Samkhya thoughts in the Mahabharata
by Shini M.V. | 2017 | 51,373 words
This page relates 鈥楳anki-gita (Summary)鈥� 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.
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惭补峁卥颈-g墨t膩 (Summary)
The 惭补峁卥颈g墨t膩 consists of fifty verses. It begins with the story of two bullocks belonging to a Muni named 惭补峁卥颈. The spiritual aspirant tied the two bullocks to a yoke with the purpose of training them so that he could acquire more money by utilizing them for an agricultural work. Unfortunately, the bullocks hit a camel that was lying on the field. When the camel rose up, he found the two bullocks dangling on either side of camel鈥檚 neck. He started running and Muni realized that his bullocks would be injured and might even die.
This unexpected loss brought Muni to a state of enlightenment.
鈥淚 shall not gratify those wishes of yours which are inimical to me. Indifference to worldly concerns, renunciation, contentment, tranquillity, veracity, self control, forgiveness and universal mercy, have now come to be my qualifications.鈥�
鈥淭herefore, let Desire, Cupidity Thirst and Miserliness, bid me aided. I have now taken to the path of Goodness.鈥�
鈥淗aving renounced desire and cupidity my happiness has now been great. I shall no longer surrender me to the influence of cupidity nor shall I undergo the pangs of misery like a person of impure soul.鈥�[1]
鈥淔orsooth, on account of the loss of his two bulls, 惭补峁卥颈 attained to immortality. In fact because he laid the axe at the very roots of desire, he succeeded, through that means to obtain for himself supreme happiness.鈥�[2]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
艢膩ntiparva 177, 45-47