Samkhya thoughts in the Mahabharata
by Shini M.V. | 2017 | 51,373 words
This page relates 鈥楪eneral notion of the Brahman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.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
General notion of the Brahman
The Philosophy of the Brahman is the most important concept of the 痴别诲腻苍迟补. The 痴别诲腻苍迟补 is the source of knowledge of the Brahman. The original cause of the universe, ultimate reality, and indestructible principle at the origin of the universe is described by the 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉. The description of Vedic Brahman has been presented in the 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补.
Here Kapila 蝉补测蝉鈥�
鈥淭here are two 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉 namely 艢补产诲补产谤补丑尘补苍 i.e. the Vedas and the supreme self.[1]
The 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 describes the Brahman as effulgent or Jyotih. M.B. also describes the Brahman as unmanifest.
The ultimate reality is Brahman. This is revealed in various definitions which are given in the 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉 and other books. The 莫艣膩v膩syopani峁d says that,
p奴r峁嘺mada岣� p奴r峁嘺mida峁� p奴r峁嚹乼p奴r峁嘺mudacyate |
p奴r峁嘺sya p奴r峁嘺m膩d膩ya p奴r峁嘺mev膩va艣i峁ate || iti |
This is full and so is that full comes out of the full taking away the full from the full, the full remains forever. The 办补峁环辞辫补苍颈峁诲 says,
鈥�a艣abdamaspar艣amar奴pamavyaya峁� tath膩rasannityamagandhavacca yat |
an膩dyanantammannata岣� parandhruva峁� nic膩yya tanm峁泃yumukh膩tpramucyate || 鈥�[2]
The ever unchangeable is devoid of sound, touch, form, taste and smell. It is without beginning or end, ever beyond the prime cause of all evolution knowing that one escapes the all devouring jaws of death. According to Taittar墨yopani峁d:
鈥�yato v膩 im膩ni 产丑奴迟腻苍颈 j膩yante yena j膩t膩ni 箩墨惫补苍迟颈
yatprayantyabhisa峁僾i艣anti tadvijij帽膩sasva tadbrahma || 鈥�
Try to realise that whence arise these beings by which they stand, sustain and unto which they return and become naught that indeed is Brahman.
笔补帽肠补诲补艣颈 discusses:
补诲峁涐梗峁璿腻 诲补谤辫补峁嘺峁� naiva tadantasthek峁峁嘺峁� tath膩 |
amatv膩 saccid膩nanda峁� n膩mar奴pamati峁冡弗 kuta岣� || 笔补帽肠补诲补艣颈鈥�102.
Without the glass there is no possibility of a sight of the reflection whence then could there be any possibility of the knowledge of name and forms without assuming that which is existence, consciousness and bliss.
The great principle of manifestation is Brahman, that the Brahman was invested with concrete individuality and sacrifice was regarded as a cosmological force, the Brahman was assigned with the role of creative agency and there after the ideas culminated in to the role of 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 or Svayambhu. This description of Brahman is consistent with the 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 When 痴补蝉颈峁ａ弓丑补 states that the supreme self, which is unmanifest creates Brahma who is also called 贬颈谤补峁噛补驳补谤产丑补. Brahma is the first born. This entire world is the manifestation of him. Brahma is also described as effulgent and the one who pervades this entire world.[3] Brahama is omniscient, omnipolent and ubiquitous.
In the description of the Brahman given by Kapila the Brahman is the order, truth or existence, the known to be known, the soul of all movables, immovable鈥檚 excellent, benevolent, unmanifest, immutable, and effulgement. Thus the Brahman was ultimately regarded as the support of everything.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
惫别诲腻岣� 辫谤补尘腻峁嘺峁� lok膩n膩峁� na 惫别诲腻岣� p峁涐梗峁環ata岣� 办峁泃腻岣� | dve brahma峁嚹� veditavye 艣补产诲补产谤补丑尘补 辫补谤补峁� ca yat |
艣补产诲补产谤补丑尘补峁噄 ni峁ａ箛膩ta岣� 辫补谤补峁� brahm膩dhigacchati || 艢膩ntiparva , 262-1.
[2]:
Ka峁環opani峁d I. 3.15