Chapter 13 Verse 22
Kṣhetra Kṣhetrajña Vibhāg Yog
पुरुषः प्रकृतिस्थो हि भुङ्क्ते प्रकृतिजान्गुणान्।कारणं गुणसङ्गोऽस्य सदसद्योनिजन्मसु।।13.22।।
puruṣhaḥ prakṛiti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛiti-jān guṇān kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo ’sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu
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 |
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.
Philosophical Significance
Core Meaning
This verse says the living self (puruṣha) lives inside nature (prakṛiti) and feels the three basic qualities (gunas) that nature creates. The soul itself is pure, but when it identifies with the mind, body and their qualities, it experiences their effects.
When the soul clings to these qualities, that attachment shapes its future births — in pleasant or painful conditions. In other words, habits and likes that come from calmness, restlessness, or dullness lead to corresponding results in life.
The spiritual point is to see the difference between the inner witness (your true self) and the changing qualities of mind and world. Reducing attachment to these qualities frees you from repeating the same outcomes.
Life Application
- Notice which quality drives you: clarity/calm (sattva), busy desire (rajas), or dull inertia (tamas). Simple awareness helps you choose a better response.
- Practice small detachment: do your duty, but let go of clinging to results (this reduces future binding).
- Build habits that increase clarity—kindness, regular rest, mindful food and study—to shift how you act and what you attract.
Reflection Question
Which habit or feeling am I most attached to right now, and how does it shape my choices?