a bull. If the transformation had no special
cause, grass would become milk even on other conditions than that of
entering a cow's body. Nor would the circumstance of men not being able
to produce milk according to their liking prove that there is no
instrumental cause; for while some effects can be produced by men,
others result from divine action only[326]. The fact, however, is that
men also are able, by applying a means in their power, to produce milk
from grass and herbs; for when they wish to procure a more abundant
supply of milk they feed the cow more plentifully and thus obtain more
milk from her.--For these reasons the spontaneous modification of the
pradhana cannot be proved from the instance of grass and the like.

6. Even if we admit (the Sa@nkhya position refuted in what precedes, it
is invalidated by other objections) on account of the absence of a
purpose (on the part of the pradhana).

Even if we, accommodating ourselves to your (the Sa@nkhya's) belief,
should admit what has been disproved in the preceding Sutra, viz. that
the pradhana is spontaneously active, still your opinion would lie open
to an objection 'on account of the absence of a purpose.' For if the
spontaneous activity of the pradhana has, as you say, no reference to
anything else, it will have no reference not only to any aiding
principle, but also to any purpose or motive, and consequently your
doctrine that the pradhana is active in order to effect the purpose of
man will become untenable. If you reply that the pradhana does not
indeed regard any aiding principle, but does regard a purpose, we remark
that in that case we must distinguish between the different possible
purposes, viz. either enjoyment (on the part of the soul), or final
release, or both. If enjoyment, what enjoyment, we ask, can belong to
the soul which is naturally incapable of any accretion (of pleasure or
pain)[327]? Moreover, there would in that case be no opportunity for
release[328].--If release, then the activity of the pradhana would be
purposeless, as even antecedently to it the soul is in the state of
release; moreover, there would then be no occasion for the perception of
sounds, &c.[329]--If both, then, on account of the infinite number of
the objects of pradhana to be enjoyed (by the soul)[330], there would be
no opportunity for final release. Nor can the satisfaction of a desire
be considered as the purpose of the activity of the pradhana; for
neither the no