History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c94.37

v7.c94.37

That there were philosophers, who adopted some of the Sāṅkhya and Yoga doctrines, postulated Parameśvara (Supreme Deity) and held that the three, viz Pradhāna, Puruṣa and Īśvara were different from each other, is expressly stated by Śaṅkarācārya²²³⁰ in his bhāṣya on V. S II. 2 37. Therefore, the Mahābhārata references to Sāṅkhya probably relate to philosophical doctrines in which all three viz Prakṛti, Puruṣas and Supreme Self were recognized, from which arose the later official Sāṅkhya that discarded any supreme Ruler of the Universe. In the Nārāyaṇīya section of the Śāntiparva (quoted in note 1544 p. 954 above) 'Sāṅkhya, Yoga, Pāñcarātra, Vedas and Pāśupata are said to be knowledges (jñānāni) and 'nānāmatāni' (different points of view) and Kapila, a paramarṣi, is said to be propounder of Sāṅkhya. Chapter 294 (in verses 26-49) deals with the twenty-five tattvas of the Sāṅkhya from Prakṛti or Avyakta, mahat, ahaṅkāra, the five elements from ahaṅkāra (these eight being called prakṛtis) and then 16 *vikāras* (verse 29). These are called *kṣetra*, the soul is the 25th (v 35) and is called kṣetrajña and Puruṣa (v 37 'avyaktake pure śete puruṣaś-ceti kathyate', and Īśvara or *brahma* is not brought in anywhere in that chapter