Sankhya Darshan : सांख्यदर्शन

Sankhya or Samkhya Darshan is one of the six major philosophies of Hinduism, and therefore it accepts Vedas as authority. It is attributed to Sage Kapil.

Sankhya, in Sanskrit, means number. So, one definition of Sankhya Darshan says that it deals with the number of constituent elements of the universe.

It mainly deals with Purush and Prakriti. Some people say that Sankhya philosophy is atheistic, but Acharya Uday Veer Shastri argues that Sankhya believes in Brahman, or the Supreme God.

It is one of the oldest philosophical systems in India, known for its detailed enumeration and categorization of the elements of reality. The term “Sankhya” translates to “enumeration” or “number,” reflecting the school’s systematic approach to metaphysics and epistemology.

Overview of Sankhya Darshan

1. Foundational Texts:
   • The primary texts of Sankhya are the Sankhya Karika by Ishvara Krishna and the Sankhya Sutras attributed to Kapila, the founder of this school of thought.
   • These texts lay out the fundamental principles and philosophical insights of Sankhya.
2. Core Concepts:
   • Purusha (Consciousness): The eternal, unchanging, and passive observer, representing pure consciousness or the soul.
   • Prakriti (Nature): The primal matter, which is dynamic, active, and the source of the material world. It consists of three gunas (qualities): sattva (balance), rajas (activity), and tamas (inertia).
   • Evolution of the Universe: According to Sankhya, the universe evolves through the interaction of Purusha and Prakriti. This interaction leads to the manifestation of various elements and entities in a systematic order.
3. Epistemology:
   • Sankhya recognizes three valid means of knowledge (pramanas):
     • Pratyaksha (Perception)
     • Anumana (Inference)
     • Shabda (Verbal Testimony or Authoritative Scripture)
4. Metaphysical Framework:
   • Tattvas (Principles): Sankhya lists 25 tattvas (principles) that constitute reality, starting from Prakriti and evolving through various stages to manifest the material world and individual beings.
   • Gunatraya (Three Qualities): The interplay of sattva, rajas, and tamas shapes the characteristics of all material entities and influences their behavior.

Sankhya’s Influence on Indian Philosophy

1. Yoga Philosophy: Sankhya’s metaphysical concepts significantly influence the Yoga school of philosophy. Yoga, as expounded by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras, integrates Sankhya’s dualism of Purusha and Prakriti and its emphasis on self-realization and liberation.
2. Vedanta: While Vedanta differs in many aspects, it engages deeply with Sankhya’s concepts, particularly in discussions about the nature of reality and the self.
3. Ayurveda: The principles of Sankhya are foundational to Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine. The understanding of the human body, mind, and their interactions with the environment in Ayurveda is deeply rooted in Sankhya’s theory of gunas and tattvas.

Key Philosophical Insights

1. Dualism: Sankhya posits a clear dualism between Purusha and Prakriti. Purusha is the witness, and Prakriti is the active force. This dualism is fundamental to understanding the nature of existence and the process of liberation.
2. Liberation (Moksha): Liberation in Sankhya is the realization of the true nature of Purusha, leading to detachment from Prakriti and cessation of suffering. It emphasizes self-knowledge and discernment to achieve this state.
3. Causality and Evolution: Sankhya presents a comprehensive theory of causality and evolution, explaining how the universe and individual beings evolve from the interaction of Purusha and Prakriti.

Ethical and Practical Aspects

1. Discrimination (Viveka): Sankhya stresses the importance of Viveka, the discriminative knowledge between Purusha and Prakriti, for spiritual progress and liberation.
2. Detachment: Understanding the impermanent nature of Prakriti leads to detachment from material desires and attachments, facilitating spiritual growth.
3. Balance of Gunas: Ethical living in Sankhya involves maintaining a balance of the gunas, promoting sattva (purity and harmony) while regulating rajas (passion and activity) and tamas (ignorance and inertia).

