pay hike and also a promise for promotion in near future yet, you are
not comfortable.  Your family can not shift along with you due to education of your children. You are
in a sensitive area and your security is also at risk. You are undergoing a mild level of stress. How will
you diffuse the stress?
a. Enjoy. After all there has been a hike in your pay for working in a sensitive area.
b. Wait. It may turn out to be an opportunity for early promotion.
c. Lament. Why should such terrible things happen to you only?
d. Act in haste. Think to resign and find out a new job for you.

21. You have lived your life for so many years on this earth. How would you like to explain your life at
the moment in one sentence?
a. Successful: Well, I am a contended person who got whatever could make me feel happy.
b. OK: Well, it’s a mixed experience for me. It’s 50:50.
c. Comfortable: Well, destiny is in the hand of God. Man is just a puppet.
d. Uncomfortable: Well, I feel I deserved better but could not get it.

22.  As an HRD manager you have to recruit a large number of employees for a multinational firm.
After the written test and interview you find that most of candidates who qualified are women. What
will be your reaction?
a. Hire women employees. They deserve it as they have qualified the selection criteria.
b. Well it’s a women’s world. Hire them any way.
c. Hire male and female employees in equal number.
d.    Avoid women employees as they are a liability.


THE SCORING KEY :
Ques Response  Score 
tion
No.
1.  a.  15 
  b.  5
  c.  10
  d.  20
2.  a.  5
  b.  10
  c.  15
d.  20
3.  a.  15
  b.  20
  c.  5
  d.  10
4.  a.  20
  b.  15
  c.  10
  d.  5
5.  a.  5
  b.  20
  c.  15
  d.  10
6.  a.  10
  b.  20
  c.  5
  d.                15
7.  a.  5
  b.  20
  c.  15
  d.  10
8.  a.  10
  b.  5
  c.  20
  d.  15
9.  a.  5
  b.  10
  c.  20
  d.  15
10.  a.  5
  b.  20
  c.  15
d.  10
  9
11.  a.  5
  b.  10
  c.  15
  d.  20
12.  a.  20
  b.  15
  c.  10
  d.  5
13.  a.  5
  b.  15
  c.  20
  d.  10
14.  a.  10
  b.  15
  c.  5
  d.  20
15.  a.  10
  b.  15
  c.  20
d.  5
16.  a.  5
  b.  10
  c.  20
  d.  15
17.  a.  5
  b.  10
  c.  15
  d.  20
18.  a.  5
  b.  10
  c.  15
  d.  20
19.  a.  5
  b.  20
  c.  15
  d.  10
20.  a.  15
  b.  20
  c.  10
  d.  5
21.  a.  20
  b.  15
  c.  10
  d.  5
22.  a.  20
  b.  15
  c.  10
  d.  5


QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF YOUR SCORES (The questions were
distributed as under)
EQ DIMENSIONS   Situations
SENSITIVITY
2‐8‐16‐17‐22
(5 Situations)
MATURITY
4‐6‐9‐11‐12‐18‐21
(7 situations)
COMPETENCY
1‐3‐5‐7‐10‐13‐14‐15‐19‐20
(10 situations)
TOTAL EQ SCORE
All Situations
(22 situations)
   ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
   INTERPRETATION Of YOUR SCORES: (P‐stands for percentile)
EQ
DIMENSIONS
P‐90
(Extremely
high EQ)
P‐75
(High EQ)
P‐50
(Moderate
EQ)
P‐40
(Low EQ)
P‐20
(Try  the
Test some
other Day)
Your
Score
Your  ‐
P
SENSITIVITY
(Range of score:
25‐100)
91‐100  81‐90  56‐80  31‐55  < 30  ‐‐‐‐‐  ‐‐‐‐‐
MATURITY
(Range of Score:
35‐140)
121‐140  101‐120  81‐100  46‐80  < 45  ‐‐‐‐‐‐  ‐‐‐‐‐
  11
COMPETENCY
(Range of score:
50‐200)
126‐200  96‐125  76‐95  51‐75  < 50  ‐‐‐‐‐  ‐‐‐‐‐
TOTAL EQ
(Range of score:
110‐440)
311‐440  271‐310  201‐270  126‐
200
< 125  ‐‐‐  ‐‐‐‐
KNOW HOW THIS EQ TEST WAS MADE:  
  The EQ test given in this book has been developed by Dr Dalip Singh and Prof NK Chadha. Some of
the readers may be interested in knowing how the present EQ test was developed. We are providing
details of the procedure which was adopted to finalize the test. This exercise usually is a cumbersome
process involving collecting a plethora of data from targeted subjects and making a detailed statistical
analysis. The most important step in making a psychological test is its standardisation. This involves
situation selection, situation analysis and critically evaluating the reliability and validity of a test on given
parameters. Accordingly, the following steps were initiated to finalise the present EQ test:
Situation selection  The present EQ test was made by compiling real‐life situations experienced by
individuals in their day‐to‐day life. The situations were selected to avoid response bias such as ‘faking‐
good’ or ‘social desirability tendency’ by the respondents. This tendency refers to the inherent tendency
of an individual to conform to the social norms. Psychologists today unanimously hold that the tendency
of the individual to make socially desirable rather than true answers to emotional inventories lessens
their usefulness. There are ordinarily three approaches to control the social desirability of an emotional
inventory. One way is to arrange the situations in an inventory in such a way that the subject is forced to
choose between two equally desirable answers. But the forced choice technique has its disadvantage
because it seems to create more problems than it solves. The second way is to use an independent
social desirability scale and the score on this scale may be correlated with scores on other inventories to
give an index for this tendency. The third way is to have such situations in the inventory which are
relatively neutral with respect to such desirability and thereby avoid a response bias. In the present
context, only such situations which have been deemed relatively neutral with regard to social
desirability tendency were introduced. In order to achieve this, the situations were passed on to five
judges/experts on psychological, behavioural and emotional aspects with a request to rate each
situation on a nine‐point rating scale ranging from ‘extremely desirable’ through ‘neutral’ to ‘extremely
undesirable’. A modified version of Edward’s instructions given to judges/experts is as given below:
  In this test booklet, you find 41 real‐life situations from the immediate environment regarding
people’s liking, disliking, character, way of thinking and doing tasks. These situations reflect some areas
of emotional intelligence such as self‐awareness, self‐regulation, handling relationships, motivation,
conflict resolution and stress management. We are not interested in knowing whether the situation
applies or does not apply to you personally. You are to rate the situation using the following rating value
in front of each situation. Remember that you are to rate the situations in terms of whether you
consider them desirable or undesirable in others. Kindly make sure that you have rated each situation.
  12
Please read each situation carefully and rate them on the scale given below as to how socially desirable
or undesirable they are if applied to other people.
Rating  Meaning of Rating
 1  Extremely undesirable
 2  Strongly undesirable
 3  Moderately undesirable
 4  Mildly undesirable
 5  Neutral
 6  Mildly desirable
 7  Moderately desirable
 8  Strongly desirable
9  Extremely desirable
After the experts had rated the situations, the ratings were converted into scores. The mean value of
each situation computed on the basis of experts ‘ratings’ on a nine‐point scale constituted the social
desirability scale values for each situation. The mean of the scale was theoretically, 5.00. The items which
had ratings of 1–3 and 7–9 were rejected as they were higher on socially undesirable well as on socially
desirable dimensions; hence ratings of 4–6 were retained.  According to Edward, the situations having
social desirability scale values around the mean of the social desirability continuum are less prone to social
desirability tendencies than those which fall outside this range. As such, it was decided to retain only those
situations whose average experts ratings was more than five. Two situations were consequently dropped.
The remaining 23 situations were retained after rejection on the basis of social desirability components.
Situation analysis  While analysing items of any psychometric tests, two types of information are usually
needed: index of situation difficulty and index of situation validity. The question of situation difficulty
does not arise in emotional inventories, as there is no ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ in response. To determine the index
of situation validity, before administering the scale to subjects for situation analysis, a clear instruction
in a very simple language was also prepared and printed on the first page of the scale so that each
subject might be able to follow them before he or she responds to situations. Subjects were asked to
respond to the situations by putting a tick mark under ‘yes’ if they agree and under ‘no’, if they disagree.
Following Kelley’s instructions, the scale was administered on an unselected sample from different
professions of 300 (males and females) for the purpose of situation analysis. The samples were drawn
from different sections of the society. The age range of the subjects was 18 years to 50 years. They were
managers, executives from public/private sector undertakings, doctors, senior government officers,
entrepreneurs and industrialists from private sector, teachers from colleges and universities and from
other professions such as nursing, accountancy, engineering, banking, medicine, information
technology, judiciary, police, business, politics and insurance. On the basis of the total scores of each
dimension, the 27th percentile and 73rd percentile were computed which constituted the lower and the
upper groups comprising 81 subjects each. Chi‐square for each item was computed from the phi‐
coefficient.

