Chapter 13, Verse 20 (Bhagavad Gita 13.20)
Sanskrit Shloka
प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव विद्ध्यनादी उभावपि।विकारांश्च गुणांश्चैव विद्धि प्रकृतिसंभवान्
Transliteration
prakṛitiṁ puruṣhaṁ chaiva viddhy anādī ubhāv api vikārānśh cha guṇānśh chaiva viddhi prakṛiti-sambhavān
Word Meanings
prakṛitim—material nature; puruṣham—the individual souls; cha—and; eva—indeed; viddhi—know; anādī—beginningless; ubhau—both; api—and; vikārān—transformations (of the body); cha—also; guṇān—the three modes of nature; cha—and; eva—indeed; viddhi—know; prakṛiti—material energy; sambhavān—produced by
Translation
Know that Nature (Prakriti) and the individual soul (Purusha) are both beginningless; and know also that all transformations and qualities are born of Nature.
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound revelation, Lord Krishna explains the dual foundation of the manifest universe to Arjuna. He teaches that while the individual soul and the material energy are eternal in their existence, it is the interplay of the three modes of nature that creates the illusion of suffering and change. By understanding that all material modifications—our emotions, physical conditions, and mental states—arise solely from Prakriti, the seeker begins to detach from the ego. Shri Krishna invites us to transcend this material cycle by realizing our true identity as the eternal Purusha, which remains untouched by the qualities of matter. Through this wisdom, the soul finds the path to liberation, resting in the eternal grace of Lord Krishna.