The Chyawanprash battle between Patanjali and Dabur has just taken a legal turn. On July 3, the Delhi High Court passed an interim order restraining Patanjali from airing or publishing advertisements that allegedly tarnish the image of Dabur's Chyawanprash.
Justice Mini Pushkarna, hearing Dabur’s application for interim relief, allowed it without much elaboration—just a plain “application is allowed”. The matter will now be taken up again on July 14.
At the heart of the dispute is a Patanjali advertisement featuring yoga guru Ramdev, where he questions how brands without knowledge of Ayurveda or Vedic traditions could create authentic Chyawanprash.
The ad takes a not-so-subtle jab:
"Jinko Ayurved aur Vedo ka gyaan nahi, Charak, Sushrut, Dhanwantari aur Chyawanrishi ke parampara mei ‘original’ Chyawanprash kaise bana payenge?”
(Translation: “Those with no knowledge of Ayurveda or the Vedas—how can they make ‘original’ Chyawanprash?”)
While it doesn’t name any brand outright, Dabur felt the reference was pretty obvious and targeted.
Dabur India, which owns over 60% of the Chyawanprash market, says Patanjali's ad is misleading and possibly dangerous. One line, in particular, calling a 40-herb Chyawanprash “ordinary,” didn’t sit well with the company.
Dabur claims the remark was directed at its flagship product, which promotes itself as being made with “40+ herbs”.
Dabur argued in court that Chyawanprash is not some randomly mixed health paste. It’s a classical Ayurvedic formulation, regulated under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. So, claims that suggest other brands are inauthentic, worse or harmful can undermine public trust and regulatory integrity.
Dabur also raised a bigger red flag: the impression created by the ad that non-Patanjali products could pose health risks. This, it says, crosses the line from marketing into fearmongering. The company even pointed out that Patanjali is already facing contempt proceedings in the Supreme Court for similar conduct. “Serial behaviour,” is how Dabur described it.
The broader concern, according to Dabur, is that such ads don’t just hurt brands—they could end up confusing consumers about a product that's widely consumed across Indian households.
While defending its turf in court, Dabur’s earnings haven’t had the best quarter. For the period ending March 31, 2025, the company reported an 8.35% drop in consolidated net profit, settling at ₹312.73 crore—down from ₹341.22 crore the year before.
Revenue for the quarter inched up slightly to ₹2,830.14 crore, from ₹2,814.64 crore a year earlier. Dabur attributed the decline in profit to rising expenses in a sluggish demand climate.