Gunas
(गुण)Literal Meaning
Qualities; strands
Etymology & Sanskrit Root
Sanskrit for 'strand' or 'quality'; the three fundamental qualities of nature — sattva (clarity), rajas (activity), and tamas (inertia) — described in Samkhya philosophy that underlies classical yoga.
Spiritual Insight & Context
No person or moment is purely one guna — yogic self-observation means noticing which strand currently dominates the mind and gently steering it back toward sattva.