The Sānkhya Kārikā, with the Bhāshya of Gauḍapāda — trans. H. T. Colebrooke and H. H. Wilson (1837)

In these two stanzas the existence of nature (pradhdna) has been determined: in the next place, that of soul is to be established.

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COMMENT.

In this verse, besides the conclusion drawn from the arguinents in the preceding stanza, it is here explained how nature, which is one, produces diversified effects. This is said to be through the influence of the three qualities, the combination or several predominance of which in various objects is attended with a modification and diversity of that which is essentially one and the same.

* Modified condition,’ according to VAcHespati, ‘is the character of the three qualitics, which are never for a moment stationary ®,’ except when creation is not: and from this constant vicissitude ensues combination in different proportions, or the predominance of one or other in different objects ; for they are always combined, or mixed, in different proportions. This is the mixture, the blending, or contention of the qualities which the text intends. Hence proceeds the modification of the original matter ; as rain water, falling upon different trees, is modified as the juice of their different fruits. *As simple water shed by the clouds, coming into contact with various situations, is modified as sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, or astringent, in the character of the juice of the cocoa-nut, palm, bel karanja, and wood-apple [. 8. Tatwa Kawnudi. So, according to Cudworth, the Italic philosophers maintained that the forms and qualities of bodies were only different modifications of primary matter. “ The same numerical matter,” he observes, “ differently modified, causing different phantasms in us, which are therefore vulgarly supposed to be forms and qualities in the things, as when the same water is successively changed and transformed into vapour, snow, hail, and ice.” Intellect. System, IIL. 426.

It may be donbted if the latter portion of the verse should not be

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preferably rendered, ‘ By modification, like water, according to the receptacle, or subject, of the qualities *.. Such is evidently the sense in which the S. Bhdshya understands it, and such appears to be that of the above illustration ; the simple water being modified, as sweet, sour, &c., according to the tree by which it is absorbed, and the fruit of which it constitutes the juice. So certain objects are fitted for certain qualities; as the gods for gooduess, men for foulness, animals for darkness; and nature is modified in them accordingly ; that quality predominating which is conformable to the receptacle: the question here being, not the origin of things, but of their different properties. VAcnespati, however, seems to make the diversity of objects depend upon the qualities, not the difference of qualities upon the subject ; explaining the phrase prati gundsraya vishéshdt, ‘The difference which is produced by the recipience of each several quality ; thence, &c.t’ The Chandriké has the same explanation, adding, ‘ Diversity is from diversity (different ratio) of qualities {.’. There is no incompatibility, indeed, in the two views of the meaning of the text, as the variety of things depends upon the difference or disproportion of the three primary qualities, whether those qualities modify, or be modified by, the subject to which they belong: in either case the variety is not a different thing, it is only a modification of the same thing, pradhédna.

XVII.