Gunatraya, Guṇatraya, Guna-traya: 11 definitions
Introduction:
Gunatraya means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationGuṇatraya (गुणत्रय) [=Triguṇa] refers to the “three attributes”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.10.—Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated to Nārada:—“[...] Thus Śiva remained for a long time eliminating the three attributes [i.e., dhvasta-guṇatraya], and unaffected by aberrations. The lord Himself, the controller of illusion remained in the state of the Supreme Brahman. Then He gave up trance. Many years elapsed. What happened thereafter, I shall now recount to you. The drops of sweat caused by exhaustion fell on the Earth from the lord’s forehead and took the shape of a child immediately. [...]”.
The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramGuṇatraya (गुणत्रय) [=triguṇa?] refers to the “three qualities”, according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, “[...] I will explain in due order that excellent tradition established in the houses (of the four transmissions) namely, the divine Western one, which is Śāmbhava and (so) is above all (others). This Śāmbhava (reality) is the Lord of the Universe, from which everything has emerged. The supreme energy is unmanifest and by means of (this) energy, the universe has come forth. The three qualities (guṇatraya) have come from the universe and from the (reality which is these) three qualities, the Śāmbhava transmission”..
Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.
Yoga (school of philosophy)
Source: ORA: Amanaska (king of all yogas): A Critical Edition and Annotated Translation by Jason BirchGuṇatraya (गुणत्रय) refers to the “three Guṇas”, according to the Amanaska Yoga treatise dealing with meditation, absorption, yogic powers and liberation.—Accordingly, as Īśvara says to Vāmadeva: “[...] [The Yogin] will obtain liberation by cutting with the razor of the no-mind [state] the tough cord of the three Guṇas (guṇatraya-mayī) that binds the self. Just as everything disappears [from view] as the sun sets, so, the whole network of [past] actions (karma) dissolves into the no-mind [state]. [...]”.
Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve ReflectionsGuṇatraya (गुणत्रय) [=Triguṇa?] refers to the “three virtuous vows”, according to the Yogaśāstra verse 2.1.—Accordingly, “As far as a householder is concerned, the roots of orthodoxy are the five minor vows (aṇuvratā), the three virtuous [vows] (guṇatraya—guṇās trayaḥ), [and] the four educational vows (śikṣāvrata). [These twelve vows progressively bring him closer to the life of a mendicant]”.
Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryguṇatraya (गुणत्रय).—n (S) The three properties of created things--satva, raja, tama. See under guṇa.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishguṇatraya (गुणत्रय).—n The three properties of created matter-satva, raja & tama.-virahita a Devoid of the three properties of the crea- ture-used of the Deity.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryGuṇatraya (गुणत्रय).—the three constituent properties of nature; i. e. सत्त्व, रजस् (sattva, rajas) and तमस् (tamas). °आभासः (ābhāsaḥ) life.
Derivable forms: guṇatrayam (गुणत्रयम्).
Guṇatraya is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms guṇa and traya (त्रय). See also (synonyms): guṇatritaya.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryGuṇatraya (गुणत्रय).—n.
(-yaṃ) The three properties of nature; purity, passion, and darkness. E. guṇa and traya triple; also guṇatritayaṃ.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryGuṇatraya (गुणत्रय):—[=guṇa-traya] [from guṇa] n. the three constituent properties of Prakṛti (See guṇa), [Horace H. Wilson]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryGuṇatraya (गुणत्रय):—[guṇa-traya] (yaṃ) 1. n. The three qualities, truth, passion and darkness.
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusGuṇatraya (ಗುಣತ್ರಯ):—[noun] (collectively) the three classes of fundamental qualities, they being, a) virtue, merit, excellence, b) dynamism, vigour, and c) ignorance, wickedness, excessive selfishness.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Gunatrayabhasa, Gunatrayamayi, Gunatrayavirahita, Gunatrayavivarana.
Full-text: Triguna, Gunatrayabhasa, Gunasamya, Traya, Gunavaishamya, Gunatritaya, Prakritistha, Guna, Vibhaga.
Relevant text
Search found 13 books and stories containing Gunatraya, Guna-traya, Guṇa-traya, Guṇatraya; (plurals include: Gunatrayas, trayas, Guṇatrayas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Shrimad Bhagavad-gita (by Narayana Gosvami)
Jnaneshwari (Bhavartha Dipika) (by Ramchandra Keshav Bhagwat)
Chapter 14 - Gunatraya-vibhaga-yoga
Verse 14.11-15 < [Chapter 14 - Gunatraya-vibhaga-yoga]
Chaitanya Bhagavata (by Bhumipati Dāsa)
Verse 2.18.172-174 < [Chapter 18 - Mahāprabhu’s Dancing as a Gopī]
Cidgaganacandrika (study) (by S. Mahalakshmi)
Verse 17 [The visible form of Ambā as Fire, Water and Earth] < [Chapter 1 - First Vimarśa]
Verse 16 [State of Ambā as the three Guṇās and their Impact] < [Chapter 1 - First Vimarśa]
Tennyson’s “Ulysses” < [January – March, 1987]
The Linga Purana (by J. L. Shastri)
Chapter 20 - The means of worshipping Śiva < [Section 2 - Pūrvabhāga]
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