Tattva-samsa

A Compendium of the Principles

of Nature

Picture by D K Cha
In this presentation, I have tried to explain
Tattva Samasa in simple language as I
understand it.
To explain the sutras, reference has been
taken from different books and online
sources .
 Introduction
There is no knowledge like sankhya and no power like
yoga [ ]
Sankhya and Yoga are two philosophy to attain communion
with God( ). In chapter 3 verse 3 of Bhagvad Gita ,Lord
Krishna says--
In this world, two faiths were declared by me. path of
knowledge( ) for Sankhya yogis, path of actions ( )
for yogis [
3]
In Chapter 5, it is elaborated
Only the ignorant speak of Yoga and Sankhya as being
different [ : : BG5.4]
and it is further mentioned that
Without yoga , practise of Sankhya is difficult[
: : BG5.6]
{continued}
 Introduction
Discourse of Sankhya in the form of Tattva Samasa
was done by Mahrishi Kapil to Aasuri. At present only
22 sutras are available and it makes the basis of Sankhya
philosophy. These 22 sutras have been deliberated in detail
in various scriptures at different times.

As explained on previous slide, Yoga and Sankhya are paths

to attain the same goal. These two paths meet at many
places and yogi following any of the path gets benefitted
knowing other path, therefore, one needs to understand
Tattva Samasa ,in order to understand Mahrishi Patanjalis
Yoga Sutras.

Keeping this in mind, the following slides explain in brief,

the meaning of 22 sutras discoursed by Mahrishi Kapil

aau praktaya [1]
astau : Eight
prakrtayah: Natures
Meaning of Sutra: [There are] eight origin of
evolutes (natures)
Explanation: The following are the eight prakritis:
Prakriti :Nature, the equilibrium of three gunas,
itself not evolved from any other origin, but the
primordial source of all other evolutes
Buddhi: faculty of discrimination, intelligence
Ahamkara: ego, identifying principle
tan-matras: five subtle elements of sound, touch,
form , flavour and smell

oaa vikr [2]
soadasa: sixteen
vikarah: transformation, apparition
Meaning: [There are] sixteen transformations/
apparitions
Explanation: The sixteen transformations or
apparitions are:
Indriyas: Eleven senses which consists of mind, five
cognitive senses and five active senses
Bhutas or tattvas: five gross elements which are
space, air, fire, water and earth ( evolved in this
order)

purushah [3]
purushah: the consciousness, ever pure, ever wise, ever
free
Meaning: Soul
Explanation: sutra 1 & 2 described 24
elements( tattav) which are without conscious and
25th element is the consciousness (purush).Purush
at different places has been identified as part of
God.

traigunyam[4]
trai: three
gunyam: qualities, attributes
Meaning: [The prakriti has ] three qualities or attributes
Explanation: The prakriti ( 24 in number as explained in
sutra 1 & 2) has three attributes( gunas). Sattva, rajas,
tamas. These three attributes are in equilibrium before the
creation of evolutes. These attributes represent the
principles of illumination , activity and stasis. Their
disequilibrium in different proportions produces different
evolutes which have already been mentioned in sutra 1 and
2. Anything beside purush( 25th element) has three
attributes

sancharah[5]
sancharah: emanation, evolution
Meaning: [there is continuous] emanation
Explanation: There is a continuous chain of transitions
from non-evolute prakriti towards the evolutes. This
transition ends at the grossest evolute , the earth.

