Shloka 36
Kapila’s Advent: Brahmā’s Confirmation, the Marriage of the Nine Daughters, and Kardama’s Renunciation
एतन्मे जन्म लोकेऽस्मिन्मुमुक्षूणां दुराशयात् । प्रसंख्यानाय तत्त्वानां सम्मतायात्मदर्शने ॥ ३६ ॥
etan me janma loke ’smin mumukṣūṇāṁ durāśayāt prasaṅkhyānāya tattvānāṁ sammatāyātma-darśane
এই জগতে আমার এই আবির্ভাব বিশেষত তাদের জন্য, যারা অনর্থক ভৌতিক আশার জাল থেকে মুক্তি চায়—আত্মদর্শনের জন্য অত্যন্ত সম্মানিত সাংখ্য মতে তত্ত্বসমূহের বিশ্লেষণ ব্যাখ্যা করতে।
Here the word durāśayāt is very significant. Dur refers to trouble or duḥkha, miseries. Āśayāt means “from the shelter.” We conditioned souls have taken shelter of the material body, which is full of troubles and miseries. Foolish people cannot understand the situation, and this is called ignorance, illusion, or the spell of māyā. Human society should very seriously understand that the body itself is the source of all miserable life. Modern civilization is supposed to be making advancement in scientific knowledge, but what is this scientific knowledge? It is based on bodily comforts only, without knowledge that however comfortably one maintains his body, the body is destructible. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, antavanta ime dehāḥ: these bodies are destined to be destroyed. Nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ refers to the living soul, or the living spark, within the body. That soul is eternal, but the body is not eternal. For our activity we must have a body; without a body, without sense organs, there is no activity. But people are not inquiring whether it is possible to have an eternal body. Actually they aspire for an eternal body because even though they engage in sense enjoyment, that sense enjoyment is not eternal. They are therefore in want of something which they can enjoy eternally, but they do not understand how to attain that perfection. Sāṅkhya philosophy, therefore, as stated herein by Kapila-deva, is tattvānām. The Sāṅkhya philosophy system is designed to afford understanding of the real truth. What is that real truth? The real truth is knowledge of how to get out of the material body, which is the source of all trouble. Lord Kapila’s incarnation, or descent, is especially meant for this purpose. That is clearly stated here.
FAQs
This verse says Kapila appears to guide liberation-seekers by teaching an authoritative analysis of reality (tattvas) that leads to direct realization of the Self.
Devahuti sought spiritual freedom, and Kapila—her son and an avatara—explains that his mission is to teach the approved method of self-realization through clear philosophical discernment.
Use discernment to separate the temporary (body, mind, circumstances) from the enduring Self, and redirect frustrated material hopes into steady spiritual practice aimed at inner realization.