Guna (गुण)

Gunas are the 20 fundamental qualities or attributes that are present in all substances. They are organized into 10 pair.

Ayurvedic Principles (Siddhanta Kosha) 1 min read
This content is for informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional.

Sanskrit Verse

गुरुमन्दहिमस्निग्धश्लक्ष्णसान्द्रमृदुस्थिराः। गुणाः ससूक्ष्मविशदा विंशतिः सविपर्ययाः॥

— (Ashtanga Hrudayam, Sutrasthana 1/18)

Explanation

Gunas are the 20 fundamental qualities or attributes that are present in all substances. They are organized into 10 pairs of opposites: Guru (Heavy) / Laghu (Light), Manda (Slow) / Tikshna (Sharp), Hima (Cold) / Ushna (Hot), Snigdha (Oily) / Ruksha (Dry), Shlakshna (Smooth) / Khara (Rough), Sandra (Dense) / Drava (Liquid), Mridu (Soft) / Kathina (Hard), Sthira (Stable) / Chala (Mobile), Sukshma (Subtle) / Sthula (Gross), and Vishada (Clear) / Picchila (Sticky).

Clinical Importance

The core principle of Ayurvedic treatment is ‘Samanya-Vishesha Siddhanta’, which states that ’like increases like’ and ‘opposites decrease’. To treat a condition with dry and cold qualities (like Vata imbalance), one applies substances with opposite qualities, i.e., oily and hot.