गुणः- Guṇa
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Blog author Jayaraman Mahadevan
गुणः- Guṇa
Etymology
गुण+ अच्/ घञ् = गुणः
guṇa+ac/ ghañ = guṇaḥ
· गुण Guṇa is the root that means आमन्त्रण āmantraṇa – to invite, to call, to speak intelligently
· the two possible suffixes to this word are -
o ac – this means the कर्ता kartā doer - this is added based on the grammar rule नन्दिग्रहिपचादिभ्यो ल्युणिन्यचः nandigrahipacādibhyo lyuṇinyacaḥ (aṣṭādhyāyī 3.3.134)
o ghañ – this means भाव bhāva the act - this is added based on the grammar rule भावे bhāve (aṣṭādhyāyī 3.3.18)
Based on the above two possible suffixes two derivations are possible -
· If the suffix is ac – then the derivation would be - गुणयति इति गुणः - guṇayati iti guṇaḥ - the one who/that invites
· If the suffix is ghañ - then the derivation would be - गुण्यते इति गुणः - guṇyate iti guṇaḥ - the act of inviting or calling
It is evident that from the above derivations – in the context of Yogic utilization of the term, the etymological derivation is of not much use. The meaning of the word guṇa that we see in Yogic context is based on convention and context more than the etymology.
Lexicon
In amarakośa there are four references to this word -
1) मोर्वी ज्या शिञ्जिनी गुणः – 2.8.85
morvī jyā śiñjinī guṇaḥ
The words morvī, jyā, śiñjinī and guṇa refer to the string of the bow
2) आरालिका आन्धसिकाः सूदा औदनिका गुणाः - 2.9.28
ārālikā āndhasikāḥ sūdā audanikā guṇāḥ
The words ārālika, āndhasika, sūda, audanika and guṇa are all synonyms that indicate the meaning – a cook.
3) शुल्बं वराटकं स्त्री तु रज्जुस्त्रिषु वटी गुणः - 2.10.27
śulbaṃ varāṭakaṃ strī tu rajjustriṣu vaṭī guṇaḥ
The words śulba, varāṭaka strī tu rajjustriṣu vaṭī guṇa all these words refers to a string/cord.
4) मौर्व्यां द्रव्याश्रिते सत्वशौर्यसन्ध्यादिके गुणः – 3.3.47
maurvyāṃ dravyāśrite satvaśauryasandhyādike guṇaḥ
The word guṇa means – the bow string, the quality/characteristic of a substance like color etc, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, Valour and 6 principles of dealing with constituent states that include - sandhi (peace), vigraha (hostility), āsana (remaining quiet), yāna (military expedition), saṃśraya (seeking shelter) and dvaidhībhāva (a combination of sandhi and vigraha).
Among the four references above, the fourth collects all the possible connotations of the word. It would be interesting to see from among these, the meanings adopted by the Yoga texts.
Textual occurrences
Yogasūtra
There are 7 references to the word in the Yogasūtras. As could be noted - excepting the third chapter, Guṇa is found in the other three chapters. Interestingly, majority of the references are from the fourth chapter (4 occurrences) -
Pāda 1
तत्परं पुरुषख्यातेर्गुणवेतृष्ण्यम् ॥ १.१६ ॥
tatparaṃ puruṣakhyāterguṇavetṛṣṇyam .. 1.16 ..
In the lone reference from this chapter it could be seen that the higher Vairāgya is achieved by become dispassionate about the workings of the Guṇas (Sattva, Rajas and Tamas) by having a direct perception of the consciousness.
Pāda 2
परिणामतापसंस्कारदुःखैर्गुणवृत्तिविरोधाच्च दुःखमेव सर्वं विवेकिनः ॥ २.१५ ॥
विशेषाविशेषलिङ्गमात्रालिङ्गानि गुणपर्वाणि ॥ २.१९ ॥
pariṇāmatāpasaṃskāraduḥkhairguṇavṛttivirodhācca duḥkhameva sarvaṃ vivekinaḥ .. 2.15..
viśeṣāviśeṣaliṅgamātrāliṅgāni guṇaparvāṇi .. 2.19 ..
