24 verses
The Supreme Lord said: Now I shall describe to you the science of Sāḍkhya, which has been perfectly established by ancient authorities. By understanding this science a person can immediately give up the illusion of identity with the body.
Originally, during Satya-yuga, when all men were very expert in spiritual discrimination, and also during the period of annihilation, the Lord was complete, one alone, without difference.
Jñāna means Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān according to Śukadevas statement in SB 1.2.11. This jñāna or Brahman was full (arthaḥ) and devoid of difference during the period of devastation (ayuge), in Satya-yuga and also when there were wise persons skilled in discrimination, with no difference opinions among them.
That one entity, remaining free from material dualities, divided himself into two categoriesprakṛti and jīva, which are beyond words and mind and which are real.
That one entity, the great Brahman, became two in form: māyā, his external energy and the jīva, taṭastha-śakti, the enjoyer of matter. These are described. Brahman is without difference (nirvikalpitam), since the other two are his energies. They are beyond words and mind since prakrṭi is unmanifest and the jīva is very small. They are both called satyam because they are both real.
Of these two categories of manifestation, one is prakṛti, which embodies cause and effect. The other is the conscious living entity, designated as the jīva.
Of the two aṁśas of the Lord, one, māyā, is called prakṛti, which exists as both cause and effect. The other entity is the jīva with knowledge as his nature.
When material nature was agitated by my glance, the three material modesgoodness, passion and ignorancebecame manifest to fulfill the pending desires of the conditioned souls.
The guṇas arose from prakṛti, agitated by my form as Mahā-viṣnu with the permission of the jīvas. The jīvas think, Let us have the processes of karma, jñāna and bhakti. The creation arranges for the jīva according to his karmas.
From these modes arose the primeval sūtra. Mahat-tattva is endowed with sūtra. By the transformation of the mahat-tattva was generated the ahaḍkāra, the cause of the living entities bewilderment.
The first transformation of prakṛti by the guṇas is sūtra, filled with kriyā-śakti. But is not mahat-tattva, with jñāna-śakti first? Yes, mahat-tattva is endowed with sūtra. Mahat-tattva is understood to exist with sūtra. Ahaḍkāra is the cause of the jīvas bewilderment.
False ego, with qualities of matter and spirit, in the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance is the cause of tan-mātras, the senses, and the mind,
Ahaḍkāra (aham) has three functionssattva, rajas and tamas, which produce mind, senses and tan-mātras. Ahaḍkāra is spiritual and material. This means that though it is material, it acts as covering on the spiritual jīva and becomes one with the jīva, in the form of a knot of matter and spirit.
From false ego in the mode of ignorance came the tan-mātras, from which the gross elements were generated. From false ego in the mode of passion came the senses, and from false ego in the mode of goodness arose the eleven devatās and the mind.
Ether and other elements arose from the tan-mātras which arose from ahaḍkāra in tamas. Because their nature causes obscuring, the elements have the quality of tamas. Tan-mātrikāt means from the cause of the taṇ-mātras according to Pāṇini 4.2.80. The ten senses arise from ahaḍkāra in rajas. Because of their nature of action, the senses have the quality of rajas. From ahaḍkāra in sattva arose the devatās and the mind (indicated by ca). Because they have the nature of revealing knowledge, they have the quality of sattva.
Impelled by me, all these elements combined to function in an orderly fashion and together gave birth to the universal egg, which is my excellent place of residence.
Bhāvāḥ means sūtra and other elements.
I appeared within that egg, on the Garbhodaka water, and from my navel arose the universal lotus, the birthplace of Brahmā.
In the shell of the universe, I remained as the second puruṣa on the Garbhodaka. A lotus which is the cause of the world (viśvākhyam) arose from my navel. And on the lotus vairāja Brahmā, the form of Brahmā for enjoyment, appeared. Then four-headed Brahmā appeared.
Lord Brahmā, the soul of the universe, being endowed with the mode of passion, performed great austerities by my mercy and thus created the three planetary divisions, called Bhūr, Bhuvar and Svar, along with their presiding deities.
Heaven was established as the residence of the devatās, Bhuvarloka as that of the ghostly spirits, and the earth system as the place of human beings and other mortal creatures. Those mystics who strive for liberation are promoted beyond these three divisions.
Lord Brahmā created the region below the earth for the demons and the Nāga snakes. In this way the destinations of the three worlds were arranged according to karma in the three guṇas.
The places are allotted according to karma.
By mystic yoga, great austerities and the renounced order of life, the pure destinations of Maharloka, Janoloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka are attained. But by bhakti-yoga, one achieves my abode.
By aṣṭāḍga-yoga, austerity, and jñāna (nyāsasya), one attains the four destinations including Satyaloka. Those who are beyond the guṇas practicing bhakti-yoga, devoid of guṇas, attain Vaikuṇṭha, which is beyond the guṇas.
