with perfect accuracy. I have had, however, the benefit of their labours, of the occasional remarks of Professor Wilson on Colebrooke's translation, and of the criticism of Dr. Fitz-Edward Hall on Professor Wilson's share of the work. Dr. Hall has criticised some parts of Professor Wilson's work with unnecessary harshness, forgetting that those who follow the footsteps of pioneers in a difficult country may be able to make the path somewhat more distinct than it was before, without possessing as much skill and energy as those who led the way. I have adopted Professor Wilson's translation of Gauḍapada's commentary, except in a few instances, where I think he has failed to apprehend its right meaning, or the real nature of Kapila's system, which he admits, in his preface, he had not previously studied.

THE SANKHYA KARIK Å.

BY ÏŚWARA KRISHNA.

1. "FROM the injurious effects of the threefold kinds of pain (arises) a desire to know the means of removing it (pain). If, from the visible (means of removing it), this (desire) should seem to be superfluous, it is not so, for these are neither absolutely complete nor abiding.":

1 The first distich is obscure. I subjoin a transliteration of the text (adopting Lassen's reading in the first line, apaghātakē, which is found in the S. Tatwa Kaumudi and S. Chandrika), with the translations of Colebrooke and others :

du'khatrayabhighātājjijñāsā tadapaghātakē hētau

1

Lassen:-"E tergeminorum dolorum impetu (oritur) desiderium cognoscendæ rationis quâ ii depellantur. Quod (cognoscendi desiderium) licet in visibilibus rebus infructuose versetur, non est (infructuosum) propter absentiam absoluti et omni ævo superstitis (remedii)."

St. Hilaire:-"La philosophie consiste à guérir les trois espèces de drishtēsāpārthāchennaikāntātyanta- douleurs. Si l'on pretend qu'il ex

to' bhāvāt.

Colebrooke:-"The inquiry is into the means of precluding the three sorts of pain, for pain is embarrassment. Nor is the inquiry superfluous because obvious means of alleviation exist, for absolute and final relief is not thereby accomplished."

iste des moyens materiels de les guérir, et que, par consequent, la philosophie est inutile, on se trompe, car il n'est pas un seul de ces moyens qui soit absolu ni definitiv."

Fitz-Edward Hall:-"Because of the discomposure that comes from threefold pain there arises a desire to learn the means of doing away

The first distich gives the chief, if not the sole, purpose of Kapila's philosophy. It is to relieve mankind from the suffering of pain. It is founded on the gloomy view of human life which is generally accepted by Hindu writers. They assert an absolute pessimism. Our present life is not a blessing; it is only a wearisome burden, which is finally cast off when the soul has become free from all contact with matter. The soul then gains, according to Kapila, an absolute independence, a selfexistence, which is not affected by any subsequent changes in the outer material world; or it is absorbed, according to the theistic system of Patanjali, into the essence of the One Supreme Being (Brahmă).

The three kinds of pain are explained by the commen

tators to be

1. The natural and intrinsic, both bodily and mental (ādhyatmika).

2. The natural and extrinsic (ādhibhautika).

3. The divine or supernatural (ādhidaivika).

The first includes bodily disease and mental infirmity or suffering. The second includes all pain derived from external causes of every kind. The third, as Gauḍapada interprets it, may be either divine or atmospheric; "in the latter case, it means pain which

therewith effectually. If it be objected, that visible means to this end being available, such desire is needless, I demur; for that these means do not entirely and for ever work immunity from discomposure" (Introd. to S. Sāra, p. 26).

Colebrooke's version of the first part of the distich is not very accurate, and abhighāta is not "embarrassment," though Professor Wilson

supports this rendering, and censures Lassen for translating it by the Latin impetus. It is composed of abhi= Gr. ȧupí, and han, for ghan, to strike, to slay. In the Peters. Dict. it is explained as schlag, angriff, beschädigung. Lassen was confessedly mistaken in his version of the second part. Dr. Hall's is the truest version, but abhighāta is much more than "discomposure."

proceeds from cold, heat, wind, rain, thunderbolts, and the like." This, however, belongs to the second division. According to Vachaspati Miśra, the third kind is "from the influence of the planetary bodies, or by being possessed by impure spirits, such as Yakshas, Rakshasas, &c." But, in old time, the gods of a higher class, and not demons merely, were supposed to afflict men with disease and pain. In the Rig-Veda (ii. 33, 7), Gṛitsamada prays to Rudra that he may be freed from his bodily pains, which he affirms to have been sent by the Devas or gods (daivya).1

The visible remedies for pain, such as medicine or earthly enjoyments, are not absolute or wholly complete, nor are they eternal; for they do not procure that entire separation of the soul from matter which is an absolute condition of its perfect deliverance from pain.

2. “The revealed (means) are like the visible (i.e., inefficient), for they are connected with impurity, destruction, and excess. A contrary method is better, and this consists in a discriminative knowledge of the Manifested (forms of matter), the Unmanifested (Prakriti or primeval matter), and the knowing (Soul)."

By "revelation" the Vedas are meant, which were supposed to have been heard by wise men (rishis) as a divine communication, and hence were called Śruti

1 "O Rudra, who bearest away the disease (rapas) sent by the (other) gods, be gracious, O mighty

One! to me." So Apollo sent the plague into the camp of the Greeks (Iliad, i. 42).