In sūtra 2.15 Guṇavṛttivirodhā – the mutual conflicting nature of functioning of the three Guṇas – Sattva, Rajas and Tamas - is stated as one among the cause of everything being a suffering for a Vivekin (a person with capability to think with discriminative capability).
The expression - guṇaparva – in Sūtra 2.19 – indicates that all the aspects of the creation - subtle to gross - are only stages (parva) of manifestation Guṇas.
Pāda 4
ततस्तद्विपाकानुगुणानामेवाभिव्यक्तिर्वासनानाम् ॥ ४.८ ॥
ते व्यक्तसूक्ष्मा गुणात्मानः ॥ ४.१३ ॥
ततः कृतार्थानां परिणामक्रमसमाप्तिर्गुणानाम् ॥ ४.३२ ॥
पुरुषार्थशून्यानां गुणानां प्रतिप्रसवः कैवल्यं स्वरूपप्रतिष्ठा वा चितिशक्तिरिति ॥ ४.३४ ॥
tatastadvipākānuguṇānāmevābhivyaktirvāsanānām .. 4.8 ..
te vyaktasūkṣmā guṇātmānaḥ .. 4.13 ..
tataḥ kṛtārthānāṃ pariṇāmakramasamāptirguṇānām .. 4.32 ..
puruṣārthaśūnyānāṃ guṇānāṃ pratiprasavaḥ kaivalyaṃ svarūpapratiṣṭhā vā citiśaktiriti .. 4.34 ..
In Sūtra 4.8 the expression anuguṇa is noticed, which means - accordingly. This word has nothing to do with the three Guṇas. According (anuguṇa) to the Vipāka - - fruition of the Karmas – relevant Vāsanas will manifest to help function as specific life form – in that birth.
The expression guṇātman in the Sūtra 4.13 – indicates that - all the creation is of the nature of the three Guṇas only. The creation in the present - is manifest Guṇas and the past & future creations are in the form of un-manifest Guṇas.
In Sūtra 4.32 the end of pariṇāmakrama – mutating sequence - of the guṇas happens - on the attainment of the state of Dharmamegha samādhi is described.
Sūtra 4.34 continues about the fate of the Guṇas after the attainment of the Dharmamegha samādhi. After the end of the mutating sequence of Guṇas– the Guṇas see that purpose of Serving of the Puruṣa (puruṣārthaśūnyā) no more exists. And consequently Guṇas– finally attain pratiprasava – rolling back into their causal state.
Bhagavadgītā
The Bhagavadgītā also has rich references on the Guṇas. There 30 references spread across 8 chapters (Chapters 2, 3, 4, 7, 13, 14, 15 & 18). A chapter-wise summary of the references is presented hereunder.
Chapter 2
त्रैगुण्यविषया वेदा निस्त्रैगुण्यो भवार्जुन ।
निर्द्वन्द्वो नित्यसत्त्वस्थो निर्योगक्षेम आत्मवान् ॥ २.४५ ॥
traiguṇyaviṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna .
nirdvandvo nityasattvastho niryogakṣema ātmavān .. 2.45 ..
In this very first reference to the Guṇas in the Bhagavadgītā – Śrīkṛṣṇa states that the Vedas (that portion of the Vedas which speaks about the Karmas – rituals etc) are in the realm of the Guṇas. One should transcend them and become free from the influence of the Guṇas.
Chapter 3
न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् ।
कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः ॥ ३.५ ॥
प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः ।
अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताहमिति मन्यते ॥ ३.२७ ॥
तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः ।
गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्त इति मत्वा न सज्जते ॥ ३.२८ ॥
प्रकृतेर्गुणसंमूढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु ।
तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत् ॥ ३.२९ ॥
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् ।
स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः ॥ ३.३५ ॥
काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः ।
महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम् ॥ ३.३७ ॥
na hi kaścitkṣaṇamapi jātu tiṣṭhatyakarmakṛt .
kāryate hyavaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛtijairguṇaiḥ .. 3.5 ..
prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ .
ahaṅkāravimūḍhātmā kartāhamiti manyate .. 3.27 ..
tattvavittu mahābāho guṇakarmavibhāgayoḥ .
guṇā guṇeṣu vartanta iti matvā na sajjate .. 3.28 ..
prakṛterguṇasaṃmūḍhāḥ sajjante guṇakarmasu .
tānakṛtsnavido mandānkṛtsnavinna vicālayet .. 3.29 ..
