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Importance of the Knowledge of Sāmkhya for Yoga Practitioners

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Importance of the Knowledge of Sāmkhya for Yoga Practitioners International Journal of Yoga and Allied Sciences (ISSN: 2278 – 5159) Volume: 5, Issue: 1; Jan- June 2016 Importance of the knowledge of Sāmkhya for Yoga practitioners Dr Sukanta Das* *Research scholar, Department of Philosophy and the Life-world, Vidyasagar University, Midnapur, West Bengal. Email: [email protected] Abstract It is known to all that the Sāṁkhya and the Yoga Philosophy are allied systems; because, the Yoga has admitted all the realities of the Sāṁkhya. The absolute aim of both the systems is kaivalya but their means are different. The Sāṁkhya says that an aspirant may attain vivekakhyāti through the study of Sāṁkhya and detachment. An aspirant must think like ‘I am not prakṛti (body, mind, intellect etc.) constantly. As a result, in this manner, after long days of thinking he must attain vivekakhyāti (the discriminative knowledge between prakṛti and puruṣa). When he will attain vivekakhyāti, remains in the state of jīvanmukti. At that time, prakṛti will be detached from that particular puruṣa. On the other hand, yoga is the practical application of the Sāṁkhya. According to the Yoga, a yogi must attain vivekakhyāti through the sincere practice of eight steps of yoga and at last after enjoyment of prāravdha karmas he attains videhakaivalya. This paper is attempted to show that it is essential to a yogi or an aspirant to know both the systems for the attainment of kaivalya; because without the Sāṁkhyān knowledge the Yoga is not completed, again, without practice of yoga kaivalya will not be possible. Key Words:Kaivalya, vivekakhyāti, prāravdha karma, kāyabyūha, samprajñāta samādhi, asamprajñāta samādhi, jīvanmukti, videhamukti ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction: (tattvas) of the Sāṁkhya. In this context, a Like all other yogis at first I want to salute Śrī verse from the ‘Gītā’ is given below: Kṛṣṇa, the God of yoga (yatra yogeśvara). “Sāṁkhyayogou pṛthagvālāḥ pravadanti na Then I want to salute the founder of the panditāḥ, Sāṁkhya and the Yoga Philosophy Kapila and Ekamapyāsthitaḥ samyagubhayorvindate Patañjali; because, without their grace it phalam”. would not be possible for me to complete this And paper. We know that India is a land of sages. “Yat Sāṁkhaiḥ prāpyate sthānaṁ We find many sages who have attained their tadyogairapigamyate, main goal (yoga or samādhi) in this land. Ekaṁ Sāṁkhyañca yogañca yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati”.1 There we find many scriptures which lead us These above mentioned verses have proved to the way of our main aim (mokṣa) viz.the that both the systems are complementary to Vedas, Upaniṣads, the Gītā, the Rāmāyana, each other. the Mahābhārata and the purānas. Besides these scriptures, the Sāṁkhya-Yoga also helps I us to attain self-realization. Though the The term ‘yoga’ has been explained in various Sāṁkhya is limited in the theory yet Yoga is senses. Generally, the term ‘yoga’ means its practical application. Hence, both the ‘union or conjunction’. It has been derived systems are called allied systems. The Yoga from the root ‘yuj’ which indicates ‘to yoke’ Philosophy has admitted all the realities or ‘to join’. In this regard, the term ‘yoga’ is 75 International Journal of Yoga and Allied Sciences (ISSN: 2278 – 5159) Volume: 5, Issue: 1; Jan- June 2016 used as ‘the union between the individual self yogī; because, in this state he cannot attain and the supreme self’. According to Patañjali right knowledge viz. the states may be suṣupti, (founder of the yoga), ‘yoga is the catalepsy, hysteria, fainting fit etc. arrestedness of mental modifications’ (Yogaścittavṛttinirodhaḥ).2Vyasadeva However, till now, we have tried to (commentator of the ‘Yogasūtra’) says, understand what yoga is and who is a yogī. “Yogaḥ samādhou”. Bhojarāja (author of the Let us see now the main aim of a yogi. ‘Rājamārtaṇdavṛtti’) defined the yoga as the separation between prakṛti and puruṣa. II Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa says in the Gītā that yoga The term ‘puruṣārtha’ has been used in Indian is the cessation of suffering and Philosophy. Generally, the term ‘puruṣārtha’ equanimity.3Again, in accordance with the means what the conscious self wants. In this ‘Bhaktirasāmṛtasindhu’, “Yoga is the union regard, there we find four puruṣārthas viz. between Rādhā and Śrī Kṛṣṇa”. The dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa. Except the ‘Jñānasaṁkalinitantra’ holds, ‘Yoga is mokṣa other three are involved with the freedom from all cares and anxieties on the worldly affairs. It is known to all that any total abandonment’. In this manner, we find worldly thing is non-eternal and cannot various definitions, Patanjali’s given provide us eternal pleasure; that is to say, in definition is appropriate than others; because, everywhere of this world there is no eternal in every cases the nature of yoga is the pleasure without sorrow. Artha, kāma etc. are arrestedness of mental modifications. also worldly