Samkhya thoughts in the Mahabharata

by Shini M.V. | 2017 | 51,373 words

Hinduism Hindu Philosophy Samkhya Purana

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Summary: This essay studies the Samkhya thoughts and philosophy as reflected in the Shanti-Parva of the Mahabharata. Samkhya refers to an ancient system of Indian Philosophy dealing with liberation by way of metaphysical knowledge. The Sankhya philosophy explains the Universe without the need to introduce God. The Mahabharata is an ancient Sanskrit epic which includes many Samkhya theories while expounding twenty-five principles.

Source 1: exoticindiaart.com
Source 2: shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in

Contents of this online book ( + / - )

The full text of the Samkhya thoughts in the Mahabharata in English is available here and publically accesible (free to read online). Of course, I would always recommend buying the book so you get the latest edition. You can see all this book’s content by visiting the pages in the below index:

+ Chapter 1 - Introduction

. Introduction to Indian philosophy

. Introduction to Sāṃkhya Darśana

. Introduction to Yoga Darśana

. Introduction to Itihāsa

. Introduction to the Mahābhārata

. Historical context of Mahābhārata

. Resume

+ Chapter 2 - The Principles of Sāṃkhya Philosophy

. Introduction to Sāṃkhya Philosophy

. Sāṃkhya Definition and Meaning

. Introduction to the Sāṃkhyakārika of Īśvarakṛṣṇa

. Three-fold misery (i.e., Three kinds of pain)

. Pramāṇas (independent sources of valid knowledge)

. Theory of causation (Satkāryavāda)

. Three Guṇas (principals of Prakṛti)

. The twenty-five principles

. Prakṛti (the first principle of the universe)

. Mahat (synonym of Buddhi)

. Ahaṃkāra (the product of Mahat)

. Tanmātras (the five subtle elements)

. Indriya (sense and motor organs)

. Mind (the eleventh organ)

. The five Mahābhūtas (physical elements)

. Puruṣa (the transcendental self)

. Liberation (Mukti or Kaivalya)

. Branches of Sāṃkhya

. Sāṃkhya Philosophers

. Works on Sāṃkhya

. Resume

+ Chapter 3 - The Philosophical Tenets in the Śānti-parva

. Introduction to the Śāntiparva

. Piṅgala-gītā (summary)

. Śampāka-Gītā (Summary)

. Maṅki-gītā (Summary)

. Bodhya-gītā (Summary)

. Vicakhnu-gītā (Summary)

. Hārīta-gītā (Summary)

. Vṛtra-gītā (Summary)

. Parāśara-gītā (Summary)

. Haṃsa-gītā (Summary)

. Peculiarities of the four Varṇas

. The four manners of life

. Gārhastya (The life of house holders)

. Vānaprastha (The life in forest)

. Sannyāsa (The mode of life having liberation for its end)

. Bharadvāja Bṛgu Saṃvāda

. Syūmaraśmi Kapila Saṃvāda

. Nārada Asīta Devala Saṃvāda

. Samaṅga Nārada Saṃvāda

. Vasiṣṭha Karāla Janaka Saṃvāda

. Yājñavalkya king Janaka Saṃvāda

. Rāja Janaka Pañcaśikha Saṃvāda

. Vyāsa Śuka Deva Saṃvāda

. Yoga Philosophy in Śānti-parva

. Principles in Yoga Philosophy

. Vidyā and Avidyā in Yoga Philosophy

. How to practice Yoga

. Īśvara in Yoga Philosophy

. Vedānta Philosophy

. Knowledge and Ignorance

. Relation of the the individual soul and the the supreme soul

. The doctrine of Kośas (five sheaths)

. The concept of Ātman

. Various attitudes of the Ātman

. General notion of the Brahman

. The Concept of Liberation

. Resume

+ Chapter 4 - Sāṃkhya thoughts in the Śānti-parva of Mahābhārata

. Sāṃkhya philosophy in the Śānti-parva and (Introduction)

. The Nature of Sāṃkhya thoughts

. The Three Pramāṇas of Sāṃkhya

. Satkāryavāda

. Triguṇa (the three Guṇas) in the Śāntiparva

. Sṛṣṭi Prakriya

. Sūkṣma Śarīra

. The Narration of Vāyu

. Prakṛti in the Śāntiparva

. Mahat (Buddhi) in the Śāntiparva

. Ahaṃkāra in the Śāntiparva

. Philosophy of the Mind in the Śāntiparva

. The Mahābhūtas (five main elements)—Introduction

. The creation of Mahābhūtas (five main elements)

. Puruṣa in the Śāntiparva

. Jīvanmukta (Jeevan Mukta)—Liberated Souls

. The philosophy of Rebirth

. The philosophy of Liberation

. Four Tattvas of Sāṃkhya philosophy

. Five Tattvas of Sāṃkhya philosophy

. Six Tattvas of Sāṃkhya philosophy

. Eight Tattvas of Sāṃkhya philosophy

. Sixteen Tattvas of Sāṃkhya philosophy

. Seventeen and Eighteen Tattvas of Sāṃkhya philosophy

. Nineteen and Twenty Tattvas of Sāṃkhya philosophy

. Twenty-four Tattvas of Sāṃkhya philosophy

. Twenty-five Tattvas of Sāṃkhya philosophy

. Twenty-six Tattvas of Sāṃkhya philosophy

. Thirty-eight Tattvas of Sāṃkhya philosophy

. Resume

Chapter 5 - Conclusion

Chapter 5b - Relevance of the study

Chapter 5c - Findings of the study

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Last Updated: 04 January, 2025

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