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Chapter 13 · Nature, the Enjoyer and Consciousness · 35 verses

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Nature & guṇasChapter 13 · Nature, the Enjoyer and Consciousness
13.2013.22

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 13.21

Prakṛti, puruṣa and conditioning

कार्यकारणकर्तृत्वे हेतु: प्रकृतिरुच्यते ।

पुरुष: सुखदु:खानां भोक्तृत्वे हेतुरुच्यते ॥ २१ ॥

kārya-kāraṇa-kartṛtve

hetuḥ prakṛtir ucyate

puruṣaḥ sukha-duḥkhānāṁ

bhoktṛtve hetur ucyate

Translation

Nature is said to be the cause of all material causes and effects, whereas the living entity is the cause of the various sufferings and enjoyments in this world.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Nature and the Living Entity

  1. 1Material nature causes material causes and effects; the living entity causes its own suffering and enjoyment.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that nature gives the soul a body according to its past desires and actions. Bodily happiness and distress are not the soul’s original state.
  3. 3The Supreme Lord is so kind that He always stays with the individual soul as the Supersoul, in every circumstance.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 13, Nature, the Enjoyer and Consciousness: prakṛti, puruṣa and conditioning.

What it teaches

Theme summary

The modes of nature condition behavior.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: prakṛti, guṇa.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 13.21 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to nature & guṇas?

Practice

Observe which mode shaped your last decision.

4

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 13 ›
5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 13.20Prakṛti, puruṣa and conditioningBG 13.22Prakṛti, puruṣa and conditioningBG 7.14Crossing beyond māyā

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Ask about BG 13.21 — get a simple answer linked to related ideas and verses.

Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.