Anumana Pramana and its Importance

Knowlegde is of two types Pratyaksha and Apratyaksha.
After Pratyaksha Pramana, Anumana Pramana has been explained.
Both the Asthika Darshana and Ayurveda Shastra has given importance to this Anumana Pramana.
Charvaka Darshana has not considered it as Pramana.
It is considered as a discrete means of knowledge.

2. KnowlegdeisoftwotypesPratyakshaand
Apratyaksha.
AfterPratyakshaPramana,AnumanaPramanahas
beenexplained.
BoththeAsthikaDarshanaandAyurvedaShastra
hasgivenimportancetothisAnumanaPramana.
CharvakaDarshanahasnotconsidereditas
Pramana.
Itisconsideredasadiscretemeansofknowledge.

3. 
Theknowledgewhichisproducedby/afterthe
Paramarsha(afterdetermination),thatis
calledastheAnumiti.

4. –
Theknowledgewhichisobtainedafterthe
Linga(object)ParamarshaiscalledasAnumiti
Prama.Andthemeanorwayusedtogetthis
typeofknowledgeiscalledAnumanaPramana.

5. TheAnumanaPramanahasitsownimportance
amongthePramanas.
Itisformedbycombinationoftwowords,Anu+
Mana,whereAnumeansafterwardsandMana
meansspecificknowledge.
Forex-whenoneseesthesmokecomingfromthe
mountain,hegetstheknowledgeofthefireinthe
mountain.HerethesmokeisPratyakshabutthe
fireisApratyakshai.e.gettingtheknowledgeof
thatApratyakshaVastuonthebasisofinferenceis
calledasAnumanaPramana.

6. 
TheSadhanaortheKarana(mean)forthe
AnumitiiscalledasAnumanaPramana.

7. ThewordAnumanaisderievedfrom
Upasargabyappling Dhatuwith
Pratyaya.
Whichmeansthespecicknowledgewhichis
producedafterthePratyaksha,Aptopadesha
etc.iscalledAnumana.

8. 
Gettingtheknowledgeofanobject(Lingi)by
seeingaspecificobject(Linga)iscalledas
Anumana.

Theknowledgewhichisproducedafterthe
PratyakshaJnanaiscalledasAnumana
Pramana.

9. 
TheSadhanaortheKarana(mean)forthe
AnumitiiscalledasAnumana.Theactinferring
(somethingunknown)fromtheknownthingis
calledasAnumana.

Theknowledgewhichisobtainedafterthe
LingaParamarsha(determination)iscalledas
Anumana.

10. 
Forwhichsomethingisinferredthatiscalled
asAnumana.

Theknowledgewhichisobtainedafterthe
LingaParamarsha(determination)iscalledas
Anumana.

11. 
CharakadescribesthatAnumanaisbasedon
Tarka(argument)andYukti(logical
reasoning).

Theknowledgewhichisproducedfromthe
Linga(thepresentobject)andLingi(the
inferredobject)Sambandha.

12. 
BythehelpofPratyakshaJnanaonecangetthe
AnumanaoftheTrikalai.e.past,futureandpresent.
Forex–Whenoneseesmokehegetstheknowledgeof
fire(Presentevent).Whenoneseesapregnantlady,he
infersthepastsexualintercourse(Pastevent).When
oneseeaseedinferringafruitfromthatseed(Future
event).

13. AccordingtoAcharyaCharaka–Atita,Anagata
andVartamanakalina.
Gautama(NyayaDarshana)–Purvavat,
SheshavatandSamanyatodrushta.
PrashastaPada(Ta.Sa.)–Swarthanumanaand
Pararthanumana.

