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

as comprising apparently the doctrinal and traditional part of the text, derived from older authorities. Either Gavrarapa thought it unnecessary to explain the concluding three verses of the Adrikd, or there is some omission in the copy, or they do uot belong to the work. The concluding verse is evidently inaccurate, the metre of the third line of the stanza being defective.

The Kavita to whom the Sankhya philosophy is attributed is variously described by different authorities. In a verse quoted by GaunavApa, in his comment upon the first stanza of the text, he is enumerated amongst the sons of Brand. Vissyasa Buiasiu asserts him to have been an incarnation of Visunu*, He refers also to the opinion of a Védanta writer, that Kapita was an incarnation of Acai, or ‘fire,’ upon the authority of the Smritif ; but denies their identity. There does not appear to be any good authority for the notion. Aapila is a synonyme of fire, as it is of a brown, dusky, or tawny colonr; and this may have given rise to the idea of Asi and the sage being the same, The identification with Visuxu rests on better grounds. The popular belief of the Vaishnavas is, that there have been twenty-four Avatdrds of Visusv, and Kapica is one of them. The earliest authority for this specification is no doubt the Rémdyana, in which Vasuveva or Visuxu is said by Brana to assume the form of Kapixa, to protect the earth against the violence of the sons of SaGara, searching for the lost steed intended for their father's aswamedha. ‘{Buauma having heard the words of the gods, who were bewildered with the dread of destruction, replied to them, and said, Vasupeva ward) t anita: a afte ara ater Was aft By: | psec dell est nks al BATS FATT wand TEM Fen ae eT: afedt anrqerer @ wa TAT WY: Feros erat WG |

p. 189

is the Lord, he is Mddhava, of whom the whole earth is the cherished bride; he, assuming the form of Kapita, sustains continually the world.’ So also the Mahdbhdrata: ‘Then spake incensed, Kapiza, the best of sages; that VAsupeva, indeed, whom the holy Munis call Kaprra®.’ According to the Bhdgavat, he was the fifth incarnation of Visunu: ‘ The fifth Avatdra was named Kapita, the chief of saints, who revealed to Asuri the S4nkhya explanation of first principles, which has been impaired by time t.’ Book I. s.12. The latter half of the third book describes him also as an Avatdr of VAsupeva, but as the son of Devanvti, the daughter of Siyampuuva Menu, married to the Prajapati Kerppama.

LXxX.

Tuis great purifying (doctrine) the sage compassionately imparted to Asuri, Asuri taught it to Paxcnasixua, by whom it was extensively propagated.

COMMENT.

Purifying ; that which purifies from the defects which are the cause of pain; pdvana or pavitra. Great, chief, principal, agryam, mukhyam. This verse anticipates an objection that may be made to the authority of the text; as it may be said, Although the words of Karita must command attention, of what weight are the lessons of an uninspired teacher? The answer is, that they are the same which were originally taught by Kapixa himself to his pupil Asuai. According to the passage cited by

<j gai merece geen arqeafa wf urg: aftes afagzran: 0

p. 190

Gavrapipa, in his notes on the first stanza (p. 1), Asvri is also a son of Baanna. He is mentioned elsewhere as the pupil of Kaprta, and preceptor of Pancuasixna, but there are no details of his history. Of Pas- CHASIKHA there is some account in the Mahdbhdrat, on occasion of his visiting Janana, king of Mithild, and imparting to him the Sénkhya philosophy. He is there also said to be named likewise Kariza®; which the commentator explains to mean that he was like Kapiza, being the disciple of his disciple ¢, as the text proceeds to call him; ‘ He, the longlived, whom they term the first disciple of Asurt{. He is also called Kariceya, from his being, it is said, the son of a Brihmani named Kapira. ‘Asuri went to the sphere in which that which is Brahme, the mystic-named, and multiform, and eternal, is beheld. His disciple was Pancuastxna, nourished with human milk: for there was a certain Brahman matron, named Kapiia, of whom he became the son, and at whose bosom he was fed; thence he obtained the denomination of KApiteva, and divine imperishable knowledge |.’

LXXI.
Receiven by tradition of pupils, it has been compendiously written

in Arya metre by the piously disposed fswara Krisuna, having thoroughly investigated demonstrated truth.

‘wag: efits arem: mcaftramfit! «=f a: afreram frarnqar | large we fire zarghactifad | | aweareat we ared wert argfates aferq fate read wredt afrestarm afaerdttaz iat ran: qwearny faa: a foafa wat aa: & wie ON afew feat |

p. 191

COMMENT.