Author: Randeep Singh / go to all Samkhya Karikas
Samkhya Karika 45 text:
Vairagyat prakritilayah samsaro bhavati rajasat ragat I
Aiswaryat avighatah viparyayat tad viparyasah II
Vairgyat – through vairagya
Prakritlayah – absorption into prakriti
Samsaro – transmigration from one birth to another
Bhavati – takes place, happens
Rajasat – because of rajas guna, pertaining to rajas
Ragat – due to passion of attachment
Aiswaryat – from aisvarya
Avighatah – non obstructions or obstacles
Viparyayat – from the opposite
Tad Viparyasah – contrary to that, the opposite
Samkhya karika 45 describes how the presence or absence of the two bhavas of Vairagya and Aisvarya as an attribute of Buddhi affect one’s spiritual progress and the role they can play in getting rid of the cycle of rebirth.
Practicing Vairagya Bhava dissolves the Cause of Creation
The entire process of the evolution of Prakriti begins due to attachment (coming together of the Purusha and Prakriti) and once the universe has evolved its existence is again sustained by attachment itself. In other words attachment in the thriving universe stands for the attraction of the senses (evolute of matter) toward their objects (evolutes of matter).
This attraction can also be called as the desire of the senses to remain in contact with their material objects because it generates the sensation of pleasure within them. This desire of the individual Purusha, through its senses, for material (which takes multifarious forms) is what keeps the matter (Prakriti) in existence.
One must practice detachment, or Vairagya bhava, towards material desires for Purusha to be freed from the chains of Prakriti and reverse the entire process of evolution of universe (Prakriti). This also means destroying the cause (desire to exist) of the evolution of Prakriti into the material universe.
Vairagya also means that Purusha has been shown enough experiences by Prakriti and now it no longer has any desire for more of them and thus it separates itself from Prakriti, the matter aspect of individual existence. Matter aspect is the construct of an individual as per Samkhya Philosophy.
Even in practical life as soon as one let go off any material attachments one feels a sense of relief and peace. This is because Vairagya bhava has been developed towards those attachments. Giving feels very liberating and relieving, this is again because by one giving one is creating detachment between oneself and the material object which has been separated (detached) from oneself.
Vairagya, or detachment means cutting of the experiences of Matter to Purusha. Only this can separate Prakriti (matter) from Purusha or consciousness. Ego plays a crucial role in creating attachments to the material objects and related pleasures. Its the Ego (Ahamkara), a part of the subtle body which identifies itself with matter. Identification is nothing but Attachment.
The attitudes which take birth from Ego create strong likes and dislikes, love and hatred, jealousy and vengeance. Jealousy when you are attached to something but cannot experience it and someone else is experiencing it. Vengeance develop when some one caused you pain by hurting your Ego (destroying something you were identifying with).
The cycle of rebirth is triggered by the desire to fulfill ones desires, which get generated by attachment, which have been left unattained in one life time. When you die carrying the seed of desire (to attain something you are strongly attached to) your individual Purusha cannot be set free from the grip of Prakriti and this you change your material form (matter or Prakriti) and again begin your material existence.
These rebirth keep occurring till one fulfills these desires or directly develop a non attachment to them. Developing Vairagya Bhava is creating detachment to your unfulfilled desires. ‘raga,’ the Sanskrit word means attachment which is activated or fueled by the Rajas guna. Fulfilling one’s desires necessitates action which is not possible without Rajas.
The practice meditation is nothing but developing Vairagya, detachment to your thoughts and beliefs for a short period of time. That is the reason one feel peaceful and desireless after meditating. One must learn to live embroiled in this very material world and fulfill one’s obligations by remaining detached from all the attractions that come along with it.
All Obstacles Vanish with Aisvarya Bhava – Samkhya Karika 45
Perception of obstacles is nothing but a state of mind, rather a low esteem state of mind. High self esteem is Aisvarya bhava and the one who possesses it stops perceiving obstacles, or gets lifted above them.
The Buddhi which is drenched in Aiswarya bhava is always filled with the superior all powering energy of the consciousness (Purusha). The Doubts which conjure up the perception of obstacles cannot withstand the power of this energy and just vanish. We perceive certain phenomenon as obstacles because our senses of perception (including the Mind) are infused with the opposite of Aisvarya (Anaisvarya) bhava.
An individual filled with Aisvarya bhava sees the higher goal of emancipation from the material world as easily achievable. It is the energy of being closer to Purusha than Prakriti, the material universe. Strength, self efficacy and confidence are the hallmarks of Aisvarya bhava. A person who lacks self confidence is always confused, and scattered.
Lack of focus on anything (opinion, belief, target) keeps such a person oscillating from one end to another. Aishwarya gives the strength of focus to be grounded on one belief and finally achieve it. All the achievers in the world, businessmen or celebrities, stand apart from the commoners in terms of the degree of Aisvarya they possess.
Sankhay Karika 45 along with the previous karika forms the basis of the Sankhya Darshan as a philosophy which attempts at understanding human nature. It is very important to understand that Buddhi (Intelligence) or the faculty of cognition and how it directs our actions is more significant than the emotions and the activities of the mind.