Vikriti

Vikriti (Sanskrit विकृति, vikṛti — "alteration", "deviation from the norm") is the current state of dosha balance, differing from the innate constitution (Prakriti, प्रकृति).

What Vikriti shows. In Ayurvedic medicine (#19), Vikriti shows which doshas have left equilibrium under the influence of diet, season, lifestyle, age and stress.

The Ayurvedic Diagnostic Formula

Prakriti − Vikriti = the vector of treatment. The aim of therapy is to bring Vikriti back to Prakriti — to restore the innate balance.

Methods of Assessing Vikriti

• Nadi Pariksha (नाडी परीक्षा) — pulse diagnosis at three points on the radial artery
• Jihva Pariksha (जिह्वा परीक्षा) — examination of the tongue
• Mutra Pariksha (मूत्र परीक्षा) — urine analysis
• Mala Pariksha (मल परीक्षा) — stool analysis

Ashtavidha Pariksha. These eight methods of examination (अष्टविध परीक्षा) form the foundation of Ayurvedic diagnosis — a holistic approach in which each channel offers an independent reading of the state.

Relation to Western Medicine

The concept of Vikriti has no exact analog in Western medicine. The closest in meaning are "current functional state" or "constitutional drift", but neither captures the full depth of the three-dosha model.