VAJIKARANA


Vajikarana: Treatment of sexual dysfunctions based on Indian concepts

Vajikarana or Vrishya chikitsa is a one of eight major specialty of the Ashtanga Ayurveda. This subject is concerned with aphrodisiacs, virility and improving health of progeny. As per Charak Samhita, by proper use of these formulations, one becomes endowed with good physique, potency, strength, and complexion and sexually exhilarated and sexually potent.
This in turn is helpful in many common sexual dysfunctions, including Infertility, Premature Ejaculation and Erectile dysfunction. The therapy is preceded by living in strict compliance with the directions mentioned in Ayurvedic classics, various methods of body cleansing and other non‑medicinal strategies like sexual health promoting conduct, behavior and diet. Certain individualized herbal and herbo‑mineral combinations are administered as per the nature of a person according to the Ayurveda. Many limitations need to be considered before considering the use of theses therapy like lack of scientific studies, possibilities of adulteration in the herbal and herbo‑mineral combinations available in market and possibilities of unexpected side‑effects etc., The article calls upon initiating research in this area so that claims of ancient Ayurvedic texts could be substantiated and vajikaran therapy may be utilized by modern medicine.



INTRODUCTION

Ayurveda (Ayu-life; veda-science), the science of life, prevention and longevity, is the oldest organized Indian medical system. Its fundamentals can be found in Hindu scriptures called the Vedas - the ancient Indian books of wisdom written over 5,000 years ago and it also incorporates wisdom from Upanishada, Samkhy and Yoga. It is a comprehensive medical system of body, mind and spirit. Ayurveda is said to use the inherent principles of nature to help maintain health in a person by keeping the individual's body, mind, and spirit in perfect equilibrium with nature. Thus, Ayurveda is considered as more than a mere healing medical system. It is a science and art of appropriate living, which helps to achieve longevity. It can also guide every individual in the prevention of disease and long-term maintenance of health. Before the recent upsurge of traditional medicine in a global perspective, Ayurveda was persistently criticized for its ambiguity and philosophical tenets incomprehensible to researchers and clinicians of modern medicine. This perception has led to disinterest in Ayurveda which eventually and unfortunately has led the world to be deprived of many plausible advantages of traditional healthcare supportive to a total quality life.
Caraka Samhita states ‘The healthy life has three main pillars-a balanced diet, proper sleep and a healthy sex and marital life.’ The Ayurveda is also frequently referred as ‘Ashtanga Ayurveda’ as it has eight parts. These include following parts:
  • Kaya chikitsa: Internal and external treatments for the body.
  • Bala chikitsa: Diseases related to infants
  • Graha chikitsa: Healing of psychological problems
  • Urdvanga chikitsa: Treatments related to the Ear, Nose and Throat region
  • Salya chikitsa: Surgeries and operations
  • Visha chikitsa: Toxicology
  • Rasayana prakarana: Methods to rejuvenate the sapta dhatus (Seven Humors)
  • Vajikarana or Vrishya chikitsa: Science of aphrodisiacs, virility and improving health of progeny
Understanding few more basic concepts relevant to vajikaran of Ayurveda will be important before initiating further discussion on Vajikarana.

