Sāṃkhya Kārikā verse 2

दृष्टवदानुश्रविकः स ह्यविशुद्धिक्षयातिशययुक्तः । तद्विपरीतः श्रेयान् व्यक्ताव्यक्तज्ञविज्ञानात् ॥ २॥

dṛṣṭavat-ānu-śravikaḥ saḥ hi-aviśuddhi-kṣayā-atiśaya-yuktaḥ | tat-viparītaḥ śreyān vyaktāḥ avyakta-jña-vijñānāt ||

“The usual means to reduce suffering are
linked to impurity, decay and excess.”

dṛṣṭa - seen, looked at, beheld, perceived, viewed, observed, noticed; visible, apparent, observable; considered, regarded; treated of; appearing, manifested; occurring, found; experienced, suffered, endured; seen in the mind, devised, imagined, learned,anu - follow, one after another, followingśravika - heard spiritual teachingsaviśuddhi - Impuritykṣaya - diminish, wasting or wearing awayatiśaya - excess, excessive; eminence, superiorityyukta - connected; skilful; made use oftat - that, thisviparīta - turned round, reversed, inverted; being the reverse of anything, acting in a contrary manner, opposite, contrary to; going asunder or in different directions, various, differentśreyas - better state, better fortune or condition; auspicious; preferable; rather thanvyakta - caused to appear, manifested, apparent, visible, evidentavyakta - undeveloped, not manifest, unapparent, indistinct, invisible, imperceptiblejña - knowingvijñāna - special knowing; the act of distinguishing or discerning, understanding, comprehending, recognizing, intelligence, knowledge; the faculty of discernment or of right judgementhi - indeed, truly; because

Commentaries and Reflections

Commentary by Paul Harvey:

“The usual means to reduce suffering are
linked to impurity, decay and excess.”