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🇮🇳 AIAPGET Ayurveda · subject
AIAPGET Ayurveda Dravyaguna Vijnana Syllabus
Every chapter and topic of Dravyaguna Vijnana examined in AIAPGET Ayurveda — 2 chapters, 4 topics, plus 51 flashcards written against it.
Dravyaguna Vijnana syllabus — full chapter and topic list
Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Dravyaguna Vijnana in AIAPGET Ayurveda, not a summary of it.
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Introduction to Dravyaguna
2 topics- Definition and Importance
- Classification of Dravyas
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Pharmacognosy
2 topics- Identification and Authentication
- Phytochemistry
Dravyaguna Vijnana flashcards for AIAPGET Ayurveda
25 of 51 cards from the Dravyaguna Vijnana deck — real questions with worked answers.
What is the literal/etymological meaning of the term 'Dravyaguna Vijnana'?
It is the science (Vijnana) of the properties (Guna) of substances/drugs (Dravya) — the Ayurvedic science of medicinal substances and their pharmacological properties.
Define 'Dravya' as per Ayurvedic classics (Charaka).
Dravya is the substratum (samavayi karana) in which Guna (quality) and Karma (action) inherently reside; it is that which possesses qualities and actions.
What are the five fundamental aspects (Panchapadarthas / five basic concepts) studied under Dravyaguna Vijnana?
Dravya (substance), Guna (quality), Rasa (taste), Vipaka (post-digestive effect), Virya (potency) — along with Prabhava (specific action).
Name the five basic padarthas of dravya pharmacology used to explain drug action (the 'Karmukata' framework).
Rasa, Guna, Virya, Vipaka, and Prabhava — collectively the basis for understanding a drug's pharmacodynamics.
What is the importance of Dravyaguna Vijnana in Ayurvedic practice?
It forms the pharmacological foundation of Ayurveda — enabling correct identification, selection, and rational therapeutic use of drugs based on their Rasa, Guna, Virya, Vipaka, and Prabhava.
According to Charaka, 'Nanaushadhibhutam jagati kinchit dravyam upalabhyate' means what?
There is no substance in the world that cannot be used as a medicine — emphasizing that every dravya has potential therapeutic value when used appropriately.
What is 'Guna' and how many Gunas are recognized in Dravyaguna?
Guna is the quality inherent in a dravya (inseparable, non-active cause). The Samanya Gunas total 41, of which the 20 Gurvadi (Sharira) gunas are most clinically important.
List the 20 Gurvadi Gunas (Sharira Gunas) in their ten opposing pairs.
Guru–Laghu, Manda–Tikshna, Hima(Shita)–Ushna, Snigdha–Ruksha, Slakshna–Khara, Sandra–Drava, Mridu–Kathina, Sthira–Sara (Chala), Sukshma–Sthula, Vishada–Picchila.
What are the three broad categories of Gunas described by Charaka (totaling 41)?
Sartha/Adhyatmika–Indriyartha gunas (5: shabda, sparsha, rupa, rasa, gandha), Gurvadi/Sharira gunas (20), and Paradi/Atma gunas (10), plus the Sara/Buddhi-related division — together 41 gunas.
Name the 10 Paradi Gunas (Vaisheshika/Karmanya gunas) important in pharmaceutics.
Para, Apara, Yukti, Sankhya, Samyoga, Vibhaga, Prithakatva, Parimana, Samskara, and Abhyasa.
What is 'Karma' in the context of Dravya, Guna, Karma triad?
Karma is action — that which resides in dravya, is the cause of conjunction and disjunction (samyoga–vibhaga), and is independent of guna in producing effect (the basis of therapeutic action).
What is 'Samanya' and 'Vishesha' and their role in Dravyaguna?
Samanya (similarity) causes increase of similar entities; Vishesha (difference/dissimilarity) causes decrease. They are the fundamental principle behind drug-disease/dhatu interaction (like increases like, unlike decreases).
What is the primary basis on which Acharya Charaka classifies Dravya into three groups?
Based on origin/utility into Jangama (animal origin), Audbhida (plant origin), and Parthiva (mineral/earth origin) dravyas.
How does Charaka classify dravyas based on their action on doshas?