Tridosha theory: The doctrine of ‘Tridosha’ is fundamental for Ayurveda. According to this theory, every human being is a unique phenomenon of cosmic consciousness. The three Dosha (humors) determines every individual's psychosomatic temperament and constitution. Tridosha represents the physiological functioning of a living body, which eventually is the property of its component material. Ayurvedic idea of disease and health is conceived around this concept by identifying a balance of Tridosha. Vata (ether plus air), Pitta (fire plus water) and Kapha (water plus earth) are called the Tridosha, meaning the three Dosha. The internal environment is governed by Vata-Pitta-Kapha (V-P-K), which is constantly reacting to the external environment. The wrong diet, habits, lifestyle, incompatible food combinations (e.g., milk and fish, melons and grain, yogurt and meat or cooked honey etc.), seasonal changes, repressed emotions and stress factors can all act either together or separately to change the balance of V-P-K. According to the nature of the cause, Vata, Pitta or Kapha undergoes aggravation or derangement that produces Ama (toxins). The master forms of biological humors Vata, Pitta and Kapha are respectively Prana, Tejas and Ojas. They form the vital essence of the three humors that sustain positive health. These three forces are key to vitality, clarity and endurance and prerequisite for healthy, fearless and confident state.

To stop the further production and removal of Ama, Ayurvedic literature suggests placing the patient on a proper diet together with an appropriate lifestyle, habits and exercise, and administering cleansing program like Panchakarma.
Ayurveda identifies seven vital tissues that provide nourishment, growth, and structure to the entire body. These tissues, called dhatus, have similarities to the major tissues identified by the modern science. These dhatus remain inside the human body in a proper equilibrium so that the body can function properly. It is said that any kind of disturbance or imbalance in their equilibrium causes ailments and diseases. The seven dhatus are Plasma (Rasa), Blood (Rakta), Muscle (Mamsa), Fat (Meda), Bone (Asthi), Bone marrow and nerve (Majja) and Reproductive fluid (Shukra).
Often, the sexual style of humans is compared to and is defined in terms of the animal sexual relationship style in the ancient Indian texts. The common examples used are:
  • Chataka (Sparrow) - Multiple short span conjugations with production of small amount of semen.
  • Gaja (Elephant) - Once in a while long time conjugation with abundant semen discharge.
  • Vrusha (Bull) - Regular stable seasonal conjugation with more quantity Semen.
  • Ashwa (Horse) - Regular forceful dynamic conjugation with average quantitative semen.
     
     

    VAJIKARAN

    In Sanskrit, Vaji means horse, the symbol of sexual potency and performance thus Vajikaran means producing a horse's vigor, particularly the animal's great capacity for sexual activity in the individual. Literally the Vajikaran is not exactly aphrodisiac but the current connotational meaning is same.
    As per Charak Samhita
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    By proper use of these formulations, one becomes endowed with good physique, potency, strength, complexion and sexually exhilarated and potent like an 8-year-old horse.
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    “The man who seeks pleasure should resort to Vajikaran, i.e., vilification therapy regularly. The Vajikaran bestows contentment, nourishment, continuity of progeny and great happiness. The medicines or therapy by which the man becomes capable of sexual intercourse with the woman with great strength like a horse, which endears him to women and which nourishes the body of the person is known as Vajikaran. It is best promoter of strength and vigor.”
    However, the main aim of Vajikaran is always successful copulation for healthy reproduction, with sexual pleasure being just an additional benefit; therefore it is considered a part of ‘eugeny.’ However, this therapy is also described under various sexual and reproductive disease i.e., Klaibya or Erectile dysfunctions, Bandhyatva or Infertitily, Shukraghata Vata or azospermia and premature ejaculation.
    Vajikaran chikitsa requires living in strict compliance to the directions mentioned in Ayurvedic classics. It involves various methods of shodhan (body cleansing) through vaman (emesis), virechan (purgation) and swedan (sweating). After the Shodhan therapy, based on the prakriti of the individual's imbalance (doshic body constitution-Tridosha theory), certain herbal and herbo-mineral combinations are administered. Other components in the therapy involves improving health and pleasure in general like, massaging with medicated herbal oils and herbal baths, wearing of fragrant garlands, anointing the body with fragrant herbal pastes, listening to music, etc.