prati-sancharah [6]
prati-sancharah: resolution, moving backward, withdrawal
Meaning: [There is continuous] withdrawal
Explanation: There is also a continuous chain of reverse
transition from evolutes towards dissolution into prakriti.
Sancharah and prati sancharah is a pair of transition from
one to another. This is also known as creation and
destruction ( )

adhyatmam adhibhtam adhidaivata ca
adhyatmam: The Supreme[7] Self
Adhibhutam: TheSupreme Substrate of Elemental Nature
Adhidaivatam: The Supreme Diety
Ca: and
Meaning: The supreme self, the supreme substrate of
Elemental Nature and the supreme Deity [ are the three
types of creation]
Explanation: The creation ( ) has three types.
Supreme self, nature and deity .
The categories under direct control of the Supreme Self
are: Mental: intelligence, ego and mind
physical: five cognitive senses and five active senses
Attributes of the objects of experience such as the
intelligible, the identifiable , the thinkable , the sounds
heard etc

pancha abhi buddhayah [8]
pancha: five
abhi buddhayah: functions of intellect, activities of
intelligence
Meaning:[there are ] five activities of intelligence
Explanation: these five activities are given as
under:
Abhibuddhi: i must do this
Abhimana: i do this
ichchha: desire , want
kartavya: indulgence of the cognitive senses
kriya: operations of the active senses

pancha karma yonayah [9]
pancha: five
karma yonayah: sources of actions

Meaning: [there are] five sources of actions

Explanation:
dhriti: resolution of mind , speech and action
shraddha: inclination of faith, generosity of mind, charity, acts of
prayer
sukha: acts undertaken with expectation of a comforting or
pleasant result
a-vividhisha: tendency that blocks the desire for knowledge
vividhisha: desire to know matters relating to spirituality

pancha vayavah [10]
pancha: five
vayavah: breaths , vital energy, vital winds
Meaning: [there are ] five [ types of] breathing
Explanation: every person has five fields of vital energy
or pranas or vayu in the body. These are:
prana, apana, samana, udana, vyana

pancha karmatmanah [11]
pancha : five
karmatmanah: living beings as per actions
Meaning: [there are] five [kinds of] living beings
[categorized as per their] actions (karmas)
Explanation:
vaikarika: with sattvic ego, naturally inclined to perform
good deeds
taijasa: with rajasic ego , naturally inclined to perform evil
acts
bhutadi: with tamsic ego, performing act of stupefaction
bhutadi are further categorized in two:
sanumana: performing good acts of stupefaction
niranumana: performing evil acts of stupefaction

pancha parva avidya[12]
pancha : five
parva avidya: ignorance
Meaning: [There are] five[kinds of] ignorance
Explanation: 12 to 15 sutras enumerate 50 modification
of intelligence. This sutra states that there are five kind of
ignorance. These are:
avidya(ignorance): mistaking the eternal for the non-
eternal and vice versa
mistaking the pure with impure and vice versa
mistaking pleasure for pain & vice versa
mistaking the self for non-self & vice versa
asmita: I am ness
raga: attraction
dvesha: aversion
abhinivesha: fear of death

ashtavimshatidha ashaktih [13 ]
ashtavimshatidha :twenty eight
ashaktih: incapacity
Meaning: [there are] 28 [kind of] incapacity
Explanation: the incapacity are enumerated as under
incapacity of mind 1
incapacity of 5 cognitive senses 5
incapacity of 5 active senses 5
incapacity of intelligence 17
the incapacity of intelligence are various possible false
views held regarding reality.
these 17 incapacities are opposites of 9 contentment and 8
accomplishment stated in next two sutras

navdha tushtih[14]
navdha: nine
tushtih: contentment
Meaning: [there are] nine contentment
Explanation: 4 spiritual and 5 external contentment
comprises of 9 contentment.
Spiritual contentment:
matter will give me enlightenment
renunciation will give me enlightenment
time will bring forth enlightenment
destiny will bring enlightenment
External contentment continued on next slide

navdha tushtih[14]
navdha: nine
tushtih: contentment
Meaning: [there are] nine contentment
Explanation: [ continued from previous slide]
external contentment are
The ways of earning wealth are violent, exploitative &
painful
Guarding wealth and sources of pleasure is painful
Wealth , luxury & pleasure even well guarded are
temporary
No matter how many objects of senses one enjoys, there
is no satisfaction and the desires blaze evermore
It is not possible to enjoy oneself without hurting other
beings

