Samkhya thoughts in the Mahabharata
by Shini M.V. | 2017 | 51,373 words
This page relates ‘Works on Samkhya’ of the study of Samkhya thought and philosophy as reflected in the Shanti-Parva of the Mahabharata. Samkhya represents one of the six orthodox schools of Indian Philosophy and primarily deals with metaphysical knowledge and explains the Universe without the need to introduce God. The Mahabharata is an ancient Sanskrit epic which includes many Sankhya theories while expounding twenty-five principles.
Works on Sāṃkhya
1. Sāṃkhyasūrtam or Sāṃkhya pravacana Sūtra [author: Kapila]
1b. Tattvasamāsa [author: Kapila]
2. Sāṃkhyapravacanabhāṣya [author: Vijñānabhikṣu (16th Century AD)]
3. Tattvakaumudivyākhya [author: Yati]
4. Sāṃkhyakārika [author: Īśvarakṛṣṇa]
5. Sāṃkhya tattvakaumudi (Commentary on Sāṃkhyakārika) [author: Vacaspatimiśra]
6. Sāṃkhyasūtra [author: Vijñānabhikṣu]
7. Sāṃkhyacandrika [author: Nārāyaṇatīrtha]
8. Rājavārttika [author: Bhojarāja]
9. Ṣaṣṭhitantra [author: Pañcaśikha]
10. Māṭhravṛtti [author: Madhvācārya]
11. Yuktidīpika [author: Author unknown (550 AD)]
12. Sāṃkhyasūtravṛtti [author: Aniruddha]
13. Sāṃkhyatattvavivecana [author: Sīmānanda]
14. Sāṃkhyatattvayathārthyadīpika [author: Bhāvagaṇeśa]
15. Sāṃkhyakaumudi [author: Rāmakṛṣṇa]
16. Jayamaṅgala [author: Śankarācārya]
The text of Mahābhārata as mentioned earlier is divided in too many Parvas. One among the Parva is the Śāntiparva This Śāntiparva is full of Sāṃkhya Philosophy. The textual analysis of this Parva, will clearly explain this Philosophy.