things and cannot free us permanently from suffering. On the other side, Hence, Śrī Kṛṣṇa says: religious works (dharma) i.e. Vedic sacrifices, “Yatroparamate cittaṁ niruddhvaṁ pray to God, worship to deities etc. produce yogasevayāḥ, worldly happiness and heavenly pleasure. Yatra caivātmanātmānaṁ paśyannātmani Like worldly happiness, heavenly pleasure tuṣyati”.4 also is non-eternal. We know the name of king Till now, we have tried to see what the yoga Nahuṣa in the ‘Mahābhārata’ that he had is. Similarly, there a question will be arisen attained heaven by his power of virtue and he that what is the definition of a yogi or who is had come back in the world again for enjoying called a yogī? Following the definition of suffering when his virtue was dissolved. Patañjali we can say here that one whose mind Hence, heaven cannot be an ultimate goal. has been arrested and remains in its own Only mokṣa can free us from suffering essence, he will be called a yogi. Śrī Kṛṣña permanently. In this context, we may mention says that anybody who becomes unperturbed a verse from the ‘Sāṁkhyakārikā’ in the in any feeling, fame-infame, pleasure-pain etc. following: is called a yogi or sthitaprajña.5 “Dṛṣtavadānuśravikaḥ sa hyaviśuddhikṣayātiyuktaḥ, Patañjali has admitted two types of samādhi Tadviparītaḥ śreyān viz. samprajñāta and asamprajñāta. In the vyaktāvyaktajñavijñānāt”.6 state of one-pointedness of mind, a yogi can Śruti also says, “Nālpe sukhamasti bhūmaiva attain the right knowledge of all the material sukham”. realities i.e. from the intellect to five gross elements. Hence, it is called also savīja We find in the ‘Yogasūtra’ that a yogi is able samādhi or yoga. It is necessary to mention to attain various miraculous powers viz. here that the term ‘yoga’ and ‘samādhi’ have animā, laghimā, mahimā, garimā, prāpti etc. been used in same sense; because, in both the except these, a yogi can make similar many cases, mind becomes arrested. If anyone’s minds and bodies from his main one, 7 he also mind becomes arrested without any effort or becomes disappeared from the general visual consciousness, he will not be allowed as a perception due to concentration on the spot of 76 International Journal of Yoga and Allied Sciences (ISSN: 2278 – 5159) Volume: 5, Issue: 1; Jan- June 2016 the body.8 But, any yogi should keep in mind another quotation from the ‘Mātharavṛtti’: that these aforesaid powers are not desirable. “Tatra yaḥ puṁso vandhamokṣasaṁsaraṇāṇi Each and every yogi’s aim must be the vrūte sa mūḍaḥ”, ‘Sāṁkhyakārikā’, Verse No. attainment of samādhi or the discriminative 62. After practicing above mentioned means knowledge between prakṛti and puruṣa. (śravana, manana and nididhyāsana regarding Hence, Vacaspati Misra says, “Tadviparītaḥ the Sāṁkhya scripture) that particular puruṣa śreyān vyaktāvyakyajña vijñānāt”.9 That is to attains the discriminative knowledge and say; he meant to say here that the term ‘tad’ remains in its own essence; that is to say, three refers to ‘worldly happiness’ and the ingredient prakṛti becomes desisted from that knowledge of the revealed (vyakta), particular puruṣa at that time which is called unrevealed (avyakta) and conscious self (jña) the attainment of kaivalya of puruṣa. The is better than the attainment of worldly Sāṁkhya have admitted two types of mukti happiness. viz. jīvanmukti and videhamukti. After the attaining vivekakhyāti an aspirant remains in III the state of jīvanmukti and when his Now, we shall try to see how an aspirant or a prāravdha karmas are dissolved through the yogī may attain his main aim in both the enjoyment, he attains videhamukti. systems. According to the Sāṁkhya, puruṣa and prakṛti are eternal. Puruṣa is sentient and The Yoga Philosophy prescribes us to attain prakṛti is insentient. Though both are Yoga or samādhi. Like the Sāṁkhya the Yoga contradictory to each other yet due to their also has admitted that conjunction between own necessities union and evolution becomes puruṣa and prakṛti is the root cause of heya started. At the time of contact with puruṣa, (bondage and suffering). It may be mentioned prakṛti becomes sentient like puruṣa. as ignorance.13 According to Patañjali, yoga is Similarly, puruṣa feels itself as a doer, knower the suppression of mental modifications. It and enjoyer etc. Though in nature puruṣa is will be possible through the practice of eight- ever pure, ever free, indifferent, non-relational fold means of yoga viz. yama, niyama, āsana etc. yet due to contact with prakṛti, it forgets etc. According to them, if we practice eight its own essence. This is called the bondage of steps of yoga mentioned above, must be able puruṣa. Puruṣa is enjoyer and prakṛti is to attain pure vivekakhyāti.14Samādhi is enjoyed. Prakṛti wants that puruṣa enjoys her divided classes viz. samprajñāta and and puruṣa becomes connected with prakṛti asamprajñāta. In the state of samprajñāta, a for its apparent kaivalya.10Prakṛti provides yogi attains vivekakhyāti or more sorrow than pleasure. As a result, once sattvapuruṣānyatāpratyaya. This attaining puruṣa must want to be free from threefold knowledge is called paravairāgya.
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