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NIYATIVĀDA (PRE-DESTINATION, FATALISM,
DETERMINISM): A STUDY
V. M. Kulkarni
The Svetāśvatara upanişad records in a verse various theories of Causation such as Time (Kāla), Nature (Svabhāva), DestinyDeterminism-(Niyatı), Chance-Accident-(Yad;cchā), the Elements (Bhūtāni) and (The Supreme-Highest) Person (Puruşa).1
Siddhasena Divākara, one of the top-ranking Jaina Logicians, mentions in his Sanmati-tarka2 five theories of Causation which include the first three Theories recorded in the Svetāśvatara Upanişad and are in the same order. We find this very verse with slight variations in Haribhadra-sūri's Vimsati-vimśıkā (IV 14).
Of these various first Causes there is some difference of opinion among interpreters regarding the nature of Purușa. A. L. Basham3 refers to it as the Sānkhya category of Puruşa. B. Bhattacaryya+ renders it as 'Anthropomorphic God'. Pt. Krsnamacaryas speaks 1. Ars: Fantat farefiços para afat: geu sfa ferest सयोग एषा न त्वात्मभावादात्माप्यनीश सुखदु खहेतोः ।।
Svetāśvatara 1-2 Cf. also स्वभावमेके कवयो वदन्ति काल तथान्ये परिमुह्य माना. । देवस्यैष महिमा तु लोके येनेद भ्राम्यते ब्रह्मचक्रम् ।।
---Svetäśvatara VI-I 2 Freit herafuar göqtini gfee PiT RUNNTATT I मिच्छत्त ते चेव समासओ होति सम्मत्त ।।
-Sanmatitarka III.53 3. History and Doctrines of the ĀJIVIKAS (p. 229) 4. GOS edition of Tattvasangraha with the Commentary Pañjika-Introduction 5. Summary in Sanskrit of the text of Tattvasangraha
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