A Radical insights of the Sutra on Cognitive Function in Charaka Samhita
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.
This is a groundbreaking physiological and philosophical revelation: that each cognitive faculty of the Antaḥkaraṇa maps to one of the Pañcamahābhūtas—offering, for the first time, a model of Ayurvedic psychology that is elemental, dynamic, and clinically potent.
The implications of this reinterpretation are vast:
It redefines the physiology of cognition in Ayurvedic psychology.
It exposes how misreading “Manas” as merely “mind” limits both diagnostics and therapeutics.
It opens new frontiers for personalized treatments based on cognitive and elemental imbalances.
It provides a new epistemological foundation for exploring mental health and consciousness within Ayurveda.
This is not just a new interpretation—it is a radical paradigm shift, unlocking an entirely new dimension of understanding in Ayurvedic thought. It brings light to a long-overlooked sutra, revealing it as a profound philosophical key to the elemental architecture of human cognition and consciousnes