śreyānsvadharmo viguṇaḥ paradharmātsvanuṣṭhitāt .
svadharme nidhanaṃ śreyaḥ paradharmo bhayāvahaḥ .. 3.35 ..
kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajoguṇasamudbhavaḥ .
mahāśano mahāpāpmā viddhyenamiha vairiṇam .. 3.37 ..
In these 6 reference three types of descriptions to the Guṇas can be noted –
1) prakṛtijairguṇaiḥ (3.5), prakṛteḥ... guṇaiḥ (3.27), guṇakarmavibhāga , guṇā guṇeṣu vartanta (3.28), prakṛterguṇa (3.29) – These references point to the fact that the three Guṇas Sattva, Rajas and Tamas belong to the primordial matter (prakṛti) and all the actions and consequences are in the realm of prakṛti. The consciousness is different from this.
2) svadharmo viguṇaḥ (3.35) – Here the expression Viguṇa is to be understood as bereft of quality. Śrīkṛṣṇa advices that even if one’s own dharma may be of bereft of quality – one should stick to one’s Dharma only. Here it has to be noted that the word Guṇa is not related to Sattva-Rajas-Tamas.
3) Rajoguṇa (3.37) – In this verse Rajoguṇa is stated as the cause of desire and anger.
Chapter 4
चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः ।
तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ॥ ४.१३ ॥
cāturvarṇyaṃ mayā sṛṣṭaṃ guṇakarmavibhāgaśaḥ .
tasya kartāramapi māṃ viddhyakartāramavyayam .. 4.13 ..
Here it has been clarified by Śrīkṛṣṇa that – the four Varṇa-system is created based on the (three) Guṇas and the Karma connected to them.
Chapter 7
त्रिभिर्गुणमयैर्भावैरेभिः सर्वमिदं जगत् ।
मोहितं नाभिजानाति मामेभ्यः परमव्ययम् ॥ ७.१३ ॥
दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया ।
मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते ॥ ७.१४ ॥
tribhirguṇamayairbhāvairebhiḥ sarvamidaṃ jagat .
mohitaṃ nābhijānāti māmebhyaḥ paramavyayam .. 7.13 ..
daivī hyeṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā .
māmeva ye prapadyante māyāmetāṃ taranti te .. 7.14 ..
Both these verses in the chapter refer to the three Guṇas. The entire world is deluded by the acts of the three Guṇas and the Māya/illusion is also made up of the three Guṇas.
Chapter 13
सर्वेन्द्रियगुणाभासं सर्वेन्द्रियविवर्जितम् ।
असक्तं सर्वभृच्चैव निर्गुणं गुणभोक्तृ च ॥ १३.१४ ॥
प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव विद्ध्यनादी उभावपि ।
विकारांश्च गुणांश्चैव विद्धि प्रकृतिसम्भवान् ॥ १३.१९ ॥
पुरुषः प्रकृतिस्थो हि भुङ्क्ते प्रकृतिजान्गुणान् ।
कारणं गुणसङ्गोऽस्य सदसद्योनिजन्मसु ॥ १३.२१ ॥
य एवं वेत्ति पुरुषं प्रकृतिं च गुणैः सह ।
सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि न स भूयोऽभिजायते ॥ १३.२३ ॥
अनादित्वान्निर्गुणत्वात्परमात्मायमव्ययः ।
शरीरस्थोऽपि कौन्तेय न करोति न लिप्यते ॥ १३.३१ ॥
sarvendriyaguṇābhāsaṃ sarvendriyavivarjitam .
asaktaṃ sarvabhṛccaiva nirguṇaṃ guṇabhoktṛ ca .. 13.14 ..
prakṛtiṃ puruṣaṃ caiva viddhyanādī ubhāvapi .
vikārāṃśca guṇāṃścaiva viddhi prakṛtisambhavān .. 13.19 ..
puruṣaḥ prakṛtistho hi bhuṅkte prakṛtijānguṇān .
kāraṇaṃ guṇasaṅgo'sya sadasadyonijanmasu .. 13.21 ..
ya evaṃ vetti puruṣaṃ prakṛtiṃ ca guṇaiḥ saha .
sarvathā vartamāno'pi na sa bhūyo'bhijāyate .. 13.23 ..
anāditvānnirguṇatvātparamātmāyamavyayaḥ .
