Lord Krishna
Divine TeacherThe Supreme Lord, the charioteer and divine guide of Arjuna. Krishna delivers the eternal wisdom of the Gita, revealing the nature of the soul, duty, and the path to liberation.
Speaking: Chapter 13, Verse 20
Verse 20
Hard VerseThe Yoga of the Field and the Knower of the Field
Know that both Prakriti and Purusha are beginningless. Know also that all modifications and all qualities are born of Prakriti.
Context & Meaning
The chapter now shifts to the Sankhya framework of Prakriti (nature/matter) and Purusha (consciousness/soul). Both are beginningless — neither came into being at some point in time. This is a significant metaphysical claim: matter and consciousness are both primordial, neither derived from the other. However, all modifications and all qualities (guṇas) arise from Prakriti alone, not from Purusha. The soul is the witness of all that Prakriti produces; it does not produce anything itself. Understanding this prevents the confusion that identifies the soul with the changing modifications of matter.
Scholar Commentaries
1 commentary · Public domainAdi Shankaracharya
AdvaitaFrom the Advaita standpoint, the apparent dualism of Prakriti and Purusha must ultimately resolve into the non-dual Brahman. Prakriti is the power (śakti) of Brahman, and Purusha is Brahman appearing as individual consciousness through māyā. The teaching of their beginninglessness is pedagogically useful but not the final word.