Samkhya Karika 62

तस्मान्न बध्यते नापि मुच्यते नापि संसरति कश्चित् ।
संसरति बध्यते मुच्यते च नानाश्रया प्रकृतिः ॥ ६२ ॥

tasmānna badhyate nāpi mucyate nāpi saṁsarati kaścit ।
saṁsarati badhyate mucyate ca nānāśrayā prakṛtiḥ ॥ 62 ॥

Tasmāt=thus; na=not (neither); badhyate=bound; nāpi=nor; mucyate=released; nāpi=nor; saṁsarati=transmigrates; kaścit=someone; saṁsarati=transmigrates; badhyate=bound; mucyate=released; ca=and; nānā=multiple; āśrayā=support; prakṛtiḥ= Prakriti

Thus, Purusha is never bound, never released nor does it go through transmigration. Prakriti, on the other hand, being the support for the entire creation, goes through transmigration, is bound and is also released.

Samkhya Karika 61

प्रकृतेः सुकुमारतरं न किञ्चिदस्तीति मे मतिर्भवति ।
या दृष्टास्मीति पुनर्न दर्शनमुपैति पुरुषस्य ॥ ६१ ॥

prakṛteḥ sukumārataraṁ na kiñcidastīti me matirbhavati ।
yā dṛṣṭāsmīti punarna darśanamupaiti puruṣasya ॥ 61 ॥

prakṛteḥ=(compared to) Prakriti; sukumārataraṁ=more modest; na=not; kiñcit=anything; asti=is; iti=thus; me=my; matiḥ=opinion; bhavati=is; yā=who; dṛṣṭāsmī=I have been seen: iti=thus; punaḥ=again; na=not; darśanam=show (herself); upaiti=offers, presents; puruṣasya=to the Purusha

In my opinion, nothing is more modest than Prakriti who, on knowing that “I have been seen”, does not show herself again to Purusha.

Samkhya Karika 60

नानाविधैरुपायैरुपकारिण्यनुपकारिणः पुंसः ।
गुणवत्यगुणस्य सतस्तस्यार्थमपार्थकं चरति ॥ ६० ॥

nānāvidhairupāyairupakāriṇyanupakāriṇaḥ puṁsaḥ ।
guṇavatyaguṇasya satastasyārthamapārthakaṁ carati ॥ 60 ॥

nānāvidhaiḥ=manifold; upāyaiḥ=means; upakāriṇi=generous; anupakāriṇaḥ=of the ungrateful; puṁsaḥ=Purusha; guṇava ti=endowed with the three gunas; aguṇasya=of the one without gunas; sataḥ=on being; tasya=his; artham=purpose; apārthakaṁ=without benefit (for herself); carati=pursues

Prakriti, generous by nature, endowed with the three gunas, works through multiple means, to fulfill the purpose of ungrateful Purusha who is devoid of the three gunas, without any benefit for herself.

Samkhya Karika 59

रङ्गस्य दर्शयित्वा निवर्तते नर्तकी यथा नृत्यात् ।
पुरुषस्य तथाऽऽत्मानं प्रकाश्य विनिवर्तते प्रकृतिः ॥ ५९ ॥

raṅgasya darśayitvā nivartate nartakī yathā nṛtyāt ।
puruṣasya tathā”tmānaṁ prakāśya vinivartate prakṛtiḥ ॥ 59 ॥

Raṅgasya=stage performance; darśayitvā=having exhibited; nivartate=withdraws; nartakī=dancer (female); yathā=just as; nṛtyāt=from dancing; puruṣasya=of the Purusha; tathā=in the same manner; ātmānam=(her)self; prakāśya=having exhibited; vinivartate=ceases to function; prakṛtiḥ=Prakriti

Just as a dancer, having exhibited her skills to the audience, concludes her dance, so also does Prakriti cease to function after having exhibited herself to Purusha.

Samkhya Karika 58

औत्सुक्यनिवृत्त्यर्थं यथा क्रियासु प्रवर्तते लोकः ।
पुरुषस्य विमोक्षार्थं प्रवर्तते तद्वदव्यक्तम् ॥ ५८ ॥

autsukyanivṛttyarthaṁ yathā kriyāsu pravartate lokaḥ ।
puruṣasya vimokṣārthaṁ pravartate tadvadavyaktam ॥ 58 ॥

Autsukya=desires; nivṛtti=fulfillment; arthaṁ=for the purpose of; yathā=just as; kriyāsu=in action; pravartate=are engaged in; lokaḥ=people; puruṣasya=of Purusha; vimokṣa=liberation; arthaṁ=for the purpose of; pravartate=engaged in; tadvat=in the same manner; avyaktam=unmanifest (Mūla Prakriti)

Just as people in the world engage in action to fulfill their desires, so also the unmanifest (Prakriti) engages in action to liberate the Purusha.

