Sūtra 1.19

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 1.19:

भवप्रत्ययो विदेहप्रकृतिलयानाम् ॥ १.१९ ॥

bhavapratyayo videhaprakṛtilayānām || 1.19 ||

bhava—the objective existence. pratyayaḥ—the cause, i.e., caused by objective existence, videha-prakṛtilayānām—to the Videhas (the gods) and the prakṛtilayas that merged (laya) in nature (prakṛti).

19. Is caused by Objective Existence for the Videhas and Prakṛtilayas.

The Sankhya-pravachana commentary of Vyasa

[English translation of the 7th century commentary by Vyāsa called the Sāṅkhya-pravacana, Vyāsabhāṣya or Yogabhāṣya]

[Sanskrit text for commentary available]

This is of two descriptions brought about by Objective Existence and brought about by the practice of the means. In the case of Yogis it is brought about by the practice of the means. In the case of the Videhas and the Prakṛtilayas it is caused by Objective Existence.

In the case of the Videhas, the gods, it is caused by Objective Existence, because they enjoy a state of something like absolute freedom (kaivalya) with a mind functioning only so far as its own residual potencies are capable of, and who while thus enjoying, live out the state of life, which is the fruition of their residual potencies.

Similarly do the Prakṛtilayas enjoy a state of quasi-isolation with a mind which has its work still before it, but which remains merged in the Prakritis, as long as it does not come back by virtue of the work still before it.

VĀCASPATIS GLOSS.

Now the author describes a sub-head of the Inhibitive Trance, being necessary as it is for deciding which is to be adopted and which to be rejected:—‘This,’ the inhibitive trance, ‘is of two descriptions,’—caused by the practice of the means of achievement and brought about by Objective Existence.

The means are faith, &c., to be described later. That which is brought about by these means, is the inhibitive trance so spoken of.

That in which living beings are born is Objective Existence. It is Nescience. The modification of consciousness which consists in the identification of the not-self,—the forms consisting of the elements and the powers of sensation and action and the Pra-kṛtis, known as the Mūlaprakṛti, the Mahat, the Ahaṅkāra and the five tanmātras,—with self appears in the Tauṣṭikas who have attained the states of the lower desirelessness. This notion about the Objective Existence, becomes the antecedent of one description of the Inhibitive Trance. This is spoken of as having been brought about by Objective Existence.

Out of these two the one brought about by effort, is for the Yogīs, who work for freedom from Objective Existence. By the mention of this distinction the other is denied to those who follow the path of absolute freedom (mokṣa).

Well then, in whom is it caused by Objective Existence? The reply is given by the aphorism:—‘Is caused by Objective Existence in the case of the Videhas and the Prakṛtilayas.’

The Videhas and the Prakṛtilayas are distinct from each other. The meaning is that this trance is so caused for both of them.

The author explains this:—‘For the Videhas it is caused by, &c.’

Those who recognize either of the elements or the powers of sensation, action and thought as the self, and so constantly devote themselves to them, that their internal organ is fully saturated with that idea, remain, after separation from the body, immersed in the same elemental, sensuous and functional forms; and all that remains of their mind is the habit of their particular devotion. They are called the Videhas (the disembodied) because they are free from the physical bodies. It is they who, with a mind capable of moving only along the line marked by habit, enjoy a state of something like absolute freedom, but are without the physical body. This state resembles the state of absolute independence, because the modifications of the mind are suspended for the time being. It however differs from absolute freedom, in the possession of the power of having to perform work still to be done.

The reading in some places is “upabhoga” instead of “upayoga” in the text. Upa-bhoga means enjoyment. The meaning of this alternative reading would be that the residual alone are the objects of enjoyment and not the modifications.

When the limit has been reached they live out the state of life which is the fruition of their residual potencies. They come back to be born again. So says the Vāyu Purāṇa:—

“Those who devote themselves to meditation upon the powers of sensation, action and thought, live in this state for ten Manvantaras. Those who devote themselves to the elements live in that state for full one hundred Manvantaras.”

Similar are Prakṛtilayas. They believe one of the Prakritis, the unmanifested (mūlaprakṛti), the undifferentiated phenomenal (mahat), and the principle of individuality, to be the self. Their internal organs are saturated with the idea of devotion to either of the Prakṛtis. They are immersed after their separation from the physical body, in the one of these Prakṛtis, which they have made the object of their devotion. But their minds have not yet fulfilled the object of their existence; they have still work before them.

The mind would fulfil the object of its existence, if while following this very course of thought, it would also manifest the discrimination of the distinct natures of the Puruṣa and objective existence. If on the other hand this consciousness be not generated in the mind, it has not fulfilled its object, and is therefore said to have its work still before it. The Prakṛtilayas having their minds merged in the Prakṛtis, with its work still undone, enjoy a state of something like absolute freedom as long as they do not come back by virtue of the work yet to be done. Although the mind has become similar to the Prakriti, yet they come back when the limit has been reached. Then they acquire the consciousness of the distinct natures of the Puruṣa and the objective existence. As on the cessation of the rainy season, the body of the frog is assimilated to the earth, and comes back to life again on coming into contact with rain-water, (so does the mind of the Prakṛtilaya). So says Vāyu:—

“For a thousand Manvantaras, the Abhimānikas, those who identify themselves with the Prakṛtis; and for ten thousand Manvantaras the Buddhas remain without pain. Those who devote themselves to the Unmanifested remain in that state for a hundred thousand Manvantaras. The computation of time does not exist on reaching the Nirguṇa Puruṣa.”

Thus this state also is given up, being subject to re-births.