y merge, (each into its progenitor) in a
reverse order, like the waves of the ocean disappearing in the ocean that
gives them birth. O best of kings, this is the manner in which the
Creation and the Destruction of Prakriti takes place. The Supreme Being
is all that remains when Universal Destruction takes place, and it is He
that assumes multifarious forms when Creation starts into life. This is
even so, O king, as ascertained by men of knowledge. It is Prakriti that
causes the overpresiding Purusha to thus assume diversity and revert back
to unity. Prakriti also herself has the same indications. Only one fully
conversant with the nature of the topics of enquiry knows that Prakriti
also assumes the same kind of diversity and unity, for when Destruction
comes she reverts into unity and when Creation flows she assumes
diversity of form. The Soul makes Prakriti, which contains the principles
of production or growth, to assume manifold forms. Prakriti is called
Kshetra (or soul). Transcending the four and twenty topics or principles
is the Soul which is great. It presides over that Prakriti or Kshetra.
Hence, O great king, the foremost of Yatis say that the Soul is the
Presider. Indeed, it has been heard by us that in consequence of the
Soul's presiding over all Kshetras He is called the Presider. And because
He knows that Unmanifest Kshetra, He is, therefore, also called
Kshetrajna (Knower of Kshetra). And because also the Soul enters into
Unmanifest Kshetra (viz., the body), therefore he is called Purusha.
Kshetra is something quite different from Kshetrajna. Kshetra is
Unmanifest. The Soul, which transcends the four and twenty principles, is
called the Knower. Knowledge and the object known are different from each
other. Knowledge, again, has been said to be Unmanifest, while the object
of knowledge is the Soul which transcends the four and twenty principles.
The Unmanifest is called Kshetra, Sattwa (understanding), and also Iswara
(the supreme Lord), while Purusha, which is the twenty-fifth principle
has nothing superior to it and is not a principle (for it transcends all
principles and is only called a principle conventionally). This much O
king, is an account of the Sankhya philosophy. The Sankhyas called the
cause of the universe, and merging all the grosser principles into the
Chit behold the Supreme Soul. Rightly studying the four and twenty topics
along with Prakriti, and ascertaining their true nature, the Sankhyas