The Twenty Tatvas
Attributes or Qualities
English – Sanskirt Name
Below shows the English name the opposite value and the Sanskirt name and its opposite value
Guru (Heavy)
Bhoutic Composition: Pṛthvī, Ap
Notes/Description: Builds the tissues, may create heaviness in the body if used in excess. Generally, all sweet, sour, and salty tastes are heavy
Examples: Foods: Wheat, cheese, yogurt, ice-cream, salty junk food, red meat, black lentil, milk, ripe mango Herbs: Śatāvarī, Licorice, Guḍūcī, Aloe vera, Balā
Laghu (Light)
Bhoutic Composition: Ākāśa, Vāyu
Description: Helps to reduce weight and increase energy.
Examples Foods: Popcorn, corn flakes, rice flakes, puffed rice, green gram, black pepper, gruels, buttermilk
Example Herbs: Neem, Brāhmī, Jaṭāmāṃsī, Calamus, Dry Ginger
Manda (Dull)
Bhoutic Composition: Pṛthvī, Ap
Description: Creates dullness, sluggishness, and leads to slow action. Neutralize excessive acids in the body and help prevent acidity and burning, etc.
Examples Foods: Milk, cream
Example Herbs: Gudūcī
Tiksna (Sharp)
Bhoutic Composition: Teja
Description: Helps to break down food chains and digest foods. Hot and pungent foods have this quality. Their main action is transformation and cleansing (Śodhana).
Examples Foods: Alcohol, salt, jalapeno, garlic, chilies
Example Herbs: Citraka, Pippalī, Ginger, Black Pepper, Guggulu
Sita (Cold)
Bhoutic Composition: Ap, Vayu
Description: Substances that are cold or create coldness in the body. Generally, sweet, astringent, and bitter tastes are cold.
Examples Foods: Coldwater, coriander, wheat, barley, Cucumber, cow’s milk.
Example Herbs: Sandalwood, Āmalakī, Licorice, Balā, Śatāvarī, Brāhmī, Neem, Aloe vera
Usna (Hot)
Bhoutic Composition: Teja
Description: Increases agni, improves digestion, promotes expansion, perspiration (svedana), and creates anger and irritability.
Includes substances that are pungent in taste and hot in potency or temperature.
Examples Foods: Ginger, chili, spicy food hot water, horse gram, salt
Example Herbs: Guggulu, Citraka, Turmeric, Garlic, Black Pepper Pippalī
Snigdha (Oily)
Bhoutic Composition: Ap
Description: Produces lubrication, moisture (kledana), smoothness, love, and compassion.
Examples Foods: Oils, butter, ghee, animal fats, grapes
Example Herbs: Castor oil, Licorice, Śatāvarī
Ruksha (Dry)
Bhoutic Composition: Vayu
Description: Dry itchy skin, dandruff, and dry stools are examples of the effects due to dry substances.
Examples Foods: Dry toast, popcorn, millet, barley, bitter melon
Example Herbs: Neem, Harītakī, Mustā, Tulsi, Mañjiṣṭhā, Kutki
Slaksna (Smooth)
Bhoutic Composition: Ap, Akasa
Description: Create smoothness, moisture, and lubrication.
Examples Foods: Oils, ghee, milk, and aloe gel
Example Herbs: Āmalakī, Licorice, Śatāvarī
Khara (Rough)
Bhoutic Composition: Vayu
Description: It helps reduce blockages in the channels. Also causes dryness, cracks, and fissures.
Examples Foods: Rusk, biscuits, chips
Example Herbs: Guggulu, Calamus, Khadira
Sandra (Dense)
Bhoutic Composition: Prthvi
Description: Increases viscosity and promotes cohesiveness and solidity
Examples Foods: Butter, ghee, oil, mango, milkshakes, yogurt
Example Herbs: Sārivā, Balā, Aśvagandhā
Drava (Liquid)
Bhoutic Composition: Ap
Description: Has a liquefying action. Helps to carry nutrients to different tissues and carries waste products from the tissues.
Examples Foods: Water
Example Herbs: Cow’s milk
Mrdu (Soft)
Bhoutic Composition: Ap, Akasa
Description: Causes looseness and suppleness in the tissues.
Examples Foods: Ghee, butter, oils, yogurt
Example Herbs: Sandalwood, Āmalakī, Castor oil
Kathina (Hard)
Bhoutic Composition: Prthvi
Description: Creates strength, rigidity, and hardness. Makes the bodily tissues stable and strong but may cause constipation.
Examples Foods: Cheese, nuts
Example Herbs: Pravāla (Coral), Muktā (Pearl)
Sthira (Static, Stable)
Bhoutic Composition: Prthvi
Description: Has a strengthening, stabilizing (dhāraṇā), and enduring action. Produces support and firmness.
Examples Foods: Meats, wheat
Example Herbs: Śankha bhasma
Cala (Mobile)
Bhoutic Composition: Ap, Vayu
Description: Has a laxative, stimulating (prēraṇa) action. Promotes movement.
Examples Foods: Triphala, Castor oil, Senna, Bhūnimba
Example Herbs: Psyllium
Sthula (Gross)
Bhoutic Composition: Prthvi
Description: Creates bulkiness. Covers the other tissues (Saṃvaraṇa). Causes obesity and decreases agni.
Examples Foods: Meat, fatty substances, curd
Example Herbs: Vidārī, Śatāvarī
Suksma (Subtle)
Bhoutic Composition: Akasa, Vayu, Teja
Description: Can pass through minute channels and break obstructions easily. Can pervade (vivaraṇa) the entire body quickly.
Examples Foods: Alcohol, various illegal drugs
Example Herbs: Camphor, Black Pepper, Guggulu, Ahiphena
Picchila (Cloudy)
Bhoutic Composition: Prthvi, Ap
Description: Has the action of adhering (lepana) or causing cloudiness. Creates sliminess, heaviness, and coating.
Examples Foods: Okra, psyllium, black gram
Example Herbs: Bhallātaka, Aloe vera
Visada (Clear)
Bhoutic Composition: Teja, Vayu, Akasa
Description: Removes cloudiness, heaviness and creates clarity. For example, clarity of thought and mind, vision.
Examples Foods: Winter melon, Cucumber, Surana
Example Herbs: Neem, Citraka, Turmeric, Khadira, Guggulu
The Twenty Attributes And The Tridosas
How the Attribute effect the Doshas – Vata, Pitta, Kapha
| Attribute | Vata | Pitta | Kapha |
| Heavy | ↓ | ↓ | ↑ |
| Light | ↑ | ↑ | ↓ |
| Dull | ↓ | ↓ | ↑ |
| Sharp | ↑ | ↑ | ↓ |
| Cold | ↑ | ↓ | ↑ |
| Hot | ↓ | ↑ | ↓ |
| Oily | ↓ | ↑ | ↑ |
| Dry | ↑ | ↓ | ↓ |
| Smooth | ↑ | ↓ | ↓ |
| Rough | ↑ | ↓ | ↓ |
| Dense | ↓ | ↓ | ↑ |
| Liquid | ↓ | ↑ | ↓ |
| Soft | ↓ | ↑ | ↑ |
| Hard | ↑ | ↓ | ↓ |
| Static | ↓ | ↓ | ↑ |
| Mobile | ↑ | ↑ | ↓ |
| Gross | ↓ | ↓ | ↑ |
| Subtle | ↑ | ↑ | ↓ |
| Cloudy | ↓ | ↓ | ↑ |
| Clear | ↑ | ↑ | ↓ |