Sankhya Darshan provides a profound and systematic exploration of reality, consciousness, and liberation. Its dualistic framework, detailed enumeration of principles, and emphasis on self-knowledge and detachment have deeply influenced various aspects of Hindu philosophy, spirituality, and practice. As one of the foundational systems of Indian thought, Sankhya continues to offer valuable insights into the nature of existence and the path to liberation.

The fourth chapter of Sankhya Darshan is devoted to anecdotes and profound parables, and thus, beginners in Sankhya are suggested to go through my video on some of those stories:

Sankhya Darshan | सांख्यदर्शन

Hindi Translations

There are quite a few translations of Samkhya Darshan available in Hindi:

1. Sankhya Darshanam, Tr By Uday Veer Shastri

2. Samkhya Darshana, Tr By Swami Darshanand Saraswati

3. Sankhya Darshan Bhashya of Vigyan Bhikshu and Jyotishmati of Ramshankar Bhattacharya

4. Sankhya Darshanam Tr by Pt Gokulchandra Dikshit

5. Sankhya Darshan Tr By Pandit Sitaram Shastri

6. Sankhya Darshanam, Tr By Swami Tulsiram

Other Books on Sankhya

Some other classic books on Samkhya:

1. Samkhya Tattva Kaumudi with Jyotishmati Explanation by Ram Shankar Bhattacharya – Motilal Banarasidas
2. Sankhya Shastra Ke Teen Pracheen Granth (Contains three books: Samkhya Tattva Samaas, Sankhya Sutra of Panchshikh Acharya and Sankhya Karika of Ishwar Krishna)
3. Sankhya Tattva Kaumudi Karika of Ishwara Krishna and Bhashya of Vachaspati Misra Ramshankar Bhattacharya MLBD
4. Sankhyakarika of Iswarakrsna, Gaud, Pt. Jwala Prasad
5. Sankhya-Tatva Kaumudi Prabha
6. Sankhya Tattva Manorama (Ishwar Krishna Krit Samkhya Karika) Tr By Dr. Dinanath Pandey
7. Sankhyatatvakoumudi of Vachaspati Mishr

For the convenience of readers, I am also sharing some other scholarly works on Samkhya Darshan:

Samkhya Darshan ka Advaitvadi Moolyankan – Prem Prakash Chandr Sharma

Samkhya Darshan Ki Shastriya Sameeksha – Dr. Shakti Bala Kaushal

Sandkhya Darshan Ki Aitihasik Parampara, Aadhyaprasad Mishra

Sankhya Darsana Paryalochana Adya Prasad Mishra Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan

Sankhya Dharma Aur Vigyan Bhikshu Vijana Urmila Chaturvedi

Samkhya Darshan ka Itihas by Acharya Uday Veer Shastri

Sankhya Yoga Darshana Ka Jirnoddhara By Hari Shankar Joshi Varanasi 1965 – Chowkhamba Prakashan

Thesis

Quite a few thesis are available on Shodhganga which is the national repositories of PhD Theses. I encourage students to go there and download the latest materials. I am sharing some of the important theses here.

Bauddh-Yog Evm Sankhya-Yog Mein Chitt Ka Swaroop – Ek Tulnatmak Adhyayan (1998)

Bharatiya Darshan Me Sookshm Shareer Ka Paryalochan (Ref – Vedant, Sankhya, Ayurved) – 376p (2017)

Bhartiya Darsana mein Suksma Sarira ka Paryalocana (Ref – Vedant, Sankhya, Yog, Ayurved) – Anil Kumar, 376p (2017)

Dekart Tatha Sankhya Darshan – Babita Srivastav, 405p (2011)

Gita Evm Sankhya Karika Me Pratipadit Sankhya Tattvon Ka Tulnatmak Adhyayan – Chhaya Singh (2001)

Gita Me Pratipadit Sankhya Yog Ki Avdharna – Sonal (2015)

Gita Mein Pratipadit Sankhya Yog Ki Avdharna – Sonal (BHU), 413p (2015)

Krishn Yajurvediya Upanishadon Me Sankhya Tanttvon Ka Tulnatmak Anusheelan – (LU) – (2004)