This world, endowed with karma, has been arranged by me, the Supreme Lord acting as the force of time. Thus one sometimes rises up to Satyaloka and then sinks down to take birth as a plant.
All the destinations made of the guṇas are temporary. This universe is created by me, the Supreme Lord (dhātrā), in the form of my kāla-śakti, giving results of karma. One rises up in saṁsāra (gunā-pravāhe) to Satyaloka and again sinks down to low destinations like plants.
Whatever products exist within this worldsmall or big, thin or fatall are a combination matter and the soul.
The cause pervades the effects. The bodies arising as effects or products (bhāvāḥ) are all endowed with prakṛti and jīva.
The cause of the effect which remains after destruction of the effect also exists in the middle period. The transformed object is real, just as golden earrings or earthen pots are real effects of gold and earth.
How the effect is pervaded by the cause is illustrated. The cause (ādiḥ) of the effect, which remains after the destruction of the effect, remains in the middle period as well. Previously there existed the unmodified cause. Later, by change, an effect arose. The effect is not different from the cause. Though it seems that the effect is therefore false, and the falsity reflects on the cause, both the effect and the cause are actually real. Because of this, the transformation, the effect, is an object that can be used. Thus it is a real object. Golden earrings and necklaces, arising as effects of gold, and dishes arising as effects of earth element, are real and used in daily life.
Accepting its causal nature, the previous condition transforms into another condition. Since the cause exists in the beginning and end it is called real.
Thought both cause and effect are real, satya refers to the cause in statements like mṛttikety eva satyam: earth is the cause. Using a substance, the previous condition creates a second condition. That previous condition is real. Earth, as an indirect cause, creates a pot. The earth is real. What remains in the beginning and in the end is called real or satya. The earth as cause relates with the pot. The pot related to the earth is also real. Prakṛti, the final cause, is thus real. Because the effect arises from the real cause, both cause and effect are real. That is called satya. Thus the Lord has called the cause real. This is the position of sat-kārya-vāda. To show this philosophy, it is thus stated that the cause is called real, rather than the cause is real. In other explanations in this chapter the māyāvāda interpretation of reality is shown to be meaningless since everyone understands the qualities of cause and effect.
Prakrṭi is the material cause, the puruṣa is the foundational cause. Time, the indirect cause, is the agitator of prakṛti. I am all three.
How is the Supreme Lord the highest cause? Prakṛti is famous as the material cause (upādāna) of the effect, the universe. The puruṣa (Supreme Lord) is the adhiṣṭhāna-kāraṇa, the foundational cause (ādhāraḥ), according to some. Time is the indirect cause (nimitta), agitating the guṇas. I, as Brahman, am all of these three, since prakṛti is my śakti, the puruṣa is my aṁśa, and time is my form of action. Because prakṛti is the material cause, I am the material of the universe. But though matter undergoes change, I do not. Though prakṛti is my śakti, it is not my svarūpa-śakti but my external energy. I am famous in scriptures as being beyond māyā in my svarūpā.
As long as the Supreme Lord continues to glance upon prakṛti, the vast material world continues to exist during the period of maintenance, perpetually manifesting through continuous generations for jīvas enjoyment in various bodies.
How long does the creation last? It lasts for the period of maintenance. The multifarious creation with unbroken continuity of generations (paurvāparyena) for the enjoyment of the jīva (arthaḥ) through creation of various bodies (guṇa-visarga) lasts till the end of maintenance or protection by the Lord. When is that end? It lasts as long as the Lord glances, as long as he is desires to protect it.
The visible universe composed of various species and their subdivisions along with various worlds and pervaded by me as time then becomes suitable for destruction.
What happens after that? Destruction is then described. I pervade the universal globe (virāṭ) by my form as time. The universe has a general arrangement of planets or species (loka) and specialized creation as well. This becomes fit for divisions (viśeṣāya) into five elements (pañcatvāya). This means the universe comes suitable for destruction.
apsu pralīyate gandha āpaś ca sva-guṇe rase līyate jyotiṣi raso jyotī rūpe pralīyate
rūpaṁ vāyau sa ca sparśe
līyate so pi cāmbare
ambaraṁ śabda-tan-mātra
indriyāṇi sva-yoniṣu
yonir vaikārike saumya
līyate manasīśvare
śabdo bhūtādim apyeti
bhūtādir mahati prabhuḥ
sa līyate mahān sveṣu
guṇesu guṇa-vattamaḥ
te vyakte sampralīyante
tat kāle līyate vyaye
kālo māyā-maye jīve
jīva ātmani mayy aje
ātmā kevala ātma-stho
vikalpāpāya-lakṣaṇaḥ
At the time of annihilation, the mortal body of the living being becomes merged into food. Food merges into the grains, and the grains merge back into the earth. The earth merges into its tan-mātra, fragrance. Fragrance merges into water, and water further merges into its tan-mātra, taste. That taste merges into fire, which merges into form. Form merges into air, and air merges into touch. Touch merges into ether. Ether finally merges into sound. The senses all merge into their own origins, the presiding devatās, and they, O gentle Uddhava, merge into the controlling mind, which itself merges into ahaḍkāra in the mode of goodness. Sound becomes one with false ego in the mode of ignorance, and all-powerful false ego, the first of all the physical elements, merges into mahat-tattva. The mahat-tattva, possessing qualities, dissolves into the guṇas. These guṇas then merge into the unmanifest prakṛti in due time. Time merges into the jīva covered by māyā. The jīva is embraced by me, Paramātmā, the unborn, who remains alone, without covering, from whom creation and annihilation are manifested.
