Virya
(potency)
Usna (heat)
and sita
(cold) being
the powerful
qualities,
virya
(potency of
the
substances)
is also
taken to be
two.
Virya is
that
aspect/factor
of the
substance
which is
mainly
responsible
for the
actions of
the
substance in
the human
body.
Vipka (end
product of
digestion)
:—
Vipâka
(nature of
end product
of
digestion)
is also
three— swadu
(sweet),
amla (sour)
and katu
(pungent).
Gurvãdi guna
(qualities)
:—
Guru
(heavy),
mañda
(slow), hima
(cold),
snigdha
(unctuous),
slakna
(smooth),
sãndra
(solid),
mridu
(soft),
sthira
(stable),
süksrna
(minute,
subtle) and
visada
(non-slimy)—these
ten along
with their
respective
opposites—are
the twenty
gunas
(qualities,
properties
of
substances).
The above
statement
can be
elaborated
as follows
:—
Guru (heavy)
x laghu
(light in
weight)
Manda (slow)
x tiksna
(quick,
fast)
Hima (cold)
X usna (hot)
Snighda (unctous)
x ruksa
(dry)
slakna
(smooth) x
khara
(rough)
Säñdra
(solid) x
drava
(liquid)
Mrdu (soft)
x kadina
(hard)
Sthira
(stable) x
chala
(moving,
unstable)
Sükma
(subtle,
small) x
sthula (big,
gross)
Visada (non
slimy) x
picchila
(slimy).
Hinna
(inadequate,
poor),
mithyã
(improper,
perverse)
and atika
(excess),
yoga
(association,
contact,
union) of
kala
(season),
artha
(objects of
senses) and
karma
(activities,
functions)
are the
chief causes
of diseases;
whereas
their samyak
yoga (proper
contact,
association)
is the chief
cause of
health.
