B.G 13.20
प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव विद्ध्यनादी उभावपि। विकारांश्च गुणांश्चैव विद्धि प्रकृतिसम्भवान् ॥२०॥
prakṛtiṃ puruṣaṃ caiva viddhyanādī ubhāvapi। vikārāṃśca guṇāṃścaiva viddhi prakṛtisambhavān ॥20॥
[प्रकृतिं (prakṛtim) - Prakrti, i.e. insentient; पुरुषं (puruṣam) - person; च (ca) - and; एव (eva) - indeed; विद्धि (viddhi) - know; अनादी (anādī) - without beginning; उभावपि (ubhāvapi) - both; विकारान् (vikārān) - distortions; च (ca) - and; गुणान् (guṇān) - qualities; च (ca) - and; एव (eva) - indeed; विद्धि (viddhi) - know; प्रकृतिसम्भवान् (prakṛtisambhavān) - born of Prakrti;]
Understand that both 'Prakrti', i.e. insentient and the 'Puruṣa' are without beginning; know that distortions and qualities are indeed born of 'Prakrti'.
Gīta Bhāshya 13.20
The statement summarizes the Prakrti, i.e. insentient, its distortions, and the being. Subtle distortions in three qualities at the time of cosmic creation manifest into action and inaction.
यतश्च यत् इति वक्तुं प्रकृतिविकारपुरुषान् सङ्क्षिप्याह- प्रकृतिं इति।
yataśca yat iti vaktuṃ prakṛtivikārapuruṣān saṅkṣipyāha- prakṛtiṃ iti।
[यतः (yataḥ) - because; च (ca) - and; यत् (yat) - what; इति (iti) - thus; वक्तुं (vaktuṃ) - to say; प्रकृतिविकारपुरुषान् (prakṛtivikārapuruṣān) - nature, modification, and persons; सङ्क्षिप्याह (saṅkṣipyāha) - summarizes; प्रकृतिं (prakṛtiṃ) - nature; इति (iti) - thus;]
The statement summarizes the Prakrti, i.e. insentient, its distortions, and the being by the verse 'prakṛtiṃ' modifications, and persons by saying 'nature'.
गुणाः सत्त्वादयः। तेषां अत्यल्पः विशेषः लयात् सर्गे इति विकाराः पृथगुक्ताः।
guṇāḥ sattvādayaḥ। teṣāṃ atyalpaḥ viśeṣaḥ layāt sarge iti vikārāḥ pṛthaguktāḥ।
[गुणाः (guṇāḥ) - qualities; सत्त्वादयः (sattvādayaḥ) - sattva and others; तेषां (teṣāṃ) - of them; अत्यल्पः (atyalpaḥ) - very little; विशेषः (viśeṣaḥ) - distinction / variation; लयात् (layāt) - from dissolution; सर्गे (sarge) - in creation; इति (iti) - thus; विकाराः (vikārāḥ) - modifications; पृथगुक्ताः (pṛthaguktāḥ) - separately mentioned;]
The qualities such as sattva and others have very little distinct variation between dissolution and creation; thus, their distortions are mentioned separately.
"कार्याकार्या गुणास्तिस्रः यतः स्वल्पोद्भवो जनौ॥"
इति माधुच्छन्दसशाखायाम् ॥२०॥
"kāryākāryā guṇāstisraḥ yataḥ svalpodbhavo janau॥"
iti mādhucchandasasakhāyām ॥20॥
[कार्य (kārya) - action; अकार्य (akārya) - inaction; गुणाः (guṇāḥ) - qualities; तिस्रः (tisraḥ) - three; यतः (yataḥ) - from which; स्वल्प (svalpa) - small; उद्भवः (udbhavaḥ) - origin; जनौ (janau) - in people;]
[इति (iti) - thus; माधुच्छन्दस (mādhucchandasa) - Madhucchandas; शाखायाम् (śākhāyām) - in the branch;]
"The action and inaction arise in people with subtle variances in the three qualities."
-stated thus in the branch of Madhucchandas (Vedic testimonial).
Gīta Tātparya 13.20
To emphasize that the distortions arising from intentionality are greater compared to distortions arising from qualities, the phrase 'vikārāṃśca guṇāṃśca', i.e. "distortions and qualities" is separately called out. The phrase 'prakṛtiṃ puruṣaṃ ca' is used along with 'ubhāvapi' - one must apply both the living being, and the supreme being to the word 'puruṣa'. Similarly, one must apply 'Chit Prakrti', i.e. the sentient principle behind insentient material nature, and 'Prakrti', i.e. insentient material nature to the word 'prakṛti'.
