Rajas (रजः)

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The word Rajas (रजः) in samskrit is used in multiple references. Commonly this word means dust or powder or dust particles. In Ayurveda, the word indicates menstrual blood or menses of females which is also known as Aartavam (आर्तवम्) . In this article Rajas refers to one of the Trigunas or modes of material energy. This rajas when described in reference to a human being, is considered as manas dosha (characteristic of mental faculty) as per Ayurveda. Therefore this article discusses about Rajas which is the characteristic quality of manas or mind according to Ayurveda while mode of material energy according to other bharatiya shastras.

भगवद्गीतावर्णितः रजोगुणः॥ Rajas according to Bhagvad gita

Bhagavad Gita (भगवद्गीता) is a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, narrated in the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata. In the 14th discourse of Bhagvad Gita, Lord Krishna narrates the role of Trigunas in one's life. At this place, Rajas guna has been described by lord Krishna.

रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम् । तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम् ॥14- 7॥ B.G

rajo rāgātmakaṁ viddhi tr̥ṣṇāsaṅgasamudbhavam । tannibadhnāti kaunteya karmasaṅgena dehinam ॥14- 7॥

Meaning: Rajo guṇa is of the nature of passion. It arises from worldly desires and affections, and binds the soul through attachment to fruitive actions.

लोभ: प्रवृत्तिरारम्भ: कर्मणामशम: स्पृहा । रजस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे भरतर्षभ ॥14- 12॥

lobha: pravr̥ttirārambha: karmaṇāmaśama: spr̥hā । rajasyetāni jāyante vivr̥ddhe bharatarṣabha ॥14- 12॥

Meaning: Rajo guṇa excess leads to greed, inordinate activity for worldly attainments, restlessness of the mind and desires.

Rajas guna binds the soul to material existence. The way in which this bond develops is explained by describing the multiple manifestations occurring due to Rajas at the level of mind, emotions and intellect of a human being. The principal manifestation is described as attachment and desires. It promotes attachment to worldly things, fuels lust for sensual enjoyment, generates desires for physical and mental pleasures. Thus, those who are influenced by Rajas guna get engrossed in worldly pursuits of personal and professional goals to achieve status, prestige, successful career, family and home. These material possessions are looked upon as the sources of pleasure by them. All efforts are focused in a direction to fulfill these desires and this ultimately again increase the Rajas guna since the greed to get more is endless. In this way rajas guna traps the soul to it material existence and worldly life.

मनोदोषः रजः ॥ Rajas as dosha of manas

In Samskrit, guna indicates virtue while, dosha is considered its antonym which means defect in something. Although Rajas is included under Trigunas, Ayurveda identifies it as one of the doshas. Since rajas guna is responsible for development of desires, ego, greed it makes the person incapable to obtain real knowledge. Rajas disturbs the knowledge pathway and makes person vulnerable to create mistakes. Thus, Ayurveda considers it as a dosha of manas. Sattva is considered as the pure virtue of mind.

रजस्तमश्च मनसो द्वौ च दोषावुदाहृतौ॥ (Asht Hrud 1.21)

rajastamaśca manaso dvau ca doṣāvudāhr̥tau॥

Meaning: Rajas and Tamas are considered as 2 doshas of manas.

मनसि रजोबाहुल्यलक्षणानि ॥ Signs of Rajas dominance in manas

When Rajas dosha overpowers sattva guna in manas, the person shows peculiar behavior. The mind, body, emotions and behavior of the person which hints towards Rajas dominance is described by Ayurveda acharyas as below.

राजसानि दुरुपचारताऽनार्यं शौर्य्यं मात्सर्यममितभाषित्वमहङ्कारो लोलुपत्वं दम्भो मानः क्रोधो हर्षः कामश्च ॥ (Asht Sang (5.20)

rājasāni durupacāratā'nāryaṁ śauryyaṁ mātsaryamamitabhāṣitvamahaṅkāro lolupatvaṁ dambho mānaḥ krodho harṣaḥ kāmaśca ॥ (Asht Sang (5.20)

Meaning: Difficulty in treatment, ill mannerism, bravery, jealousy, talkativeness, egoism, greediness, hypocrisy, arrogance, anger, excitement and lust are the peculiarities developed from Rajas guna in a human being.

राजसप्रकृतिपुरुषस्य लक्षणानि॥ Tamasika prakrti signs

Prakrti refers to the specific body type/ nature/ constitution of the individual. Guna prakrti is the type of Prakrti which is related to one's psychological status, emotions and instincts. It can be called as mind-type of an individual. On the basis of dominance of Sattva, rajas or tamas in manas of purusha, the person's Guna prakrti is considered as either Sattvik, rajas or tamas. When the Rajas overpowers sattva and/or tamas in manas of an inidividual since birth that persons mind-type is called as Rajas prakrti. Acharya Sushruta has described the characteristics of such individual as below.

राजसास्तु- दुःखबहुलताऽटनशीलताऽधृतिरहङ्कार आनृतिकत्वमकारुण्यं दम्भो मानो हर्षः कामः क्रोधश्च॥ (Sush Samh 1.18)

rājasāstu- duḥkhabahulatā'ṭanaśīlatā'dhr̥tirahaṅkāra ānr̥tikatvamakāruṇyaṁ dambho māno harṣaḥ kāmaḥ krodhaśca॥ (Sush Samh 1.18)

Meaning: Excess of grief or sadness, wandering nature, unsteadiness, pride, untruthfulness, mercilessness, hypocrisy, arrogance, excitement, lust, anger are the characteristic features of Rajas prakrti purusha.

