Information AboutGuna |
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The Sanskrit word guna ('''') has the basic meaning of "string" or "a single thread or strand of a cord or twine". In more abstract uses, it may mean "a subdivision, species, kind", and generally "quality". IN CLASSICAL LITERATURE In Classical literature (e.g. Mahabharata , Bhagavata Purana and Bhagavad Gita ), a Guna is an attribute of the 5 elements (each with an associated organ): :1. Ether has sound (''shabda'') for its Guna (and the Ear for its organ). :2. Air has tangibility and touch for its Gunas (and the Skin for its organ). :3. Fire has shape or colour, tangibility, and sight for its Gunas (and the Eye for its organ). :4. Water has flavour, shape, tangibility, and taste for its Gunas (and the Tongue for its organ). :5. Earth has all preceding Gunas, plus its own peculiar Guna of smell (and the Nose for its organ). IN SAMKHYA PHILOSOPHY In Samkhya philosophy a Guna is one of three "tendencies": tamas, '''sattva''', and '''rajas'''. These categories have become a common means of categorizing behavior and natural phenomena in Hindu Philosophy , and also in Ayurvedic Medicine , as a system to assess conditions and Diet s. Guna is the tendency of the mind and not the state. For instance, Sattva guna is that force which tends to bring the mind to purity but is not purity itself. Similarly Rajas is that force which tends to bring the mind to perform some action but is not action itself.
IN NYAYA PHILOSOPHY In Nyaya philosophy, twenty-four Gunas are enumerated as properties or characteristics of all created things. :1. ''rūpa'', shape, colour; :2. ''rasa'', savour; :3. ''gandha'', odour; :4. ''sparśa'', tangibility; :5. '''', number; :6. '''', dimension; :7. '''', severalty; :8. '''', conjunction; :9. ''vibhāga'', disjunction; :10. ''paratva'', remoteness; :11. ''aparatva'', proximity; :12. ''gurutva'', weight; :13. ''dravatva'', fluidity; :14. ''sneha'', viscidity; :15. ''shabda'', sound; :16. ''buddhi'' or ''jñāna'', understanding or knowledge; :17. ''sukha'', pleasure; :18. '''', pain; :19. ''icchā'', desire; :20. '''', aversion; :21. ''prayatna'', effort; :22. ''dharma'', merit or virtue; :23. ''adharma'', demerit; :24. '''', the self-reproductive quality; IN GRAMMAR In Sanskrit grammar, '''' is a technical term referring to the vowels ''a, e, o'', i.e. the full grade Ablaut stages (see Ashtadhyayi ). REFERENCES
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