Chapter 3.3e - Refutation of other schools

The origin or creation of all the basics from the buddhi to the minutest thing is done by bringing about changes in the Prakṛti. This is caused because to liberate each Puruṣa and it is for the cause of somebody else in the guise it is done in the case of Prakṛti. The Prakṛti herself is the one which evolutes things from the buddhi to the tiniest element. This is not the play of God or Brahman or there is any specific cause. If the evolution was entrusted to the later there would be no evolution at all and the Brahman is also inactive here because the pure intelligence is unchanged. In the process of evolution the Prakṛti is uncontrolled by God as the God is inactive here like the carpenter who is inactive does not put to use his tools.^[1]

There is a doubt then if the Prakṛti is ceaselessly active then how the Puruṣa is liberated. The author says that it is just as if the cook who, after the tedious task of cooking retires for a rest similarly the Prakṛti is urged to liberate the Puruṣa and then takes rest.^[2] Though this task is for the sake of others it in turn is beneficial to the one takes its responsibility. Then another doubt which arises is that only the conscious things can take up the work of others, but how the Prakṛti which is insentient takes up the task. The argument is that the Prakṛti needs the control of sentient beings and the Puruṣas which dwells in the body cannot help Prakṛti in this process. This is so because the Puruṣa is ignorant of the possibilities of the Prakṛti and so there should be some other force which helps the Prakṛti and this is explained in the next Kārikā.

Vācaspati Miśra says that though the Prakṛti is insentient it has a definite end of liberating the Puruṣa as the milk of the cow which flows for the nourishment of the calf when it drinks it. The flow of milk cannot be regarded as the action of God and prove that the sentient beings control the insentient beings.^[3] It can thus be said whatever the sentient being does is either out of selfishness or for the good of others. In the case of the creation of the universe this does not prove to be correct. So it cannot be said that the creation is due to the powers of sentient being.

The God on the other hand is the one who has immense and infinite powers to create as He is considered as the Lord of the universe. He does not have any selfish motive, nor has pity or think beneficial for others. If ever God went for pity or benevolence or selfishness the mortal, he creates would be of various nature. Then the deeds of the past would be inactive, which in turn would affect their bodies.

Coming back to Prakṛti's insentient action, the motive behind its ability to create or the urge to create is just for another’s sake.

“parārthyamātrantu prayojakamupapadyate |” ^[4]

Prakṛti does the creation as if for its own purpose is explained by the author as the human beings who are immersed in the deeds to comply with their desires so also the Prakṛti is engaged in the process of liberating the Puruṣa. The yearning when fulfilled will die away. The desired object is the goal of the cause and the result of the deed is the object which is desired.

Here the similarity is clear when it is said that the Prakṛti is the one which is in favour of emancipating the Puruṣa.

"puruṣasya vimokṣārthaṃ pravartate tadvadavyaktam" iti |^[5]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

neśvarādhiṣṭhitaprakṛtikṛto nirvyāpārasyādhiṣṭhātṛtvāsambhavāt| na hi nirvyāpārastakṣā vāsyādyadhitiṣṭhati||
Sāṅkhyatattvakaumudī on Sāṅkhyakārikā 56

[2]:

yathaudanakāma odanāya pāke pravṛttaḥ odanasiddhau nivartate, evaṃ pratyekampuruṣān mocayituṃ pravṛttā prakṛtirye puruṣammocayati taṃ prati punarna pravartate|
Sāṅkhyatattvakaumudī on Sāṅkhyakārikā 56

[3]:

na ca- ’kṣīrapravṛtterapīśvarādhiṣṭhānanibandhanatvena sādhyatvānna sādhyena vyabhicāra’ iti sāmpratam|

[4]:

Sāṅkhyatattvakaumudī on Sāṅkhyakārikā 57

[5]:

Sāṅkhyatattvakaumudī on Sāṅkhyakārikā 58