Prakriti
Constitutional
baseline.
Prakriti describes relatively stable constitutional tendencies traditionally understood to originate early in life — a person’s baseline terrain, in the language of this site.
Vikriti
Present condition
or deviation.
Vikriti refers to the present pattern of imbalance or deviation from that baseline. It is the weather passing over the terrain.
Prakriti is the terrain.
Vikriti is today’s weather.
Why the distinction matters
A person may have one constitutional tendency yet temporarily display another pattern in response to stress, food, sleep, environment, season, illness, or other influences. Personalized care depends on keeping baseline and current state conceptually separate.
Why pulse alone is not enough
Classical Ayurvedic assessment combines pulse interpretation with observation, questioning, touch, history, and other clinical findings. A responsible practitioner should not base an entire health assessment on a single pulse reading alone.