Samkhya thoughts in the Mahabharata
by Shini M.V. | 2017 | 51,373 words
This page relates ‘Twenty-four Tattvas of Samkhya philosophy’ of the study of Samkhya thought and philosophy as reflected in the Shanti-Parva of the Mahabharata. Samkhya represents one of the six orthodox schools of Indian Philosophy and primarily deals with metaphysical knowledge and explains the Universe without the need to introduce God. The Mahabharata is an ancient Sanskrit epic which includes many Sankhya theories while expounding twenty-five principles.
Twenty-four Tattvas of Sāṃkhya philosophy
It comes in the 310th chapter in the Śāntiparva Yājñavalkya and Janaka Saṃvāda Yājñavalkya describe the twenty four principles.
aṣṭau prakṛtayaḥ proktāvikāraścāpi ṣoḍaśa |
tatra tu prakṛtīraṣṭau prāhuradhyātmacintakāḥ || [1]
Of the twenty four tattvas, eight tattvas have been called by the name of nature, while sixteen have been called changes.
avyaktaṃ ca mahāntaṃ ca tathāhaṅkāra eva ca |
pṛthivī vāyurākāśamāpo jyotiśca pañcamam ||
etāḥ prakṛtayastvaṣṭau vikārānapi me śṛṇu |
śrotraṃ tvakcauva cakṣuśca jihvā ghrāṇaṃ ca pañcamam ||
śabdaḥ sparśaśca rūpaṃ ca raso gandhastathaiva ca |
vāk ca hastau ca pādau ca pāyurmeḍhraṃ tathaiva ca || [2]
The unmanifest, greatness, consciousness and the five subtle elements of earth, wind, ether, water and light are known by the name of Nature. Listen now to the enumeration of those called changes. They are the ear, the skin, the eye, the tongue and the nose, and sound, touch, form, taste and scent, speech, the two arms the two feet, the lower duct and the organ of pleasure.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Mahābhārata XII, 310-10.
[2]:
Mahābhārata XII, 310–11-13.