Gita Rahasya -Tilak
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CHAPTER VII
THE KAPILA SAMKHYA PHILOSOPHY OR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE MUTABLE AND THE IMMUTABLE
(KAPILA SAMKHYA-SASTRA OR KSARAKSARA-VICARA) There does not exist a single object which is purely sattvika, or purely rajasa^ or purely tamasa, In each object, there is an internal warfare going on between the three constituents, and we describe a. particular object as sattvika, rajasa, or tamasa according to- that one of these three constituents which becomes predominant. [1] For instance, when in one's own body the sattva consti- tuent assumes preponderance over the rajas and tamas consti- tuents, Knowledge comes into being in our body and we begin to realise the truth about things and our mind becomes peaceful. It is not that in this mental condition, the rajas and the tamas constituents cease to exist in the body; but as they are repressed, they do not produce any effect. [2] If instead of the sattva constituent, the rajas con- stituent assumes preponderance, then avarice arises in the human heart, and the man is filled with ambition and he is- inspired to do various actions. In the same way, when the tamas constituent assumes preponderance over both the sattva and the rajas constituents, faults like sleep, idleness, confused memory etc. arise in the body. In short, the diversity which exists among the various objects in the world, such as gold,, iron, mercury etc. is the result of the mutual warfare or diversity in intensity of the three constituents, sattva, rajas SAMKHYA SYSTEM & KSARAKSARA-VICARA 215 and Tamos. The consideration as to how this diversity arises when there is only one fundamental Matter is known as ' rijnana '; and this includes all the natural sciences. Tor example, chemistry, the science of electricity, physics etc. are all diverse kinds of j nana, that is, they are vijuana. This fundamental Matter, which is in an equable state, is ' AVYAKTA ', that is, not perceptible to the organs ; and all the various objects which come into existence as a result of the mutual internal warfare of its satt on, rajas and tainas consti- tuents, and become perceptible to the organs, that is to say, all which we see or hear or taste or smell, or touch, goes under the name of ' vyakta ' according to the Samkhya philosophy. ' VYAKTA ' means all the objects which are definitely percept- ible to the organs, whether they become perceptible on account of their form, or colour, or smell, or any other quality. Perceptible objects are numerous, and out of them, trees, stones etc. are GROSS (sthvla); whereas others like the Mind, Reason, Ether etc., though perceptible to the organs, ara SUBTLE (suksma). |
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