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Samkhya elements in the Bhagavata-purana

by Jumli Nath | 2017 | 62,959 words

This page relates ‘Similarities and Dissimilarities on the concept of Guna� of the English study dealing with the treatment of Samkhya elements in the Bhavata-Purana. The Puranas are a vast reservoir of Indian religious and cultural wisdom. Sankhya refers to one of the oldest and the authentic system of Indian philosophy ascribed to sage Kapila. This analytical study delves into the reflection of Samkhya philosophy within the Bhagavatapurana by researching original texts, translations, commentaries and scholarly articles.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

Part 3 - Similarities and Dissimilarities on the concept of ҳṇa

[Full title: Similarities and Dissimilarities on the concept of ҳṇa of the ṃkⲹ with that of the 岵ٲܰṇa]

The concept of ṇa originated in ṃkⲹ philosophy is elaborately discussed in the 岵ٲܰṇa. This concept becomes the key concept in various schools of Hindu philosophy. There are three ṇas, viz., sattva(goodness, constructive, harmonious), rajas (passion, active, attachment), and tamas (darkness, destructive, delusion) as mentioned above. ṃkⲹ philosophy accepts ʰṛt as the unity of the three ṇas held in equilibrium (guṇānām sāmyāvasthā). As these three ṇas are very subtle and imperceptible in nature, their existence is inferred from their effects of pleasure, pain and indifference respectively. They are called ṇas as they are the elements of ʰṛt which alone is called substantive or subservient to the end of the ʳܰṣa. All of these three ṇas are present in every being and everything. ṃkⲹ cosmology combines the three ṇas with primal matter, ʰṛt. They serve as the fundamental operating principles or tendencies of ʰṛt. ʳܰṣa or consciousness is considered as separate entity from ʰṛt but ṇas are nonseparated components of ʰṛt.

Both the ṃkⲹ and the 岵ٲܰṇa describe the ṇas as the constituent elements of ʰṛt, from which the entire universe is evolved. Like ṃkⲹ, the 岵ٲܰṇa also have the view that ʰṛt manifests itself sattva, rajas and tamas. These three ṇas cannot be explained separately from one another. They are mixed up with one another, and depending on one another, serve for one another. Sattva is the ṇa whose essence is purity, fineness and subtlety. Sattva is the component concerned with lightness, brightness and pleasure.[1] It is associated with ego, mind and intelligence. Rajas is concerned with the actions of objects. It is associated with activity and motion[2]. In material objects, motion and action are the results of rajas. In living beings, activity and impatience, pain etc., are also caused by rajas. Tamas is the constituent concerned with the inertia and inaction[3]. It resists motion and activity. In living beings, it is associated with negligence, indifference, inactivity etc. In human beings, it manifests itself as ignorance, insensitivity and inaction.

Regarding the nature of ṇa, the similar description has been depicted in both the ṃkⲹ and the 岵ٲܰṇa. In both scheme, sattva is that element of ʰṛt which is illuminating, conductive to pleasure, light and bright. Rajas is the activating force, conductive to pain an unsteady and stimulating. Tamas is described as which produces restrain, heavy and enveloping.[4] Thus the universe is an effect of illumination, activity and restrain. Like other Sāttvikapurāṇas, the 岵ٲܰṇa also mentions all characteristics of the ṇas, their effects on individual beings etc. The interplay of these ṇas defines the character, nature of someone or something, and determines the progress of life.These are present in all things and beings in the world, and it is their interplay that defines the physical and psychological character and nature of individual.

According to ṃkⲹ philosophy, only ʰṛt and its ṇas are responsible for all manifestation and diversity, while the ʳܰṣa, which is eternal, remains as passive. When ʳܰṣa come into contact with ʰṛt, it’s equilibrium state is disturbed and from that moment onwards the process of creation starts. ʰṛt is an eternal reality and the first cause of the universe. In its pure original form, it is the unmanifest (avyaktam), primal resource, the sum of the universal energy. It is without cause, but acts as the cause and source of all effects, and the ultimate basis of the empirical universe. All objects of the physical and mental world are the results of the different permutations and combinations of these three ṇas.

