B.G 13.22

पुरुषः प्रकृतिस्थो हि भुङ्क्ते प्रकृतिजान् गुणान्। कारणं गुणसङ्गोऽस्य सदसद्योनिजन्मसु ॥२२॥

puruṣaḥ prakṛtistho hi bhuṅkte prakṛtijān guṇān। kāraṇaṃ guṇasaṅgo'sya sadasadyonijanmasu ॥22॥

[पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - man; प्रकृतिस्थः (prakṛtisthaḥ) - situated in nature; हि (hi) - indeed; भुङ्क्ते (bhuṅkte) - enjoys; प्रकृतिजान् (prakṛtijān) - born of nature; गुणान् (guṇān) - qualities; कारणं (kāraṇam) - cause; गुणसङ्गः (guṇasaṅgaḥ) - attachment to the qualities; अस्य (asya) - of him; सत् (sat) - good; असत् (asat) - bad; योनि (yoni) - wombs; जन्मसु (janmasu) - in births;]

Indeed, the being residing in Prakṛti experiences the qualities that arise from Prakṛti. His attachment to these qualities is the reason for his birth in favourable and unfavourable wombs.

Gīta Tātparya 13.22

The term 'Puruṣa' in the current verse refers only to the individual being, though it is used for both the individual being and the lord previously. The contact of the individual being with material Prakrti alone doesn't result in joy or misery. It is his attachment to qualities born out of ignorance (avidyā) that results in joy and misery. Thus, knowledge, and the capacity to observe, i.e. to be a witness, are innate attributes of the individual being.
The word 'hi' — i.e. indeed, in the context has special significance, providing experiential knowledge that the individual is situated within Prakrti. This experiential knowledge offers the ultimate, undeniable proof. This firmly rejects the maya-vada, the doctrine of the world being an illusion. The internal experience emanating from knowledge, ignorance, happiness, and sorrow does not indicate an illusion of the world at any point in time. There is no proof of its falsity. Starting from the physical body only experience of direct perception and illusion are observed. Even there, illusions are recognised when there is a strong contradiction in evidence. Through the establishment of witness alone, it is possible to accept illusion by differentiating it from non-illusion. The capacity to observe — the witness — also establishes the existence of individual being.

"पुरुषः प्रकृतिस्थः" इत्यत्र पुरुषशब्दो जीवे। उभयोरपि पुरुषशब्देन पूर्वं प्रस्तुतत्वात्। यथायोग्यं उपपत्तेः। कार्यकारणसम्बन्धं भोगं च मिथ्येति वदतां निराकरणायाह - पुरुषः प्रकृतिस्थो हि इति॥ हि इत्यनुभवविरोधं दर्शयति तेषाम्।

"puruṣaḥ prakṛtisthaḥ" ityatra puruṣaśabdo jīve। ubhayorapi puruṣaśabdena pūrvaṃ prastutatvāt. yathāyogyaṃ upapatteḥ। kāryakāraṇasambandhaṃ bhogaṃ ca mithyeti vadatāṃ nirākaraṇāyāha - puruṣaḥ prakṛtistho hi iti॥ hi ity-anubhavavirodhaṁ darśayati teṣām।

[पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - man; प्रकृतिस्थः (prakṛtisthaḥ) - situated in nature; इत्यत्र (ityatra) - here; पुरुषशब्दः (puruṣaśabdaḥ) - the word 'puruṣa'; जीवे (jīve) - is the individual being; उभयोः (ubhayor) - of both; अपि (api) - also; पुरुषशब्देन (puruṣaśabdena) - by the word 'puruṣa'; पूर्वम् (pūrvam) - previously; प्रस्तुतत्वात् (prastutatvāt) - because of being presented; यथायोग्यम् (yathāyogyam) - appropriately; उपपत्तेः (upapatteḥ) - of reasoning; कार्य (kārya) - action; कारण (kāraṇa) - cause; सम्बन्धं (sambandhaṃ) - relationship; भोगं (bhogaṃ) - enjoyment; च (ca) - and; मिथ्या (mithyā) - false; इति (iti) - thus; वदतां (vadatāṃ) - of those who say; निराकरणाय (nirākaraṇāya) - for refutation; आह (āha) - said; पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - the person; प्रकृतिस्थः (prakṛtisthaḥ) - situated in nature; हि (hi) - indeed; इति (iti) - thus; हि (hi) - indeed; इति (iti) - thus; अनुभव (anubhava) - experience; विरोधं (virodhaṁ) - contradiction; दर्शयति (darśayati) - shows; तेषाम् (teṣām) - of them;]

The term 'Puruṣa' in the phrase "man situated in nature" refers to the individual being. It is used for both (indiavidual being and the supreme Lord), as it was previously presented in this manner. This is appropriate for reasoning as well. To reject the argument that "the connection between action and agency, in terms of material body, results in enjoyment," is false, it is stated that the person is "indeed" (hi) situated within the 'Prakrti', the insentient matter. The word 'hi', i.e. indeed, shows the contradiction in experience for them.

