Sankhya Darshan

Sankhya Darshana
Author –Maharshi Kapil
Time period- 6th century BC
Source- Samkhya-pravachana-sutram
Total sutra- 527
Main text – Sankhya Karika
Synoname – Shasti Tantra
Prayojan – Moksha Prapti& Dukha Traya Nasha.
Commentary of Sankhya Karika

commentator commentary
1. Vachaspati Mishra Sankhya Tatva Kaumudi

2. Gaudpaad 1.Bhashya
2.Matharavritti
3. Shankarachary Jaymangal

4. Rajan Yukti Dipika

 Introduction
• 2 types – Seshwar Sankhya (believe in God)
Nirishwar Sankhya (don’t believe in God)
• Sankhya word denotes knowledge &number.
• It gives a complete knowledge of Prakriti and Purusha.
• 25 Tatvas of the universe are first mentioned in this Darshana hence
known as a Sankhya Darshana.
Objects of Sankhya Darshan
1. Trividha Dukha
2. Srushti Utpatti
3. Trividha Praman
4. Satkarya Vaad
5. 24 Guna
• The enquiry into this system of philosophy is to find out the means for
eradicating the three sorts of pain (Trividha Dukha) namely
Adhyatmika, Adhibhautika & Adhidaivika.
• These are said as a Heya.
आद्ध्यात्मिक –
This can be of further two types - Physical and Mental.
• Physical Pains: These are caused due to imbalance of Vaata, Pitta
and Kapha.
• Mental Pains: These are caused due to various emotions such as
काम, क्रोध, मद, मोह, लोभ, भय, मत्सर, राग, द्वेष. Various mental diseases,
worries, tensions, depression are examples of this pain.
आदिभौतिक
External or Adhibhautika -These are pains caused due to this physical
world. Problems caused due to thorns, animals, scorpion, thunder,
cold, heat, rain etc.
आदिदैविक
Adhidaivika –vyadhi due to दैव etc. factors like diseases caused due to
flood, earthquake etc.
How to get free from trividha Dukha?
• According to Samkhya Darshana one who has the knowledge of the
twenty five principles, can free from this pain.
• The ultimate cessation of the three kinds of pain is the final goal of
life.
• The salvation is the cause to remove the three types of miseries.
 Srishti utpatti

Mula Prakriti + purusha

Mahat

Ahankara

Satvika Rajsika Tamsika

11 Indriya Pancha Tanmatra

Pancha Mahabhuta
 Srishti utpatti
• Prakriti is a balance state of triguna when it combine with purusha
disturbance occurred in balance state of Triguna and creation of
universe starts.
• First Mahat Tatva evolved then from Mahat, Ahankar was evolved.
• It is of three types satvik, Rajasik and Tamasik.
 Srishti utpatti
• Satvik Ahankar with the help of Rajasik Ahankar creates 11 indriyas
and tamasik Ahankar with the help of Rajasik Ahankar creates Pancha
Tanmatra.
• Pancha Mahabhoota are created from Pancha Tanmatra.
 Name of Tatva Specificity Sankhya
Moola prakriti Prakriti 1
Gives birth to other

