In Bhagavad Gita 13.22, Krishna says the spirit, seated in nature, experiences the gunas born of nature; attachment to the gunas causes its births in good and evil wombs.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
पुरुषः प्रकृतिस्थो हि
भुङ्क्ते प्रकृतिजान्गुणान्
कारणं गुणसङ्गोऽस्य
सदसद्योनिजन्मसु ॥ १३-२२ ॥
puruṣaḥ prakṛtistho hi
bhuṅkte prakṛtijānguṇān
kāraṇaṃ guṇasaṅgo’sya
sadasadyonijanmasu
English transliteration purushah prakritistho hi
bhunkte prakritijaangunaan
kaaranam gunasango’sya
sadasadyonijanmasu ॥ 13.22 ॥
Translation / Meaning
The Spirit, seated in nature, experiences the gunas born of nature. Its attachment to the gunas is the cause of its births in good and evil wombs.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| पुरुषः puruṣaḥ | the Spirit |
| प्रकृतिस्थः prakṛtisthaḥ | seated in nature prakṛti (nature) + sthaḥ (seated) |
| हि hi | indeed |
| भुङ्क्ते bhuṅkte | experiences |
| प्रकृतिजान् prakṛtijān | born of nature prakṛti (nature) + jān (born) |
| गुणान् guṇān | guṇas |
| कारणम् kāraṇam | cause |
| गुणसङ्गः guṇasaṅgaḥ | attachment to the guṇas guṇa (guṇas) + saṅgaḥ (attachment) |
| अस्य asya | its |
| सदसद्योनिजन्मसु sadasadyonijanmasu | of births in good and evil wombs sat (good) + asat (evil) + yoni (wombs) + janmasu (births) |
Word-wise Chanting
- pu–ru–ṣaḥ pra–kṛ–tis–tho hi 8 syllables pu-ru-shah pra-kri-tis-tho hi
- bhuṅ–kte pra–kṛ–ti–jān–gu–ṇān | 8 syllables bhun-kte pra-kri-ti-jaan-gu-naan
- kā–ra–ṇaṃ gu–ṇa–saṅ–go–‘sya 8 syllables kaa-ra-nam gu-na-san-go-‘sya
- sa–da–sad–yo–ni–jan–ma–su || 13-22 8 syllables sa-da-sad-yo-ni-jan-ma-su
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 13 Verse 22
Context
Krishna continues explaining nature and spirit (13.20–13.24).
Meaning
The spirit becomes prakṛti-stha, identified with nature, and experiences its qualities. Guṇa-saṅga, attachment to these qualities, is the cause of rebirth in higher or lower conditions. It is not experience itself that binds, but attachment to it.
This is the root of the cycle of rebirth: consciousness identifying with and clinging to the qualities of nature. Freedom comes through non-attachment.
In Practice
Notice one attachment to a pleasant quality or experience today, and practise enjoying it without clinging.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 13: Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yoga (The Field and the Knower of the Field). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.