This research presents a breakthrough reinterpretation of Charaka Samhita, Sutra Sthana 8.34. It challenges the long-standing error of reading “मन” (Manas) as the singular mind, revealing instead that the sutra points to the entire Antaḥkaraṇa Pañcaka—Manas, Buddhi, Chitta, Ahaṅkāra, and Sattva.
Each cognitive action—Vicharya, Chintya, Uhya, Sankalpya, Dhyeya—maps precisely to one Antaḥkaraṇa faculty and its dominant Mahābhūta {aakash, vaayu, tej, aap, pruthvi} , unveiling a sophisticated elemental physiology of cognition.
The term “विषय” (Viṣaya) is also redefined, not just as an object of sense but as a layered cognitive construct experienced differently by each faculty.
This radical insight corrects a historic misreading, reframes Ayurvedic psychology, and opens new doors for personalized diagnosis and treatment based on elemental imbalances in mental faculties. A hidden dimension of the sutra is now illuminated—revolutionizing our understanding of mind, perception, and consciousness in Ayurveda.