Karika 8

सौक्ष्म्यात्तदनुपलब्धिर्नाभावात् कार्यतस्तदुपलब्धेः।
महदादि तच्च कार्यं प्रकृतिसरूपं विरूपं च॥ ८॥

Translation by Henry Thomas Colebrooke (1837): It is owing to the subtilty (of nature), not to the non-existence of this original principle, that it is not apprehended by the senses, but inferred from its effects. Intellect and the rest of the derivative principles are effects; (whence it is concluded as their cause) in some respects analogous, but in others dissimilar.

Translation by John Davies (1881): From the subtlety (of Nature), not from its non-existence, it is not apprehended (by the senses); it is apprehended (or perceived) by its effects. Intellect (Buddhi) and the rest (of the derived principles) are its effects, which have an unlike and a like form to Prakṛiti (Nature).

Translation by Ganganath Jha (1896): The non-apprehension of this (Nature) is due to its subtlety, not to its non-existence; since it is apprehended through its effects. These effects are the Great Principle, and the rest - effects (some of) which are similar, and (some) dissimilar to Nature.

Translation by Nandalal Sinha (1915): From extreme fineness is the non-apprehension of Prakṛiti, and not from her non-existence, because there is apprehension of her from the effect. And that effect is Mahat, etc., similar and dissimilar to Prakṛiti.

Translation by Har Dutt Sharma (1933): The non-apprehension of Nature is due to its minuteness and not to non-existence. It is ascertained from its effects. Those effects are Mahat and the rest, and they are similar and dissimilar to Nature.

Translation by Radhanath Phukan (1960): Non-perception of the Prakṛti is due to its subtlety and not to non-existence; since its existence can be inferred as being a cause of Mahattattva and the others, some of which are like it and the others unlike.

Translation by Swami Virupakshananda (1995): Its non-perception is due to its subtlety and not due to its non-existence. It is apprehended through its effects; these effects are the Mahat (Great Principle) and the rest; some of them are similar and some are dissimilar to Prakṛti (the Primordial Matter).

Translation by G. Srinivasan (recent): The non detectability (of the substratum) is due to the extremely attenuated reactions put out and not because it (substratum) does not exist. Only reactions are detectable. For when the reaction of the primary or first displacement takes place then a sequence of oscillations are detected that are either in its original form or harmonics.