Write a brief note on the three Gunas of Prakriti.(Indian philosophy)

 Write a brief note on the three Gunas of Prakriti.(SANKHYA DARSHANA)
OR
Prakriti is said to be the unity of the three gunas held in equilibrium. Discuss.

    Ans. Trupti is said to be the unity of the three gunas held in equilibrium. They are Sattya, Rajas, Tamas. They are the constituents of Prakriti and through it of the worldly objects. Being subtle and imperceptiblc, their existsnce is inferred from their effects pleasures, pain, and in difference respectively. They are not qualities or attributes, like the Nyaya-Vaishesika Gunas. They themselves possess qualities like lightness, activity, heaviness etc. They are extremely fine and ever changing elements, They make up Prakriti which is nothing apart from them. They are not the qualities which the Prakriti; the substence possesses, on the other hand, they themselves constitute Prakriti. They are called Gunas because they are the elements of Prakriti which alone is called substantive, or because they are sub-servient to the end of Purusa, or because they are intertwined like three strands, to make up the rope of Prakriti which binds the Purusa (Guna means) quality, secondary and strand of a rope. 

  Satava means-real, existent and is responsible or the manifestation of objects in consciousness. It is called good men and produces pleasure. Its colour is white. 

   Rajas, literally means foulness, is the principle of motion. Its colour is red. - It produces pains, restless activity. It is mobile (Chala) and stimulating (astambhaka). Tamas, darkness, is the principle of interia. It produces, apathy, indifference. Ignorance, sloth, confusion, bewilderment, negativity, passivity are its results. Its colour is dark. It is opposed to Sataya and Rajas. These three never seperate. They conflict, and yet co-operate with one another and are always found inter-mingled. Compared to the oil, the wick and the flame of the lamp, which, though, opposed yet co-operate to produce the light, of lamp. Differences in things are due to the different combinations of their gunas. The nature of a thing is determined by the preponderance of a particular guna. When they are held in a state of equilibrium that state is called Prakriti. Evoluttion of worldly objects does not take place at this state. These Gunas are said to be ever changing. Change is said to be of two kinds- homogeneous or Sarupa-Parinama and Heterogeneous of Virupa-Pari nama. During the state of dissolution (Parlaya) of the world, the gunas change homogenously, i.e., Satava changes into Satava, Rajas into Rajas and Tamas into Tama. This change does not disturb the equilibrium of the Gunas and unless the equilibrium is disturbed and one predominates over the other two, evolution cannot take place. Evolution takes place when there is heterogeneous change in the Gunas and one predominates over the other two and brings about terrific commotion  in the bosom of Prakriti.

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