Qualities are the polarities of all the forces in the universe. They are an essential part of our life. Mahābhoutic (Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether) composition creates qualities. The Dosas, Dhātus (tissue), and Malās (waste) are all described and work through these qualities. Foods, herbs, and Ayurvedic treatments are all based on qualities.
English – Sanskirt Name
Below shows the English name the opposite value and the Sanskirt name and its opposite value
Heavy/Light – Guru/Laghu
Cold/Hot – Sita/Usna
Oily/Dry – Snigdha/Rūksha
Dull/Sharp – Manda/Tīksna
Smooth/Rough – Slaksna /Khara
Dense/Liquidy – Sandra/Drava
Soft/Hard – Mrdu /Kathina
Static/Mobile – Sthira/Cala
Gross/Subtle – Sthūla /Sūksma
Cloudy/Clear – Picchila/Visada
Legend:
Akasa = Ether Vayu = Air Teja = Fire Ap = Water Prthvi = Earth
Guru (Heavy)
Bhoutic Composition: Pṛthvī, Ap Notes/Description: Builds the tissues, may create heaviness in the body if used in excess. Generally, all sweet, sour, and salty tastes are heavy Examples: Foods: Wheat, cheese, yogurt, ice-cream, salty junk food, red meat, black lentil, milk, ripe mango Herbs: Śatāvarī, Licorice, Guḍūcī, Aloe vera, Balā
Laghu (Light)
Bhoutic Composition: Ākāśa, Vāyu Description: Helps to reduce weight and increase energy. Examples Foods: Popcorn, corn flakes, rice flakes, puffed rice, green gram, black pepper, gruels, buttermilk Example Herbs: Neem, Brāhmī, Jaṭāmāṃsī, Calamus, Dry Ginger
Manda (Dull)
Bhoutic Composition: Pṛthvī, Ap Description: Creates dullness, sluggishness, and leads to slow action. Neutralize excessive acids in the body and help prevent acidity and burning, etc. Examples Foods: Milk, cream Example Herbs: Gudūcī
Tiksna (Sharp)
Bhoutic Composition: Teja Description: Helps to break down food chains and digest foods. Hot and pungent foods have this quality. Their main action is transformation and cleansing (Śodhana). Examples Foods:Alcohol, salt, jalapeno, garlic, chilies Example Herbs: Citraka, Pippalī, Ginger, Black Pepper, Guggulu
Sita (Cold)
Bhoutic Composition: Ap, Vayu Description: Substances that are cold or create coldness in the body. Generally, sweet, astringent, and bitter tastes are cold. Examples Foods: Coldwater, coriander, wheat, barley, Cucumber, cow’s milk. Example Herbs: Sandalwood, Āmalakī, Licorice, Balā, Śatāvarī, Brāhmī, Neem, Aloe vera
Usna (Hot)
Bhoutic Composition: Teja Description: Increases agni, improves digestion, promotes expansion, perspiration (svedana), and creates anger and irritability. Includes substances that are pungent in taste and hot in potency or temperature. Examples Foods: Ginger, chili, spicy food hot water, horse gram, salt Example Herbs: Guggulu, Citraka, Turmeric, Garlic, Black Pepper Pippalī
Snigdha (Oily)
Bhoutic Composition: Ap Description: Produces lubrication, moisture (kledana), smoothness, love, and compassion. Examples Foods: Oils, butter, ghee, animal fats, grapes Example Herbs: Castor oil, Licorice, Śatāvarī
Ruksha (Dry)
Bhoutic Composition: Vayu Description: Dry itchy skin, dandruff, and dry stools are examples of the effects due to dry substances. Examples Foods: Dry toast, popcorn, millet, barley, bitter melon Example Herbs: Neem, Harītakī, Mustā, Tulsi, Mañjiṣṭhā, Kutki
