Verses on Sāṃkhya 32.3

32.3

svāṃ svām iti vīpsām icchanti | (iti trayodaśavidhasya karaṇasya grahaṇaṃ kṛtaṃ bhavati) | pratipadyante gṛhṇantīty arthaāḥ | kiṃ cānyat --- parasparākūtahetukāṃ vṛttim | buddher ākūtaṃ jñātvā ahaṅkāro 'bhimānayati, manaḥ saṅkalpayati, indriyāṇi svāṃ svāṃ vṛttiṃ pratipadyante | ākūtaṃ nāmābhiprāyaḥ | yathā kila caurasenā grāmaṃ hantuṃ gacchati tatra caurasenāpatinā saṅketaḥ kṛto 'sti yadāhaṃ hā heti bravīmi tadā sarvaiḥ samavāyena praveṣṭavyam | yadā punar aham ahā heti bravīmi tadā nirgantavyam | etāṃ caurasenāpater ājñām ākūtaṃ jñātvā caurāḥ praviśanti nirgacchanti ca | tatheha caurasenāpatisthānīyā buddhiḥ caurasthānīyānīndriyāṇi | kiṃ svārthaṃ viṣayaṃ pratipadyante āhosvit parārtham ity atrocyate | parārthaṃ gamyate | yasmād āha --- puruṣārtha eva hetuḥ puruṣārthaḥ kartavya eva iti guṇānāṃ pravṛttiḥ | tasmād etat trayodaśavidhaṃ karaṇaṃ puruṣārthaḥ pravartayati | yad apy uktam --- acetanāni karaṇāni kathaṃ pravartanta iti | atra brūmaḥ --- na kenacit kāryate karaṇam | neśvareṇa nāpi puruṣeṇa | svabhāvo nāma kaścit padārtho (nā)sti | yasmāt svayam eva ca trayodaśavidhaṃ karaṇaṃ sve sve viṣaye pravartata iti //

'Their respective': they intend repetition (thereby the thirteenfold instrument is taken up). 'They undertake': meaning they grasp. And what is more? 'Functioning caused by their mutual underlying intent': having known the underlying intent of the intellect, egoity self-asserts, the mind intends, and the sense faculties undertake their respective functioning. 'Underlying intent' means purpose. Just as, for instance, an army of thieves goes to attack a village, and there a signal is made by the leader of the thieves: 'When I say "hā hā", then all must enter together; but when I say "ahā hā", then you must depart.' Having known this command, the underlying intent of the leader of the thieves, the thieves enter and depart. So here, the intellect occupies the position of the leader of the thieves, and the sense faculties occupy the position of the thieves. Do they undertake the object for their own sake or for the sake of another? To this it is said: It is understood to be for the sake of another. For he says: 'The purpose of the spirit is the sole cause'—the activity of the constituents occurs with the thought: 'The purpose of the spirit must indeed be accomplished.' Therefore, the purpose of the spirit activates this thirteenfold instrument. As for what was also asked: 'How do insentient instruments act?'—to this we say: 'The instrument is not actuated by anyone'—not by God, nor by the spirit. There is no fundamental category named an inherent nature. For the thirteenfold instrument acts in its respective object completely by itself.