THE SANKHYA DOCTRINE IN NUTSHELL

The founder of the Sankhya doctrine is considered to be a philosopher named Kapila Muni. The term Sankhya could be derived from Sankhyaa meaning “numbers”. This could be so as Sankhya philosophy divides the universe into 25 elements (tattvas). The first 9 elements (5 basic elements plus four subtle organs) comprise of the material universe and are termed as Prakriti or Nature. One element is the motive power of the universe which is looked upon as the spirit and is termed Purusha. The remaining 15 elements (five sense objects plus five sense organs plus five organs of action), named in the table below, are the result of Purusha acting upon Prakriti and they constitute the entire material universe. Prakriti has three Gunas or modes. These three Gunas have been explained in details in Chapter 14 of the Bhagavad-Gita.

            According to Sankhya doctrine (See Bhagavad Puraan 3.26.10-18, 11.22.10-16), Brahm or Atma undergoes twenty-five basic transformations in the following order: Spirit (Purusha, Chetan|, Ishvara) and the following twenty-four transformations of Total Energy (Prakriti, Mahat): Mind, Intellect, Consciousness (Chitta), and the conception of individuality (ego); the five basic elements, or raw ingredients, in subtle and gross form (ether or subtle substance, air, fire, water, and earth); the five sense objects (sound, touch, sight, taste, and smell); the five sense organs (ear, skin, eye, tongue, and nose); and the five organs of action (mouth, hand, leg, anus, and urethra).

        Twenty four transformations of Prakriti are:

        Our physical body, without life force, is made up of these twenty four elements.

          Total = 25

         Atma or Brahm is the source of both Purush (spirit) and Prakriti (matter)

         The Guna Theory of Sankhya Doctrine

         These three Gunas are the rope that binds both Purush and Prakriti

         One can cut this rope with the sword of Self-knowledge and devotion.

Word JnaanYog and SankhyaYog are used as synonyms in the Gita.

One can obtain Jnaan by going to an Ashram or Gurukul and studying full time or just reading scriptures in a Satsang mode and listening to saint and sages in JnaanaYajn spiritual camp. 

Samnyass is complete renunciation of doesrship and ownership and living in a secluded place.

KarmaSamnyaas is renunciation of doesrship and ownership and living in the society.  This is synonyms of KarmaYog. Jnaanyog is not absolutely necessary in Karmayog, Lord provides Jnaan to a KarmaYogi (Gita 4.31). At the perfection point there is no difference between a KarmaYogi, KarmaSamnyaasi and Samnyaasi. They all reach the same goal. But Karma is needed in JnaanYog. Therefore Lord says that KarmYog is better than JnaanaYog (Gita 5.02)

            The Supreme Intellect is known by various names, based on functions performed in the body. It is called mind when it feels and thinks, intellect when it reasons, thought waves (Chitta Vriti) when it does the act of remembering and wandering from one thought to another, and ego when it has the feeling of doership and individuality. The subtle senses consist of all four — mind, intellect, thought waves, and ego. It is the Karmic footprints that actually make the final decision with the help of mind and intellect. When the cosmic power does the functions of the body, it is called the bioimpulse (Vital life forces, Pr|na). The Supreme Spirit or Consciousness manifests Itself as both energy and matter. Matter and energy are nothing but condensed forms of Consciousness. According to Einstein, mind and matter are both energies (Pr|na). Ramana Maharshi said: The mind is a form of energy. It manifests itself as the world.