Herbal fume inhalation similarities between Dhoopan and Hawan

Herbal fume inhalation for health benefit or disease treatment is an Ayurvedic and Vedic approach. In Ayurvedic texts it is mentioned as Dhoopan and in Vedic texts it is referred as hawan (Yagya). There are similarities in methods and procedures of both the methods. The present study identifies five areas where there are similarities i.e. herbal mixture preparation, offerings to fire, use of smokeless fire, use of chanting, dose repetition. This perspective showed similarity present between these two ancient herbal inhalation methods potentiating a great scope of further research in this direction.

Similar to this Ayurvedic Method, Atharvaveda also mentioned herbal fume inhalation for health benefit or disease treatment using Hawan. It mentioned hawan for various kinds of physical and mental diseases i.e. tuberculosis, mania, etc. (6).
However, there are some similarities among these herbal inhalation methods, especially in materials, their preparation and its usage procedure. The present study aimed to find these similarities.

Materials and Methods Similarities between Dhoopan and Hawan
Herbal inhalation in Ayurveda is referred to as various terminologies i.e. dhoompana, dhoom nasya, and dhoopan while in the Vedas and vedic texts hawan or Yagya has herbal inhalation as part of its component. The Below table described some common similarities between both herbal inhalation methods from Ayurvedic and Vedic texts (1-3) (7-9).
Dhoopan dravya is offered through fire to get Dhoop (होमजापत…अतननब्रर्ीत), Hawan samagri is also offered to fire to get herbal fumes Dhoopan dravya is offered through fire to get Dhoop (होमजापत…अतननब्रर्ीत), होमजापत…अतननब्रर्ीत. It is said to use dhoop produced by using fire (given by fire) ( Hawan samagri is also offered to fire to get herbal fumes. Agni is one of the prime divine forces of Vedas. The first sloka of the Rigveda (8) is about agni. All the offerings including havi are offered to Agni as is also considered as a carrier of all the offerings to the deity. Suktas of Agni (7-9) clearly state prayers to Agni to take all the offerings to the deity. This is also similar in dhoopan as described in this section. Dhoopan dravya should be offered to smokeless fire (तनधू व म दीप्त) and inhalation of herbal fumes is recommended; Hawan samagri is also offered in smokeless fire and herbal fume inhalation is recommended.
In addition, the method of herbal fume inhalation described in Vedic texts is well described in Rigveda 10/137/2-3 (8) and Atharvaveda 4/13/2-3 (9). They state medicinal fumes generated in Yagya are of two types. One, breath in, is full of medicinal properties, which destroys diseases; the other, breath out, is sending the disease far awayindicating method and potential of herbal inhalation which is as similar to Dhoopan or Dhoompana. Cont… Table 1. Similarities between materials and methods between herbal inhalation portion of dhoopan and hawan.

Discussion & conclusion
The existence of herbal fumigation as an important therapeutic module is suggested in Ayurvedic and Atharvedic texts which are well described in table 1. If this was an important module of health treatment then the prevalence of herbal fumigation should also exist in practice. A study reported around 50 countries of 5 continents used mono or multi herbal fumigation for the neurological, pulmonary, female disorders, etc diseases (13). Dhoopan and Hawan are close or very similar procedures. Infact, as per 'Athharva Chikitsa Vigyan' book by Dr. Hiralal Vishwakarma (14) says "Hawan is also known as Yagya and Dhoop" in this world.
Thus, based on above references of Ayurvedic texts and Atharvaveda, it is clearly implied that herbal fumigation for health benefit and therapeutic purpose is an ancient therapeutic method and it is well described in both Ayurvedic and Atharvedic texts.