प्राण इति प्राणविदो भूतानीति च तद्विदः ।
गुणा इति गुणविदस्तत्त्वानीति च तद्विदः ॥ २० ॥prāṇa iti prāṇavido bhūtānīti ca tadvidaḥ |
guṇā iti guṇavidastattvānīti ca tadvidaḥ || 20 ||20. Those1 that know only Prāṇa,2 call It (Ātman), Prāṇa, those3 that know Bhūtas call It Bhūtas,4 those5 knowing Guṇas call It Guṇas,6 those7 knowing Tattvas, call It Tattvas.8
Anandagiri Tika (glossary)
1 Those—e.g., the Vaiśeṣikas and the worshippers of Hiraṇya garbha, etc.
2 Prāṇa—They hold Prāṇa, i.e., Hiraṇyagarbha or extra-cosmic God, to be the cause of the universe. This is mere imagination of the mind. There is no rational proof of the reality of an extra-cosmic God or Person as the cause of the world.
3 Those, etc.—e.g., the Cārvākas or the atheists.
4 Bhūtas—They designate the four elements, such as, earth, water, fire and air, which are directly perceived by them, as the cause of the universe. The insentient elements cannot be the cause of the sentient beings. Therefore, this theory also is an imagination.
5 Those, etc.—e.g., the Sāṃkhyas.
6 Guṇas—According to the Sāṃkhyas, the state of equilibrium of the three Guṇas, viz., Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, produces Mahat, etc., and through them the universe. This is also mere idea.
7 Those, etc.—i.e., the Śaivas.
8 Tattvas—The Śaivas enumerate three Tattvas or categories,. viz., Ātmā, Avidyā and Śiva as the cause of the universe. This is also an imagination and hence untenable. For, Śiva being an entity separated from Ātman, becomes an object like a pot, etc.