Bhagavad Gita BG 13.22
Chapter 13, Verse 22 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
पुरुषः प्रकृतिस्थो हि भुङ्क्ते प्रकृतिजान्गुणान् । कारणं गुणसङ्गोऽस्य सदसद्योनिजन्मसु ॥
purushah prakrti-stho hi bhunkte prakrti-jan gunan karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu
Meaning
The Purusha (dwelling) in Prakriti experiences the gunas born of Prakriti. Attachment to the gunas is the cause of its births in good and evil wombs.
Understanding
The mechanism of bondage: Purusha prakrti-stho (Purusha, dwelling in/associated with Prakriti) bhunkte gunan (experiences the gunas — sattva, rajas, tamas). Karanam guna-sangah asya (the CAUSE is the attachment to the gunas) — sad-asad-yoni-janmasu (births in good and bad wombs). The Purusha is by nature the pure Witness; but when it identifies with Prakriti's gunas (thinking 'I am rajasic, I am sattvic'), it experiences itself as bound. This identification/attachment (guna-sanga) is the cause of rebirth. Liberation is withdrawing this identification.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| प्रकृतिस्थः | prakrti-sthah | dwelling in/with Prakriti, associated with Prakriti |
| भुङ्क्ते | bhunkte | experiences, enjoys, suffers |
| गुणसङ्गः | guna-sangah | attachment to the gunas |
| सदसद्योनि | sad-asad-yoni | good and evil wombs (states of birth) |
| पुरुषः | puruṣaḥ | the spirit, the conscious being |
| प्रकृति-स्थः | prakṛti-sthaḥ | situated in nature |
| हि | hi | indeed |
| भुङ्क्ते | bhuṅkte | enjoys, experiences |
| प्रकृति-जान् | prakṛti-jān | born of nature |
| गुणान् | guṇān | the qualities |
| कारणम् | kāraṇam | the cause, the reason |
| गुण-सङ्गः | guṇa-saṅgaḥ | attachment to the modes of nature |
| अस्य | asya | his |
| सत्-असत्-योनि | sad-asat-yoni | in good and evil wombs |
| जन्मसु | janmasu | in births |