Neurocognitive Integration of Manas in the Process of Jñānotpatti: A Systematic Epistemological and Physiological Review

Background: In classical Ayurveda and Nyāya epistemology, the genesis of cognition (Jñānotpatti) is conceptualized as a sequential, multi-layered psychophysical process. Fundamental to this mechanism is Manas (mind), a subtle entity functioning as the critical interface between the sentient self (Ātma), the biological sensory apparatus (Indriya), and the external environment (Artha). While traditional scholarship has stressed the philosophical dimensions of perception, modern neuroscience identifies probable parallels in thalamocortical gating and executive control. Specifically, studies have highlighted correlations between these Ayurveda concepts and neuroscientific findings, such as neural oscillations in the thalamus, which align with Manas' role as a gatekeeper, as well as the function of mediodorsal thalamic nuclei in cognitive control. Studies from Scopus and PubMed have underpinned these comparisons with empirical evidence, supporting the parallels in sensory encoding and high-level cognitive processes. Aim: This review seeks to restructure the classic understanding of Jñānotpatti within a scientifically oriented framework, mapping the sequential stages of perception and the taxonomy of Sannikarṣa (sense-object contact) onto contemporary neurocognitive and sensory-physiological systems. Methods: A systematic conceptual review was carried out using primary Ayurveda texts, Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika philosophical treatises, and indexed contemporary literature from Scopus and PubMed. The analysis adopted the Tantrayukti methodology to align classical epistemological categories with modern concepts such as serial processing, selective attention, and neural signal transduction. Results: The cognitive chain (Ātma-Manas-Indriya-Artha) corresponds to the hierarchical system of information flow in the brain, wherein Manas serves as the attentional bottleneck and the mediodorsal thalamic gateway. The six types of Sannikarṣa provide a detailed classification of sensory encoding, ranging from peripheral photoreceptor activation to high-level category formation in the associative cortices. The attributes of Manas (Aṇutva or atomicity and Ekatva or singularity) parallel neurobiological limitations of serial processing and the illusion of simultaneity. Conclusion: Manas functions as the dynamic coordinator of sensory-cognitive integration, essential for responsive perception and psychosomatic equilibrium. Dysregulation of Manas, through Guna imbalance (Rajas and Tamas), is associated with cognitive errors (Prajñāparādha) that contribute to lifestyle-related and psychiatric disorders. Integrating these frameworks delivers a novel, evidence-oriented pathway for neuro-ophthalmology and cognitive-behavioural therapies.