Into three: Vatahara/Vataghna, Pittahara/Pittaghna, and Kaphahara/Kaphaghna (also termed as those that aggravate, alleviate, or maintain doshas — vriddhikara, prashamana, swasthahita).
What are the two broad functional classifications of dravya based on therapeutic role?
Vaicharanika dravya (used for purification/elimination therapies and disease management) and Prabhava dravya — broadly Aushadha (medicinal) vs Ahara (dietary) dravyas; and Doshaprashamana, Dhatupradushana, Swasthahita.
What are the three categories of dravya based on action described as Charaka's therapeutic triad?
Doshaprashamana (pacify doshas), Dhatupradushana (vitiate dhatus — disease-causing), and Swasthavritti/Swasthahita (health-maintaining).
According to Acharya Sushruta, how are dravyas broadly classified by origin?
Into Sthavara (immobile — plant/vegetable origin) and Jangama (mobile — animal origin), with Parthiva (mineral) considered separately.
Name the four sub-types of Sthavara (plant) dravyas as per Sushruta.
Vanaspati (fruit without flower), Vanaspatya/Vriksha (with flower and fruit), Virudha (creepers/spreading plants), and Aushadhi (annuals/herbs that die after fruiting).
Name the four sub-types of Jangama (animal) dravyas as per Sushruta.
Jarayuja (viviparous), Andaja (oviparous), Swedaja (born of moisture/heat), and Udbhijja (sprouting/germinating from earth).
What is the 'Rasa Panchaka' and why is it central to Dravyaguna?
Rasa Panchaka = Rasa, Guna, Virya, Vipaka, Prabhava — the five-fold pharmacological framework used to predict and explain every drug's action.
How many Rasas (tastes) are there and name them in order of strength of perception?
Six (Shadrasa): Madhura (sweet), Amla (sour), Lavana (salty), Katu (pungent), Tikta (bitter), Kashaya (astringent).
What are the three types of Vipaka (post-digestive taste) and which rasas yield them?
Madhura vipaka (from Madhura & Lavana rasa), Amla vipaka (from Amla rasa), Katu vipaka (from Katu, Tikta & Kashaya rasa).
What are the two main types of Virya and the eight-fold (Ashtavidha) Virya concept?
Two-fold: Shita (cold) and Ushna (hot). Ashtavidha Virya: Shita, Ushna, Snigdha, Ruksha, Guru, Laghu, Mridu, Tikshna.
Define 'Prabhava' in Dravyaguna with the classic example.
Prabhava is the specific, inexplicable action of a drug that occurs despite identical Rasa, Vipaka, and Virya. Example: Danti and Chitraka have similar properties but only Danti acts as a purgative (virechana).
What is 'Anukta Dravya Vijnana' and why is it important?
It is the knowledge to determine the properties (rasa-guna-virya-vipaka) of drugs not mentioned in classical texts, by applying inference from taste and observed effects — important for identifying new/unlisted drugs.
Planning Dravyaguna Vijnana for AIAPGET Ayurveda
Dravyaguna Vijnana is about 13% of the AIAPGET Ayurveda syllabus by topic count — 4 of 30 topics, spread over 2 chapters. At roughly 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic, a first pass runs to about 3 hours.
Work top-down: read the chapter, then tick topics off individually rather than marking the whole chapter done. Sub-topics are where silent gaps hide.
Dravyaguna Vijnana (AIAPGET Ayurveda) FAQ
What is in the AIAPGET Ayurveda Dravyaguna Vijnana syllabus?
Dravyaguna Vijnana is split into 2 chapters — Introduction to Dravyaguna and Pharmacognosy, containing 4 topics and 0 sub-topics in total.
How is Dravyaguna Vijnana structured in the AIAPGET Ayurveda syllabus?
2 chapters. Dravyaguna Vijnana accounts for about 13% of the topics in the whole AIAPGET Ayurveda syllabus (4 of 30).
How long should I spend on Dravyaguna Vijnana for AIAPGET Ayurveda?
Budget around 3 hours for a first pass through Dravyaguna Vijnana — about 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic across its 4 topics. Add revision cycles on top.
Are there flashcards for AIAPGET Ayurveda Dravyaguna Vijnana?
Yes — a 51-card Dravyaguna Vijnana deck. Sample cards are printed on this page, and the full deck is free in the Examius app with spaced repetition scheduling.