thus assume diversity and revert back to unity.
Prakriti also herself has the same indications.
Only fully conversant with the nature of the topics
of enquiry knows that Prakriti also assumes the same
kind of diversity and unity, for when Destruction
comes she reverts into unity and when Creation flows
she assumes diversity of form. The Soul makes
Prakriti, which contains the principles of production
or growth, to assume manifold forms. Prakriti
is called Kshetra (or soil). Transcending the
four and twenty topics or principles is the Soul which
is great. It presides over that Prakriti or Kshetra.
Hence, O great king, the foremost of Yatis say that
the Soul is the Presider. Indeed, it has been
heard by us that in consequence of the Soul’s
presiding over all Kshetras He is called the Presider.
And because He knows that Unmanifest Kshetra, He is,
therefore, also called Kshetrajna (Knower of Kshetra).
And because also the Soul enters into Unmanifest Kshetra
(viz., the body), therefore he is called Purusha.
Kshetra is something quite different from Kshetrajna.
Kshetra is Unmanifest. The Soul, which transcends
the four and twenty principles, is called the Knower.
Knowledge and the object known are different from each
other. Knowledge, again, has been said to be Unmanifest,
while the object of knowledge is the Soul which transcends
the four and twenty principles. The Unmanifest
is called Kshetra. Sattwa (understanding), and
also Iswara (the supreme Lord), while Purusha, which
is the twenty-fifth principle has nothing superior
to it and is not a principle (for it transcends all
principles and is only called a principle conventionally).
This much O king, is an account of the Sankhya philosophy.
The Sankhyas called the cause of the universe, and
merging all the grosser principles into the Chit behold
the Supreme Soul. Rightly studying the four and
twenty topics along with Prakriti, and ascertaining
their true nature, the Sankhyas succeed in beholding
That which transcends the four and twenty topics or
principles.[1625] Jiva in reality is that very Soul
which transcends Prakriti and is beyond the four and
twenty topics. When he succeeds in knowing that
Supreme Soul by dissociating himself from Prakriti,
he then becomes identifiable with the Supreme Soul.
I have now told thee every thing about the Sankhya
System truly. Those who are conversant with this
philosophy succeed in attaining are subject to error
have direct cognisance of Brahma. They that succeed
in attaining to tranquillity. Indeed, as men
whose understanding are subject to error have direct
cognisance of Brahma. They that succeed in attaining
to that state have never to come back to this world
after the dissolution of their bodies; while as regards
those that are said to be emancipate in this life,
puissance, and that indescribable felicity which attaches
itself to Samadhi, and immutability, become theirs,
in consequence of their having attained to the nature
of the Indestructible.[1626] They who behold this