Qualities (21): Prayatna (Effort)

Prayatna (effort) is another special quality which remains in the self. Annaṃbhaṭṭa has given only a very brief description of this quality. He just says activity (kṛti) is effort.^[1] This description of effort is not very clear since effort is not the actual act. It may be said to be the “readiness of the mind coupled with an attempt towards performing that act.”^[2] According to Praśastapāda, prayatna is of two kinds, viz., jīvanapūrvaka and icchādveṣapūrvaka. The first one is that which arises from just living and the second one arises from desire and aversion.^[3]

Viśvanātha says that effort is of three kinds, viz., pravṛtti (inclination), nivṛtti (disinclination) and jivanakāraṇam (that which sustains life). The cause of inclination is the desire to do (cikīrṣā) notion of feasibility through one’s effort (kṛtisādhya), knowledge of being productive of the desirable (iṣṭasādhanatvamati) and the perception of the material (upādānasya adhyakṣyam). Disinclination arises from aversion and the knowledge of producing something repugnant.^[4] The effort which sustains life is described as the cause of the movement of the vital force in the body.^[5] This continues throughout life, and it is beyond senses.