SANKHYA KARIKA

BY ISHVARA KRISHNA

SANKHYA KARIKA

BY ISHVARA KRISHNA

1.From the shock of triple misery comes the desire to know

the means of prevention; nor is the enquiry superfluous bec
ause of visible remedies, for these cannot secure certain a
n d p e r m a n e n t relief .

2. Like the visible means, the revealed mode is also tainte

d, destructive and excessive. Different from these and super
ior is that method consisting in discriminative knowledge of
the manifest, the unmanifest and the knower.

3. Primordial matter (mulaprakriti) is the root, not a product

; the seven principles beginning with the great Intellect (ma
hat) are both products and productive; the sixteen are mere
products; the Self (purusha) is neither a product nor product
ive.

4. Perception, inference and testimony are recognized as th

e threefold proof, since all other proofs are included in thes
e. The establishment of all that is to be proven depends, ver
ily, on the means of demonstration.
5. Perception is the ascertainment of specific objects. Infer
ence is declared to be threefold and follows from the knowle
dge of the characteristic mark and of its possessor. Testimo
ny comes from trustworthy persons and from revelation.

6. Sensory objects are known through perception, but that w

hich is supersensuous is known through inference; what is n
either directly perceived nor secured through inference is es
tablished through testimony and revelation.

7. Non-perception may be because of extreme distance or pr

oximity, impairment of the senses, mental unsteadiness, sub
tlety, interposition, suppression, blending with what is simil
ar, and other causes.

8. Primary matter is not apprehended on account of its extr

eme subtlety and not because of its non-existence, as it is p
erceived through its effects. Intellect (mahat) and the rest a
re effects which are both similar and dissimilar to primary m
atter (prakriti).

9. The effect subsists, for that which is non-existent cannot

be brought into existence, and effects come from appropriat
e causes. Everything is not by every means possible, as cap
able causes produce only that which they can and the effect
is of the same nature as the cause.

10. The manifest is caused, perishable, finite, mutable, man

ifold, dependent, identifiable, composite and subordinate. T
he unmanifest is the reverse.

11. The manifest is composed of the three properties (gunas

); it is non-discriminative, objective, common, insentient an
d prolific. So also is Nature (pradhana). The Self (purusha)
is the reverse, and yet similar.

12. The constituents (gunas) consist in the pleasant, the pa

inful and the delusive; they serve the purpose of illuminatio
n, activity and restraint; they are mutually dominating, depe
ndent, productive, cooperative and coexistent.

13. Sattva is considered to be buoyant and luminous, rajas t

o be exciting and volatile, and tamas to be indeed heavy an
d enveloping. They function together, like a lamp, for a purp
ose.

14. Non-discriminativeness and the rest are proved by the e

xistence of the three gunas and by the non-existence of thes
e in their absence. The unmanifest is demonstrated by the e
ffect possessing the properties of the cause.

15. The unmanifest (avyakta) exists as a general cause bec

ause the particulars are finite, because of homogeneity, bec
ause production is through power, because there is different
iation of effect from cause, and because there is merging of
the effect with the cause.

16. It operates, in the form of the three gunas, by blending

and transformation, like water, modified according to the pr
edominance of one or the other of the gunas.

17. The Self (purusha) exists, since an aggregate must be f

or another's use, since this must be the converse of that whi
ch has the three gunas, since there must be a superintenden
t and also someone to experience, and since activity is for t
he sake of freedom.

18. The multiplicity of souls verily follows from the distribut

ive allocation of birth, death and the instruments of causati
on, since occupations are not simultaneous, and since there
are diverse modifications of the three gunas.

19. And from this divergence it follows that the Self (purush
a) is witness, solitary, neutral, spectator and non-agent.
 20. Thus, through conjunction with the Self (purusha), the i
nsentient seems to be sentient, and though the agency reall
y belongs to the gunas, the neutral stranger appears as if it
were active.

21. The conjunction of the two, like that of the lame and the
blind, is for the perception of Nature (pradhana) by the Self
(purusha) and for the release of the Self. From this conjunct
ion proceeds evolution.

22. From primary matter (prakriti) comes Intellect (mahat), t

hence egoism (ahankara), and from this the set of sixteen; f
rom five among these come the five elements.

23. Intellect (buddhi) is for ascertainment. Virtue, wisdom,

dispassion and lordliness are its faculties when goodness (s
attva) predominates, and the reverse is true when darkness
(tamas) predominates.

