Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c16.214

c16.214

**Who is Īśvara?** Īśvara is defined as a *particular* Purusha (distinct from the Purusha and Pradhāna or Prakṛiti of Sāṁkhya) who is not subject to (1) the five afflictions (*Kleśas*, such as *Avidyā*, *Asmitā*, *Rāga*, *Dvesha*, and *Abhiniveśa*), (2) to *Karma*, (3) to the fruits of *Karma* (*vipāka*) such as birth (*jāti*), length of life (*āyu*), and experience (*bhoga*), and (4) to the springs of desires corresponding to these fruits (*āśaya*). He is also to be distinguished from the many *Mukta-Purushas* or *Kevalins* who have achieved their salvation by breaking the bonds of three-fold existence, of the phenomenal world, material and mental (*prākṛitik*); of the realm of concrete realities so as to dwell in the region of generalized matter gross and subtle (*vaikārika*, cf. *bhūta-tanmātrādi-dhyāyinām*); of attachment to heavenly and other objects (*dākshiṇikaḥ* bandho *divyādivyavishaya-bhājām*). Further, God or *Iśvara* is not subject to history like these other emancipated *purushas* who are bound to their past and dragged to their future fate, however high their spiritual attainment may be. Lastly, *Iśvara* represents eternal perfection (*śāśvata utkarsha*) and the absolute wealth of attributes (*aiśvarya*). He represents the limit of knowledge, omniscience (*sarvajña*). But he is marked by one desire, 'to lift up living beings who are whirled in the vortex of existence' and assumes attributes and forms for the purpose, as the prime Teacher of Truth which must survive dissolution [Tasya ātmānugrahābhāve api bhūtānugrahaḥ prayojanaṁ jñānadharmopadeśena Kalpa-pralayamahāpralayeshu saṁsāriṇaḥ purushān uddharishyāmīti | Tathāchoktaṁ—'Ādi Vidvān nirmāṇachittamadhishṭhāya kāruṇyāt Bhagavān paramarshiḥ Āsuraye jijñāsamānāya Tantraṁ provācha iti' *Vyāsa-Bhāshya*].