Sutra 4.32

ततः कृतार्थानां परिणामक्रमसमाप्तिर्गुणानाम्॥३२॥

tataḥ kr̥tārthānaṁ pariṇāma-krama-samāptir-guṇānām ॥32॥

tataḥ=by that; kr̥tārthānaṁ=having fulfilled their object; pariṇāma=of the changes; krama=process; samāptih=the end; guṇānām=of the three gunas॥32॥

Aranya

After The Emergence Of That (Virtue-Pouring Cloud) The Gunas Having Fulfilled Their Purpose, The Sequence Of Their Mutation Ceases.

Taimni

The three Gunas having fulfilled their object, the process of change (in the Gunas) comes to an end.

Sw. Satchidananda

Then the guṇas terminate their sequence of transformations because they have fulfilled their purpose.

Bryant

As a result, there is a cessation of the ongoing permutations of the gunas, their purpose now fulfilled.

Discussion

In sutra 2.18 we were told that the purpose of Prakriti is twofold – to provide worldly experience to the Purusha and to help Purusha attain liberation. On the attainment of Dharma-megha samadhi, these two objectives have been fulfilled. Kleshas (afflictions) and karma have been eliminated (sutra 4.30). We have seen before that the Prakriti has the three gunas – sattva, rajas and tamas – as its constituents. It is the constant mutations and changes in the dominance of one guna over the other two that causes all the experiences. Once the final purpose, that of liberation (kaivalya as a result of dharma-megha samadhi) has been attained, the gunas have no more function to perform. They settle down in a state of perfect equilibrium.