*SKANDHA III., CHAP. 25-33.*
We now come to an important part of the Bhagavata Purana, the teachings
of Kapila to his mother in the Yoga philosophy of the Bhagavat Purana.
They adapt the Sankhya and the Yoga systems to Bhakti or devotion. For a
full knowledge of the teachings I refer my readers to the Purana itself,
I shall only give the salient points and avoid details as much as
possible, without breaking the continuity of the discourses. "Yoga
directed towards Atma brings about Mukti. Chitta attached to the
transformations of Gunas causes Bondage; attached to Purusha, it causes
Mukti. When the mind is pure and free from distractions, man perceives
Atma in himself, by Wisdom, Dispassion and Devotion. There is no path so
friendly to the Yogins as constant devotion to Bhagavan. Company of
Sadhus opens wide the door to Mukti. They are Sadhus who have
forbearance and compassion, who are friendly to all beings, who have no
enemies, who are free from passions, and above all who have firm and
undivided Bhakti in Me. They give up all for My sake and they hear and
speak no words that do not relate to Me. Their company removes the
impurities of worldliness. Men first hear about Me from the Sadhus. By
faith their heart is drawn towards Me, and they have devotion for Me.
Devotion causes Dispassion and makes easy the path of Yoga. By
indifference to the Guna transformations of Prakriti, by wisdom fostered
by Dispassion, by Yoga and by Bhakti (devotion) offered to Me, the Jiva
attains Me even while in this body."
"When the Indriyas (the senses and the mind), that manifest the objects
of external and internal perception, become trained by the performance
of Vedic Karma, their spontaneous Vritti (or function) in a man of
concentrated mind is in Satva which is the same as Vishnu. This Vritti
which is void of all selfishness is Bhakti in Bhagavan. It is superior
to Mukti. It instantly destroys the Kosha (Astral body) as the digestive
fire consumes food. The devoted have no yearning for that Mukti (Sayujya
or Nirvana) which makes the Jiva one with Me. But they prefer ever to
talk with each other about Me, to exert themselves for My sake and ever
to meditate on Me. Mukti comes to them unasked. My Vibhutis, the eight
Siddhis (_anima &c._) and all the glory of the highest Lokas are theirs,
though they want them not. I am their Teacher, their Friend, their
Companion, their all. So even Kala cannot destroy them."
"Purusha is Atma. He is eternal, void of Gunas, beyond Prakriti, all
pervading, self luminous and all manifestating."
"Prakriti is Pradhana, one in itself, but is also the source of all
differences (_visesha_), possessed of three Gunas, unmanifested
(_avyakta_) and eternal."
"The twenty four transformations of Prakriti called Pradhanika or Saguna
Brahma are: --
"5 Maha Bhutas -- Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Akasa.
"5 Tanmatras -- Smell, Taste, Rupa, Touch and Sound.
"10 Indriyas -- Ear, Skin, Eye, Tongue, Nose, Speech, Hand, Foot,
Upastha and Payu.
"4 Divisions of Antahkarana -- Manas, Buddhi, Chitta and Ahankara."
"Kala is the twenty-fifth. But according to some, Kala is Prabhava or
Sakti of Purusha. Those who identify themselves with Prakriti are afraid
of Kala. Kala as the outer aspect of Purusha disturbs the equilibrium of
Gunas in Prakriti."
"Purusha energised Prakriti and the Gunas led to transformations
following the action of Daiva or Karma, (Jivic record of the previous
Kalpa). Prakriti brought forth the refulgent Mahat Tatva. The seed of
the Universe was in the bosom of Mahat, and it manifested the Universe
and destroyed the darkness of Pralaya by its own light."
"Chitta which is Vasudeva and Mahat, is Satva, transparent and pure, and
the perception of Bhagavan is achieved by this division of Antahkarana."
"Transparence (fitness for the full reflection of Brahma) immutability
and tranquility are the characteristics of Chitta, as of water in its
primal state."
"Mahat Tatva was transformed into Ahankara Tatva, with its Kriya Sakti.
Ahankara became three-fold -- Satvika (Manas), Rajasika (Indriyas) and
Tamasika (Bhutas) _i.e._ Kartri or Cause, Karana or Instrument and
Karyya or effect."
"Sankarshana is the Purusha of Ahankara. He is the Thousand-Headed and
Ananta (endless.)"
"Manas is Sankalpa and Vikalpa. It is the generator of Kama (or desire.)
So Aniruddha, the king of Indriyas, blue as the blue-lotus of autumn,
the Purusha of Manas, has with patience to be got over by yogins."
"Buddhi is Rajasa transformation of Ahankara. The perception of objects,
dependence on the Indriyas, doubt, wrong-knowledge, right-knowledge,
memory and sleep these are the functions of Buddhi. (Pradyumna is the
Purusha of Buddhi.)"
[The terminology here adopted will appear strange to the Vedantin
scholar. The divisions of Antahkarana are here adopted to the sacred
Tetractys or Chatur-vyuha, consisting of Vasudeva, Sankarshana,
Aniruddha and Pradyumna. In Devotional practice, Antahkarana should be
made the channel for higher communion and its divisions are the
divisions of spiritual perception.
Chitta is the highest aspect of Antahkarana corresponding to Mahat Tatva
in the Universe, with the Purusha always reflected in it. This aspect
corresponds to Vasudeva, the highest Purusha in the Tetraktys.
Ahankara is the bare individuality, transformable into peculiarities,
but not so transformed. Sankarshana is the corresponding Purusha.
Manas is Kama or desire brought on by likes and dislikes. It consists of
the mental tendencies of attachment, repulsion and indifference.
Aniruddha is the corresponding Purusha.
Buddhi is in one word the Chitta of Patanjali, -- that which functions
through the physical brain.