24. Self-assertion is egoism (ahankara). Thence proceeds a

dual evolution, the elevenfold set and also the five subtle el
ements (tanmatras).

25. From the vaikrita form of individuation proceeds the ele

venfold set characterized by goodness (sattva); from the bh
utadi form of individuation proceed the subtle elements (tan
matras). In this, darkness (tamas) dominates. Both of these
proceed from taijasa ahankara, in which rajas dominates.

26. The organs of cognition are the eyes, ears, nose, tongu
e and skin; the organs of action are the voice, hands, feet, t
he excretory organ and the organ of generation.

27. Among these, the mind (manas) is both an organ of sens

ation and of action. It is deliberative and it is an organ cog
nate with the rest. They are multifarious due to the specific
modifications of the gunas, and so are the external diversiti
es.
28. The function of five, in regard to sound and the rest, is
simply observation. Speech, manipulation, motion, excretion
and generation are the functions of five others.

29. Of the three internal organs, the functions are their res
pective features; these are distinctive to each. The common
function of these organs is breath and the rest of the five vi
tal airs.

30. In regard to sensory objects, the functions of all four or

gans are simultaneous as well as successive. In respect to i
mperceptible things, the functioning of the three internal or
gans is preceded by that of the fourth (cognition).

31. The instruments perform their respective functions, pro

mpted by mutual sympathy. The purpose of the Self (purusha
) is the sole cause; by nothing else is any instrument activa
ted.

32. Instruments are of thirteen varieties; they function by g

rasping, sustaining and disclosing. Their objects are tenfol
d, to be grasped, sustained and disclosed.

33. The internal instrument is threefold. The external organ

s, which exhibit objects to these three, are tenfold. The ext
ernal organs function in the present, and the internal instru
ment at all times.

34. Among these, the five organs of cognition are concerned

with specific and non-specific objects. Speech is concerned
with sound; the rest are concerned with all five objects.

35. Since intellect (buddhi), together with the other internal

organs (ahankara and manas), ascertain all objects, these t
hree instruments are the guardians and the rest are gates.
 36. These, characteristically different from one another and
variously modified by the gunas, present to the intellect (bu
ddhi) the whole purpose of the Self (purusha), illumining it l
ike a lamp.

37. Since it is the intellect (buddhi) which accomplishes the

fruition of all that is to be enjoyed by the Self (purusha), it
is also that which discerns the subtle difference between Na
ture (pradhana) and the Self (purusha).

38. The subtle elements (tanmatras) are non-specific; from t

hese five proceed the five gross elements which are specific
, tranquil, turbulent or stupefying.

39. The subtle bodies, the bodies born of mother and fathe
r, together with the great elements, are three kinds of speci
fic objects. Among these, the subtle are lasting and those b
orn of parents are perishable.

40. The subtle body (linga) is primeval, unconfined, constan

t, composed of the principles (tattvas) beginning with Intelle
ct (mahat) and ending with the subtle elements (tanmatras).
It transmigrates, free from experience, and is tinged with di
spositions (bhavas).

41. Just as a painting does not stand without a support, or

a shadow cannot exist without a stake and the like, so too t
he cognitive apparatus cannot subsist without a support, wit
hout specific particles.

42. Formed for the sake of the purpose of the Self (purush
a), the subtle body (linga) appears in different roles like a
dramatic performer, owing to the connection of causes and e
ffects and through conjunction with the universal power of N
ature (prakriti).

43. The primary dispositions are innate; the acquired ones,

like virtue and the rest, depend on the instruments. The uter
ine germ and the rest belong to the effect.

44. Through virtue there is ascent; through vice there is de

scent; through knowledge there is deliverance; there is bond
age through the reverse.

45. From dispassion (vairagya) there is absorption into Natu

re (prakriti); transmigration results from passionate attachm
ent (rajas); from power there is non-obstruction, and from th
e reverse, the contrary.

46. This is an intellectual creation, termed obstruction, infi

rmity, complacency and attainment. Through the disparity in
influence of the gunas, its varieties are fifty.

47. Five are the varieties of obstruction; the varieties of inf

irmity due to organic defect are twenty-eight; complacency i
s ninefold and attainment is eightfold.

48. The varieties of obscurity (tamas) are eightfold, as also

those of delusion (moha); extreme delusion (mahamoha) is t
enfold; gloom is eighteenfold, and so is utter darkness.