ashtadha shaktih [15]
ashtadha: eight
shaktih: accomplishment, attainment
Meaning: [there are] 8 accomplishment
Explanation: 8 accomplishment includes 3 primary and 5
secondary accomplishment
3 primary accomplishment are removal of 3 kinds of
sufferings(intra-personal, caused by other beings, caused by
natural forces)
[continued on next slide]

ashtadha shaktih [15]
ashtadha: eight
shaktih: accomplishment, attainment
Meaning: [there are] 8 accomplishment
Explanation: [continued from previous slide]
5 secondary accomplishments are
Contemplation with a logical mental process
Knowledge gained from scriptures
Study
Gaining friends in the form of teacher, disciples, co-
seekers
Self-purification
Secondary accomplishment are the means to primary
accomplishments

dasha mulika-arthah [16]
dasha: ten
Mulika-arthah: principles
Meaning: [There are] ten principle [tenets of the philosophy]
Explanation:
1. There is a conscious self ( Purush)
2. There is an original, unmanifest nature
3. There is a single unmanifested cause of all material objects
4. The conscious self exists for no other one
5. Matter exists for serving the conscious self
6. Conscious self is separate from prakriti
7. Conscious self is not an agent of actions
8. Union of matter with spiritual self occurs
9. There are many purushas
10. After self-realization, the body may continue by the momentum
of its own laws

anugraha sargah [17]
anugraha: compassionate
sargah: creation
Meaning: creation of compassionate [feelings]
Explanation: fivefold compassionate creation.
1. Five subtle elements( tan-matras)
2. The appearance of divine , incarnate sages is also
considered as compassionate creation

chaturdashavidho bhuta- sargah [18]
chaturdash vidho: fourteen kind
bhuta : living beings
sargah: creation
Meaning: Creation of fourteen kinds of living beings

trividho bandhah [19]
trividho: three kinds of
Bandhah: bondage
Meaning: [there are ] three kinds of bondage
Explanation:
1. Prakratika Bondage: identifying the self with the eight
prakritis
2. Vaikritika bondage: renunciates becoming attracted to
objects of pleasure
3. Dakshina bondage:
a) Common worldly peoples involvement with ordinary
desires and needs of life
b) An ascetics dependence on the offerings of laymen

trividho mokshah [20]
trividho: three kinds of
mokshah: liberation
Meaning: [there are] three kinds of liberation
Explanation:
1. Liberation arising from the full expansion of knowledge
2. Liberation arising from the elimination of attachment
3. Liberation arising above good and evil. In this kind, the
self has abandoned all prakritic identification.

trividham pramanam [21]
trividham : three
Pramanam: valid proofs
Meaning: [There exists] three valid proofs
Explanation:
Proofs are categorized as :
1. By direct perception
2. By inference
3. By authority of realized ones and by their
revealed scriptures

trividham duhkham[22]
Trividham: three kinds
Dhukham: misery
Meaning: [there exists] three kind of miseries
Explanation: these miseries are explained as under:
Adhyatmika( Interpersonal) these miseries are to be cured
by internal means. They have two categories
Mental such as desire, passion, jealousy, greed, fear,
depression
Physical- imbalance of natures
Adhibhautika: misery caused through the agency of other
beings
Adhidaivika: misery caused through the agency of natural
forces and the conscious powers of the subtler worlds

etat paramparaya yathatathyam [23]
Etat: this
Paramparaya: tradition
Yatha: in order that
tathyam: exact
yathatathyam: in accordance with the truth
Meaning: This is the tradition in accordance with
reality(truth)


etat sarvam jnatava krtakrtya syat na punas
trividhena duhkhena anu-bhuyate [24]
Etat: this Sarvam: the whole, completely
Jnatava: knowing
Krtakrtya:one who has accomplished what he wanted
Syat: perhaps(it is) Na : no (never) Punas: again
Trividhena: three kinds of
Dukhena: miseries, sorrows
Anubhuyate: experience
Meaning: Knowing the whole of this, one has
accomplished his task, Never again will the threefold
misery come to be [for him]