14. DwividhaBheda:-
Swarthanumana : (One’s own inference)


15. ItisatypeofAnumana,whereonegetsknowledgefor
himselfiscalledasSwarthanumana.Inthisonegetsthe
knowledgeofathingorasubjectforhimselfiscalled
Swarthanumanalikeex.Whenapersonseestherelation
oftheAgniwiththeDhoomainakitchendailythenhewill
gettheconcomitance(VyaptiGraha)thatwhereeverthere
isDhoomathereisAgni.SowhenheseestheDhooma
comingonthemountainherecollectstheVyaptiJnana(i.e.
invariableconcomitanceofsmokewithfire).Thenhe
considerstheknowledgeofVyaptiandtheknowledgeof
theHetu(Paramarsha).Laterontheknowledgeoccurs
thatthemountainhastheDhoomaaccompaniedbyAgni.
ThisiscalledasSwarthanumana.

16. TherearesixstagestogettheSwarthanumana,
Stage1–VyaptiGraha(concomitance)i.e.wherethereis
smokethereisfire,asobservedfrequentlyinthekitchen.
Stage2–GettingdoubtoftheexistenceoftheSadhya.i.e.
whenheseethesmokeonmountainhedoubtsaboutthe
existenceoffire.
Stage3–FindingtheHetuonPaksha.i.e.continuous
smokeinthemountainistheHetu.

17. Stage4–Recollectionoftheinvariableconcomitanceby
findingHetuonPaksha.i.e.recollectingtherelationof
smokeandfireinkitchen.
Stage5–LingaParamarsha(consideration)which
combinestheknowledgeofinvariableconcomitance
(Vyapti)andtheknowledgeofreasoning(Paksha
DharmataJnana).i.e.combinationoftheknowledgeofthe
Mahanasa(kitchen)withthatofthesmokeonthe
mountain.
Stage6–GettingAnumanaforhimselfthatthePakshais
associatedwithSadhyaorSadhyaexistsinPaksha.i.e.then
onegetshimselfhisowninferentialknowledgethatthe
mountainisfiery.

18. Swarthanumanaisof2types,Drusthaand
SamanyatoDrustha.
Drustha–ItisatypeofSwarthanumanawherea
persongetstheknowledgeofthethingasitiswithits
Vikalpas.Forex-byseeingthecowshedgettingthe
knowledgeofthecow.OrbyseeingthePotgettingthe
knowledgeofthePotter,Wheel,Stick,Clayetc.
SamanyatoDrustha–ItisatypeofSwarthanumana
whereapersongetstheknowledgeofotherthings
associatedwithit.Forex-byseeingtheDandagetting
theknowledgeofDandakaRoga.Orbyseeinga
DonkeygettingtheknowledgeofaHorse.

19. Pararthanumana:

AftergettingtheSwarthaAnumana,thenmaking
theotherstoknowthatAnumanaiscalledas
Pararthanumana.ThisprocessofPararthanumana
iscarriedoutbythePanchavayavaVakyaviz.1)
Pratijna2)Hetu3)Udharana4)Upanayaand5)
Nigamana.

20. 
Pratijna-TheMountainhasfire.

Hetu-Becausethereissmokeonmountain.

Udharana-Wherethereissmokethereisfire,forex–
Mahanasa(Kitchen)

Upanaya-TheMountainisalsolikethekitchen.

Nigamana-Sothereisfireonthemountain

22. TrividhaBheda:-
According to Charaka:

BythehelpofPratyakshaJnanaonecangettheAnumana
oftheTrikalai.e.past,futureandpresent.Forex–

23. AtitaKala–(inferenceofeffectfromcause)
Whenoneseesapregnantlady,heinfersthepast
sexualintercourse(Pastevent).
AnagataKala–(inferenceofcausefromeffect)
Whenoneseeaseedinferringafruitfromthat
seed(Futureevent).
VartamanaKala-(inferenceingeneral)When
oneseessmokehegetstheknowledgeoffire
(Presentevent).

24. According to NyayaDarshana:
FirstofallTrividhaAnumanawereexplainedby
GautamaofNyayaDarshana.Thesameisalsofoundin
theSankhyaDarshana,VaisheshikaDarshanaand
Charaka.

BythePratyakshaJnanaonlyonegetstheAnumanaJnana,
andthisAnumanaisofthreetypes
Purvavat
Sheshavatand
Samanyatodrushta.

