History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c94.104

v7.c94.104

Purāṇas contain lengthy disquisitions on the Sāṅkhya doctrines. For example, the Viṣṇupurāṇa I. 2. 19-23, 25-62, VI. 4. 13-15, 17, 32-40 (in all about 66 verses) are full of Sāṅkhya doctrines and are all quoted in the Kṛtyakalpataru (Mokṣakāṇḍa pp. 102-108). But that Purāṇa emphasizes that Paramātman (called Viṣṇu) is the support of all tattvas. In Viṣṇupurāṇa I. 2. 22-23 it is asserted²²⁶⁶ that *brahmavādins* who are proficient in Vedic doctrines recite (a verse) that expounds pradhāna, (and state) 'there was then (before creation) neither day nor night, no sky nor earth, neither darkness nor light, there was only *one* male brahma that was evolved as pradhāna and that could not be apprehended by the ear (and other indriyas) or by *buddhi*. Verses 39-40 (of Viṣṇupurāṇa VI. 4) assert that both²²⁶⁷ prakṛti and puruṣa become dissolved in the Highest Self who is called Viṣṇu in Vedas and Vedāntas (Upaniṣads).