Mayuranda Rasa Naya is an analogy used in Hindu philosophy to show that the seed contains the whole. Nayas are principles derived from nature or experience and like proverbs and idioms, are quoted to convey a point effectively. Hamsa kshira naya, kukkuta anda naya and bija vriksha nyaya are among such nyayas.
In Hamsa kshira naya, the mythological nature of a swan separating the milk from water is indicated. The later ones refer to the intraceability of the cause like the seed from a tree and that from a seed and in this way the process continuing ad infinitum.
The grammarian Bhartrhari uses mayuranda rasa nyaya on the analogy of the fluid inside the egg of a peahen, which contains in a subtle form the whole peacock: the chromosomes with various genes contain all that is needed for the evolution of the living body in all its variety. The fluid inside the egg of a peahen contains in a subtle form the full peacock with its beautiful limbs and wings.
Bhartrhari uses mayuranda rasa nyaya analogy to explain how the whole, integral, and unuttered sentence in the mind contains in a subtle form the whole sentence with a variety of forms and contents. According to grammarians, the word has four levels of enunciation. The last alone is audible and the other three remain within the mind or further down but contains the seed of physical speech and communication.
Bhartrhari quotes the analogy of the juice of the egg of the peahen containing the future peacock in it to show the intuitive language in the mind containing the elements of effective communication. Hence, in the grammarian’s parlance, this nyaya refers to the availability of the speech already at the intuitive level.
Mandana Mishra also gives the same analogy while discussing the problem of language behavior. In the later Virashaiva philosophy, too, this analogy is quoted and explained.