Chapter 13: Kshetra-kshetrajna-vibhaga-yoga – Distinction between Object Field and its Knower: Verse 24
य एवं वेत्ति पुरुषं प्रकृतिं च गुणै: सह।
सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि न स भूयोऽभिजायते ॥
ya evaṃ vetti puruṣaṃ
prakṛtiṃ ca guṇai: saha
sarvathā vartamāno’pi
na sa bhūyo’bhijāyate – 13.24
Whoever thus knows the Purusha and Prakṛti along with its (Prakṛti’s) attributes, will not court any further birth, no matter how he lives.
Chapter 13: Kshetra-kshetrajna-vibhaga-yoga – Distinction between Object Field and its Knower - Verse 24
Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha
One’s knowledge becomes full when it covers the constantly changeful Prakrti as well as the ever changeless Purusha. Everything in the world transpires within the ambit of constantly changeful Prakrti. The only other factor is the singular Purusha, who, abiding in Prakrti, causes all experiences.
Nevertheless, Purusha himself does not change at all. The term ‘I’ denotes this Purusha. Everything else is ‘mine’, not ‘I’. Whatever is ‘mine’ changes, but the ‘I’ does not. Krishna says that one who knows both Purusha and Prakrti, overcomes bondage. Changeful Prakrti cannot cause any lasting bondage. And Purusha, ever the same, also cannot. On what account does the bondage accrue then?
Actual wisdom is to realize that the ‘I’, which is truly the supreme Purusha, is always free. It only appears to be bound by Prakrti’s gunas.
