Author: Randeep Singh / go to all Samkhya Karikas
Samkhya karika 65 text:
Tena nivrttaprasava arthavashaat sapta roopa vinivrtaam |
Prakritim pashyati purushah prekshakavad avasthitah svachchah ||
Tena – thus, therefore, therefrom
Nivrttaprasava – the show of creation has stopped
Arthavashaat – through knowledge of tattvas
Sapta roopa vinivrtaam – abstaining from the seven forms
Prakritim – Prakriti
Pashyati – observes, sees
Purushah – purusha
Prekshakavad – like an audience / spectator
Avasthitah – standing by
Svachchah – undisturbed, self-established
Samkhya karika 65 talks about the role of Purusha after Prakriti has ceased to show itself to it. The wisdom gained from the knowledge of the 25 elements (tattvas) of Samkhya philosophy shuts off the hitherto perpitual show of the Material word (Prakriti).
Samkhya Karika 65, Purusha acts as a Non Interfering Spectator
Prakriti now stays away from the seven forms (bhavas which bind), It has used the eigth bhava (Jnana / pure knowledge) to gain the knowledge of the tattvas, which has helped it release itself from Purusha as all its activities have come to a halt.
The Purusha has by now experienced everything the material universe (Prakriti) has to offer standing as a witness only. It does not interfere, analyse, or contribute to this show of Prakriti at all. That is the basic nature of Purusha.
Purusha just beholds, sees the already released Prakriti which has stopped the evolution. Prakriti in this state is also known as Mula Prakriti. Purusha and Prakriti exist side by side to each other bereft of any mutual influences.
By means of this knowledge, the Spirit as a witness, pure and at ease, beholds Prakriti, which has ceased from evolving products, and has desisted from the seven forms (bhavas) of evolution, having served under the influence and for the purpose of the Purusha.
Chaitanya (spirit) is separate and pure wisdom. Prakriti is non discriminative and insentient. Sentient and non-sentient are the two parts of the universe. With correct understanding, we can be just a spectator of Prakriti.
When some misery visits us, we have to be patient and silent. Just be like a witness. We have not to lament the body. Bring the wisdom and be in a balanced state. Just keep observing your breath.
Somewhere in a bar, it was written that when the world around you revolves, you better sit in silence. But we are unable to do it. We don’t give importance to this but give importance to trivial things.
We are so engrossed in our thoughts that nothing else is seen. There is no where written as “mine”. We get attracted to flimsy affairs but seldom pay attention to real things in life. We are preoccupied with wrong things. It is only when tragedy strikes that noble thoughts start coming; but after a while it again slips in to memory. To be miserable has become our nature.
Until we gain true understanding we will go on suffering. One must develop the ability to remain calm (witness like attitude) in the most chaotic of the situations. This is what the spirit (Purusha) is meant to do ones it is released from the chaotic show of Prakriti. Purusha standing released from Prakriti cannot experience pain anymore, as pain is the creation of Prakriti (material world).
This is a very deep philosophy and virtually a lifetime is spent in understanding it. We have to develop such thinking frequently. We need to recognise that we are small players in the larger scheme of things.