Part 4 - Similarities and Dissimilarities on the concept of Creation and Dissolution

[Full title: Similarities and Dissimilarities on the concept of Creation and Dissolution of the Sāṃkhya with that of the Bhāgavatapurāṇa]

The theory of creation and dissolution is one of the fundamental topics discussed by almost all the Purāṇas and schools of Indian philosophy. The theory of creation persists in the Purāṇas. All the Purāṇas devote some section of their texts to the treatment of the creation and dissolution of the universe. The Sāttvika Purāṇas accept Viṣṇu or Nārāyaṇa as the ultimate cause of the world, in the Rājasika Purāṇas accept Brahmā as the principal cause, while the Tāmasika Purāṇas accepts Śiva is the ultimate cause of the universe. Actually the Purāṇic theory of creation corresponds to the Sāṃkhya theory of creation to a great extend. Both Sāṃkhya philosophy and the Bhāgavatapurāṇa propounded their own theories of creation and dissolution. There exist some similarities and some dissimilarities regarding the concept of creation and dissolution in both Sāṃkhya system and the Bhāgavatapurāṇa.

The Purāṇas hold that creation and dissolution occur in a cyclic order and the period of each of them is equal. It is a natural phenomenon and an act of Supreme God having creative energy. The Bhāgavatapurāṇa admits God as the Ultimate Reality. The whole creation of this universe comes out from Him and at the time of dissolution all beings merge in to Him.

But Sāṃkhya accepts Prakṛti as the root cause of the universe, the world evolves when Prakṛti comes into relation with Puruṣa. The Sāṃkhya holds that the close proximity of Puruṣa and Prakṛti is sufficient to run the scheme of evolution. Prakṛti and Puruṣa are two basic factors for production of the prapañca. The Sāṃkhya is notable for its theory of creation which takes place in many other systems of thought and which is also seen in the theory of creation of the Bhāgavatapurāṇa. Both admit that Puruṣa and Prakṛti together create the prapañca. But the basic difference is that the Bhāgavatapurāṇa holds the view that all the circumstances happens only the guidance of the Lord while Sāṃkhya accepts Prakṛti as the cause of the evolution of the universe. The evolutionary process of Sāṃkhya is indeterminate to determinate, from homogeneity to heterogeneity and from the more subtle to gross.

It is accepted by the scholars that the Sāṃkhya philosophy is much older than the Bhāgavatapurāṇa. Puranic theory of creation is mostly indebted to the Sāṃkhya theory of creation. Though we find the influence of Sāṃkhya philosophy in the Bhāgavatapurāṇa, a great difference is noticed to exist regarding the ultimate cause of the universe. Like the Sāṃkhya philosophy,the Bhāgavata also accepts Prakṛti as the cause of the universe which is the possessor of three guṇas viz., sattva, rajas and tamas.

According to the Bhāgavatapurāṇa, Supreme Brahman creates this universe with the help of Prakṛti, and Prakṛti is the dependent entity of God. But in Sāṃkhya philosophy, Prakṛti is the ultimate cause which doesn’t require any guidance for creating this world, it is an independent entity. Though the Bhāgavatapurāṇa accepts the evolutionary system of Sāṃkhya philosophy, yet it accords Prakṛti in a subordinate place in their metaphysical concepts. Because according to the Bhāgavatapurāṇa, the whole cosmic process of evolution is entirely dependent on the omnipresent, omnipotent and omnipresent Supreme Being. The Sāṃkhya does not postulate the existence of God whereas the Bhāgavatapurāṇa clearly mentions that Prakṛti evolves under the supervision of God. In the Sāṃkhya philosophy, Puruṣa is not regarded as a cause. Only the proximity of Puruṣa is sufficient for Prakṛti to start the creation. The Sāṃkhya reveals that the equilibrium of Prakṛti is disturbed by the proximity of Puruṣa. However, the Bhāgavatapurāṇa holds that it is kāla that upsets the equilibrium state of Prakṛti.

