Mānasa prakṛti inventory”: A pilot survey study based tool to evaluate personality

BACKGROUND: Science is not a mere conglomeration of facts, but the systematic arrangement of facts ascertained through observations and interpretations. Surveys are based on observation which helps in the comprehensive examination of an area or population for a particular purpose. Surveys help in the evaluation and revalidation of existing facts or principles and also in finding out new facts. Ayurveda, the time-tested medical system of India also expanded the horizon of its knowledge by means of keen observation and surveys. Ayurveda visualizes health and disease through a psychosomatic approach. Doṣa prakṛti mentioned in Ayurveda incorporates both somatic as well as psychic features. Thus, it represents the total psychosomatic constitution of the person. Besides, physical, sensual, intellectual, or moral characteristics and attributes can be understood under the broad heading of Triguṇa. Ayurveda has elaborated the psychic dispositions of a person based on Mānasa prakṛti. Hence, each and every person has all the three qualities of mind all the time, but there is a relative variation of these in different persons and this determines the three separate Mānasa prakṛti, namely, Sātvika, Rājasika, and Tāmasika which is also known as Mahāprakṛti. AIM: This article aims at an overview on the formation of an inventory for the gross assessment of Mānasa prakrti. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Initially Mānasa prakṛti inventory comprising of fifty statements has been developed based on literature. The inventory was later subjected for face validation method. There after it was used for pilot survey study. RESULTS: One hundred volunteers were easily categorized under Satva- Rājasādhika (32%), Rājasa- Tāmasādhika (24%), Satva- Tāmasādhika (24%), Rājasādhika (18%), Tāmasādhika (4%) and Sātvika Prakṛti (2%). CONCLUSION: Hence, this Mānasa prakṛti inventory was effective as an effective applicable test to assess psychic disposition of an individual.