49. Defects of the eleven organs, together with impairment

of the intellect, are said to constitute infirmity. Injuries to t
he intellect are seventeen, resulting from the inversion of c
omplacency and attainment.

50. Nine forms of complacency are propounded: four interna

l, relating to Nature (prakriti), means (upadana), time (kala)
and luck (bhagya); five external, resulting from avoidance of
enjoyment of objects.

51. The eight attainments are reasoning, oral instruction, st

udy, the prevention of pain of three sorts, acquisition of frie
nds, and charity. The three mentioned before (obstruction, i
nfirmity and complacency) are the curbs on attainment.
 52. Without dispositions (bhavas) there would be no subtle
body (linga), and without the subtle body there would be no
cessation of dispositions. Evolution, therefore, proceeds in
two ways, the elemental and the intellectual.

53. Celestial evolution is of eight kinds; the grovelling spec

ies is fivefold; the human is single and specific in form. Thi
s, in brief, is material evolution.

54. Above, there is abundance of sattva; in the lower order

of creation, tamas predominates; in the middle, rajas domina
tes. Such is creation from Brahma down to a blade of grass.

55. Therein does the conscious Self (purusha) experience p

ain caused by decay and death, until dissociation from the s
ubtle body; thus suffering is in the very nature of things.

56. This evolution, from Intellect (mahat) to the specific ele

ments (bhuta), brought about by the modifications of matter
(prakriti), is for the emancipation of the individual Self (pur
usha). This is for the sake of another, though seemingly for
itself.

57. Just as insentient milk serves as nourishment for the ca

lf, so too does Nature (prakriti) act for the sake of the Self'
s emancipation.

58. Just as people engage in action to gratify desire, so too

the unmanifest, unevolved Nature functions for the emancipa
tion of the Self.

59. Just as a dancer desists from dancing, having shown he

rself to spectators, so too does primal Nature (prakriti) desi
st, having revealed itself to the Self (purusha).
 60. Munificent Nature, endowed with attributes, accomplishe
s by manifold means the purpose of the attributeless and un
caring Self, with no gain for itself.

61. Nothing, in my view, is more gentle and gracious than N

ature; once aware of having been seen, Nature does not exp
ose herself to the gaze of the Self.

62. Verily, therefore, the Self is neither bounded nor emanc

ipated, nor does it transmigrate; it is Nature alone, abiding
in myriad forms, that is bounded, released and transmigrate
s.

63. Nature by herself binds herself by seven modes, and by

means of one mode (knowledge), releases herself for the sa
ke of the Self.

64. So through study of principles (tattvas) arises the ultim

ate, undistracted, pure knowledge that neither I am, nor is a
nything mine nor am I embodied.

65. Possessed of this self-knowledge, and the proliferation

of Nature having ceased (owing to its withdrawal from its se
ven modes), the Self stands apart and at ease, like a specta
tor.

66. The Self stands indifferent, having seen Nature; Nature

desists, having been seen. Though their coexistence continu
es, there is no motive for creation.

67. Through the attainment of perfect wisdom, virtue and th

e rest cease to function as causes; yet the Self continues to
be invested with the body, just as a potter's wheel continues
to whirl owing to the momentum imparted by a prior impulsio
n.

68. When separation from the body takes place and Nature c
eases to act, its purpose having been fulfilled, the Self atta
ins to absolute and final emancipation (kaivalya).

69. This Secret Doctrine (guhya) leading to the emancipatio

n of the Self, and wherein the origin, duration and dissoluti
on of beings has been considered, has been fully expounded
by the great Seer (paramarishi) Kapila.

70. This supreme purificatory wisdom was imparted, through

the compassion of the Sage, to Asuri. Asuri transmitted it to
Panchashikha, by whom the system (tantra) was elaborated.

71. This, which was handed down through a succession of p

upils, has been compendiously set down in the arya metre by
the noble-minded and devout Ishvarakrishna, who thoroughly
comprehended the established doctrine.

72. The subjects treated in the seventy verses are those of

the entire science of sixty themes (shashtitantra), exclusive
of illustrative tales, and devoid of polemical consideration o
f rival doctrines.

73. This briefly expounded treatise has not sacrificed anyth

ing of the content of the science, and is an image reflected
in a mirror of the compendious tantra.