Mahabharat me Upalabdh Sankhyayog ke Siddhanto ki Vedant Darshan ki Drishhti se Samiksha – (BHU) (2022)

Mahabharat Mein Uplabdh Sankhya Evm Yog Darshan Ke Sandarbhon Ki Meemansa – Shampu Rani (2020)

Mahabharat, Charak Tatha Sankhyakarika Me Sankhya Siddhanto Ka Vikasatmak Adhyayan – (1992)

Purano Mein Sankhya Tattv Ke Sandarbh – Poonam Mishra (2015)

Sankhiya Bhashyon Evm Teekaon Ka Tulnatmak Adhyayan – Guide Ishwar Singh, 505p (1994)

Sankhya Aur Descartes Ka Tattva Vichaar – Anjana Yadav (2002)

Sankhya Aur Shankar Advait Me Prakriti Ki Sandharna – Abha Rani (1998)

Sankhya Darshan Evm Shankar Vedant Ke Tatta Meemanseey Siddhant – Rishika Verma (Benaras Hindu Uni) (2015)

Sankhya Darshan Ka Sameekshatmak Adhyayan (Ref Sankhya Taru Vasant) – Sarita Tripathi (Benaras Hindu Uni) (2017)

Sankhya Darshan Ke Pariprekshya Mein Bhagwat Puran Ka Adhyayan – Mridula Rani (1998)

Sankhya Darshan Me Purush Evm Prakriti Ka Sambandh (Ref Advait Vedant)

Sankhya Darshan Me Srishti – Aruna Singh (2010)

Sankhya Darshan Me Srishti Prakriya Vimarsh – Brijbhushan Tiwari, 379p (2006)

Sankhya Darshan Mein Patipadit Siddhanto Ki Adhunik Shiksha Shastreeya Sameeksha – Guide Shri Krishn tripathi (BHU) (2022)

Sankhya Darshan Me Upasthit Shiksha Darshan Ke Sankhya Tattvon Ka Shiksha Vyavastha Par Prabhav – (2010) -Mini Thesis

Sankhya Darshan Me Srishti Prakriya Vimarsh – Brijbhushan Tiwari, 379p (2006)

Sankhya Evm Shri Arvind Ke Darshan Me Vikaswad – Mahendra Singh (2006)

Sankhya Karika Ki Pramukh Sanskrit Teekaon Ka Tulnatmak Adhyayan – Pooja Dange (DU), 438p (2010)

Sankhya Matanusar Sarg Evm Pratyay Sarg – Sumitra Devi (1992) – Mini Thesis

Sankhya Tattva Mimansa Evm Anya Bharatiya Darshan (Tulna) – Suman, 488 (2007)

Sankhya Yog Aachar Meemansa – Nancy Gupta (Banaras Hindu Uni) (2020)

Sankhya Yog Me Praman Mimansa – Dinesh Kumar (2011)

Sankhyakarika Ki Matharvritti Ka Darshanik Anusheelan – (BHU) (1999)

Shad Darshan Mein Man Ki Avdharna – Anjum Fatima (AMU) (2010)

Shastriya Sankhya Tatha Pauranik Sankhya – Ek Vimarsh – Seema Kumari (2018)

Shastriya Tatha Pauranik Sankhya – Seema Kumari (2018)

Shiv Puran Evm Devi Bhagawat Puran Mein Sankhya Yog Ke Sandarbhon Ka Samikshatmak Adhyayan – (BHU) (2023)

Srishti Ki Prakriya Me Mrityu Evm Amritatva Ki Avdharna – Ram Singh, 573p (2008)

Trik Darshan Mein Sankhya Yog – Harish Kumar (DU), 434p (2017)

Vigyanbhikshu Praneet Sankhyapravachanbhashyam Ek Adhyayan – Brijesh Kumar Singh (Allahabad Uni) (2022)

Yukti Deepika – Adhyayan – Om Prakash (1998)

Yuktidipika – Ek Darshanik Adhyayan – Vednidhi (DU) (2009)