The Bhagavad Gita, a sacred text within the Indian epic Mahabharata, is a profound dialogue between Lord Krishna and the warrior prince Arjuna. Among the various philosophical perspectives presented in the Gita, the Sankhya philosophy holds a significant place. Sankhya, meaning "enumeration" or "counting," is a school of thought that delves into the nature of reality, the self, and the ultimate purpose of life. In this exploration, we will unravel the key tenets of Sankhya philosophy as elucidated in the Bhagavad Gita.

Sankhya Philosophy:

Principles of Prakriti and Purusha: Sankhya philosophy posits the existence of two fundamental entities - Prakriti and Purusha. Prakriti represents the material world, including the physical and mental realms, while Purusha symbolizes the eternal, unchanging essence or consciousness. The interplay between these two principles is central to understanding the dynamics of existence.

Evolution of the Material World: According to Sankhya, Prakriti undergoes constant evolution, giving rise to the myriad forms and phenomena in the universe. The three gunas - sattva (goodness), rajas (passion), and tamas (ignorance) - are inherent qualities of Prakriti that shape the diversity and characteristics of the material world.

The Concept of the Self (Atman): Purusha, on the other hand, is distinct from the changing material world. It is the unchanging, eternal Self or Atman. The individual self, or Jivatman, is considered a fragment of the supreme, universal Purusha. Realizing the distinction between the eternal self and the transient material world is crucial for spiritual awakening.

Pathways to Liberation: Sankhya philosophy in the Bhagavad Gita introduces the concept of self-realization as the path to liberation (moksha). Arjuna is encouraged to discern the difference between the physical body (Prakriti) and the eternal self (Purusha). The practice of discernment, known as viveka, is fundamental in attaining liberation.

Detachment and Action: Sankhya philosophy advocates a path of detached action (karma yoga) as a means to realize the self. By performing one's duties without attachment to the results, an individual can overcome the cycle of birth and death and attain spiritual freedom.

Conclusion:

The Sankhya philosophy in the Bhagavad Gita provides a profound understanding of the nature of reality, the self, and the path to liberation. It encourages individuals to transcend the illusions of the material world, recognize the eternal nature of the self, and engage in actions with a sense of detachment. The teachings of Sankhya philosophy offer timeless wisdom that continues to inspire seekers on the spiritual journey, guiding them toward a deeper comprehension of the self and the ultimate reality. To know more visit us at

This course is the first of a two-part series on Sankhya Darshana (Philosophy), based on the Sanskrit book 'Sankhya Karika' by Ishvara Krishna. It is a short book with just 72 Karikas, which are short verses that explain Rishi Kapila's Sankhya Darshana. It is very important to understand the basic ideas of Sankhya philosophy if you want to understand other Sanskrit works like the Bhagavad Gita and other Vedic philosophical systems like Yoga and Vedanta.  

Sankhya Darshana through the Sankhya Karika – Part I Contents of the course:  

It is said, "na hi Sankhya samam gyanam, na hi yoga samam balam" i.e., There is no knowledge like Sankhya, and there is no power like Yoga. Sankhya Darshana was one of the first ways of thinking that tried to find a permanent answer to problems like birth and death, getting old, getting sick, and being sad. In his search for a permanent answer, Sankhya came up with a deep way of thinking about the universe and where humans fit into it. Sankhya thought that a good understanding of the twenty-five Tattvas, which are the basic building blocks of the universe, would lead to a complete and permanent end to human suffering.  

In this two-course set, the Sankhya Karika of Ishvara Krishna will be used to teach the basic ideas of Sankhya philosophy. In the first course, we will look closely at Karikas 1–30.  

A karika is a name used in the field. It generally has two lines, like the shlokas in the Bhagavad Gita. So, in the first quarter, we will cover about half of the Sankhya Karika. The last 42 Karikas will be taught in the second course in the series. Students will learn new things about Sankhya philosophy, which many scholars mistakenly call a dualistic, atheistic theory.  

You don't need to know anything about Sanskrit or Sankhya philosophy to take this course. The students will get a PDF file with each karika written in both Devanagari and Roman writing, along with the word meanings and short explanations. PDF files will also be made available for extra reading materials.  

The goals of this course are for students to be able to:  

a) Understand the basics of Sankhya Philosophy.  

b) Learn all the technical Sanskrit words you need to know.  

c) Learn the basics so that you can also understand works like the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita.  

d) Learn to appreciate other philosophical schools and be motivated to learn more about Vedic systems like Vedanta, Mimamsa, Yoga, Nyaya, and Vaisheshika.  

e) Get a deep understanding of the ideas of "mind," "atma," "ego," and "intellect," as well as how the world came to be.  

Structure of the class:  

Each week, there will be at least one 90-minute contact hour with one or more teachers. The class is set up so that each week's self-study and reflection can lead to talk and debate. Even though each class will only talk about the same topic for 60 minutes, the conversation time will be open-ended and can go on for up to 30 more minutes. Students will have to take notes on the Karikas that were talked about. They don't have to be as good as papers written for school, but they should be based on what the student has learned and understood so far. 

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CONTACT — 407–205–2118

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In this Course, Students will inquire into some of the fundamental misunderstandings that have accumulated around the Advaita Vedanta. Is the world to be taken as unreal? Is it a pessimistic philosophy? Is the world to be renounced? Is it only for Sannyasis? Students will be encouraged to form well-informed perspectives on Advaita Vedanta after a deep inquiry facilitated by the study of an original Sanskrit text, Vedantasara of Sadananda, an authoritative Acharya of the Advaita tradition. This study will enable students to form new insights into Advaita Vedanta philosophy. 

Vedantasara of Sadananda – Part 1 Course content: 

This Course is the first course in a two-part course sequence that introduces Advaita Vedanta systematically based on a text called Vedantasara by Sadananda. Advaita Vedanta is the most dynamic and popular of Vaidika Darshanas (philosophies). It is very well formulated, and it answers our fundamental questions regarding life and our human condition. Although there are many texts that deal with the principles of Advaita Vedanta, Vedantasara is a very good entry level text. 

This Text is prescribed at the Graduate levels at universities in India. What Sankhya Karika is to Sankhya philosophy, Vedantasara is to Advaita Vedanta. Composed in Prose form, the Vedantasara consists of forty-two Gadyanshas. Other Texts such as the Brahmasutra, the Bhagavadgita, Upanishads and other Darshanas will become more accessible once the student acquires a firm foundation in Advaita Vedanta. 

In the first course, approximately half the text will be covered, and the second course will cover the remaining portion. Prior knowledge of Sanskrit or Vedanta philosophy is not necessary to take up this course. A PDF file of the main text with Devanagari and Roman script will be shared with the students. In addition, supplementary reading material will be shared in PDF form. Through this course, students will also get initiated into the Sanskrit language. 

Enroll Course

CONTACT — 407–205–2118

Overview >> Hindu University Of America

EMAIL- [email protected]

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