उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

182 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XV 47. If, (as admitted,) the Prakriti or Pradhâna work for (the bondage and the liberation of) the Purushas there will be no distinction ¹ between the bound and the liberated. Moreover, there is no relation between what is desired (i.e., liberation) and one who desires it as the Purusha has no desire at all, neither the other, i.e., the Prakriti.² प्रधानस्य च परार्थ्यं पुरुषस्याविकारतः । न युक्तं सांख्यशास्त्रेऽपि विकारेऽपि न युज्यते ॥ ४८ ॥ 48. As the Purusha is changeless it is not reason- able according to the Sânkhya philosophy also ³ that the Prakriti can work for it. Even admitting change ⁴ (in the Purusha) it is unreasonable (that the Prakriti is of any service or disservice to it). संबन्धानुपपत्तेश्च प्रकृतेः पुरुषस्य च । मिथोऽयुक्तं तदर्थत्वं प्रधानस्याचितित्त्वतः ॥ ४९ ॥ 49. As there can reasonably be no mutual relation between the Prakriti and the Purusha and as the Prakriti is non-conscious it is unreasonable that the Prakriti can render any service to the Purusha. क्रियोत्पत्तौ विनाशित्वं ज्ञानमात्रे च पूर्ववत् । निर्निमित्ते त्वनिर्मोक्षः प्रधानस्य प्रसज्यते ॥ ५० ॥ ¹ For all Purushas will be bound or all liberated as the same Prakriti works for all Purushas at the same time. ² For it is non-conscious. ³ Like other non-vedic systems of philosophy outside the pale of the Vedas. ⁴ In that case the Purusha will have to be admitted to be transitory and not, as it is supposed, the lord of the Prakriti which is admitted to be eternal.