Bhagavad Gita on Prakriti

11 shlokas with meaning and life application

Bhagavad Gita shlokas on Prakriti 11 verses explained with meaning and application.

Prakriti is the Gita's word for nature: the field of body, senses, mind and ego, along with the three gunas that color them. It is the world of change. Understanding prakriti is practical, because it helps explain why we feel pulled in some directions, why habits are hard to break and why willpower alone often fails.

Gita 7.4 and 13.6 describe the components of nature: the five elements, mind, intellect, ego and the senses and their objects. Recognize that your body, mind, intellect and ego belong to the changing field and are not your true self. Gita 5.14 says actions, doership and results arise from prakriti while the Self remains a detached witness, and Gita 13.20 says nature and the conscious self are both beginningless. Gita 18.40 says all embodied beings are conditioned by the gunas born of prakriti.

The Gita also gives guidance for working with nature. Gita 3.33 says every being is moved by its own nature, so lasting change comes from understanding and guiding it and not simple suppression. Gita 9.10 says nature works under the Lord's overseeing presence, and Gita 14.3 describes creation as arising from the union of the Divine, who gives the seed of consciousness, and prakriti, the great womb. See life as an expression of a larger order, and treat nature and all beings with respect and responsibility.

Start with these shlokas

13.20

Prakriti and Purusha Are Both Beginningless

Nature and the conscious self are beginningless realities, while all changes and the three qualities arise from nature and not from the self.

In your life: Notice that moods, habits and circumstances arise from nature's workings, and keep a steady sense of the awareness that observes them.

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All 11 shlokas

Where in the Gita

Chapter 31 Chapter 41 Chapter 51 Chapter 71 Chapter 81 Chapter 92 Chapter 132 Chapter 141 Chapter 181

Related topics

Life areas

Spiritual Life10 Personal Growth8 Mental Wellbeing5

Topics

Material Nature10 Cosmic Order8

Qualities

Wisdom9 Discernment9 Humility5

Challenges

Ignorance7 Delusion7 Identity Crisis6

Modern themes

Mindfulness7

Frequently Asked Questions

What is prakriti in the Bhagavad Gita?
Prakriti is nature: the changing field made of the elements, senses, mind, intellect and ego, operating through the three gunas. The Gita distinguishes it from the conscious self that witnesses it, which helps us see moods and habits as movements of nature and not as our core identity.
What does Gita 18.40 say about the gunas and all beings?
Gita 18.40 says that all embodied beings, human or celestial, are conditioned by the three gunas born of prakriti, and only by rising above them is freedom attained. Accept that your temperament and moods are shaped by the gunas, and work patiently to cultivate sattva and move beyond them.
How does Gita 14.3 describe the origin of beings?
Gita 14.3 describes creation as arising from the union of the Divine and primordial nature: God provides the seed of consciousness and prakriti, the great womb, brings forth all beings. See the world and your own life as an expression of a larger order, and treat nature and living beings with respect.
Why does Gita 3.33 say suppression does not work?
Gita 3.33 says that every being is moved by its own nature, so lasting change comes from understanding and guiding that nature, not from simple suppression. Work with your tendencies by understanding and redirecting them, instead of relying on willpower alone.
What does the field in Gita 13.6 include?
Gita 13.6 lists the great elements, ego, intellect, unmanifest nature, the ten senses, the mind and the five sense objects as the field of experience. Recognize that your body, mind, intellect and ego belong to the changing field of nature, and avoid mistaking them for your true self.

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