25. Purvavat Anumana(Inference of cause by
effect):-

ItisalsocalledasBhavishyatKalikaAnumana,toinferthe
effecttobeproducedinfuturebyobservingthepresent
causeiscalledasPurvavatAnumana.
Forex–Byseeingtheseedinferringtheforthcomingfruit.

26. SheshavatAnumana(Inference of effect by
cause):-

ItisalsocalledasAtitaKalikaAnumana.Sheshameans
ActionandPurvameanscause.Causealwaysexistsbefore
effect.Wherecauseisinferredbytheeffectiscalled
SheshavatAnumana
Forex–Byseeingthepregnancytheactofsexual
intercourseperformedinthepreviousperiodisinferred.

27. Samanayatodrushta (Inference by General
observation):-

Inferenceoftheobjectsotherthanthecause(Karana)and
effect(Karya)bygeneralobservationiscalled
Samanyatodrustha.ItindicatesVartamanaKala.
Forex–ByinferringtheAgnifromtheDhooma.Here
DhoomaistheneithertheKaryaofAgninortheKaranaof
it.TheDhoomamaybeduetothewetlogsofwoodorlack
ofair,whentheseareremovedtheDhoomawillalso
vanish.

28. According to Muktavali:
AccordingtoMuktavali,Anumanaisofthreetypes,
Kevalanvayi,KevalaVyatirekiandAnvayaVyatireki.


29. Kevala Anvayi:-(Positive inference)
NonexistenceofVipakshaiscalledKevalanvayi.The
correlationbetweenHetu(Dhooma)andSadhya(Agni)is
calledasAnvaya(Positive),whichmeanswhereverHetu
existstherealwaysSadhyaalsoexists.Anvayaexistsin
Sapaksha(existenceisdefinite).
Forex-Mahanasa(Kitchen),AsinthekitchenbothHetu
i.e.DhoomaandSadhyai.e.Agniexists.i.e.Wherethereis
smokethereisfire.

30. Kevala Vyatireki:-(Negative inference)
NonexistenceofSapakshaiscalledKevalaVyatireki
(Negativeinference).IfSadhya(Agni)isabsentHetu
(Dhooma)isalsoabsent.VyatirekaexistsinVipaksha
(existenceisindefinite).
Forex-Lake,InaLakeneitherSadhyai.e.AgninorHetui.e.
Dhoomaexists.HencetheknowledgeofAgnineverarises
inthelake.Henceitiscallednegativecorrelationor
VyatirekaVyapti.i.e.wherethereisnosmokethereisno
fire.

31. AnvayaVyatireki:-(Positive & Negative
inference)
PresenceofSapakshaandVipakshaiscalledAnvaya
Vyatireki(Positiveandnegativeinference).TheVyapti
whichpervadesbothpositivelyandnegativelyisAnvaya
Vyatireka(positivenegative)
Forex-Inadeclaration‘Wherethereissmokethere
alwaysexistsfire’asinthekitchenisapositivecorrelation
(AnvayaVyapti).Intheabsenceoffire,smokeisalso
absentlikealakeisVyatirekaVyapti(negativecorrelation).

32. The PanchavayaVakyaplays an important role in
Pararthanumana.

1)Pratijna
2)Hetu
3)Udharana
4)Upanayaand
5)NigamanaarethePanchavayavas.

33. 
Proposingthethingthatistobeprovedinfutureis
calledasPratijna.Itisalsocalledaspropositionor
declaration.
Forex–ThePurushaisNitya,heretheNityatwaofthe
Purushaistobeproved.

Themountainisfiery;thisisthedeclarationwhichisto
beproved.

34. 
Themeans(reasonorcause)forobtainingthe
knowledgeiscalledasHetu.
Forex–BecausethePurushaisnotartificialandnot
createdbyothersisthecause.

Becausethereissmokeonmountain.

