Tamas means darkness, illusion, ignorance, inertia, inactivity, dullness etc. It is one of the three fundamental qualities along with sattva and rajas. Tamas has two significant characters i.e. resistance and heaviness. These are responsible for restraining or controlling thoughts. It induces lethargy, fatigue, sleep etc. As per Bhagavad Gita, tamas is responsible for ignorance and sleep. It is the leading cause of darkness in the mind, negligence & delusion, illusion & hallucinations.[1]The excessive lazy and sleepy person has a tamas dominant psychic constitution (Tamasika manas prakriti). [Cha. Sa. ShariraSthana 4/36] This article describes the concept and applications of tamas.
| Section/Chapter/topic | Concepts/Tamas |
|---|---|
| Authors |
Bhojani M. K. 1, Kabadwal Dipti2 |
| Reviewer | Basisht G.2, |
| Editor | Deole Y.S.3 |
| Affiliations |
1 Department of Sharir Kriya, All India Institute of Ayurveda, New Delhi, India 2Department of Samhita Siddhant, A.I.I.A., New Delhi, India 3 Rheumatologist, Orlando, Florida, U.S.A. 4Department ofKayachikitsa, G.J.Patel Institute of Ayurvedic Studies and Research, New Vallabh Vidyanagar, Gujarat, India |
| Correspondence emails |
meera.samhita@aiia.gov.in, carakasamhita@gmail.com |
| Publisher | Charak Samhita Research, Training and Development Centre, I.T.R.A., Jamnagar, India |
| Date of publication: | November 21, 2022 |
| DOI | In process |
Etymology and derivation
Tamas is the Sanskrit word that means darkness, inert, dullness or inactivity.[2] It is derived from the word ‘tama’ meaning darkness.
Classical interpretations
Sattva, rajas, and tamas are connected with three doshas (Vata, pitta, kapha) [Su. Sa. ShariraSthana 4/23] Therefore, all neurophysiological functions of the body are coordinated by them. Tamas has been described in the context of three types of mental strengths (trividha sattva), psychological constitutions (prakriti), & psychological characteristics (manasaguna). [Cha. Sa. ShariraSthana 4/36]
- It is mentioned in the context of three fundamental universal qualities (mahaguna) [As Sa, sutra sthana 1/41].
- Tama is described under mahaprakriti [Su. Sa. ShariraSthana 4/97] & twelve pranas. [Su. Sa. ShariraSthana 4/3]
- Tamas is described as karanadravya. (Acharya Prabhakara)
Properties of tamas: Pungent (katu) & astringent (kashaya) [As. Sa. Sutra Sthana 12/91] a]. It increases the desire for pleasure (kamavardhaka), reduces fatigue in the body and mind (klamahara), responsible for darkness. It leads to confusion (mohajanak), hallucination (drikabhramaka), heaviness (guru), and forgetfulness (avaraka). [Bhava Prakash Nighantu 1: 4: 273]
Characteristics of tamasika person
Overthinker or depressed (vishada), atheist (naastika), does not follow proper rules & regulations (adharmasheela), lethargy (akarmasheela), fond of excessive sleep (nidaralu), senseless (durmedhastvam). [Su. Sa. ShariraSthana 1/18]
Interrelationship of tamas with five basic elements (panchamahubhuta) and dosha
During the evolutionary process, the five basic elements are created by the combination of triguna.12) [Su Sa ShariraSthana 1/3-4] The earth element (prithvimahabhuta) is created by tamas. [SuSa. ShariraSthana 1/20]. Sattva entity is cause for reflection of a person's purity, essence, and intelligence. Rajas is responsible for all the movements of body or mind. Tamas is responsible for the equilibrium of the quality of sattva and rajas. [3] Kapha dosha is made up of water (jala), earth (prithvi).[As. sa. Sutra Stana20/3] Kapha dosha maintains the equilibrium of vata and pitta dosha and also reduces adverse effects of vata& pitta dosha. Rajas is connected with vata dosha, sattva with pitta dosha, and tamas with kapha dosha as per similarity in creation and functions.[3] he diet and regimen that increases physical entities also enhance psychological entities.