śarīrastho'pi kaunteya na karoti na lipyate .. 13.31 ..
Except the expression - Indriyaguṇābhāsa (13.14) – which indicates that - the consciousness is seen as if it resembles the qualities (guṇa) of the senses – all other appearances of the word guṇa in this chapter point to the workings of the three Guṇas – Sattva-Rajas-Tamas in this manifest universe and how the consciousness is distinct from that.
Chapter 14
सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसम्भवाः ।
निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम् ॥ १४.५ ॥
ऊर्ध्वं गच्छन्ति सत्त्वस्था मध्ये तिष्ठन्ति राजसाः ।
जघन्यगुणवृत्तस्था अधो गच्छन्ति तामसाः ॥ १४.१८ ॥
नान्यं गुणेभ्यः कर्तारं यदा द्रष्टानुपश्यति ।
गुणेभ्यश्च परं वेत्ति मद्भावं सोऽधिगच्छति ॥ १४.१९ ॥
गुणानेतानतीत्य त्रीन्देही देहसमुद्भवान् ।
जन्ममृत्युजरादुःखैर्विमुक्तोऽमृतमश्नुते ॥ १४. २० ॥
कैर्लिङ्गैस्त्रीन्गुणानेतानतीतो भवति प्रभो ।
किमाचारः कथं चैतांस्त्रीन्गुणानतिवर्तते ॥ १४.२१ ॥
उदासीनवदासीनो गुणैर्यो न विचाल्यते ।
गुणा वर्तन्त इत्येव योऽवतिष्ठति नेङ्गते ॥ १४.२३ ॥
मानापमानयोस्तुल्यस्तुल्यो मित्रारिपक्षयोः ।
सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी गुणातीतः स उच्यते ॥ १४. २५ ॥
मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते ।
स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान्ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥ १४.२६ ॥
sattvaṃ rajastama iti guṇāḥ prakṛtisambhavāḥ .
nibadhnanti mahābāho dehe dehinamavyayam .. 14.5 ..
ūrdhvaṃ gacchanti sattvasthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ .
jaghanyaguṇavṛttasthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ .. 14.18 ..
nānyaṃ guṇebhyaḥ kartāraṃ yadā draṣṭānupaśyati .
guṇebhyaśca paraṃ vetti madbhāvaṃ so'dhigacchati .. 14.19 ..
guṇānetānatītya trīndehī dehasamudbhavān .
janmamṛtyujarāduḥkhairvimukto'mṛtamaśnute .. 14. 20 ..
kairliṅgaistrīnguṇānetānatīto bhavati prabho .
kimācāraḥ kathaṃ caitāṃstrīnguṇānativartate .. 14.21 ..
udāsīnavadāsīno guṇairyo na vicālyate .
guṇā vartanta ityeva yo'vatiṣṭhati neṅgate .. 14.23 ..
mānāpamānayostulyastulyo mitrāripakṣayoḥ .
sarvārambhaparityāgī guṇātītaḥ sa ucyate .. 14. 25 ..
māṃ ca yo'vyabhicāreṇa bhaktiyogena sevate .
sa guṇānsamatītyaitānbrahmabhūyāya kalpate .. 14.26 ..
The very chapter 14 is known as Guṇa-traya-vibhaga-yoga hence most of the references on the Guṇas are seen from this chapter. Verse 14.15 states that there are three Guṇas – Sattva-Rajas-Tamas. Their source is Prakṛti.
Tamas is described as Jaghanya-guṇa – the lowly among the three Guṇas in verse 14.18.
Verse 14.19 & 14.20 states that all actions are done by the Guṇas and one should transcend these and see beyond them to attain freedom from aging and death and by that reach immortality.
Verses 14.21,23. 25 & 26 – discuss Guṇatita – the one who has transcended the three Guṇas. The what and how of it is discussed in these verses.