35. 
Explainingsomethingbystatingsomeexamplesiscalled
asDrushtanta.ThisDrushtanta(example)makesboth
BuddhivanPurusha(wise)andMurkhaPurusha
(ignorant)tounderstandthesubjectatthesametime.In
commonlanguageitiscalledasUdaharana.
Forex–ToprovetheNityatwaofthePurushaan
exampleofAkashahasbeengiven,astheAkashaisnot
createdbyanybody,soalsothePurusha.

Whereeverthereissmokethereisfire,forex–
Mahanasa(Kitchen)

36. 
VyaptiVishishta–Inseperableconcomitance(smoke&fire)
PakshaDharmata–ExistanceofHetu(smoke)onPaksha(mountain).
Whenthestatementwhichhastobeprovediscompared
withtheDrushtanta/UdharanathenitisUpanaya,i.e.
comparisioninbetweenthePratijnaandtheDrushtanta
iscalledUpanaya.
Forex–
ToprovetheNityatwaofthePurushatheUpanayaisgivenasthus,
AsthereisnocreatorforAkasha,itiscalledNitya.Soalsoasthere
isnocreatorforthePurusha
 TheMountainisalsolikethekitchen.

37. 
Conclusion of the matter which was propagated initially
is called as Nigamana. To repeat the Pratijnaafter its
establishment is called Nigamana.
For ex-

Sothereisfireonthemountain.

Establishment of a statement with the help of Hetu, Drushtanta and
Upanayais Sthapanaor Nigamana.
For ex –So the Purushais Nitya.

39. Sl.NoPanchavayavaExample given by CharakaExample given by Nyaya
1.Pratijna ThePurushaisNitya. TheMountainhasfire.
2.Hetu BecausethePurushaisnot
artificialandnotcreatedby
others.(Akruta)
Becausethereissmokeon
mountain.
3.Udharana AstheAkashaisnotcreated
byanybody,soalsothe
Purusha.
Whereeverthereissmoke
thereisfire,forex–
Mahanasa(Kitchen)
4.Upanaya Asthereisnocreatorfor
Akasha,itiscalledNitya.So
alsoasthereisnocreatorfor
thePurusha.
TheMountainisalsolikethe
kitchen.
5.Nigamana SothePurushaisNitya Sothereisfireonthe
mountain.

41. 
The subject or place where the object to be proved is
suspected is called Paksha.
For ex-

Thismountainisfiery.Inthisstatementasthefireis
suspectedonthemountain,themountainiscalledas
Paksha(Subject/place)
Pakshaisof2types,
Sapaksha
Vipaksha.

42. 
TheplacewherethePakshadefinitelyexistsisSapaksha.
Forex–Kitchen,wherethefiredefinitelyexists.

TheplacewheretheabsenceofSadhyaisalreadyproved
isVipaksha.
Forex–Lake,inalakefireneverexists.

43. 

Thepresenceortheexistenceofanobjectwhichhasto
beprovedonPakshaiscalledSadhya.
Forex-

FireexistsontheMountain,herethefireisSadhya,
whichhastobeproved.

44. 
Withwhichknowledgetheexistenceorpresenceofan
objectisprovedonPakshaiscalledasHetu.Thereason
forobtainingaparticularknowledgeisknownasHetu.
Forex-DhoomaistheHetutoprovetheexistenceof
theAgniontheParvata.

45. 

Themutualrelationbetweenthesmokeandfireiscalled
asVyapti.i.e.whereverthesmokeexiststhereexiststhe
fire.ThisrelationiscalledasVyapti.
Vyaptiisof2types,
AnvayaVyaptiand
VyatirekaVyapti.

46. AnvayaVyapti–ThistypeofVyaptiisbasedonfixed
affirmitybetweenHetu(means)andSadhya(object)or
betweenreasonandaction.WhereverHetuexiststhere
alwaysSadhyaalsoexists.Forex-Wherethereissmoke
thereisfire.
VyatirekaVyapti–Vyatirekameansabsence,for
instanceifSadhya(Agni)isabsentHetu(Dhooma)is
alsoabsent.Asinapond.

