Re: Late Swami Harshananda on Nirishvara Sankhya philosophy

[sunil bhattacharjya]

Dear Sir,

"Purusha is the Cosmic Being", the Parameshvara. Kindly read the hymn Purusha Suktam, the hymn 10.90 of the Rigveda dedicated to the Purusha, the "Cosmic Being". It is also found in the Shukla Yajurveda Samhita 31.1–16 and Atharva Veda Samhita 19.6.

That shows that the Sankhya of 25 tattwas is Seshwara Sankhya (and cannot be Nitishvara sankhya). So Kindly correct the following entry in the Website written by respected Swami Harshanandaji.

Niriśvara-sāṅkhya literally means ‘the Sāṅkhya philosophy that does not accept īśvara or God’.

The philosophies of Sāṅkhya and Yoga are generally studied together. The former concentrates on the metaphysical side, the latter pays the maximum attention to the sādhanā or spiritual practice that ultimately leads to kaivalya or liberation. Whereas the Sāṅkhya propounds 25 cosmic principles behind the creation, the Yoga accepts all of them and then adds īśvara or God as the 26th principle. Since the former school does not accept īśvara or God, it is called ‘Nirīśvara-sāṅkhya’. The latter is termed as ‘Seśvara-sāṅkhya’.

It appears to me that some editor must have made the wrong entry in the website, in the name of Late  Shri Harshananda Swamiji. Kindly correct it at the earliest possible.

Regards,

Sunil K. Bhattacharjya

On Wed, Oct 4, 2023 at 9:12 PM Bengaluru Ramakrishna Math <beng...@rkmm.org> wrote:

Dear Sir,

In the Nirishwara Sankhya, 25th principle is Purusha. 

With regards,

Yours in the service of the Lord,

Swami Vireshananda

For Adhyaksha

On Wed, 4 Oct 2023, 00:05 sunil bhattacharjya, <skbhatt...@gmail.com> wrote:

Respected Swami Nityasthanandaji,

You have replied saying "The entry about Nirishwara Sankhya in the Website written by Swami Harshanandaji is correct."

The entry in the Website written by Swami Harshananda wrote as follows:

Niriśvara-sāṅkhya literally means ‘the Sāṅkhya philosophy that does not accept īśvara or God’.

The philosophies of Sāṅkhya and Yoga are generally studied together. The former concentrates on the metaphysical side, the latter pays the maximum attention to the sādhanā or spiritual practice that ultimately leads to kaivalya or liberation. Whereas the Sāṅkhya propounds 25 cosmic principles behind the creation, the Yoga accepts all of them and then adds īśvara or God as the 26th principle. Since the former school does not accept īśvara or God, it is called ‘Nirīśvara-sāṅkhya’. The latter is termed as ‘Seśvara-sāṅkhya’.

The website of Swami Harshanandaji clearly claims that Nirishvara Sankhya has 25 principles or tattvas.

But I can find only 24 tattvas (and not 25) in Nirisvara Sankhya, as follows:

1. Prakriti or Nature

2. Mahat or Buddhi or Intellect.

3. Ahamkara - Ego

4. Manas - Mind

(5 to 9) - Five Jnenendriyas

(10 to 14) - Five Karnendriyas

(15 to 19) - Five Tanmātras, and

(20 to 24) - Five Mahā-bhūtas

So I request you kindly to let me know which are  the 25th tattvas, Swami Harshanandaji found in Nrisvara Sankhya. Please don't think that I am trying to find fault with Swami Harshanandaji. I am only in the quest for the truth. Lord Krishna told that Truth is Dharma.

Looking forward to hearing from you and with regards,

Sunil K. Bhattacharya

On Mon, Oct 2, 2023 at 10:19 AM sunil bhattacharjya <skbhatt...@gmail.com> wrote:

Honorable Swami Nityasthanandaji,

Namskar,

Thank you for your kind reply. I shall be grateful if you kindly let me know what are the 25 tattwas in the Nirishwara Sankkhya, according to late Swami Harshananda.

Regards,

Sunil Kumar Bhattacharjya

On Mon, Oct 2, 2023 at 4:30 AM Bengaluru Ramakrishna Math <beng...@rkmm.org> wrote:

Dear Sir,

Namaskar.

The entry about Nirishwara Sankhya in the Website written by Swami Harshanandaji is correct.

With regards,

Yours in the service of the Lord,

Swami Nityasthananda

Adhyaksha

On Sun, 1 Oct 2023, 01:05 sunil bhattacharjya, <skbhatt...@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Sirs,

There was a communication from a member in the "Advaitin group", where a reference was made to a website <https://hindupedia.com/en/Niriśvara-sāṅkhya>, which claims as follows:

Niriśvara-sāṅkhya

By Swami Harshananda

Niriśvara-sāṅkhya literally means ‘the Sāṅkhya philosophy that does not accept īśvara or God’.

