Causes, pathogenesis and signs of vatarakta

Eating burning, pungent, very hot and dry food in the hot season and long fast riding on chariots, horses, elephants, camels and the like burn the blood and provoke vata; the burnt blood blocks vata, which grows more aggravated, corrupts the blood and makes it collect in the feet, giving a swelling with pricking and splitting pain, intolerance of touch and drying. This is vatarakta.