Śruti says:
tasmād vā etasmād ātmana ākāśaḥ saṁbhūtaḥ | ākāśād vāyuḥ | vāyor agniḥ | agner āpaḥ | adbhyaḥ pṛthivī | pṛthivyā oṣadhayaḥ | oṣadhībhyonnam | annāt puruṣaḥ
From prakṛti arose ether, from ether arose air. From air arose fire. From fire arose water. From water arose earth. From earth arose plants. From plants arose food. From food arose man. Taittirīya Upanisad 2.1
The destruction is now described in the reverse order to the creation. The body merges into food which nourishes it. The body merges after a hundred years or less. Then the food merges into its seeds, since all food is destructible. Seeds merge in the earth. Earth merges into fragrance. Dried by the saṁvartka fire and burned by the fire from the mouth of Saḍkārṣaṇa, earth remains only as fragrance. The senses merge into their origin, ahaḍkāra in rajas. Why does rajas ahaḍkāra merge into the mind, an effect of ahaḍkāra in sattva? Ahaḍkaṛa in rajas is made of knowledge and action and takes the form of the knowledge senses and action senses. The mind however is the controller (īśvare) of the knowledge and action senses. Thus it is said that the ahaḍkāra of rajas merges in the mind. Ether (ambaram) merges into sound tan-mātra. Sound merges into ahaḍkāra in tamas (bhūtādiḥ). Tamas ahaḍkāra and sattva ahaḍkāra merges into mahat-tattva.
Mahat-tattva along with sūtra merge into the guṇas. The guṇas merge into prakṛti. When the guṇas give up their agitation they merge in prakṛti. Prakṛti is a state of the guṇas in equilibrium. The verse seems to say that prakṛti merges in time, but prakṛti cannot be destroyed for it is said:
na tasya kālāvayavaiḥ pariṇāmādayo guṇāḥ
anādy anantam avyaktaṁ nityaṁ kāraṇam avyayam
That prakṛti is not subject to the six kinds of transformation caused by the influence of time. Rather, it has no birth, no death, no existence, no increase, no change, and no decrease. It is the cause of the universe. SB 12.4.19
In the description of destruction told by Antarikṣa in the story of Jāyanteya,1 destruction of prakṛti is not mentioned (SB 11.3.15). This is summarized later:
layaḥ prākṛtiko hy eṣa puruṣāvyaktayor yadā
śaktayaḥ sampralīyante vivaśāḥ kāla-vidrutāḥ
The annihilation is called prākṛtika when the energies belonging to the Supreme Lord and prakṛti, disassembled by the force of time, merge together totally. SB 12.4.22
The sentence then means simply At that time (kale) the guṇas merge into prakṛti (avyakte). Material, conventional time which has been created (not the time element) merges in the jīva covered by māyā (māyā-maye), which is indestructible (avyaye). The jīva should not lose his svarūpa and merge like the other elements since he eternally exists as the taṭastha-śakti. Though it says that the jīva merges into Paramātmā, this means that the jīva with his undestroyed svarūpa is embraced by Paramātmā. Paramātmā remains without any upādhis (ātmā-sthaḥ) from whom it is seen that creation and destruction of the universe arises.
Just as the rising sun removes the darkness of the sky, how can false identity with the body remain in the heart of a person who searches out the truth?
How can the error of the mind in terms of identifying with the body remain, after developing discrimination of ātmā and body by Sāḍkhya, and understanding the body is not the self?
Thus I, the perfect seer of everything material and spiritual, have spoken this knowledge of Sāḍkhya, which destroys the illusion of doubt by analysis of creation and annihilation.
Thus ends the commentary on the Twenty-fourth Chapter of the Eleventh Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas.
In the Twenty-fourth Chapter the elements from which the universe evolves and into which it dissolves are described. It was understood from the son of the Avantī brāhmaṇa that the cause of suffering was the self-identity in the subtle body predominated by the mind. That false identity disappears when one distinguishes the ātmā from the body. This is rooted in Sāḍkhya. Therefore the Lord teaches Sāḍkhya. By Sāḍkhya one can give up the illusion of identity with the body (vaikalpikam).