The philosophies of Sāṅkhya and Yoga are generally studied together. The former concentrates on the metaphysical side, the latter pays the maximum attention to the sādhanā or spiritual practice that ultimately leads to kaivalya or liberation. Whereas the Sāṅkhya propounds 25 cosmic principles behind the creation, the Yoga accepts all of them and then adds īśvara or God as the 26th principle. Since the former school does not accept īśvara or God, it is called ‘Nirīśvara-sāṅkhya’.^[1] The latter is termed as ‘Seśvara-sāṅkhya’.

References

1. Nir means not.

• The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

Contributors to this article

Deval Sancheti

The writer Deval Sancheti, in that Hindupedia website, must have made a serious mistake in claiming

late Swami Harshanandaji to be saying that 'Nirisvara-sāṅkhya" has 25 principles and ‘Seśvara-sāṅkhya’ has 26 principles.

The book Sānkhya kārika by Ishvara Krishna clearly shows that Sankhya is  ‘Seśvara-sāṅkhya’, and it   has only 25 principles, including Purusha or Ishvara. The Bhshya by Shri Gaudapadacharya also clearly explains that. Sankhya is a theistic text with Ishara included in the 25 tattvas or principles.

Kindly look into this matter and let me know, your view-point. As regards myself, I am a retired scientist, presently staying in USA. I took deekhsha from my guru, late Swami Purnanandaji, of the Ramakrishna order. I published a book 'The Original Bhagavad Gita of 745 verses, including all the rare verses' in te year 2014, and I sent a copy of that to the Head of the Ramakrishna Math at Belur.

I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience. With regards

Sunil Kumar Bhattacharjya

[Südarsana Venugopal]

Hi all

Yogasutras calls Ishwara the 26th Tattva as Purusha Vishesha who is called Ishwara ( Klesha Karma vipaka ashayi aparamrshtah purusha vishesha ishwara)

This Ishwara is not a regular purusha but a vishesha purusha who never took part in any creation with prakriti and is hence unfettered by klesha ( panchaklesha), karma ( 4 types of karma) and vipaka ( jati , ayuh, bhoga) and ashaya ( karmashaya or sanskaras) 

Patanjali says tasya vachaka pranavah or this Ishwara is Omkara. 

Sankhya believes in bahutva of Purusha which is multiplicity and has sutras explaining the same. (Janma marana samaya, trigunas etc) 

So yes the statement mention by Swami Harsha anda is correct. Saeshwara Sankhya has 26th element called Ishwara. Purusha is the 1st element of Sankhya tattvavada. 

The 1st element is our pure consciousness and atma ( as per vedanta) or Vaiyaktik Chetna

The 26th element is Cosmic Consciousness or Vaishvik Chetana

I am a student of Yoga, Vedanta and Sankhya and doing MA as of now

Thanks

Sudarsana

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[putran M]

Namaskaram to all writers in this thread,

Let us not tag the Ramakrishna Math in our posts. 

thollmelukaalkizhu

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[putran M]

On Thu, Oct 5, 2023 at 7:38 AM putran M <putr...@gmail.com> wrote:

Namaskaram to all writers in this thread,

Let us not tag the Ramakrishna Math in our posts. 

(I noticed the extra addresses only after allowing the above two posts.)

[putran M]

This information was part of a mail posted by Sunil-ji:

Quote

Further to my mail of yesterday, I add the details of the 25 Tattwas of the Sesvara (Theistic) Sankhya, as follows:

1. Purusha (Ishvara)

2. Prakriti or Nature

3. Mahat or Buddhi or Intellect. 

4. Ahamkara - Ego

5. Manas - Mind

(6 to 10) - Five Jnenendriyas

(11 to 15) - Five Karnendriyas

(16 to 20) - Five Tanmātras, and

(21 to 25) - Five Mahā-bhūtas

Unquote

[sunil bhattacharjya]

Dear Putranji,

Shri Sudarsana Venugopal, was so emphatic in his view that Sashvara Sankhya has 26 tattvas. But when I ask him as to what are those 26 tattvas, he is totally silent. Isn't it very surprising?

Warmly,

Sunil KB

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[putran M]

Namaskaram Sunil-ji,

I had moderated out the earlier post since it had cc'd RKMath. Seems I messed up this one as well. Sri Venugopal-ji did not see your question.

thollmelukaalkizhu

[sunil bhattacharjya]

Dear Putranji,

Please do give  Shri Sudarsana Venugopal, a chance to spell out what are the 26 tattwas in the Seshvara-Sankhya, according to what he had learnt . That will be facilitating a constructive debate,

Warmly,

Sunil KB

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