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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailashsagarsuri Gyanmandir
326
Ātman and Mokea
words-- "And from that contrast it follows that soul (Purusa) is witness, solitary bystander, spectator and passive."! Gauda pāda, while commenting on it explains that the soul is solitary or aloof from all in the sense that it is free from the three qualities (Fargünet: :). The Purusa is devoid of the three qualities, and hence, it has no particular characteristics except being only an inert witness of the activities of the Prakřti. All movement even in the Praksti is caused by the disturbance of equilibrium of the three qualities that are the constituents of it. But the Purusa is above the three qualities (guņas), hence, the possibility of movement is totally eliminated from the nature of the soul. As the soul is constituted of consciousness, it acts only as a seer, immutable and undisturbed. The soul acts only as a witness being an experiencer of the various experiences but never partakes any of them as the agent or doer of them. In fact, the Purusa or soul is totally passive but is mistaken to be active as it is associated with the Prakịti which is ever active. Is'varakrsna says - “Therefore, by reason of union with it, insensible body seems sensible; and though the qualities be active, the stronger (soul) appears as the agent." ? Gauda pada says in his commentary on the above sūtra “As a man caught along with thieves is supposed to be a thief, so also the real agents are the three qualities, and even if the soul is inactive or
1 Is'varakļņa : Sankhya Kārikā. Com. Gaudapāda, 19.96. Tr. H. T. Colebrooke.
9 is'varakļşņa : Samkhya Kārikā — Kārikā 20–99. Tr. H. T. Colebrooke.
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