Shloka 24
Adhyāya 302: Guṇa-vicāra, Gati-bheda, and the Imperishable State
Yājñavalkya–Janaka
भूतसर्गमहड्कारात् तृतीयं विद्धि पार्थिव । अहड्कारेषु सर्वेषु चतुर्थ विद्धि वैकृतम्
bhūtasargamahaṅkārāt tṛtīyaṁ viddhi pārthiva | ahaṅkāreṣu sarveṣu caturthaṁ viddhi vaikṛtam, pṛthvīnatha ||
វសិષ્ៈបានមានព្រះបន្ទូលថា៖ «ឱ ព្រះមហាក្សត្រ ចូរដឹងថា សೃષ્ટិទីបីកើតចេញពី អហង្គារ (គោលការណ៍នៃ “ខ្ញុំ-ភាព”)—ពីនោះបានបញ្ចេញការបង្កើតនៃធាតុស្ដើងៗ។ ហើយចូរដឹងថា សೃષ્ટិទីបួនហៅថា “វៃក្រឹត-សರ್ಗ” គឺការបង្កើតដែលបានបែងចែកចេញពីអហង្គារគ្រប់ប្រភេទ—សាត្វវិក រាជស និងតាមស»។
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse maps creation in Sāṅkhya terms: from ahaṅkāra arises the emanation of subtle elements (a ‘third’ creation), and from the differentiated modes of ahaṅkāra—sāttvika, rājasa, and tāmasa—arises the ‘vaikṛta’ (derivative/modified) creation. The ethical thrust is that understanding the mind’s ego-principle as a cosmic process helps loosen personal identification and supports detachment and liberation.
In Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, Vasiṣṭha instructs a king on metaphysical doctrine. Here he classifies stages of creation, naming the third as the element-emanation from ahaṅkāra and the fourth as the vaikṛta creation produced through the three guṇa-conditioned forms of ahaṅkāra.