Diet and regimen that increases the quality of tamas
As per Bhagavad Gita, tamasika food requires a lot of energy and time to digest. It has a grounding effect, usually creating passivity and reducing body and mind activity. Characters of the food liked by tamasika person are as follow:
- Yatayamam: The food which has passed a three and half hours time (one yama) after its preparation.
- Gatarasa (tasteless): The food which has lost its original taste and quality because of over or under-cooking, without adding all ingredients that are required for preparation.
- Pooti (putrid): Food that has a putrid odor. Ex. garlic, onion, mushroom, frozen etc.
- Parushita (stale food): Packed bread, bottled or canned food, preserved food etc.
- Amedhya: Food that reduces intelligence, concentration, and coordination of body & mind. It deprives mental health. Junk foods like cakes, biscuits, chocolate, sweets, sugary drink, energy & soft drink, snacks such as chips, excessive alcohol, processed meat etc.
Effect of tamas on body & mind
Classification
- Pashava (animal trait): The person who can’t deal with the trickysituation (nirakarishnum), is senseless (amedhyam), has less amount of food & exercise (jugupsitacharahara), has pleasure towards excess coitus (maithunam) & excess sleepy (param swapnsheelam) shows pashava trait in tamas constitution.
- Maatsya (fish trait): Coward (bheeru), unintellectual (abudham), fond of food (aaharlubdha), frail body & mind (anavasthita), always having anger & desires (anushakatakamakrodham), mobile (saranasheelam), likes water (toyakaamam) are characteristic features of fish trait in tamas constitution.
- Vanaspatya (tree trait): Excessive laziness (aalasyam), always fond of food (kevalambhininivishtamaahare), void of external and internal wisdom (sarvabudhyangaheenam), who does not follow rules and regulations, lack of wealth and dignity (sattvadharmarthakamavarjitam) are characteristic features of tree trait in tamas constitution. [Cha. Sa. shariraSthana 4/39]
Applied aspect
Tamas is involved as an essential pathogenic factor in some diseases given below.
- Intoxication, psychoneurosis (mada)
- Unconsciousness (murccha)
- Extreme alcoholism (madatayaya)
- Coma (sanyasa)
- Insanity (unmada)
- Epilepsy (apasmara)
- Intellectual defects (prajnaparadha)
- Hallucination, delusion, obsession, illusion (attatvabhinivesha)
- Lust (kama)
- Confusion (moha)
- Grief (shoka)
- Depression (vishada)
- Drowsiness (tandra)[4]
- Delusion: It is a false belief based on incorrect inferences. This symptom is usually seen in schizophrenia.
- Hallucinations: It isa false perception by special senses without any external stimulus. Hallucination may be seen in insanity, high-grade fever, & in drug poisoning.
- Illusion: It is the false perception by the special senses of external stimuli.
- Impulse: A sudden desire to do something without external stimuli or thinking about the result. usually this character is seen in dementia, epilepsy etc
- Obsession: Excessive thoughts, ideas, or emotions that cannot be eliminated logically
- Lucid internal: It is the period at which all signs and symptoms of insanity are not visible, and the person's behavior looks healthy.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Mrunalini R. Patel, BSc. Applying the knowledge of ayurveda to appraise the US nutritional paradigm. California College of Ayurveda. 2010 Nov 24.
- ↑ https://en.m.wikipedia.org
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Satva, rajas, tamas as per ayurveda by Raghuram Y.S (Md ayu), Dr Manasa (bams) available on //www.easyayurveda.com/2019/01/15/tridosha-satva-rajas-tamas
- ↑ Kumar Jitendra1, Gond Pushpa, Byadgi P.S.31Junior Resident. Critical evaluation of manas roga in ayurveda. Indian Journal of Agriculture and Allied Sciences. 2015 Jun 27;106-107. ISSN 2395-1109 Volume: 1, No.: 2.
- ↑ Gautam Biswas,Review of forensic medicine and toxicology , 2nd edition chapter 29 page number 353-35. Jaypee brothers medical publishers (p) limited.