राजसप्रकृतिभेदाः॥ Sub-types of Rajas dominant psychic constitution

Rajas dominant psychic constitution is further divided into 6 sub-types. It is stated that these types are due to the anger or passions caused by rajas dominance in mind of an individual. They are as follows.

आसुरकाय ॥ Asura type of mind

All powerful beings, good or evil, are called Asuras in the oldest layer of Vedic texts. In this type of mind faculty human being shares traits of Asuras. The individuals of this type are brave, violent, envious, possess power or supremacy, deceptive, wild in behavior, non-compassionate, self praising in nature.

शूरं चण्डमसूयकमैश्वर्यवन्तमौपधिकं रौद्रमननुक्रोशमात्मपूजकमासुरं विद्यात् ॥ (Char Samh 4.38)

śūraṁ caṇḍamasūyakamaiśvaryavantamaupadhikaṁ raudramananukrośamātmapūjakamāsuraṁ vidyāt ॥ (Char Samh 4.38)

सर्पकाय ॥ Sarpa type of mind

क्रुद्धशूरमक्रुद्धभीरुं तीक्ष्णमायासबहुलं सन्त्रस्तगोचरमाहारविहारपरं सार्पं विद्यात् ॥ (Char Samh 4.38)

kruddhaśūramakruddhabhīruṁ tīkṣṇamāyāsabahulaṁ santrastagocaramāhāravihāraparaṁ sārpaṁ vidyāt ॥ (Char Samh 4.38)

शाकुनकाय ॥ Shakuni type of mind

अनुषक्तकाममजस्रमाहारविहारपरमनवस्थितममर्षणमसञ्चयं शाकुनं विद्यात् ॥ (Char Samh 4.38)

anuṣaktakāmamajasramāhāravihāraparamanavasthitamamarṣaṇamasañcayaṁ śākunaṁ vidyāt ॥ (Char Samh 4.38)

राक्षसकाय ॥ Rakshasa type of mind

अमर्षिणमनुबन्धकोपं छिद्रप्रहारिणं क्रूरमाहारातिमात्ररुचिमामिषप्रियतमं स्वप्नायासबहुलमीर्ष्युं राक्षसं विद्यात् ॥ (Char Samh 4.38)

amarṣiṇamanubandhakopaṁ chidraprahāriṇaṁ krūramāhārātimātrarucimāmiṣapriyatamaṁ svapnāyāsabahulamīrṣyuṁ rākṣasaṁ vidyāt ॥ (Char Samh 4.38)

पैशाचकाय ॥ Pishcha type of mind

महाशनं स्त्रैणं स्त्रीरहस्काममशुचिं शुचिद्वेषिणं भीरुं भीषयितारं विकृतविहाराहारशीलं पैशाचं विद्यात् ॥ (Char Samh 4.38)

mahāśanaṁ straiṇaṁ strīrahaskāmamaśuciṁ śucidveṣiṇaṁ bhīruṁ bhīṣayitāraṁ vikr̥tavihārāhāraśīlaṁ paiśācaṁ vidyāt ॥ (Char Samh 4.38)

प्रेतकाय ॥ Pishcha type of mind

आहारकाममतिदुःखशीलाचारोपचारमसूयकमसंविभागिनमतिलोलुपमकर्मशीलं प्रैतं विद्यात् ॥ (Char Samh 4.38)

āhārakāmamatiduḥkhaśīlācāropacāramasūyakamasaṁvibhāginamatilolupamakarmaśīlaṁ praitaṁ vidyāt ॥ (Char Samh 4.38)

मद लक्षणानि॥ Signs when the person with Rajas dominance is intoxicated

Rajas mada is an exclusive concept in Ayurveda. Ayurveda has described effects of intoxication due to excessively taken or inappropriately taken madyam (alcohol) or any other intoxicating drug. The state of such intoxication is considered abnormal and demands medical intervention. Ayurveda acharyas have also described the symptoms of such intoxication depending upon the dominance of sattva, rajas and tamas in manas of the intoxicated individual. This helps a vaidya to decide the line of treatment specific to that patient and helps to get that individual out of that state of misery quickly. The symptoms of intoxication in a person having tamas dominance are described by acharya Sushruta as below.

राजसे दुःखशीलत्वमात्मत्यागं ससाहसम् । कलहं सानुबन्धं तु करोति पुरुषे मदः ॥ ||२०८|| su su 45/208

Roga originating from Tamas dominance

रजस्तमश्च मानसौ दोषौ|

तयोर्विकाराः कामक्रोधलोभमोहेर्ष्यामानमदशोकचित्तो(न्तो)द्वेगभयहर्षादयः|

तत्र खल्वेषां द्वयानामपि दोषाणां त्रिविधं प्रकोपणं; तद्यथा- असात्म्येन्द्रियार्थसंयोगः, प्रज्ञापराधः, परिणामश्चेति||६|| Cha vi 6/6

Correlation of rajas and tamas

नियतस्त्वनुबन्धो रजस्तमसोः परस्परं, न ह्यरजस्कं तमः प्रवर्तते ^[१] ||९|| Cha vi 6/9

Role of rajas in Moksha

मोक्षो रजस्तमोऽभावात् बलवत्कर्मसङ्क्षयात्|

वियोगः सर्वसंयोगैरपुनर्भव उच्यते||१४२|| Cha sha 1/142