Dashamoola Churnam

What it is

Dashamoola Churnam is a powder. A churnam is simply a finely ground powder of dried herbs, and Dashamoola is the classical group of ten roots, dasha meaning ten and moola meaning root. So Dashamoola Churnam is the ten roots, dried and ground together into one even, warming blend.

It is among the plainest and most useful preparations in the Ayurvedic kitchen. Where the fermented tonic takes these roots into a liquid and the medicated oils take them into a Thailam, the Churnam keeps them in their simplest shape: a dry powder that can be stirred into water, brewed into a fresh decoction, or folded into larger formulas. Because it is dry it keeps well, and it is often the starting point from which the other Dashamoola preparations are built.

What it is used for

Dashamoola is the foremost group in Ayurveda for settling Vata, the dry, cold, mobile quality the texts hold responsible for movement and for the nerves. The taste of the roots is mostly bitter and astringent, their potency is warming, and the tradition reads that combination as grounding and steadying for a restless, depleted body.

The texts also prize the powder for digestion. Several of the ten roots are deepana, which means they kindle the digestive fire, so the Churnam is classically reached for when digestion is weak and irregular, the kind of unsteadiness the tradition again traces to Vata. It is understood as a calming, warming, settling powder rather than a stimulating one.

How it is made

The ten roots are gathered in the two groups the texts always pair. The five greater roots come from trees: Bilva, Agnimantha, Shyonaka, Patala and Gambhari. The five lesser roots come from smaller plants: Shalaparni, Prishniparni, Brihati, Kantakari and Gokshura.

Each root is cleaned and dried in the shade, which is thought to preserve its qualities, and then ground slowly so the work stays cool. Too much heat in the grinding is held to drive off the fine aromatic part of the roots. The powders are passed through a fine sieve and combined in equal parts, so the finished Churnam is smooth and even. Kept in a sealed jar away from damp and light, a well-made powder holds its strength for many months.

How it is taken

The simplest way is to stir a small spoonful, traditionally around three to six grams, into warm water and drink it. The powder is also brewed into a fresh decoction, simmered in water until the liquid reduces and taken warm. For a Vata-predominant person the texts favour pairing it with a warm, oily carrier such as a little ghee, which answers the dry quality of Vata.

This entry describes the classical Ayurvedic understanding of the preparation. It is not medical advice, and anyone with a health condition should speak to a qualified practitioner.

Frequently asked

Is Dashamoola Churnam the same as Dashamoola? Almost. Dashamoola is the group of ten roots itself, and the Churnam is that group dried and ground into a powder, its most basic finished form.

Can the powder be made into a tea? Yes. Simmering the powder in water gives a fresh decoction, one of the classical ways to take it. The fermented tonic is a different, longer-keeping preparation of the same roots.

Which roots are in it? Five greater roots from trees, Bilva, Agnimantha, Shyonaka, Patala and Gambhari, and five lesser roots from smaller plants, Shalaparni, Prishniparni, Brihati, Kantakari and Gokshura.