    Who should not consume Vajikarana preparations?

    As per Ayurveda, it is recommended that the person below 17 years of age and more than 70 years of age should not consume Vajikarana preparations. These preparations have to be consumed by “jitendriya purusha” or man who has control on his senses and desires. If Vajikarana preparations are consumed by “ajitendriya purusha” or man who has lost control over his senses and desire, he may prove harmful to society.

    PROPOSED MECHANISM OF ACTIONS

    Vajikaran therapy is said to revitalize all the seven dhatus (body elements), therefore, restores equilibrium and health. Keeping in mind the concept of vajikaran as described in the texts of Ayurveda, it definitely offers a solution to minimize the shukra (sperm and ovum) defects and to ensure a healthy progeny. The experimental studies related to vajikaran therapy are scarce and generally lack scientific vigor.
    Rasayan drugs acts inside the human body by modulating the neuro-endocrino-immune system. Vaajikaran rasayan is the special category of rasayan, which improve the reproductive system and enhance sexual function. They act on higher center of the brain, i.e., the hypothalamus and limbic system. Vajikaran also claims to have anti-stress, adaptogenic actions, which helps to alleviate anxiety associated with sexual desire and performance. Chauhan et al. in a study showed that administration of vajikaran rasayana viz. C. orchioides, A. longifolia and M. pruriens ethanolic extracts modulate the level of the pituitary hormones FSH and LH. This in parts can explain the positive effect of the herbs on sexual functioning.

    VAJIKARAN FORMULATIONS

     
    There are 100's of different formulations which are used for vajikaran. Some of the formulations are mentioned below which are used commonly.

    VRIHANI GUTIKA

    This formulation is one of the highest potency. This formulation is prepared as under. 120 g each of Shara roots (roots of Saccharum munja), Ikshu roots (roots of Saccharum officinarium), Kandekshu (Asteracantha longifolia), Ikshuvalika (Hygrophila spinosa), Shatavari (Asperagus racemosus), Payasya (Holostemma rheedianum), Vidari (Diascorea bulbifera), Kantakarika (Solanum indicum), Jeewanti (Leptadonia reticulata), Jivak (substitute Pueraria tuberosa), Meda (substitute Asparagus racemosus), Vira (Aloe Vera), Rishbhak (substitute Pueraria tuberosa), Bala (Sida cordifolia), Riddhi (substitute Diascorea bulbifera), Gokshur (Tribulus terrestris), Rasna (Pluchea lanceolata), Kapikachchhu (Mucuna pruriens) and Punarnava (Boerhaavia diffusa) are mixed with 2.56 kg of new Black gram. To this 10.24 L of water is added and cooked till the volume is reduced to only one fourth. The pastes of Madhuk (Madhuca indika), Draksha (Vitis vinifera), Phalgu (Ficus hispida), Pippali (Piper longum), Kapikachchhu (Mucuna prurie), Shatavari (Asperagus racemosus) are added to it 2.56 kg juice each of Vidari (Pueraria tuberosa), Amalki (Emblica officinale), Ikshu (Saccharum officinarium) and Ghee (clarified butter) plus 10.24 L Milk is also added and cooked till all water is evaporated and only Ghee remains and filtered. 160 g powder each of Sugar and Vanshlochan (Bambusa erandinacia), Pippali (Piper longum) and 40 g Marich (Piper nigram), 20 g each of Twak (Cinnamomum zeyliicum), Ela (Ellataria cardamomum), and Nagkesar are added. 320 g Honey is added and mix is blended thoroughly. Boluses, each weighing 40 g are prepared to be used. The dose is individualized and mainly depends on the digestive capacity of the individual.

