Sāṃkhya Kārikā
The Sāṃkhya Kārikā (Verses on Sāṃkhya) is the foundational text of the Sāṃkhya philosophical school, composed by Īśvarakṛṣṇa. It is the most important surviving text of classical Sāṃkhya philosophy.
Overview
Composed around the 3rd or 4th century CE, the text consists of 72 verses (kārikās) that systematize the Sāṃkhya philosophy, which presents a dualistic metaphysics of puruṣa (spirit/consciousness) and prakṛti (matter/nature). The text is remarkably concise yet comprehensive.
Content and Structure
The Sāṃkhya Kārikā establishes the fundamental duality of puruṣa and prakṛti, explains how the interaction of these two principles gives rise to the universe of experience, and describes the process of liberation through the discrimination (viveka) between spirit and matter. It presents the twenty-five tattvas (principles of reality), the theory of the three guṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas), and the mechanism of cosmic evolution.
Significance
The Sāṃkhya Kārikā became the standard reference for Sāṃkhya philosophy and influenced all subsequent Indian philosophical systems. Its analytical framework of reality was adopted and adapted by Yoga, Vedānta, and even Buddhist philosophy. The text was commentated upon by leading Indian philosophers including Vācaspati Miśra and Gauḍapāda.
Verification Notes
- Authorship attributed to Īśvarakṛṣṇa; the text is the most authoritative surviving work of the Sāṃkhya school.
- Audited against Wikipedia (September 2026).