Mahat, Ahankara & Prakriti & Vikruti 7

Pancha Tanmatra Gives & takes birth

Ekadasha Indriya & Vikriti 16

Pancha Mahabhuta Takes birth from others

Purusha Na Prakriti, Na Vikriti 1

Neither gives nor takes
birth
Prakruti –balance state of Triguna
Purusha- it is the 25th Tatva of Sankhya Darshana.it is Chaitanya
Swaroop but Nishkriya with the help of prakriti causes creation. It is
nirguna, nirvikara & Sakshi.
Mahat- A person gets the knowledge of Kartavya- Akartavya by Mahat.
Ahankara – it creates the feeling of proud.
5 sensory organs- responsible for sensory perception
5 Motor organs – responsible for different functions.
Man- behave as a Ubhayendriya, when combine with sensory organs
Pancha Tanmatra- microscopic structures.
Panchamahabhuta – basic elements of any substance.
Pangavandha Nyaya
• Purusha is chetan but does nothing and prakriti is Achetana but have
a quality to do. Purusha is consider as a lame person who can not
walk and prakriti is consider as a blind person who can not see. These
both are independently can not do any creation, but when lame
person sit on the blind person shoulder he guides the right way and
they reach to their destination. Same way when prakriti and Purusha
associated with each other they create the universe. This theory is
known as Pangavandha Nyaya.
 Trividha Pramana
• In order to prove the tattvas, different kinds of proof (means of right
cognition) are to be described. Samkhya philosophy uses Pratyaksha,
Anumana & Shabda pramanas as the only reliable means of gaining
knowledge.
 Karana-Karya Vaad
• All the darshanas accept cause and effect theory. For production of
any effect existence of cause is mandatory.
• Here Acharya Kapila narrated Satkarya Vaad and Parinam Vaad to
explain the theory of creation.
 Satkarya vada
Satkarya vada- Karya is existed in Karana prior to its manifestation.
Karya is transformation of Karana.
Karya resides in Karana in invisible form.
Acharya proved the theory of Satkarya Vaada by five arguments.
 Satkarya vada
असदकरणात् उपादान ग्रहणात् सर्व संभवाभावात् |
शक्तस्यशक्यकरणात् कारणभावात् सत्कार्यम् || (सां.द.)

1) असद् अकरणात्–non existent karya can not be produced from Karana.

e.g. तीक्ष्णता –कफ

2) उपादान ग्रहणात्- To produce a particular Karya its inherent cause can only
be procured. e.g. उरोदाह -पित्त
 Satkarya vada
3)सर्व संभव अभावात्–everything can not be produced from everything.
e.g. शतावरी is not an only medicine for all disease.

4) शक्तस्य शक्य करणात्-an effective cause only can produce an effective

Karya.e.g. weak causative factors can not produce disease.

5) कारणभावात्– Features of Karana are invariably transferred into

Karya.e.g- oil produce oiliness in body.
 Parinamvada
• Parinamvada- parinam means change or transformation. Objects
transform from one stage to other , but never be produce or destruct.
• Here only change of form occurs.
• For e.g.- panchamahabhoota are gross form of Panchatanmatra.
 Triguna
Triguna are known as Mahaguna.
Satva is Laghu (light in nature), Prakashak (enlighten), Sukhakarak
(provides pleasure).
Rajo guna is Chal (active) , Prerak (stimulating) , Dukhakarak (provides
pain).
Tama Guna is Guru (heavy in nature), Manda( slow) and Jadatva karak
(produce ignorance).
 24 guna
roopa, rasa, gandha, Sparsha, Shabda
Paratva, Apartva,, sankhya, Parimana, prithaktva, Samyoga, Vibhag
vega, dravatva, sneha
Buddhi, Sukha, Dukha, Iccha, Dwesha, Prayatna,
Dharma, Adharma,Bhavana,
Relation between Ayurveda and Sankhya
Darshana
• Ayurveda adopted creation of Srishti as it is from Sankhya Darshan.
Acharya charak narrated srishti utpatti from Avyakta while Acharya
Sushruta accepted it as it is from Sankhya Darshana.
• Triguna are narrated as a mahaguna and guna of Mana. These are
accepted to explain the Manas Prakriti.
Relation between Ayurveda and Sankhya
Darshana
• Ayurveda use the theory of parinamvada to explain the Dhatu Utpatti
process. Rasa is transformed into Rakta, rakta is converted into Mansa.
In this manner next Dhatus are produced from former Dhatu with the
help of Agni.

• Ayurveda accepted the theory of Satkarya Vaad in disease

manifestation. Every disease have its particular Nidana. All the Nidana
are not capable to produce all the disease.
Relation between Ayurveda and Sankhya
Darshana
• Trividha dukha i.e. Adhyatmika, Adhibhautika and Adhidaivika are
accepted as Trividha Vyadhi.