Chapter 13, Verse 22
Ksetra Ksetrajna Vibhaaga Yoga — Sanskrit shloka, transliteration, word meanings, English translation, and commentary.
Original Sanskrit verse
Transliteration
Word meanings
puruṣhaḥ—the individual soul; prakṛiti-sthaḥ—seated in the material energy; hi—indeed; bhuṅkte—desires to enjoy; prakṛiti-jān—produced by the material energy; guṇān—the three modes of nature; kāraṇam—the cause; guṇa-saṅgaḥ—the attachment (to three guṇas); asya—of its; sat-asat-yoni—in superior and inferior wombs; janmasu—of birth
English 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.
— Swami Sivananda
Listen to Shloka 13.22
Commentary
The soul residing in Nature and identifying itself with the body and the senses which are modifications of Nature acts through the qualities 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 qualities; 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 qualities 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 qualities 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 qualities 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)
Commentary by Swami Sivananda
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