The question arises amongst all the scholars regarding the role of Puruṣa in process of evolution that how the inactive and conscious principle Puruṣa acts over such inert and active principle like Prakṛti. The Sāṃkhya gives the answer of this question very skillfully by following an example of a lame and blind person.^[1] These two principles cooperate in the same way as a blind man and lame man cooperate with each other. The lame man may sit on the shoulders of the blind man and helps to take the right path to the blind man and the blind man may walk in the proper path and thus reach the destination. In this way, the inactive and conscious Puruṣa comes in to contact with the unconscious and the active principle Prakṛti and that proximity creates disturbance in the balanced form of Prakrti and the process of evolution starts. But from the above example Sāṃkhya can’t solve the doubt. We find more logical explanation in the Bhāgavatapurāṇa where it is said that the Supreme Lord is the ultimate cause of the universe, not Prakṛti. The above mentioned riddle is solved in the Bhāgavatapurāṇa by making Prakrti as the dependent entity of it and also by making God as the guiding principle of all. Prakṛti manifests things by transforming the causes into effects, which are already hidden in them. Thus, the school of Sāṃkhya believes in the theory of evolution or transformation (parināma vāda). Using the triple guṇas and its various realities (tattvas) it creates numerous beings and objects. However, Prakṛti cannot also create alone life forms without the participation of the souls. Creation begins, when the equilibrium of the guṇas in Prakṛti becomes disturbed and its realities manifest. According to Sāṃkhya, evolutes of Prakṛti are^[2] mahat, buddhi, ahaṃkāra, manas, pañca jñānedriyas, pañca karmendriyas, pañca tanmātras and pañca mahābhutas

The mahat is the first reality to emerge from Prakrti, From mahat ahṃkāra or the feeling of individuality evolves. From ahaṃkāra accordingly sāttvika, rājasa and tāmasa come out. The manas (mind), the pañca jñānendriyas (the five organs of knowledge) and the pañca karmendriyas (the five organs of action) come forth from sāttvika ahaṃkāra, and the five tanmātras (subtle elements) viz., śabda, sparśa, rūpa, rasa and gandha are emerged from tāmasa ahaṃkāra and from, pañca tanmātras,the pañca mahābhutas (five gross elements).

The sāttvika Purāṇas have much in common with the Sāṃkhya system in the scheme of elementary creation, except some minor differences.

In the Sāṃkhya, it is said that, from sāttvika ahaṃkāra the ten organs and manas come out, the five tanmātras are produced from tāmasika ahaṃkāra and rajasika ahaṃkāra stands in plays in two ways.^[3] But according to the Bhāgavatapurāṇa, the ten gods who presided over the ten organs and manas are emerged from the vaikārika or sāttvika ahaṃkāra, the ten organs arise from the taijasa or rājasika ahaṃkāra.^[4] in the Bhāgavatapurāṇa, under the influence of the Supreme Person, the first disturbance in the equilibrium state of the guṇas follows from kāla.The primary creation process laid down in this Purāṇa corresponds to that in the Sāṃkhya system but the most important thing in this Purāṇa is the concept of kāla. It is noticed that kāla plays a vital role in the Bhāgavatapurāṇa. Kāla does not mean mere time only, it is kāla, a form of lord Viṣṇu^[5] who upsets the equilibrium state of three guṇas.^[6] But in Sāṃkhya philosophy, there is no mention of kāla. In the Sāṃkhy scheme that rajas does not take part for the emergence of the ten senses, while the Bhāgavatapurāṇa does. Besides, in Sāṃkhya, in the beginning of creation the equilibrium of the guṇas is disturbed by the proximity of Puruṣa.^[7] But in the Bhāgavatapurāṇa, it is kāla, the transcendental divine power which is involved in the process of creation of the world. It is the instrumental cause.^[8]

Further, describing the evolutionary series, when the God desires to run the process of creation, He disturbs the balance of Prakṛti with the help of Kāla and by the favorable condition of the adṛṣṭa of the jīvas God creates the universe. In the Bhāgavatapurāṇa, kāla is considered as the 25^th principle.^[9] But the noteworthy point is that in the Sāṃkhya philosophy, we don’t find kāla as a tattva or something else connected in the evolutionary process.

In the Bhāgavatapurāṇa, like Sāṃkhya, at first, the principle mahat is evolved. In mahat tattva, sattva and rajas are predominant. When rajas and tamas manifest themselves in mahattattva it is transformed into ahaṃkāratattva with predominance of tamas. After that transformation of ahaṃkāra tattva, it becomes three fold i.e., sāttvika, rājasika and tāmasika. This three types of ahaṃkāra is also known as jñānaśakti(potency to produce devas), kriyāśakti (potency to produce indriyas) and dravyaśakti (potency to produce bhūtas) respectively.^[10] But Sāṃkhya philosophy does not offer such kind of description.