Samkhya Karika 57

वत्सविवृद्धिनिमित्तं क्षीरस्य यथा प्रवृत्तिरज्ञस्य ।
पुरुषविमोक्षनिमित्तं तथा प्रवृत्तिः प्रधानस्य ॥ ५७ ॥

vatsavivṛddhinimittaṁ kṣīrasya yathā pravṛttirajñasya ।
puruṣavimokṣanimittaṁ tathā pravṛttiḥ pradhānasya ॥ 57 ॥

Vatsa=calf; vivṛddhi=growth, nourishment; nimittaṁ=for the sake of; kṣīrasya=of the milk; yathā=just as; pravṛttiḥ=flow, action; ajñasya=insentient; puruṣa=Purusha; vimokṣa=liberation; nimittaṁ=for the sake of; tathā=in the same manner; pravṛttiḥ=action; pradhānasya=of mūla prakriti

Just as the production and flow of milk which is unintelligent, is for the nourishment of the calf, in the same manner, the action of Pradhana (Prakriti) is for the liberation of Purusha.

Samkhya Karika 56

इत्येष प्रकृतिकृतौ महदादिविशेषभूतपर्यन्तः ।
प्रतिपुरुषविमोक्षार्थं स्वार्थ इव परार्थ आरम्भः ॥ ५६ ॥

ityeṣa prakṛtikṛtau mahadādiviśeṣabhūtaparyantaḥ ।
pratipuruṣavimokṣārthaṁ svārtha iva parārtha ārambhaḥ ॥ 56 ॥

Ityeṣaḥ=iti+eṣaḥ= this (evolution – what has been described thus far); prakṛti=mūla prakriti; kṛtau=in the creation; mahat=buddhi; ādi=starting from; viśeṣa=specific; bhūta=gross elements; paryantaḥ=up to; prati=each; puruṣa=Purusha; vimokṣa=liberation; arthaṁ=purpose; svārthaḥ=own interest; iva=as if; parārtha=in the interest of another; ārambhaḥ=undertaken

This creation from Mahat (intellect) down to the gross elements is a result of the modifications of Prakriti for the liberation of each Purusha. This is done in the interest of another appearing as if in its own interest.

Samkhya Karika 55

तत्र जरामरणकृतं दुःखं प्राप्नोति चेतनः पुरुषः ।
लिङ्गस्याविनिवृत्तेः, तस्माद् दुःखं स्वभावेन ॥ ५५ ॥

tatra jarāmaraṇakṛtaṁ duḥkhaṁ prāpnoti cetanaḥ puruṣaḥ ।
liṅgasyāvinivṛtteḥ, tasmād duḥkhaṁ svabhāvena ॥ 55 ॥

Tatra (there, in the three worlds mentioned in the previous sutra); jarā=old age; maraṇa=death; kṛtaṁ=caused by; duḥkhaṁ=suffering; prāpnoti=experiences; cetanaḥ=conscious; puruṣaḥ=Purusha; liṅgasya=of the subtle body; āvinivṛtteḥ=until deliverance (from the subtle body); tasmāt=therefore; duḥkhaṁ=suffering; svabhāvena=natural

Therein (in the three worlds), the conscious Purusha suffers pain born of old age and death until it is released from the subtle body. Thus, pain is natural in this creation.

Samkhya Karika 54

ऊर्ध्वं सत्त्वविशालस्तमोविशालश्च मूलतः सर्गः ।
मध्ये रजोविशालो ब्रह्मादिस्तम्बपर्यन्तः ॥ ५४ ॥

ūrdhvaṁ sattvaviśālastamoviśālaśca mūlataḥ sargaḥ ।
madhye rajoviśālo brahmādistambaparyantaḥ ॥ 54 ॥

ūrdhvaṁ=upper (worlds of Brahmā); sattva=sattva guna; viśālaḥ=prevalent; tamaḥ=tamas guna; viśālaḥ=prevalent; ca=and; mūlataḥ=lower, the nether (world); sargaḥ=creation; madhye=in the middle; rajaḥ=rajas guna; viśālaḥ=prevalent; brahmādi=beginning with Brahmā; stamba=blade of grass; paryantaḥ=up to

Sattva is predominant in the higher regions, tamas in the lower regions and rajas dominates in the middle regions. Such is the creation from Brahma to a blade of grass.

Samkhya Karika 53

अष्टविकल्पो दैवस्तैर्यग्योनश्च पञ्चधा भवति ।
मानुषश्चैकविधः समासतोऽयं त्रिधा सर्गः ॥ ५३ ॥

aṣṭavikalpo daivastairyagyonaśca pañcadhā bhavati ।
mānuṣaścaikavidhaḥ samāsato’yaṁ tridhā sargaḥ ॥ 53 ॥

Aṣṭa=eight; vikalpaḥ=varieties; daivaḥ=celestial; tairyak=belonging to animals (literally horizontal); yonaḥ=species; ca=and; pañcadhā=of five types; bhavati=is; mānuṣaḥ=of humans; ca=and; ekavidhaḥ=of one kind; samāsataḥ=in brief; ayaṁ=this; tridhā=of three kinds; sargaḥ=creation

The celestial creation is of eight kinds; the animal species of five kinds; and the human is of one kind. In summary, this is the essence of the physical creation.