Sūtra 2.18-19 [Prakṛti and Guṇa]

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of sūtra 2.18-19:

प्रकाशक्रियास्थितिशीलं भूतेन्द्रियात्मकं भोगापवर्गार्थं दृश्यम् ॥ २.१९ ॥
विशेषाविशेषलिङ्गमात्रालिङ्गानि गुणपर्वाणि ॥ २.१९ ॥

prakāśakriyāsthitiśīlaṃ bhūtendriyātmakaṃ bhogāpavargārthaṃ dṛśyam || 2.19 ||
viśeṣāviśeṣaliṅgamātrāliṅgāni guṇaparvāṇi || 2.19 ||

(18) The object or knowable is by nature sentient, mutable and inert. It exists in the form of the elements and the organs, and serves the purpose of experience and emancipation. (19) Diversified (viśeṣa), undiversified (aviśeṣa), indicator–Only (liṅgamātrā), and that which is without any indication (aliṅga), are the states of the guṇas.

Ancient and Modern interpretation:

Guṇa:

Since mind has three functions of prakhyā, pravṛtti and sthiti, it must be made up of three guṇas or constituent principles of sattva, rajas and tamas.When the faculty of prakhyā is influenced by the principles of rajas and tamas,the mind becomes inclined towards power and external objects.When it is dominated by tamas it inclines to impious acts,false knowledge,non-detachment and weakness. When the veil of infatuation is completely removed, and the mind becomes completely luminous, i.e. it clearly cognises congniser, organs of cognition and object cognized. Then mind gets influenced by rajas,tends towards virtue,wisdom,detachment and power. When contamination of rajas is removed, the mind rests in itself, realises the distinction between buddhi and the pure self and proceeds to dharmamegha-samādhi, says Araṇya.^[1]

Sāṅkhyas describe triguṇas as^[2] —

The manifest is constituted of the three attributes as (sattva, rajas, tamas) is non-distinguishable objective,common,non-inteligent and prolific.So also, is primordial nature.The spirit is the reverse of both of them and yet is similar in some respects.

The attributes of guṇas are of the nature of pleasure, pain and delusion, they serve the purpose of illumination, action and restraint and they are mutually dominating, supporting, productive and cooperative.

The sattva attribute in buoyant and illuminating,the rajas attribute is exciting and mobile and tamas attribute is sluggish and obscuring. Their functioning is for a single purpose, like that of a lamp.^[3]

When we lit lamp, the sattva is the illuminationg flame/ aura of the lamp. Laghutvam (rajas) is the buoyancy of the flame which causes upward flame of fire.It also moves the flame in the direction of wind. Tamas is the sluggishness of flame.

Taimni opines gunas in scientific language,^[4]

1) Sāttvika -vibration which involves rhythamic motion of particles. Sattva also has property of illumination, perception and harmony.It has no movement of its own and is incapable of action and reaction.

2) Rājasika -mobility which involves non-rhythamic motion of particles with transference of energy. Rajas is source of all activities. Rajas enjoys physical comfort and does lots of efforts.

3) Tāmasika -involves relative position of particles. Tamas means darkness, inertia.It counteracts ‘ sattva to reveal’ and ‘ rajas to act.’

The stages of manifestation of guṇas–

[Read sūtra 2.19 above]

Refer to the chart of evolution given by Sāṅkhyas in introductory chapter. Bhāsvatī explains that pañcamahābhūtas,five sense organs,five organs of action and mind are sixteen diversified muatations(viśeṣa—particular). The pañcatanmātrās and ego are the six undiversified.(aviśeṣa—non-particular)

Mahat is liṅgamātra (symbol or mere mark) and prakṛti is aliṅga (without any mark or symbol),not indicator of anything.These are states of guṇas.

Prakṛti:

That which procreates or evolves (i.e. brings into existence other tattva) is prakṛti. It is also called pradhāna,the primordial, representing state of equipoise of (the guṇas) sattva, rajas and tamas and is non-evolute.

Sāṅkhyas chart of evolution of prakṛti is given in Introduction/ Chapter 1.

In kārikā 3 they explain it as^[5] —

The primal nature is non-evolute.The group of seven beginnings with the great principle (buddhi) and the rest are both evolvents and evolutes.But the sixteen (five organs of sense, five of action, the mind and the five gross elements) are only evolutes.The spirit is neither the evolvent nor evolute.

Why it evolves is given by Patañjali in following sūtra—

[Read sūtra 2.18 above]

Vyāsa explains,^[6] charactritices of sattva, rajas,and tamas as sentience, mutability and inertia respectively.These are basic principles of external and internal world.Experience means cognition of an object (dṛṣya) as desirable or undesirable.Liberation implies discriminative awareness that real ‘I’ or knower is not an object i.e. seer is different from the object seen. The nature of each different guṇa is influenced by the nature of other two guṇas.The guṇas are the essence of objective world, while bhūtas and the organs are their evolutes.

Vyāsa further explains that witnessing of experience (bhoga) is called ‘bondage’ and witnessing if liberation (apavarga) is called ‘freedom’. Thus, bondage and freedom are not in puruṣa, but in buddhi, puruṣa only witnesses .Vyāsa has given basic six functions of internal instruments of knowledge as–

Reception,retention,recollection,elimination,conception and determination.

These are characteristics of mind. Due to avidyā, reception occurs in buddhi. But with purified buddhi reception becomes clear and puruṣa becomes the experiencer of reception of what is happening in mind.

Taimni opines,^[7] all properties can be reduced to their simplest elements in this physical universe, i.e.

1. wave motion (prakāśa),
2. Action (kriyā) and
3. position (sthiti) and this universe exists for growth and perfection of individual centres of consciousness.

Now conception of guṇātīta state is of much significance and its like jīvanmukta state, who is free from domination of guṇas and illusion of prakṛti. Mind or citta is part of prakṛti and has all triguṇas. But as sattvaguṇa dominates in citta,it becomes medium to understand the ‘puruṣa’, e.g. when sun throws its light on moon, moon is illuminated.Moon is not the source of light.He only reflects sunlight.Similarly,consciousness illumines citta and he gets experiences.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Araṇya, op.cit, p.7

[2]:

Īśvara Kṛṣṇa, Virupākṣānanda ( Tr), op.cit., p.40,42 — [...] ||11|| [...]

[3]:

Ibid,p.45 sacala M ca rjaÁ |gau$ var-Nakmaova tmaÁ p`d-Ipvaccaaqa-ta o va-Ri

[4]:

Taimni, op.cit., p.174

[5]:

Īśvara Kṛṣṇa, Virupākṣānanda ( Tr),op.cit., karika 3 ma-Ulapk` Ritrivaki-Rtma-hda-VaÁ p`k-Ritivakt-R yaÁ sa-Pt |Yaao-DSakst u ivakara o na pk` Ritna-ivaki-RtÁ pu$YaÁ ||3||

[6]:

Araṇya, op.cit,p.162

[7]:

Taimni, op.cit., p.177