Shloka 31
Sāṅkhya: Categories of the Absolute Truth and the Unfolding of Creation
Tattva-vicāra
तैजसानीन्द्रियाण्येव क्रियाज्ञानविभागश: । प्राणस्य हि क्रियाशक्तिर्बुद्धेर्विज्ञानशक्तिता ॥ ३१ ॥
taijasānīndriyāṇy eva kriyā-jñāna-vibhāgaśaḥ prāṇasya hi kriyā-śaktir buddher vijñāna-śaktitā
Egoism in the mode of passion produces two kinds of senses: those for knowledge and those for action. The active senses rely on prāṇa (vital energy), and the knowing senses rely on buddhi (intelligence).
It has been explained in the previous verses that mind is the product of ego in goodness and that the function of the mind is acceptance and rejection according to desire. But here intelligence is said to be the product of ego in passion. That is the distinction between mind and intelligence: mind is a product of egoism in goodness, and intelligence is a product of egoism in passion. The desire to accept something and reject something is a very important factor of the mind. Since mind is a product of the mode of goodness, if it is fixed upon the Lord of the mind, Aniruddha, then the mind can be changed to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is stated by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura that we always have desires. Desire cannot be stopped. But if we transfer our desires to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is the perfection of life. As soon as the desire is transferred to lording it over material nature, it becomes contaminated by matter. Desire has to be purified. In the beginning, this purification process has to be carried out by the order of the spiritual master, since the spiritual master knows how the disciple’s desires can be transformed into Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As far as intelligence is concerned, it is clearly stated here that it is a product of egoism in passion. By practice one comes to the point of the mode of goodness, and by surrendering or fixing the mind upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one becomes a very great personality, or mahātmā. In Bhagavad-gītā it is clearly said, sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ: “Such a great soul is very rare.”
FAQs
This verse states that senses arising from the taijasa (rajas) principle are classified as knowledge-acquiring and action-performing, establishing a clear functional division in Sāṅkhya analysis.
Kapila teaches Devahūti how the subtle body functions: prāṇa empowers activity, while buddhi provides discriminative understanding—both crucial for analyzing bondage and pursuing liberation.
Recognize that energy to act (prāṇa) needs guidance from discernment (buddhi); aligning actions with higher understanding supports self-control, clarity, and steady spiritual practice.