The Samkhya-Tattva-Kaumudi

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I. The Origin Of Philosophical Enquiry
In this world, the end of all activity is happiness. No- body even in his imagination likes to suffer pain even for a moment. Even those who commit suicide do so only when they are sorely disgusted with the pains inherent in Sarnsara, Truly has it been said by our elders, oo Everyone desists from pain; everyone desires happiness." But what happiness is cannot be very well explained by those who lack philosophical insight. The enjoyment of sense-objects which people resort to as o pleasure' day and night and for which they put forth their utmost effort is considered by philosophers as entirely undesirable, mixed as it is always with pain. So the wise leave. all worldly enjoyments even as one does honey mixed with poison and seek the highest end of human existence which alone leads to final and absolute happiness; and after they have attained it for themselves" they are moved with pity for the creatures quivering in the well of miseries and for their good they apply themselves to the propagation of. the truth attained. 'Fhus do the wise explain the Origin of Philosophical Enquiry.

" II.The Significance of Sainkhya Philosophy
Of all the philosophical systems, Sarnkhya has been 'considered by all to be the most ancient. Nobody can gain- say the fact that this occupies a prominent place in all the Sastras, since this is either supported or controverted by every philosophical. system. Therefore, the importance of this Sastra is recognised by all. tge systems. Sailkaracarya says- oo The doctrine, moreover, stands somewhat near to the Vedanta doctrine since, like the latter, it admits the non- difference of cause and effect, and it, moreover, has been accepted by some of the authors of the Dharrna-sutras, such as Devala, and so on. For all these reasons we have taken special trouble to refute the pradhana -c'octrine." (S. P, E., XXXIV, p. 289). So also in the Mahabharata we read- I' There is no knowledge like that of Samkhya, no power like that of Yoga. You should have no doubt as to Samkhya being the highest knowledge. "

Though the use of the word Sainkhya is found first of all in the Svet. Up yet S~mkhya reflections are found even in the Rgveda and the other Upanisads, This proves the antiquity of this Sastra. This will be made clear in detail further on.

,Sainkhya is derived from the word Sainkhya. The word Sainkhya is used in the sense of thinking and counting. Amara 1. V. 3)Thinking may be with reference to basic principles or knowledge of Self. Counting refers to the twenty-four principles and asak:i, atusti etc. The double implication of the word has been set forth by Viji:ianabhik~u in his preface to Sarnkhya-pravacanabbasva, by a quotation from the Mbh.-

So, Sainkhya means knowledge of Self through right discrimination .. Garbe is of opinion that the word Sainkhya was originally used in the sense of counting, and it was then applied to the system of Kapila which enumerates the five principles. (For details and the opinion of Jacobi, see S. P., p.1S9, 2n. and pp. 190-191). Iayacandra Sarma says with regard to Sainkhya in Sainskrta-Candrika, a magazine which ·became defunct long ago, that the Sarckhva is tawny, with deep- brown face, and has a big belly. He has a rosary in his hand and a staff, and keeps long nails and hair. (Adlpural)a quoted, VII of 1821 Sake,. vol. 1 and 2, p. 8). Really speaking, since the word Kapila stands both for a particular colour and for the founder of Sarnkhva philosophy, therefore, owing to the similarity of word the writer of the Purana has indulged. in conjectures of his own. It appears that the writer of the. Purana at the time of writing happened to. see some sage with tawny face and corpulent body and' was led to describe his form and colour.