Slaksna (Smooth)
Bhoutic Composition: Ap, Akasa Description: Create smoothness, moisture, and lubrication. Examples Foods: Oils, ghee, milk, and aloe gel Example Herbs: Āmalakī, Licorice, Śatāvarī
Khara (Rough)
Bhoutic Composition: Vayu Description: It helps reduce blockages in the channels. Also causes dryness, cracks, and fissures. Examples Foods: Rusk, biscuits, chips Example Herbs: Guggulu, Calamus, Khadira
Sandra (Dense)
Bhoutic Composition: Prthvi Description: Increases viscosity and promotes cohesiveness and solidity Examples Foods: Butter, ghee, oil, mango, milkshakes, yogurt Example Herbs: Sārivā, Balā, Aśvagandhā
Drava (Liquid)
Bhoutic Composition: Ap Description: Has a liquefying action. Helps to carry nutrients to different tissues and carries waste products from the tissues. Examples Foods: Water Example Herbs: Cow’s milk
Mrdu (Soft)
Bhoutic Composition: Ap, Akasa Description: Causes looseness and suppleness in the tissues. Examples Foods: Ghee, butter, oils, yogurt Example Herbs: Sandalwood, Āmalakī, Castor oil
Kathina (Hard)
Bhoutic Composition: Prthvi Description: Creates strength, rigidity, and hardness. Makes the bodily tissues stable and strong but may cause constipation. Examples Foods: Cheese, nuts Example Herbs: Pravāla (Coral), Muktā (Pearl)
Sthira (Static, Stable)
Bhoutic Composition: Prthvi Description: Has a strengthening, stabilizing (dhāraṇā), and enduring action. Produces support and firmness. Examples Foods: Meats, wheat Example Herbs: Śankha bhasma
Cala (Mobile)
Bhoutic Composition: Ap, Vayu Description: Has a laxative, stimulating (prēraṇa) action. Promotes movement. Examples Foods: Triphala, Castor oil, Senna, Bhūnimba Example Herbs: Psyllium
Sthula (Gross)
Bhoutic Composition: Prthvi Description: Creates bulkiness. Covers the other tissues (Saṃvaraṇa). Causes obesity and decreases agni. Examples Foods: Meat, fatty substances, curd Example Herbs: Vidārī, Śatāvarī
Suksma (Subtle)
Bhoutic Composition: Akasa, Vayu, Teja Description: Can pass through minute channels and break obstructions easily. Can pervade (vivaraṇa) the entire body quickly. Examples Foods: Alcohol, various illegal drugs Example Herbs: Camphor, Black Pepper, Guggulu, Ahiphena
Picchila (Cloudy)
Bhoutic Composition: Prthvi, Ap Description: Has the action of adhering (lepana) or causing cloudiness. Creates sliminess, heaviness, and coating. Examples Foods: Okra, psyllium, black gram Example Herbs: Bhallātaka, Aloe vera
Visada (Clear)
Bhoutic Composition: Teja, Vayu, Akasa Description: Removes cloudiness, heaviness and creates clarity. For example, clarity of thought and mind, vision. Examples Foods: Winter melon, Cucumber, Surana Example Herbs: Neem, Citraka, Turmeric, Khadira, Guggulu
The Twenty Attributes And The Tridosas
How the Attribute effect the Doshas – Vata, Pitta, Kapha
Attribute
Vata
Pitta
Kapha
Heavy
↓
↓
↑
Light
↑
↑
↓
Dull
↓
↓
↑
Sharp
↑
↑
↓
Cold
↑
↓
↑
Hot
↓
↑
↓
Oily
↓
↑
↑
Dry
↑
↓
↓
Smooth
↑
↓
↓
Rough
↑
↓
↓
Dense
↓
↓
↑
Liquid
↓
↑
↓
Soft
↓
↑
↑
Hard
↑
↓
↓
Static
↓
↓
↑
Mobile
↑
↑
↓
Gross
↓
↓
↑
Subtle
↑
↑
↓
Cloudy
↓
↓
↑
Clear
↑
↑
↓
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