Moreover, we have mentioned above about the ten presiding deities whose are found in the Bhāgavatapurāṇa mentions.^[11] The idea of which is totally absent in the Sāṃkhya philosophy. The mind emerges from the vaikārika or sāttvika ahaṃkāra, the ten organs come out of the taijasa or rājasaika ahaṃkāra. The situation is similar for the tanmātras and the mahābhūtas. The Sāṃkhya philosophy maintains that tanmātras are derived from tāmasika ahaṃkāra and the mahābhūtas are derived from their corresponding tanmātras i.e., space from sound, wind from touch etc.

The Bhāgavatapurāṇa provides it with a slight variation. It states that from tāmasika ahaṃkāra, first of all ākaśa comes out, whose subtle form attribute is sound and leads to the knowledge of the seer and the seen. On account of air being connected with sky through causation, sound also is another attribute of it and it is also the cause of life, vigorousness of senses, mind and the body. Due to time, karma, vāyu, underwent modifications and tejas (heat), possessing colour and form inheriting the characteristics of the previous elements touch and sound, was evolved. From tejas, undergoing changes, was produced water with taste as its special characteristic. Through inheritance from the previous elements, water possessed the characteristics viz., form, colour, touch and sound. Out of water undergoing transformation, came forth the earth or the viśeṣa, with smell as its special attribute, and inheriting from its previous causes, the attributes of taste, touch, sound and form or colour.

From ākaśa, sparśa is produced and from that vāyu sprang out. Then vāyu is transformed into rupa-tanmātra and from it teja comes into existence and from ap earth comes out. Ākaśa possesses the quality of sound, vāyu possesses touch and sound. Again water possesses taste, colour, touch and sound inheriting the attributes and previous elements.^[12]

Besides, the Bhāgavatapurāṇa has enumerated ten types of creationwhich come under three broad divisions viz., prākṛta, vaikṛta and prākṛtavaikṛta^[13] which corresponds to the description in other sāttvika Purāṇas but not to the Sāṃkhya philosophy . Sāṃkhya philosophy does not mention these types of creations.

Further, explaining the evolutionary process, the Bhāgavatapurāṇa accepts the theory of cosmic egg, whereas in the Sāṃkhya we don’t find this kind of theory at all. According to the Bhāgavatapurāṇa, for thousands of years the egg rested in the water and within that egg Lord Hari resides from whose body fourteen worlds emerge. Hari stays in that golden egg which was lying in water and as He divided it into many parts and the process of evolution started.^[14] But Sāṃkhya philosophy doesn’t mention the concept of cosmic egg.

Though the Bhāgavatapurāṇa explains the theory of creation in the light of Sāṃkhya yet there exist variations also. In the Sāṃkhya system, the theory of creation is known as satkāryavāda. It advocates the effect is a real modification of its cause. Production is not creation of something new. It is only a modification of the cause.

Before creation all the things existed in a subtle form in it. At the time of creation these were modified into gross or and in the dissolution all things are absorbed into Prakṛti. The world is a manifestation of Prakṛti only.

However, the Bhāgavatapurāṇa refers to the fact that this phenomenal world is a creation of māyā. The individual selves, the subtle elements along with māyā etc., remain hidden at the time of dissolution which is again viewed at the time of new creation. Pṛakṛti including all living beings have no separate existence from Brahman. All these are non separated from Brahman and it does not accept the theory of satkāryavāda as Sāṃkhya does.

Further, regarding pralaya both the Sāṃkhya and the Bhāgavatapurāṇa admit different theories. Sāṃkhya philosophy admits that in the process of dissolution all the twenty-four principles go back to its original stuff i.e., Prakṛti. In dissolution the physical existence, all the worldly objects mingle back into Prakṛti, which remains as the undifferentiated, primordial substance. Sāṃkhya philosophy admits if there is anything real in the universe is only energy or Prakṛti. All elements go back to Prakṛti only. The five gross elements and the eleven organs resolve into the five subtle elements. Further mahat is reunited with nature.^[15] But Purāṇas explain the dormant period of Brahmā as laya i.e., a period of complete dissolution. The Bhāgavatapurāṇa elaborately discusses the process of dissolution as fourfold—nitya, naimittika, prākṛtika and ātyantika.^[16] However, Sāṃkhya system of thought doesn’t mention these types of dissolution. It only says in the time of pralaya, the whole universe submerges in lap of Prakṛti. But the Bhāgavatapurāṇa says at the time of dissolutionthe whole universe sleeps in the lap of Nārāyaṇa. In the period of pralaya heaven, earth and the space remain dissolved. In the Bhāgavatapurāṇa it is mentioned that at the end of kalpa an equally long period of pralaya.^[17] Such dissolution is called naimittika pralaya.