Both ṃkⲹ and the 岵ٲܰṇa advocate the three constituents of ʰṛt which are essentially distinct in their nature. But they can never be separated from one another and form a unity in trinity. They are always intermingled with one another and support each other. In other words, they are not only co-existent, but they co-here also. This intrinsic interdependence of the ṇas helps ʰṛt to carry the process of creation. This philosophy accepts ٰܲٳ ʰṛt as the material cause of the universe and mahat etc., are the effects of the ʰṛt.[5]

In the 岵ٲܰṇa, ٰܲٳ or ʰṛt is the instrumental cause. The formless Lord is the creator of the whole universe.[6] Again, in the 岵ٲܰṇa the three ṇas correspond to the three major deities like Lord , վṣṇ and Ś.[7]

But in the ṃkⲹ system, such descriptions are not found. The ṃkⲹ system does not mention the trinity theory of God. Thus the 岵ٲܰṇa has added a new dimension to the ṃkⲹ doctrine of ṇa.

Besides, ṃkⲹ system describes ṇas as the metaphysical elements, but the 岵ٲܰṇa states ṇas not only as metaphysical elements but they also carry an ethical significance. Our thoughts and ideas, which seem to possess a character, different from our physical world, are the works of three ṇas. Our phenomenal consciousness as well as its objects is due to the functioning of these three ṇas which are the sole productive forces of this universe.

The 岵ٲܰṇa gives a detail discussion on the qualities of ٳٱ첹, Ჹ첹 and 峾첹 persons, which is not found in the ṃkⲹ system. One should regard the wakeful state of consciousness of beings which is only due to sattva ṇa. When someone does his or her duties without expecting anything in return, devotedly worship the Supreme Being such a man or woman would be a ٳٱ첹.[8] Rajoṇa is also characterized by some symptoms as the people whose mind becomes unsteady through various activities, judgment gets distract and senses become restless and intellect gets distracted.[9] A person who works with blind attachment of getting some fruits is regarded as a Ჹ첹 person. The person who cultivates this ṇa stands at the culminated point of bad habits. All bad habits make a man lazy, jealous etc. That kind of person’s reasoning power fails to produce right thinking. Growing dull day by day, being enable to focus on things, groping in dark etc., are the dominants of tama ṇa. When tāmoṇa prevails, delusion, inaction and ignorance occurs. When tāmoṇa becomes predominant men become dull, suffer from grief and delution, lose their discrimination power and become too much sleepiest, harmful and run after help from othersworld.[10] According to the 岵ٲܰṇa, if a person is influenced mainly by goodness will be elevated to the heavenly planets at death. The people, who largely in passion, stay in human society and those infected with ignorance, who dies with the predominance of rajoṇa, return to the human world and again the persons who depart from the body when tamoṇa is powerful then he will go to hell.[11]

From the forgoing discussion, it is clear that the doctrine of ṇas treated in the ṃkⲹ is found in the 岵ٲܰṇa in a very wide manner. Both ṃkⲹ and the 岵ٲܰṇa advocate their own opinion, to establish their doctrines. There is a theoretical difference between them. Thus, it can be said that the concept of ṇa of the ṃkⲹ is depicted more or less in the 岵ٲܰṇa.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

ٳٲ� prasīdet swaccha� bhavet/ Śridhara’s commentary 11.25.16.

[2]:

rajaso vṛttīrāha kāmo’bhilāṣa�, Ibid., 11.25.3

[3]:

anudyamo jāḍyam, Ibid., 11.25.4

[4]:

ٳٱ� laghu prakāśakaṃiṣṭamupaṣṭambhaka� calañca Ჹ� /
guru ṇa첹𱹲 ٲ� ī貹’rٳ󲹳ٴ ṛtپ� // ṃkⲹkārikā , 13.

[5]:

Ibid., 6. 32

[6]:

岵ٲ-ܰṇa , 1.3.30

[7]:

Ibid., 12.10.17

[8]:

Ibid., 11.25.16;

[9]:

Ibid., 11.25.17.

[10]:

ٲ jayedᲹ� ٳٱ� tamo ḍh� ⲹ� Ჹḍa/
yujyet śokamohābhyā� nidrayā hiṃsayā�ś// Ibid., 11.25.15;

[11]:

sattve pralīnā� svaryānti Բǰ첹� DZ�/
ٲDZٳ Ծⲹ� yānti māmeva nirguṇāh// Ibid., 11.25.22

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