47. 

TheexistenceofHetu(ex-Dhooma)onPaksha(ex-
mountain)iscalledasPakshaDharmata.

48. Tobringtheknowledgeofanobjecttoothers,citing
anotherobjectiscalledDrushtantaorUdaharana.Itis
oneofthePanchavayavaVakyasofPararthanumana.




49. Explainingsomethingbystatingsomeexamplesiscalled
asDrushtanta.ThisDrushtanta(example)makesboth
BuddhivanPurusha(wise)andMurkhaPurusha
(ignorant)tounderstandthesubjectatthesametime.In
commonlanguageitiscalledasUdaharana.
TheexampleswhichestablishtheSahacharyaNiyamaof
SadharanaandSadhyaisDrushtanta.Forex-

Whereeverthereissmokethereisfire,forex–
Mahanasa(Kitchen).TheknowledgeofVyaptiis
experiencedbyasuitableDrushtanta.Withoutan
examplecertainityofassociationcannotbeestablished.

50. Drushtantaisof2types,SadharmyaDrushtantaand
VaidharmyaDrushtanta.
Sadharmya Drushtanta–Thisisalsocalledas
AnvayiDrushtanta.TheMahanasa(kitchen)isa
SadharmyaDrushtanta.
VaidharmyaDrushtanta–Thisisalsocalledas
VyatirekaDrushtanta.TheJalashaya(Pond)isa
VaidharmyaDrushtanta.

51. Linga/Hetu(Reason):-
TheVishishtaLakshanawhichwillbepresentalways
withanobject(SahacharyaNiyama–tobewith)is
calledastheLinga.
LakshanaofLinga:

Theonewhichhelpstoclarifytheknowledgeofanobject
withthehelpoftheVyapti(invariableconcomitance)is
calledasLinga.

52. TypesofLinga:Itisof3types,
Kevalanvayi
KevalaVyatirekiand
AnvayaVyatireki.
KevalaAnvayi:-NonexistenceofVipakshaiscalled
Kevalanvayiorpositiveinference.Thecorrelation
betweenHetu(Dhooma)andSadhya(Agni)iscalledas
Anvaya(Positive),whichmeanswhereverHetuexists
therealwaysSadhyaalsoexists.Anvayaexistsin
Sapaksha(existenceisdefinite).
Forex-Mahanasa(Kitchen)AsinthekitchenbothHetu
i.e.DhoomaandSadhyai.e.Agniexists.i.e.Wherethere
issmokethereisfire.

53. KevalaVyatireki:-NonexistenceofSapakshaiscalled
KevalaVyatireki(Negativeinference).IfSadhya(Agni)is
absentHetu(Dhooma)isalsoabsent.Vyatirekaexistsin
Vipaksha(existenceisindefinite).
Forex-Lake,InaLakeneitherSadhyai.e.AgninorHetui.e.
Dhoomaexists.HencetheknowledgeofAgnineverarisesin
thelake.HenceitiscallednegativecorrelationorVyatireka
Vyapti.i.e.wherethereisnosmokethereisnofire.
AnvayaVyatireki:-PresenceofSapakshaandVipakshais
calledAnvayaVyatireki(Positiveandnegativeinference).The
Vyaptiwhichpervadesbothpositivelyandnegativelyis
AnvayaVyatireka(positivenegative)
Forex-Inadeclaration‘Wherethereissmoketherealways
existsfire’asinthekitchenisapositivecorrelation(Anvaya
Vyapti).Intheabsenceoffire,smokeisalsoabsentlikealake
isVyatirekaVyapti(negativecorrelation)

54. Paramarsha(Consideration):-

TheknowlwdgethattheVyapti(concomitance)existsin
thePaksha(subject)iscalledParamarsha
(consideration).
Paksha–Thesubjectofobservation.
Sadhya–Prooftobereached.
Hetu–Reasonforaninference.
Thesethreearethemaincomponentsofinference.
DevoidofthemnoAnumanacanexist.