Chapter 15
अधश्चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास्तस्य शाखा गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः ।
अधश्च मूलान्यनुसन्ततानि कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके ॥ १५.२ ॥
उत्क्रामन्तं स्थितं वापि भुञ्जानं वा गुणान्वितम् ।
विमूढा नानुपश्यन्ति पश्यन्ति ज्ञानचक्षुषः ॥ १५.१० ॥
adhaścordhvaṃ prasṛtāstasya śākhā guṇapravṛddhā viṣayapravālāḥ .
adhaśca mūlānyanusantatāni karmānubandhīni manuṣyaloke .. 15.2 ..
utkrāmantaṃ sthitaṃ vāpi bhuñjānaṃ vā guṇānvitam .
vimūḍhā nānupaśyanti paśyanti jñānacakṣuṣaḥ .. 15.10 ..
In verse 15.2 it has been stated that the branches of the tree of worldly existence have been nourished by the three Guṇas.
Verse 15.10 instructs that those who are endowed with Viveka can recognize the consciousness as that which is experiencing the Guṇas, while those who are deluded cannot see the consciousness in this context. The word Guṇa in the expression guṇānvitam in this verse has been interpreted by ācārya śaṅkarabhagavatpāda as - सुखदुःखमोहाद्यैः गुणैः अन्वितम् - sukhaduḥkhamohādyaiḥ guṇaiḥ anvitam – comfort, suffering and delusion are described as Guṇas, which are experienced by the consciousness.
Chapter 18
ज्ञानं कर्म च कर्ता च त्रिधैव गुणभेदतः ।
प्रोच्यते गुणसङ्ख्याने यथावच्छृणु तान्यपि ॥ १८.१९ ॥
बुद्धेर्भेदं धृतेश्चैव गुणतस्त्रिविधं शृणु ।
प्रोच्यमानमशेषेण पृथक्त्वेन धनञ्जय ॥ १८.२९ ॥
न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुनः ।
सत्त्वं प्रकृतिजैर्मुक्तं यदेभिः स्यात्त्रिभिर्गुणैः ॥ १८.४० ॥
ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परन्तप ।
कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभावप्रभवैर्गुणैः ॥ १८.४१ ॥
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् ।
स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥ १८.४७ ॥
jñānaṃ karma ca kartā ca tridhaiva guṇabhedataḥ .
procyate guṇasaṅkhyāne yathāvacchṛṇu tānyapi .. 18.19 ..
buddherbhedaṃ dhṛteścaiva guṇatastrividhaṃ śṛṇu .
procyamānamaśeṣeṇa pṛthaktvena dhanañjaya .. 18.29 ..
na tadasti pṛthivyāṃ vā divi deveṣu vā punaḥ .
sattvaṃ prakṛtijairmuktaṃ yadebhiḥ syāttribhirguṇaiḥ .. 18.40 ..
brāhmaṇakṣatriyaviśāṃ śūdrāṇāṃ ca parantapa .
karmāṇi pravibhaktāni svabhāvaprabhavairguṇaiḥ .. 18.41 ..
śreyānsvadharmo viguṇaḥ paradharmātsvanuṣṭhitāt .
svabhāvaniyataṃ karma kurvannāpnoti kilbiṣam .. 18.47 ..
In verses 18.19,29, 40, 41 – the impact of three Guṇas in various aspects of worldly life is described. This includes - jñānaṃ (knowledge), karma(action), kartā (doer), Buddhi (intellect), dhṛti (fortitude), the actions of Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, vaiśhya & śūdras.
Just like in verse 3.35 in verse 18.47 we see the expression viguṇa. The meaning remains the same as in the earlier context which can be seen under chapter 3 discussion.
Haṭhayogapradīpikā
In this text there are 3 References to the word Guṇa.