    VRISHYA GUTIKA

    This formulation is highly potent aphrodisiac. 2.56 kg Ghee (clarified butter) is added to 2.56 kg of juice of Vidari (Pueraria tuberosa) and cooked. 256 kg Ghee is added and cooked again. 6.4 kg each of Sugar, Vanshlochan (Bambusa erandinacia), and Honey, Ikshurak (Saccharum officinarium), Pippali (Piper longum) and Kapikachchhu seeds (Mucuna pruriens) are added. The boluses are prepared. The weight of bolus is dependent on the digestive capacity of the person.

    VAJIKARANAM GHRITAM

    This formulation specially enhances the strength of the male organ. 2.56 kg each of newly harvested black gram and Kapikachchhu (Mucuna pruriens) and 160 g each of Jeevak (substitute Pueraria tuberosa), Rishbhak (substitute Pueraria tuberosa), Vira (Aloe vera), Meda (roots of Asparagus racemosus), Riddhi (substitute Diascorea bulbifera), Shatavari (Asperagus racemosus), Madhuk (Madhuka indica) and Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) are added in water and boiled to prepare decoction. 640 g Ghee, 6.4 L Milk, 640 ml juices each of Vidari (Pueraria tuberosa) and Ikshu (Saccharum officinarium) are added and the mix is cooked on mild-fire. This Ghee preparation should be mixed with 160 g each of Sugar, Honey, Vanshlochan (Bambusa erandinacia) and Pippali (Piper longum). The dose is 40 g before meals.

    UPATYAKARI SHASHTIKADI GUTIKA

    This vajikaran formulation is said to be particularly useful for the enhancement of the fertility. The white shashtik rice is grinded with milk in mortar, sufficient to wet the rice. More milk is added and it is grinded. Then it is squeezed through fine cloth. The cow milk is added to it and the mix is cooked. The decoctions of seeds of Kapikachchhu (Mucuna pruriens) and Black gram are prepared separately and added to above mix.
    The decoctions of Bala (Sida cordifolia), Mugdharni (Phaseolus trilobus), Mashparni (Teramnus labialis), Jeewanti (Leptadonia reticulata), Jeevak (substitute Pueraria tuberosa), Riddhi (substitute Diascorea bulbifera), Rishbhak (substitute Pueraria tuberosa), Kakoli (substitute Withania somnifera), Gokshur (Tribulus terrestris), Madhuk (Madhuka indica), Shatawari (Asperagus racemosus), Vidari (Pueraria tuberosa), Draksh (Vitis vinifera) and Kharjur (Phoenix dactylifera) are added to above mix and cooked. After cooling the powders of Wheat, Shali rice, Shashtik rice, Black gram and Vanshlochan (Bambusa erandinacia) are added in sufficient quantity so as to get solid mass. Honey and Sugar are added in sufficient quantity to make boluses of appropriate size, depending on the digestive capacity of the person

    MEDADI YOG

    This preparation is said to help regain sexual prowess to older men. The 10 g each of Meda (roots of Asparagus racemosus), Payasya (Holostemma rheedianum), Jeevanti (Leptadonia reticulata), Vidari (Pueraria tuberosa), Kantakari (Solanum xanthocarpum), Gokshur (Tribulus terrestris), Ksheerika, Black gram, Wheat, Shali rice and Shashtik rice are cooked in 2.56 L of water till the volume is reduced to 2.56 L. This mix is filtered and Honey, Ghee and Sugar are added.