Bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca, ahankara itiyam me bhinna prakritir ashtadha
Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect, and ego — these eight constitute My separated material nature (apara prakriti). Krishna enumerates the eightfold division of His lower material nature, which forms the foundation of all physical and mental existence.
- •All of material existence is a manifestation of God's lower nature
- •The five elements plus mind, intellect, and ego form the material world
- •Understanding God's nature begins with understanding creation's structure
Sarva-yonishu kaunteya murtayah sambhavanti yah, tasam brahma mahad yonir aham bija-pradah pita
O son of Kunti, for all species of life that appear in all forms, the great material nature is their womb, and I am the seed-giving father. Every species of life in all forms traces back to this one source — divine consciousness combining with material nature.
- •God is the father of all species of life
- •Material nature is the universal mother
- •All diversity of life forms has one divine origin
Sattvam rajas tama iti gunah prakriti-sambhavah, nibadhnanti maha-baho dehe dehinam avyayam
The three gunas—sattva (goodness), rajas (passion), and tamas (ignorance)—born of material nature, bind the eternal soul to the body.
- •Three modes govern material existence
- •Even the soul becomes bound by qualities
- •Understanding the gunas leads to freedom
Na tad asti pṛithivyāṁ vā divi deveṣhu vā punaḥ, sattvaṁ prakṛiti-jair muktaṁ yad ebhiḥ syāt tribhir guṇaiḥ
There is no being on earth, or in heaven among the celestial gods, that is free from the three gunas born of material nature.
- •All beings influenced by gunas
- •Material nature pervades all
- •Transcendence requires special effort