55. Forex–
Havingmaderepeatedlyandpersonalobservationinthe
kitchenandcomingtotheinvariableconclusionthat
‘Whereverthereissmoketherewillbefire’,having
reachedamountainobservesmokeonthemountain,he
doubtsabouttheexistenceoffireandhavingobserved
smokeonthemountain,herecollectstheinvariable
relationofsmokeandfire.Afterwardstheknowledge
that,‘thismountainisfiery’isconfirmed.Thisiscalled
asLingaParamarsha.

56. Hereinthisexample,DhoomaisLingaorHetuwhich
producestheknowledgeofAgni,theinvariablerelation
betweentheDhoomaandAgniisVyaptiandthe
knowledgeabouttheAgnionthemountainafterseeing
thesmokeiscalledAnumitibasedontheLinga
Paramarsha.

57. TypesandSwarupaofHetu:-
IngettingtheknowledgeofAnumana,Hetuisveryimportant.
Hetuisof2typesSadHetu(Exactorgoodreason)andAsadHetu
SadHetu(Validorgoodreason)-
Validreasonisthebasefortheinference.IfthereasonisSat(true)
thentheinferencewillalsobeSat(true).ButifthereasonisAsat
(faulty)thentheknowledgebasedonthatreasonwillbeAsat/
Ahetu/Hetwabhasa(incorrect).
TheSadHetuhasfivecharacters,
1.Paksha Satwam(existence on Paksha)
2.SapakshaSatwam(existence on Sapaksha)
3.VipakshaVyavrutatwam(non-existanceon a contrary instance)
4.AsatPratipakshatwa(non-existanceof contradicting Hetus)
5.Abadhitatwa(Un-obstructivenesswith other Pramanas)

58. PakshaSatwam(existenceonthePaksha)
Whentheexistenceofthepropertytobeproved(Agni)is
doubtfuliscalledthesubjectofthePaksha(Mountain).
Forex–AfterseeingtheDhoomaonParvata,thenwe
getdoubtabouttheAgni.
Sapaksha Satwam (existenceofHetuon
Sapaksha)
Wheretheexistenceofthepropertytobeprovedis
undoubted,thenitiscalledsubjectonthesamesideor
Sapaksha.Forex-Afterattainingtheknowledgeof
DhoomainMahanasa,wegettheknowledgethat,Hetu
i.e.DhoomaispresentintheSapaksha.

59. VipakshaVyavrutatwam /VipakshaAsatwam
(non-existanceonacontraryinstance)
Wheretheabsenceofthepropertytobeprovedis
undoubted.Forex–DhoomaandAgniareneverpresent
inalake.GettingtheknowledgeofDhumainalakeis
impossible.HerethelakestandsforVipaksha,whichis
neitherthebaseforDhoomaorAgni.
Asat Pratipakshatwa (non-existance of
contradictingHetus)
Intheinferentialknowledge,ifoneHetuprovesthe
existenceoftheSadhyaonPaksha,atthesametime
anotherhetushouldnotcontradictit.
Forex–Asthewords(Shabda)areproducedtheyare
Anitya.ButShabdaisaNitya.

60. Abadhitatwa (Un-obstructivenesswithother
Pramanas)
Itistheonewheretheabsenceofexistenceisnotproved
bythePramanaslikePratyakshaetc.
Forex–fireishottotouch.
IfthesefivequalitiesarenotpresentinaHetuthenit
becomesaAhetu/Asatya/Hetwabhasa.

61. AsadHetu/Ahetu/Hetwabhasa:-(Fallacy)
Thefactorswhicharenotareasoninfactbut
resemblancesseemstobeareasonisdescribedas
Hetwabhasa.AhetuhasbeenexplainedbyAcharya
CharakaintheVadaMargas.ThewordAhetuitself
denotesthatitisnotaHetuorcause.AcharyaCharaka
hasexplainedthreetypesofAhetui.e.

PrakaranaSama
SamshayaSama
VarnyaSama