Shilajit and Ayurvedic Medicine: A Timeless Partnership
If you've read anything about shilajit, you'll have seen the word Ayurveda. It comes up every time, and usually with very little explanation.
So here's the proper version. What Ayurveda is, where shilajit sits within it, how the old texts said it should be prepared and taken, and what that tradition means for anyone buying shilajit in the UK today.
If you're here to see the resin itself, this is our Himalayan shilajit resin.
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is the traditional system of medicine from India. The name roughly means "knowledge of life". Its main texts were written down around 2,000 years ago, and it's still practised widely in India and Nepal today.
Ayurveda looks at the body very differently from modern Western medicine. Rather than focusing on individual organs or conditions, it's built around balance. Food, herbs, routine, sleep and the seasons all play a part.
What are the doshas?
At the heart of Ayurveda are three doshas. You can think of them as three types of energy that Ayurveda says make up every person in different amounts:
- Vata. Linked with air and space. Movement, change, lightness.
- Pitta. Linked with fire and water. Heat, sharpness, intensity.
- Kapha. Linked with earth and water. Stability, structure, steadiness.
In Ayurveda, everyone has their own natural mix of the three. Practitioners choose foods, herbs and routines with the aim of keeping that mix in balance. Herbs are rarely used on their own. They're usually combined, so that each one rounds out the others.
Shilajit is one of the substances Ayurveda has used in this way for a very long time.
Where does shilajit appear in Ayurveda?
Shilajit, or shilajatu in Sanskrit, is mentioned in both of Ayurveda's founding texts: the Charaka Samhita and the Sushruta Samhita.
The Charaka Samhita sorts it into four types, named after metals: gold, silver, copper and iron. The dark iron type was rated most highly. That's the type that matches the black Himalayan resin sold today.
The texts also describe it by its tastes and qualities, which is how Ayurveda classifies everything it uses. Bitter is one of the tastes they recorded, which anyone who's tried shilajit straight will agree with. Practitioners use these qualities to decide what to combine it with and when.
For a wider look at its history, see The Ancient Secrets of Shilajit and our History of Shilajit.
What is a rasayana?
Ayurveda groups some of its most valued preparations into a category called rasayana. The word is often translated as "rejuvenation".
Shilajit is classed as a rasayana. That's a big deal within the tradition, because it's a short list. It's one of the main reasons shilajit has such a strong reputation in Ayurvedic writing, and why it keeps turning up in classical formulas alongside other herbs.
Shilajit and other Ayurvedic herbs
As with most things in Ayurveda, shilajit was rarely used alone. The classical texts include it in multi-ingredient formulas, and modern Ayurvedic practitioners still combine it with other herbs.
One of the best-known modern pairings is shilajit with ashwagandha, another herb with a long history in Ayurveda. If you're curious about that combination, we make Ashwagandha and Shilajit capsules, which are handy for travel. For everyday use, though, pure resin is still where we'd start. We compare the two herbs in more detail in Shilajit vs Ashwagandha.
Shilajit for stress and detox in Ayurveda
Two of the main ways Ayurveda has used shilajit are for stress management and detoxification. Both come straight out of how the tradition sees the body.
Stress
In Ayurveda, stress throws the doshas out of balance, and rasayanas like shilajit are used to help the body cope and restore that balance. Shilajit is used alongside herbs like ashwagandha as part of a daily routine for managing stress.
Modern research has started to look at this too. A 1992 study from Banaras Hindu University found shilajit had an anti-anxiety effect in rats (read the study). A 2012 study, also in rats, found shilajit helped regulate the body's stress response system and restored energy production in cells after chronic stress (read the study).
Detox
Ayurveda has a word for the build-up of waste and toxins in the body: ama. Clearing ama is a big part of Ayurvedic practice, and shilajit has traditionally been used to support the body's natural detoxification as part of that.
Our resin fits right into that kind of holistic approach to stress management, detoxification and overall well-being. For more on the research behind shilajit, see Unlocking the Health Benefits of Shilajit: What Science Says.
How Ayurveda says shilajit should be purified
This is the part of the tradition that matters most when you're buying shilajit today.
Ayurveda is very clear that raw shilajit shouldn't be used as it comes off the rock. It has to go through a cleaning process first, called shodhana. The classical method goes roughly like this:
- Dissolve the raw resin in water, or in a herbal liquid
- Leave it to settle, so the grit and stone sink
- Strain off the liquid
- Dry it slowly until it's back to a thick resin
There are two traditional ways to do the drying. Surya tapi uses the heat of the sun. Agni tapi uses fire. Sun drying is slower, but it's the gentler of the two.
Our resin from the Nepal Himalayas is sun dried, the same basic idea as surya tapi. You can read the full story of how it gets from mountain to jar in The Journey of Shilajit.
How was shilajit traditionally taken?
Ayurveda has a word for the thing you take a remedy with: anupana, meaning the carrier or vehicle. For shilajit, the usual carriers were:
- Warm milk
- Warm water
- Honey
That hasn't really changed. Warm water, warm milk and honey are still three of the easiest ways to take it. We've put together seven simple options, coffee included, in How to Incorporate Shilajit into Your Daily Routine.
Ancient tradition, modern testing
We have a lot of respect for Ayurveda. It's the reason shilajit is known at all outside the mountains. And one part of the tradition is especially easy to bring up to date: cleanliness.
We take that part and check it properly. The old physicians had to judge purity by eye and by hand. We send every batch to a lab.
Our resin is tested by Huson and Hardwick (Alex Stewart Agriculture), an ISO 17025 accredited lab in Liverpool. The February 2026 batch came back at 73.8% fulvic acid and 88.5% total humic substances, with heavy metals within limits and no E. coli, salmonella or pesticides detected. See the Lab Results page or the full certificate (PDF).
That's shodhana for the 21st century.
FAQ
Is shilajit used in Ayurveda?
Yes. It's mentioned in both the Charaka Samhita and the Sushruta Samhita, Ayurveda's founding texts, and it's classed as a rasayana.
What does rasayana mean?
Rasayana is a category in Ayurveda for its most highly valued preparations. The word is often translated as "rejuvenation".
Which dosha is shilajit for?
Ayurveda works on individual balance, so it depends on the person. If you want advice based on your own dosha, a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner is the person to ask. Let your GP know too, especially if you take any medication.
What is shodhana?
Shodhana is the traditional Ayurvedic cleaning process for raw shilajit. It involves dissolving, settling, straining and drying the resin. Today, lab testing lets you check the result.
How did people take shilajit in Ayurveda?
Usually dissolved in warm milk or water, often with honey. Those are still easy ways to take it now.
Is Ayurvedic shilajit different from other shilajit?
"Ayurvedic" isn't a protected term, so anyone can use it. What matters is where it's from, how it's been cleaned and whether it's been independently tested. Our UK Buyer's Guide explains what to check.
Try it the traditional way
Himalayan resin from above 16,000ft in Nepal, sun dried, tested in Liverpool and packed in amber glass. Stir a pea-sized amount into warm milk with honey and you're doing it much the way it's been done for centuries.