The Sānkhya Kārikā, with the Bhāshya of Gauḍapāda — trans. H. T. Colebrooke and H. H. Wilson (1837)
The text is shown on its own: no facing layer is held for this issue.
The translator’s English as printed (H. T. Colebrooke and H. H. Wilson). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
p. 104
and absent where they are not®*.” So the S$. Pravachana Bh. explains the Sitra Sdmdnya karana vritti +; which is also the phrase of the Kdrikd, ‘the function of the three internal instruments {.° Gaurapava, however, understands vitality to be the common function of all the organs, external and internal; or thirteen instruments, ten of the former, and three of the latter kind. The expression of the text also is general, and applicable either to all the organs, or to any of them, as variously understood. The two meanings are not irreconcilable, although, strictly speaking, the sense followed in the translation is most correct; for although vitality is the common function of all the senses, yet it is essentially so of the internal senses only: it might continue with the privation of any or all of the external senses, but could not, as VACHEesvati states, subsist without the internal organs, as it depends upon their existence for its own. So also the S. Pravachana Bhashya calls the vital airs not only the ‘ functions,’ but * modifications, of the internal instruments |.’ These vital airs are not to be confounded with vdyu, or ‘elemental air,’ for the Védas are authority for their different origin: ‘ From him is born vital air, mind, and all the seuses, heaven, wind, light, water, and the all-sustaining earth §.’ ‘The attribution of aerial operation to modification of the internal instruments ariscs from their being susceptible of a sort of motion similar to that of air, and from their being governed by the same deity *.” The vital airs are, in fact, the vital functions of breathing, circulation, and digestion. That these functions, resulting from organization, should be supposed to partake of the nature of acriul humours, originates very possibly from some misapprehension of the phenomena of breathing, flatulence, and arterial pulsation. The ternt used by Gavkapapa to designate their array! | arereracagfa:) 0b ara: acumergfe: | tofcarase:) 8 wmerrarad amt aa: dafearfes sw arqsifrrrs gfardt farrier: acouftarasfa arqqerarrarenngeamirenres aqerazerraararera |
p. 105
action occurs syandana, ‘ moving, circulation,’ in the copy ; but spardaxa, ‘throbbing, pulsation,’ were perhaps a preferable reading. The offices assigned to them are evidently connected with notions either of circulation or a pulse. Thus Prdna is breath, expiration and inspiration. Apdna is flatulence, crepitus, Samdna is eructation, supposed to be essential to digestion. Uddna is the pulsation of the arteries in the head, the neck, and temples; and Vydna is the pulsation of the rest of the superficial arteries, and occasional puffiness of external parts, indicating air in the skin. The situations assigned to the five airs by the 8S. Tutwa Kaumudi are much less consistent and intelligible. Thus Prdna is there said to be the function of the tip of the nostrils, head, navel, and great toes; Apdna, of the back of the neck, the back, the feet, and the organs of excretion and generation; Samdna, of the heart, the navel, and the joints ; Uddna, of the head, throat, palate, forehead, and root of the nose ; and Vydaa, of the skin, With exception of the last, it is not easy to understand how such absurd situations should have been selected. The S. Bhdshya may be taken as the expression of the earlier notions.
XXX.
Or all four the functions are instantaneous, as well as gradual, in
regard to sensible objects. The function of the three (interior) is, in respect of an unseen one, preceded by that of the fourth.
BHASHYA.
Of all four the functions are instantaneous.—The four are, intellect, egotism, and mind, in connection with any one of the organs of sense. Of these four the function is instantaneous in regard to perception, or in the ascertainment of perceptible objects. Intellect, egotism, mind, and the eye see form at once, in one instant, (coming instantly to the conclusion) that is a post. The same three, with the tongue, at once appreciate flavour; with the nose, odour: and so with the ear and skin.
Ee
p. 106
Again; their functions are also Gradual in regard to sensible objects.—Of that aggregate of four the function is also (occasionally) gradual (progressive). Thus, a person going along a road sees an object at a distance, and is in doubt whether it be a post or a man: he then observes some characteristic marks upon it,or a bird perched there; and doubt being thus dissipated by the reflection of the mind, the understanding discriminates that it is a post; and thence egotism interposes, for the sake of certainty, as, verily (or, Tam certain) it isa post. In this way the functions of intellect, egotism, mind, and eye are (successively) discharged. And as in the case of a visible object, so it is as to sound and the rest of the objects of perception.