Tattva is a Sanskrit term meaning “principle” or “reality.” It is derived from the roots, tatt, meaning “that,” “quality” or “godhead”; and tvam, meaning “thou” or “individual.” The cosmos is made up of 24 elements, known as tattvas, starting from Moola Prakriti, followed by mahat and ahamkara (egotism). Thus Prakriti, mahat, ahamkara, mind, the five karmendriyas, the five jnanendriyas, the five tanmatras, the five elements — all these constitute the 24 tattvas. These tattvas are all non-sentient or achetana and combine in various forms to make up the bodies of those bound souls. Hence they are called kshara because of their repeated births and deaths. Some among them adopt the prescribed means and become liberated souls. Traditionally, six schools of thought propagated Vedic wisdom, each from a different philosophical perspective.
The sad-darshana (six philosophical views) are nyaya (logic), vaisesika (atomic theory), sankhya (analysis of matter and spirit), yoga (the discipline of self-realization), karma-mimamsa (the science of fruitive work) and vedanta (the science of God-realization).