The Bhāgavatapurāṇa says after the expiry of the life time of Brahmā, all the elements of Prakṛti get dissolved in their origin known as prākritika pralaya. When the life time of Brahmā, the greatest of all consisting of two prarārdhas, has expired, all the seven causal principles actually get dissolved.^[18] In this state of pralaya, the whole combination known as the cosmic egg breaks up. As the subdivisions of Prakṛti as well as the Cosmic Egg which is formed by their combination get dissolved, this pralaya is called prākritikapralaya.^[19] This pralaya occurs when the whole brahmāṇḍa dissolves in Prakṛti. Prakṛti reduces its three modes to the state equilibrium impaled by the time. Thus, the seven forms of Prakṛti from mahat to earth enter successively into their causes. But the Sāṃkhya system does not mention about the cosmic egg.

Again nitya pralaya is that in which destruction is going on daily for all animate and inanimate objects born on earth.^[20] Last one ātyantika pralaya.^[21] This is the great deluge made by Prakṛti at the end of a thousand caturyugas. This is the union of the soul with the Supreme Being due to jñāna. This kind of description is not mentioned in the Sāṃkhya system.

It is clear from the aforesaid discussion that the theory of creation of the Bhāgavatapurāṇa is mostly dependent on the Sāṃkhya theory of creation. There may be some differences on certain aspects, but on various steps of evolution they are similar to each other. Thus, it can be said that, the Bhāgavatapurāṇa describes the process of evolution of the universe in its own method incorporating some concepts of Sāṃkhya philosophy, however with slight variations. But in the conception of dissolution we find a little similarity and a vast dissimilarity in these two sources.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

paṅgvandhabadubhayorapi saṃyogastatkṛtaḥ/ Sāṃkhyakārikā , 21(b).;

[2]:

mūlaprakṛtirabikṛtirmahadādyāḥ prakṛtivikṛtayaḥ sapta/
ṣoḍaśakaśtu vikāro, na pakṛtirna vikṛtiḥ puruṣaḥ// Sāṃkhyakārikā , 3

[3]:

abhimāno’haṃkārastasmād……………………….tāsasastaijasādubhayam// Sāṃkhyakārikā , 24-25

[4]:

tāmasād………………………………..guṇānvitaḥ/ Bhāgavata-purāṇa , 2.5.25-29

[5]:

prabhāvaṃ pauruṣaṃ prāhuḥ kālameke yato bhayaṃ/ Ibid., 3.26.16 (a)

[6]:

kālādguṇavyatikaraḥ pariṇāmaḥ svabhāvataḥ/ Ibid., 2.5.22 (a);

[7]:

pradhānapuruṣasaṃyogāt sargasyotpattih/ Gauḍapādabhāṣya on Sāṃkhyakārikā , 21.

[8]:

kālaṃ karma…………….vibubhūṣurūpādade// Bhāgavata-purāṇa , 2.5.22;

[9]:

etāvāneva saṃkhyāto brahmaṇaḥ saguṇasya ha/
sanniveśo mayā prokto yaḥ kālaḥ pañcaviṅśakaḥ// Ibid., 3.26.15

[10]:

Ibid., 2.5.24

[11]:

vaikārikānmano…………………….mitrakāḥ / Ibid., 2.5.30

[12]:

Ibid., 2.5.25-29

[13]:

sargo navabidhastasya prākṛto vaikṛtastu yaḥ //
kāladravyaguṇoursya tribidhaḥ pratisaṃkarmaḥ // Ibid., 3.10.13

[14]:

Ibid, 3.26.52-53

[15]:

Sāṃkhyakārikā , 15

[16]:

nityo naimittikaścaiva tathā prākṛtiko layaḥ/
ātyantikaśca kathitaḥ kālasya gatirīdṛśī// Bhāgavata-purāṇa , 12.4.37

[17]:

tadante pralayastāvān brāhmī rātrirūdāhatā/
trayo lokā ime tatra kalpante pralayāya hi// Ibid., 12. 4. 3

[18]:

Ibid., 12. 4. 5

[19]:

eva prākṛtiko rājan pralayo iti līyate/
aṇḍakośastu saḍdhāto vidhāta upasādite// Ibid.,12. 4. 6

[20]:

Ibid., 12.4.38;

[21]:

Ibid., 12.4.34