Samkhya Karika 3

मूलप्रकृतिरविकृतिर्महदाद्याः प्रकृतिविकृतयः सप्त ।
षोडशकस्तु विकारो न प्रकृतिर्न विकृतिः पुरुषः ॥ ३॥

mūlaprakṛtiravikṛtirmahadādyāḥ prakṛtivikṛtayaḥ sapta ।
ṣoḍaśakastu vikāro na prakṛtirna vikṛtiḥ puruṣaḥ ॥ 3॥

Mūlaprakṛtiḥ=unmanifest Prakriti; avikṛtiḥ=non-evolute, not an effect; mahat=buddhi (intellect); ādyāḥ=etc.; prakṛtivikṛtayaḥ=cause and effect; sapta =seven; ṣoḍaśakaḥ=sixteen; tu=indeed; vikāro=effect only; na=not; prakṛtiḥ=cause; na=nor; vikṛtiḥ=effect; puruṣaḥ=Purusha

Mula Prakriti (Primal nature) is not an evolute (vikriti/effect). Mahat (intellect) etc. (the seven), are both evolvent (prakriti/cause) and evolutes (vikriti/effect). Sixteen of the tattvas (elements) are only evolutes (effect). Purusha (consciousness) is neither an evolute nor an evolvent.

The current kārikā groups the 25 elements into four broad categories:

• Mula Prakriti (Primal nature)
• Prakriti (cause/evolvent)
• vikriti (evolutes/effect)
• Neither an evolute (vikriti) nor an evolvent (Prakriti)

The Mula Prakriti, also known as Pradhāna, is the root cause of the evolution of the 23 elements and this entire creation. It is mentioned as “causeless” that is, it is not an effect from any other source. The word “root” indicates that it is at the root of all creation.

The group of seven, Mahat (buddhi) etc., are both evolvent (prakriti/cause) and evolutes (vikriti/effect). This group consists of Mahat (buddhi/intellect), ahaṃkāra (ego) and the five tanmātras (subtle sense perceptions) – smell, touch, taste, sight and hearing.

Mahat (buddhi) is an evolute from Mula Prakriti and also the cause for Ahaṃkāra (ego). Ahaṃkāra is an evolute from buddhi and also the cause for the five tanmātras. The five tanmātras, in turn, are the cause of the five great elements, as follows:

1. Shabda (sound) tanmatra is an evolute from Ahaṃkāra and the cause for the element of ākāsha (space)
2. Sparsha (touch) tanmatra is an evolute from Ahaṃkāra and the cause for the element of vāyu (air)
3. Gandha (smell) tanmatra is an evolute from Ahaṃkāra and the cause for the element of prithivi (earth)
4. Rūpa (sight) tanmatra is an evolute from Ahaṃkāra and the cause for the element of agni (fire)
5. Rasa (taste) tanmatra is an evolute from Ahaṃkāra and the cause for the element of āpaḥ (water)

Thus, the above seven are both prakriti (evolvent/cause) and vikriti (evolute/effect).

The group of sixteen – five organs of sense perception, five organs of action, five great elements and the mind – are vikriti (evolutes) only.

Purusha is neither prakriti (cause) nor vikriti (effect).