कर्मषट्कमिदं गोप्यं घटशोधनकारकम् ।
विचित्रगुणसन्धायि पूज्यते योगिपुङ्गवैः ॥ २.२३ ॥
एतत्त्रयं महागुह्यं जरामृत्युविनाशनम् ।
वह्निवृद्धिकरं चैव ह्यणिमादिगुणप्रदम् ॥ ३.३० ॥
तस्य वाक्यपरो भूत्वा मुद्राभ्यासे समाहितः ।
अणिमादिगुणैः सार्धं लभते कालवञ्चनम् ॥ ३.१३० ॥
karmaṣaṭkamidaṃ gopyaṃ ghaṭaśodhanakārakam .
vicitraguṇasandhāyi pūjyate yogipuṅgavaiḥ .. 2.23 ..
etattrayaṃ mahāguhyaṃ jarāmṛtyuvināśanam .
vahnivṛddhikaraṃ caiva hyaṇimādiguṇapradam .. 3.30 ..
tasya vākyaparo bhūtvā mudrābhyāse samāhitaḥ .
aṇimādiguṇaiḥ sārdhaṃ labhate kālavañcanam .. 3.130 ..
Of the three references the first reference vicitraguṇa (2.23) – according to the commentary Jyotsnā refers to the 6 types of cleansing activity (विचित्रं विलक्षणं गुणं षट्कर्मरूपम्- Vicitraṃ vilakṣaṇaṃ guṇaṃ ṣaṭkarmarūpam)
In other two verses the expression aṇimādiguṇa (3.30&130) is seen. As evident - it points to the 8 super natural powers attained by the practice of Yoga.
Tabulation on Distribution of References in Yoga Texts
|
Guṇa |
Yogasūtra 7 references |
Bhagavadgītā 30 references |
Haṭhayogapradīpikā 3 references |
|
Chapter 1 Sūtras - 16 Chapter 2 Sūtras – 15,19 Chapter 4 Sūtras – 8,13, 32, 34
|
Chapter 2 Verses 45 Chapter 3 Verses 5,27-29, 35, 37 Chapter 4 Verses 13 Chapter 7 Verses 13,14 Chapter 13 Verses 14,19, 21, 23, 31 Chapter 14 Verses 5,18-21, 23, 25,26 Chapter 15 Verses 2,10 Chapter 18 Verses 19,29,40, 41
|
Chapter 2 Verse 23 Chapter 3 Verse 30, 130
|
Observations
It could be noted that in Yogasūtras and Bhagavadgītā the word Guṇas have been used predominantly to point to the three Guṇas and their impact in worldly life and its relation to the consciousness. To summarize - eleven aspects related to three Guṇas that have emerged. They include –
1. Prakṛti is the source of the Guṇas
2. three Guṇas are of mutually opposing nature of the
3. The manifest universe, the constituents of the universe in the past, present and future and the actions therein are constituted by the three Guṇas only
4. The nomenclature of the three Guṇas and their functions
5. The human society is organized into four Varnas based on the Guṇas
6. role of Guṇas in cause in suffering, anger and desire
7. How Guṇas influence various aspects of our life including - jñānaṃ (knowledge), karma(action), kartā (doer), Buddhi (intellect), dhṛti (fortitude) etc
8. The need to transcend the Guṇas and the ways and means of doing it
9. Need of dispassion in the Guṇas in pursuit of higher vairāgya
10. Consciousness does not fall in the realm of the Guṇas
11. The rolling back of the Guṇas into their causal state - in the process of reaching Kaivalya-liberation
Interestingly in Haṭhayogapradīpikā - the word Guṇa does not point to the three Guṇas. Even in the Bhagavadgītā and Yogasūtras we see the usage of the word Guṇa and its derivatives in other meanings also. The meaning of the Guṇas other than Sattva-Rajas and Tamas – in these texts - are collected here under for clarity –
1) Guṇa
- The Eight super natural powers beginning from anima etc (HYP2.23 )
- The six acts of cleanings - like Dhauti Vasti neti etc (3.33& 130)
2) Anuguṇa – accordingly (YS 4.8)
3) Viguṇa – bereft of virtues (BG 3.35 & 18.47)
4) Indriyaguṇa – nature/ quality of the senses (BG 13.14)
Thus it could be observed that Guṇa is a very important expression in the Yoga texts. While it is prevalently used in the sense of the three Guṇas – there are also other connotations to this term which are to be carefully understood and interpreted in teaching learning processes. These rich inputs and discussions thus bring out the utility of the Śabda-yoga series.
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