Bhagavad Gita · 13.22 · Yoga through Distinguishing the Field and the Knower of the Field·22 of 35
पुरुषः प्रकृतिस्थो हि भुङ्क्ते प्रकृतिजान्गुणान्।कारणं गुणसङ्गोऽस्य सदसद्योनिजन्मसु ॥
puruṣhaḥ prakṛiti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛiti-jān
guṇān kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo ’sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu
Sanskrit recitation
Matter, spirit, and freedom · 13.19–13.35 · Teaching
Translation
The soul seated in Nature experiences the qualities born of Nature; attachment to the qualities is the cause of its birth in good and evil wombs.
Meaning
The soul residing in Nature and identifying itself with the body and the senses which are modifications of Nature acts through the alities of Nature and experiences pleasure and pain and delusion. It thinks, I am happy, I am miserable, I am deluded, I am wise. When it thus identifies itself with the alities, it assumes individuality and takes birth in pure and impure wombs.The soul (Jivatma) enjoys the sensual objects in conjunction with the body, mind and the senses and thus becomes the enjoyer. Brahman is the silent witness and nonenjoyer. The souls attachment to the alities of pleasure, pain and delusion is the chief cause of its birth. If you add the word Samsara to the second half of the verse, it will mean Attachment to the alities is the cause of Samsara through births in good and evil wombs.Good wombs (Sat Yoni) are those of the gods and the like evil wombs (Asat Yoni) are those of lower animals. The human womb is partly good and partly evil on account of mixed Karmas.Purushah prakritisthah Purusha (the soul) seated in Prakriti (Nature). This is Avidya (ignorance). Attachment to the alities of Nature is Kama (desire). Avidya and Kama are the cause of Samsara.Jnana (wisdom) and Vairagya (dispassion) will destroy ignorance and desire. (Cf.XIV.5XV.7)
After Swami Sivananda
Matter, spirit, and freedom· 13.19–13.35→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 13.19Thus, the field, as well as knowledge and the knowable, have been briefly stated. My devotee, knowing this, enters into My being.
- 13.20Know that Nature (matter) and the Spirit are both beginningless, and know also that all modifications and qualities are born from Nature.
- 13.21In the production of the effect and the cause, Nature (matter) is said to be the cause; in the experience of pleasure and pain, the soul is said to be the one responsible.
13.22The soul seated in Nature experiences the qualities born of Nature; attachment to the qualities is the cause of its birth in good and evil wombs.
- 13.23The Supreme Soul in this body is also called the observer, the permitter, the sustainer, the enjoyer, the great Lord, and the Supreme Self.
- 13.24He who thus knows the Spirit and Matter together with their qualities, in whatever condition he may be, he is not reborn.
- 13.25Some behold the Self within themselves through meditation, others through the Yoga of knowledge, and still others through the Yoga of action.
- 13.26Others, too, who do not know thus, worship, having heard of It from others; they, too, cross beyond death, regarding what they have heard as the supreme refuge.
- 13.27Wherever a being is born, whether unmoving or moving, know thou, O best of the Bharatas (Arjuna), that it is from the union of the field and its knower.
- 13.28He who sees the Supreme Lord existing truly in all beings, the imperishable within the perishable, sees indeed.
- 13.29For he who truly sees the same Lord dwelling everywhere does not destroy the Self by the self; rather, he attains the highest goal.
- 13.30He sees, who sees that all actions are performed solely by Nature and that the Self is without action.
- 13.31When a person sees all beings as resting in the One and emanating from the One alone, they then become Brahman.
- 13.32Being without beginning, devoid of any qualities, the Supreme Self, imperishable, though dwelling in the body, O Arjuna, neither acts nor is tainted.
- 13.33As the all-pervading ether is not tainted, due to its subtlety, so the Self seated everywhere in the body is not tainted either.
- 13.34Just as the one sun illuminates the entire world, so too does the Lord of the field (Supreme Self) illuminate the entire field, O Arjuna.
- 13.35They who, by the eye of knowledge, perceive the distinction between the field and its knower, as well as the liberation from the Nature of being, go to the Supreme.
Word-by-word→
- hi
- indeed
- asya
- of its
- janmasu
- of birth
- guṇān
- the three modes of nature
- bhuṅkte
- desires to enjoy
- kāraṇam
- the cause
- puruṣhaḥ
- the individual soul
- sat-asat-yoni
- in superior and inferior wombs
- prakṛiti-jān
- produced by the material energy
- guṇa-saṅgaḥ
- the attachment (to three guṇas)
- prakṛiti-sthaḥ
- seated in the material energy
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