Verse 13.20
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव विद्ध्यनादी उभावपि | विकारांश्च गुणांश्चैव विद्धि प्रकृतिसम्भवान् ||२०||
Transliteration (IAST)
prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva viddhy anādī ubhāv api | vikārāṁś ca guṇāṁś caiva viddhi prakṛti-sambhavān ||20||
Word-by-Word Meanings
prakṛtim-material nature
puruṣam-the soul/spirit
anādī-beginningless
ubhau-both
vikārān-modifications/transformations
guṇān-the qualities (sattva, rajas, tamas)
prakṛti-sambhavān-born of Prakriti
Translation
Know that both Prakriti (material nature) and Purusha (the soul) are beginningless; and know that all modifications and qualities are born of Prakriti.
Commentary
Krishna now introduces the Sankhya analysis of Prakriti and Purusha. Both are eternal and beginningless - neither was created. All transformations (vikāras) and the three gunas belong to Prakriti alone, not to Purusha. Shankaracharya emphasizes that this establishes the changeless nature of the Self, while Madhva notes that both are dependent on God as their ultimate source.
Themes
jnanaatman