What is Manas Dosha?

Ayurveda describes health as a balanced state of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social attributes. Even though the great emphasis is placed on physical health, equal importance is given to the combined effects of mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.

Mind or ‘Manas’ as it is called in Ayurveda, is described as the organ that directs perception and action.

Just as Tri doshas are the representative of the Pancha Mahabhuta in the physical body, Tri gunas are the representative of the Pancha Mahabhuta in the mind/manas.

Sattva, Rajas and Tamas are the Tri guna. 

Akasha is represented in Sattva

Vayu and Agni are represented in Rajas 

Prithvi and Jala are represented in Tamas

Tri gunas are also called ‘Manas Dosha’, the three doshas of the mind.

These Tri gunas are responsible for the functioning of the mind and also for being the cause of imbalances or illnesses related to it (psychological disorders).

Of the three, Rajas and Tamas guna is predominantly noted as “Manas dosha”, responsible for causing ‘Mano vyadhi’ (mental disorders).

“From Sattva is born knowledge, from Rajas greed, from Tamas is confusion, delusion and ignorance.” (Bhagavad Gita XIV.17.)-

Sattva is a quality that is always enlightening and a cause for positive vibes. Sattva guna reflects knowledge. Rajas is the energy that brings about restlessness, agitation, anxiety, and tension or fatigue.

Tamas brings about ignorance, delusion, inertia, and darkness.

How we respond to events and circumstances depends on the specific balance of sattva, rajas, and tamas in our minds.

Just as we nurture our physical bodies through diet and exercise, our minds are nurtured by the thoughts, or information we receive, at the same time through the food we eat. Our minds are inherently sattvic by nature. However, negative emotions, energies or eating an unhealthy diet leads the mind to lose its purity /sattvic quality and become rajasic or tamasic.

These three gunas or mental energies can be balanced with Yoga asanas and pranayam, and further deepened with meditation. – Right diet especially in terms of Sattva, Raja, and Tama guna also helps the mind in maintaining the equilibrium of these mental energies.