Karmic stain, the colour of which indicates a soul’s degree of purity. There are traditionally six colours:

• kṛṣṇa – black
• nīla – blue
• kāpota – ‘pigeon-colour’, usually grey
• tejas – ‘fiery’, usually red or yellow
• padma – ‘lotus colour, usually yellow or pink
• śukla – white.

Also one of the 14 ‘gateways’ or categories of investigation of mārgaṇā or ‘soul-quest’.