1. Poorva karma (First stage)

2. Pradhana karma (Second stage)

3. Paschata karma (Third stage)

Poorva Karma :-

Poorva Karma includes the preparatory measures like Pachana karma ,Snehana (oleation) and Swedna (fomentation) before the main specific treatment.:-

(a) Paachana Karma
(b) Sneha Karma
(c) Suweda Karma

Paachana Karma :-
Before going to proceed for main therapeutic, pachana karma is essential to digest the undigested substances by means of deepana and pachana drug like, peya (liquid) choorna (powder) kasayam etc.

Snehana :–
‘‘Snehanam ’’or ‘‘oleation’’ is lubricating the system by using unctuous subastances like oil and ghee externally ad internally .The internal use is through the mouth ,nose ,anus and the other openings and the external by means of Abhyanga ,Pichu ,Vasti ,Tarpana and other methods .It can be said that oleation should proceed and succeed all courses of treatment.

Snehana :– Indication :–
Patients who are starting swedna and shodhana courses.
Those affected by rooksha (roughness).
It is hard to cure vata patients without proper Snehana.
Those indulging in excessive drinks or sex or exercise or worrying, aged, children, anaemic, emaciated, week by nature, those afflicted by vata or semen loss, must resort to Snehana in particular.

Snehana :– Contra-indication :-
In people with week digestive fire ,with excessive fire or obese ,those exhausted with vata diseases namely Oorustamba ,or indigestion or throat ailments ,Diarrhoea , Lack of appetite ,faints, vomiting ,kapha or excessive thirst ; also those intoxicated by alcohol .This is also not to be done in those who have just completed Vasti or Nasya ,Virechana , or women who have miscarried .But this bar is more important In case of internal Snehana but not not so harmful in external Snehana.

The benefits of the proper snehana are explained in followig lines :-

‘‘One who keeps a routine of inunction is destined to have a blazing internal fire ,cleansed bowel , enlivened Dhatus and strength and colour ,firm of limbs, slow in ageing and will live an hundred years’’.

SWEDANA :–
Swedana is as important as any other treatment , Not only does this give temporary and lasting relief in many ailments but this is a prerequisite for all Samana courses in the same way as Snehanam is for Vamana and Virechanam. Many diseases like –

Sweda :– indication :-
Asthma ,Cough ,catarrh,hiccup, Bloated belly ,obstruction to the body channels , voice –constrain, Vata, Kapha, Ama, inactivity painful urination, calculus, hydorocele, tumours, Ama fever, Vishtambha, Gulma, Colic, Hernia, Opisthotonus, Emprostotonus, Hemiplegia, Loss of sense in the limbs and emaciation are curable with Swedana.

Swedana is contra-indicated --In Obese, those emaciated from Dryness, Weakness, Lose of Sense, Poison, and Cauterisation by caustic alkali, Diabetes, Acute Stage of Arthritis. Those with cataract, ascites, Erysipelas, Chest lesion , the intoxicated, those who have not come to normal diet after virechana, or affected by prolapse, exhaustion, fear, sorrow or anger, those extremely hungry, thirsty, when jaundice, anaemia and diabetes are Pitta excited, expectant mothers and ladies who are in the monthly course or have just delivered . But Sages agree that mild sweating may be done on such people in emergent circumstances. Swedanam in the inguinal region should be milder than for other regions. Testes, eyes and heart must be sweated for even less periods.