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Samkhya elements in the Bhagavata-purana

by Jumli Nath | 2017 | 62,959 words

This page relates ‘Samkhya in the Puranic literature� 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 4 - ṃkⲹ in the Puranic literature

When we go through the passages of Puranic literature, we come to know that ʳܰṇa also contain a lot of discussion regarding the concept of ṃkⲹ and its elements viz., ʰṛt, ʳܰṣa, ṇa etc. The concept of ʰṛt is found in a seed form in the Vedic literature. But in the Puranic literature, the concept of ʰṛt has been developed and it gives shape of ṃkⲹ concept. In the ʳܰṇa, ʰṛt is described as the cause of the material world. The ʳܰṇa give an elaborate description of the concept of ʰṛt. ʳܰṇa accept ʰṛt as the original stuff from which all material things evolve. ʰṛt is endowed with three ṇas as it is the equilibrium state of the three ṇas just like the ṃkⲹ system. It is illustrated as the cause of the world which has no beginning and from it all worldly things are produced. The ʳܰṇa admits ʰṛt as a dependent entity of the Lord and is the essence of everything. ʳܰṇa like the վṣṇܱܰṇa[1], Ҳḍaܰṇa[2] ʲ峾ܰṇa[3] etc., accept ʰṛt as ʰԲ or Avyakta and the unmanifestated cause of the universe. Like ʰṛt, the concept of ʳܰṣa is also found in the վṣṇܱܰṇa, Ҳḍaܰṇa, ʲ峾ܰṇa etc. The վṣṇܱܰṇa uses the word ʳܰṣa to mean the individual self as well as transcendental self (貹ٳ). There is one beginningless, qualityless ʳܰṣa, who playfully assumes the four forms, viz., vyakta, avyakta, ʳܰṣa and for the purpose of creation. It is this ʳܰṣa which is probably regarded as ʳܰṣoٳٲ, Ѳܰṣa and ʲٳ.

The վṣṇܱܰṇa, the most authorative and sacred treatise of the ղṣṇ describes ʳܰṣa as the first manifestation of Lord վṣṇ. վṣṇ creates ʰԲ, ʳܰṣa, Vyakta and out of his playful activities.[4] The Ҳḍaܰṇa mentions վṣṇ as the Supreme Self or the Lord. He is the cause of creation and destruction of the universe.[5] Like other ٳٱ첹 ʳܰṇa, the ʲ峾ܰṇa also identifies ʳܰṣa with god and says it is imperishable and non different from the Supreme Reality.[6]

Most of the ٳٱ첹 ʳܰṇa like the վṣnܱܰṇa[7], Ҳḍaܰṇa,[8] ʲ峾ܰṇa[9] etc., accept the ṇas as the ultimate constituents of ʰṛt like the ṃkⲹ. The վṣnܱܰṇa states that ṇas are created by the Lord to run the process of creation, preservation and dissolution.[10] The ʲ峾ܰṇa portrays the three ṇas as the basis of the ṇa theory (caste system). According to the dominant of three ṇas the ʲ岹ܰṇa classifies the society into four ṇas. It states that the 󳾲ṇa are endowed with sattva ṇa, ṣaٰⲹ are endowed with rajas, śⲹ with tamasa and rajasa and śܻ with tamasa.[11] In this way, various elements of ṃkⲹ philosophy are scattered in Puranic literature.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

ṇasāmyāt tatstasmāt kṣetrajñādhiṣṭhitānmune// վṣṇ-purāṇa ,1.2.33(a)

[2]:

sāmyāvasthā� guṇāna� ca sṛṇvidānī� 󲹲ś/ Ҳḍa-ܰṇa , 3.4.39(a)

[3]:

ⲹٲ� ṇa� yattanitya� sadasadātmaka/
mahadādiviśeṣa� sṛjatīti Ծśⲹ�// ʲ峾-ܰṇa , ṛṣṭiṇḍ 2.8

[4]:

ⲹٲ� viṣṇustathā ⲹٲ� ܰṣa� eva ca/
kriḍāto bālakasyeva ṣṭ� tasya niśāmaya// վṣṇ-purāṇa , 1.2. 18

[5]:

Ჹٲٳ󾱳ٱ� īᲹ� jagatkartā tvaha� ś/ Ҳḍa-purāṇa , 1.2.38(b)

[6]:

Padma-purāṇa , ٳٲṇḍ, 254.25,33,37

[7]:

ṇasāmyamanudriktamanyūna� ca mahāmune/
procyate prakṛtirhetu� Բ� ṇa� param// վṣṇ-purāṇa , 6.4.34.

[8]:

sāmyāvasthā� guṇānā� ca śṛṇvidāni� 󲹲ś / Ҳḍa-ܰṇa , 3.4.39 (a)

[9]:

ʲ峾-ܰṇa , ٳٲṇḍ, 227.52-53

[10]:

sargasthitityantakāleṣu tridhaiva� saṃpravartate/
ṇapravṛtyā 貹� 貹岹� tasyāṇa� mahat// վṣṇ-purāṇa , 1.22.40

[11]:

ʲ峾-ܰṇa , ṛṣṭiṇḍ, 3.127-130

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