Sankhyadarsana, one of the six seminal texts known as the Darsana Sastras, which form the backbone of Indian philosophy, was written in ancient times by the great sage Kapila. It offers logical proofs for subjects that are still considered beyond the realm of reason-such as the existence and nature of God, the soul, and the inanimate matter that constitutes the bulk of the universe. The text is most renowned for outlining the sequence of transformation of matter from its original substrate to the world we perceive today.
The arguments Kapila uses to establish his principles are both surprising and, understandably, challenging. Yet they have stood the test of time, and modern scientists would do well to examine them. Kapila endeavored to make his ideas accessible, providing multiple proofs and examples. Come, explore this profound treatise and be rewarded with intellectual delight and extraordinary insight!
UTTARA NERURKAR, a practicing engineer and software professional from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, worked in the field until 2001, when she chose to dedicate herself fully to the study and teaching of ancient Indian philosophical texts. Drawing on her extensive reading, she has developed original insights and applies a scientific lens to treatises not traditionally viewed in that way.
Her guiding inspiration has been Swami Dayananda Saraswati of the Arya Samaj, a true seer blessed with scientific vision. Her interpretations have been well received by scholars, with several of her papers presented in reputed journals and conferences. She is the author of four books on the Upaniṣads and Yogadarsana.
Darsana Sastras are the bedrock of Indian philosophy that have survived many millennia. Among the ancient texts, six seminal texts define six systems of philosophy. Covering six aspects of Indian philosophy, they provide complementary views of the knowledge that was considered essential for spiritual studies. Yogadarsana is arguably the most sublime of them all, taking the seeker from just a desire for liberation to the very goal itself! It is as if Patanjali himself holds the hands of the seeker and gently escorts him through the many hurdles that litter the path to Moksa... For this reason, Yogadarsana has been popular through the ages right from beginners to accomplished Yoginis. It holds many teachings for the common person as well and should be read by all! When I first read Yogadarsana, it opened my eyes to another world! There were so many things that I learnt from this short text that I found it quite unbelievable that so much could be packed into such few words!
Many commentators have written many commentaries on this text, some complete and some partial. Prominent among these are those of Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Pandita Udayvira Sastri and Yogaguru B. K. S. Iyengar. However, the most ancient one is that of Vyasa, who is likely to be the same as the one who penned the Mahabharata. Acarya Rajavira Šästri has done a commendable job of making that commentary available to us in Hindi.
The commentary that you hold in your hands is unique in that it covers certain lacunae that exist in available texts. Some of these include:
1) The commentary brings scientific knowledge to bear on the precepts propounded, significant among those being the understanding of Cittavṛttis in scientific terms.
2) It elaborates Klista and Aklista Cittavṛttis.
3) It sheds light on some connections that are usually not made clear because they are probably not understood, e.g., the correspondence between the different Samadhis and their descriptions in the first chapter, as well as their elaboration in subsequent chapters, particularly the last one.
4) It reveals the use of Prajna as a technical word with the same meaning across all chapters.
5) It clarifies the concept of Pariņamas in the third chapter (Sutras 3/9-13), Nirmaņacitta in the fourth chapter, etc.
6) It brings out the very deep concept of Time propounded by Patanjali and explained by Vyasa.
7) It debunks the word 'Asamprajnata' introduced by Vyasa as a misnomer that is not in syne with Patanjali's vision.
The Darsana Sastras
Darsana Sastras, or Darsanas, are ancient Indian philosophical texts that have been held in great reverence over millennia. They are considered essential for the study of the Vedas and form subordinate texts (Upangas) of the Vedas. They are six in number, viz. Nyaya, Vaisesika, Sankhya, Yoga, Purvamimamsa and Uttaramimamsa. Nyaya covers the establishment of truth through evidence. Vaisesika covers the nature of Matter. Sänkhya covers the origin of the Universe and the Soul's place in it. Yoga details the path to Moksa. Purvamimamsa explains how to interpret Vaidika hymns and, as a corollary, discusses the understanding of language. Uttaramimamsa is also called Brahmasutra, as it discusses Brahman in detail, as well as the Soul's relationship with It.
As can be seen, the topics covered are complementary, and all of them discuss aspects of the subjects covered in the Vedas. The word 'Darsana' typically means 'sighting or viewing', but here it means 'that by which reality is seen properly. Thus, they discuss Creation, Matter, the Soul and Brahman through logic and reason. Such knowledge is considered essential for the achievement of Moksa, or liberation, the highest goal of life. That is why these subjects form part of the subject-matter of all our spiritual texts, starting with the Vedas.
Some scholars believe that these texts are contrary to each other and even that some negate the existence of God, but these are views based on a limited understanding of the texts. All of them are based on the Vedas and propound eternal principles. In fact, there is a substantial amount of science covered in these texts and I have found no contradiction with modern concepts so far. If anything, there is more to be discovered here, e.g., Euclid's method of proof, set out in his treatise Elements, is but a subset of the method given in Nyayadarsana.
The commonality between these set of Sastras is that all these texts are written in the form of Sutras, or aphorisms, or small statements, with a lot of carry-forward (and sometimes 'carry-backward') of words. This leads to a phenomenal compaction of material, which lends itself to easy memorization. However, there is an associated impact on readability, as may be expected. That is why the study of a commentary becomes inescapable for properly understanding the treatise. In the case of Yogadarsana, the most authoritative commentary is that of Vyasa, and we shall be covering it as and when necessary.
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