"प्रकृतिं पुरुषं च" इत्यत्र पुरुषशब्देन जीवपरयोः प्रकृतिशब्देन चेतनप्रकृत्योः स्वीकाराय "उभावपि" इति।
"prakṛtiṃ puruṣaṃ ca" ityatra puruṣaśabdena jīvaparayoḥ prakṛtiśabdena cetanaprakṛtyoḥ svīkārāya "ubhāvapi" iti।
[प्रकृतिं (prakṛtim) - nature; पुरुषं (puruṣam) - person; च (ca) - and; इत्यत्र (ityatra) - here; पुरुषशब्देन (puruṣaśabdena) - by the word 'person'; जीवपरयोः (jīvaparayoḥ) - of the two living beings; प्रकृतिशब्देन (prakṛtiśabdena) - by the word 'nature'; चेतनप्रकृत्योः (cetanaprakṛtyoḥ) - of the conscious natures; स्वीकाराय (svīkārāya) - for acceptance; उभावपि (ubhāvapi) - both; इति (iti) - thus;]
The phrase "nature and person" (prakṛtiṃ puruṣaṃ ca) is used along with "both" (ubhāvapi), so one must apply both the living being, and the supreme being to word 'puruṣa'; similarly one must apply 'Chit Prakrti', i.e. sentient principle behind insentient nature, and insentient nature to the word 'prakṛti'.
विकाराणां सत्वादीनां च उपादानत्वविवक्षया प्रकृति सम्भवत्वम्। स्वातन्त्र्यं तु परमेश्वरस्यैव। "उपद्रष्टानुमन्ता च" इत्यादिवक्ष्यमाणत्वात्।
vikārāṇāṃ satvādīnāṃ ca upādānatvavivakṣayā prakṛti sambhavatvam। svātantryaṃ tu parameśvarasyaiva। "upadraṣṭānumantā ca" ityādivakṣyamāṇatvāt।
[विकाराणां (vikārāṇāṃ) - of distortions; सत्वादीनां (satvādīnāṃ) - of the qualities like sattva; च (ca) - and; उपादानत्वविवक्षया (upādānatvavivakṣayā) - by the intention of being the cause; प्रकृति (prakṛti) - Prakrti; सम्भवत्वम् (sambhavatvam) - possibility; स्वातन्त्र्यं (svātantryaṃ) - freedom; तु (tu) - but; परमेश्वरस्यैव (parameśvarasyaiva) - of the Supreme Lord alone; उपद्रष्टा (upadraṣṭā) - overseer; अनुमन्ता (anumantā) - permitter; च (ca) - and; इत्यादि (ityādi) - etc.; वक्ष्यमाणत्वात् (vakṣyamāṇatvāt) - because it will be stated;]
(The possibility of changes and elements like sattva being the material cause is due to nature. But freedom belongs to the Supreme Lord alone. Because it will be stated as "overseer and permitter, etc.")
The distortion of qualities such as sattva and others results from the material cause coming from the 'Prakrti'. However, true freedom is attributed solely to the Supreme Lord; further described as - "overseer and permitter, etc."
गुणानां च विकारत्वेपि अधिकविकारत्वविवक्षया अन्येषां "विकारांश्च गुणांश्च" इति पृथगुक्तिः ॥२०॥
guṇānāṃ ca vikāratve'pi adhikavikāratvavivakṣayā anyeṣāṃ "vikārāṃśca guṇāṃśca" iti pṛthaguktiḥ ॥20॥
[गुणानां (guṇānāṃ) - of qualities; च (ca) - and; विकारत्वे (vikāratve) - in distortions; अपि (api) - even; अधिकविकारत्वविवक्षया (adhikavikāratvavivakṣayā) - with the intention, greater distortions; अन्येषां (anyeṣāṃ) - of others; विकारान् (vikārān) - transformations; च (ca) - and; गुणान् (guṇān) - qualities; च (ca) - and; इति (iti) - thus; पृथगुक्तिः (pṛthaguktiḥ) - separate mention;]
To emphasize the distortions arising from intentionality as greater, compared to distortions arising from qualities, the phrase 'vikārāṃśca guṇāṃśca', i.e. "distortions and qualities" is separately called out.