न हि ज्ञानाज्ञानसुखदुःखादिविषयस्य अन्तरानुभवस्य भ्रान्तित्वं क्वचिद् दृष्टम्। न च अस्य मिथ्यात्वे किञ्चित् मानम्। शरीरमारभ्यैव हि अपरोक्षभ्रमो दृष्टः। तत्रापि बलवत्प्रमाणविरोधादेव भ्रान्तित्वं कल्प्यम्। साक्षिसिद्धस्यापि भ्रान्तित्वाङ्गीकारे येन सर्वस्य भ्रान्तित्वमभ्रान्तित्वं आत्मनः अवगतं तदपि प्रमाणमात्मैव। व्यवहारतोपि अस्तीत्यत्र प्रमाणाभावात् भ्रान्तिरभ्रान्तिर्वा न किञ्चित् सिद्ध्यति।

na hi jñānājñānasukhaduḥkhādiviṣayasya antarānubhavasya bhrāntitvaṃ kvacid dṛṣṭam। na ca asya mithyātve kiñcit mānam। śarīramārabhyaiva hi aparokṣabhramo dṛṣṭaḥ। tatrāpi balavatpramāṇavirodhādeva bhrāntitvaṃ kalpyam। sākṣisiddhasyāpi bhrāntitvāṅgīkāre yena sarvasya bhrāntitvamabhrāntitvaṃ ātmanaḥ avagataṃ tadapi pramāṇamātmaiva। vyavahāratopi astītyatra pramāṇābhāvāt bhrāntirabhrāntirvā na kiñcit siddhyati।

[न (na) - not; हि (hi) - indeed; ज्ञान (jñāna) - knowledge; अज्ञान (ajñāna) - ignorance; सुख (sukha) - happiness; दुःख (duḥkha) - sorrow; आदि (ādi) - etc.; विषयस्य (viṣayasya) - of the subject; अन्तरानुभवस्य (antarānubhasya) - of internal experience; भ्रान्तित्वं (bhrāntitvaṃ) - illusion; क्वचित् (kvacit) - anywhere; दृष्टम् (dṛṣṭam) - seen; न (na) - not; च (ca) - and; अस्य (asya) - of this; मिथ्यात्वे (mithyātve) - falsity; किञ्चित् (kiñcit) - any; मानम् (mānam) - proof; शरीर (śarīra) - body; आरभ्य (ārabhya) - beginning with; एव (eva) - indeed; हि (hi) - indeed; अपरोक्ष (aparokṣa) - direct; भ्रमः (bhramaḥ) - illusion; दृष्टः (dṛṣṭaḥ) - seen; तत्र (tatra) - there; अपि (api) - also; बलवत् (balavat) - strong; प्रमाण (pramāṇa) - evidence; विरोधात् (virodhāt) - due to contradiction; एव (eva) - indeed; भ्रान्तित्वं (bhrāntitvaṃ) - illusion; कल्प्यम् (kalpyam) - is assumed; साक्षि (sākṣi) - witness; सिद्धस्य (siddhasya) - of the established; अपि (api) - also; भ्रान्तित्व (bhrāntitva) - illusion; अङ्गीकारे (aṅgīkāre) - in acceptance; येन (yena) - by which; सर्वस्य (sarvasya) - of all; भ्रान्तित्वम् (bhrāntitvam) - illusion; अभ्रान्तित्वं (abhrāntitvaṃ) - non-illusion; आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - of the individual being; अवगतं (avagataṃ) - understood; तदपि (tadapi) - that also; प्रमाणम् (pramāṇam) - proof; आत्मा (ātmā) - the individual being; एव (eva) - indeed; व्यवहारतः (vyavahārataḥ) - in practical terms; अपि (api) - also; अस्ति (asti) - exists; इति (iti) - thus; अत्र (atra) - here; प्रमाण (pramāṇa) - evidence; अभावात् (abhāvāt) - due to absence; भ्रान्तिः (bhrāntiḥ) - illusion; अभ्रान्तिः (abhrāntiḥ) - non-illusion; वा (vā) - or; न (na) - not; किञ्चित् (kiñcit) - any; सिद्ध्यति (siddhyati) - is established;]

The internal experience emanating from knowledge, ignorance, happiness, and sorrow does not indicate an illusion of the world at any point in time. There is no proof of its falsity. Starting from the physical body only experience of direct perception and illusion are observed. Even there, illusions are recognised when there is a strong contradiction in evidence. Through the establishment of witness alone, the acceptance of the illusion by deciphering non-illusion from illusion is possible by the individual being; also establishing the existence of individual being. In practical terms also, due to the absence of evidence, neither illusion nor non-illusion can be established.

अनुभवो भ्रान्त इत्युक्ते भ्रान्तित्वे प्रमाणं तत्प्रामाण्यं च कुतः सिद्ध्यात्। व्यवहारतः सर्वमङ्गीकुर्म इत्युक्ते व्यवहारो व्यवहर्ता च कुतः सिद्धः। प्रतीतित इत्युक्ते सैव कुतः। स्वतः इत्युक्ते स्वस्य भ्रान्तित्वे प्रतीतिं विनैव प्रतीतिरस्तीति भ्रान्तिः स्यात्।

anubhavo bhrānta ityukte bhrāntitve pramāṇaṃ tatprāmāṇyaṃ ca kutaḥ siddhyāt। vyavahārataḥ sarvamaṅgīkurma ityukte vyavahāro vyavahartā ca kutaḥ siddhaḥ। pratītita ityukte saiva kutaḥ। svataḥ ityukte svasya bhrāntitve pratītiṃ vinaiva pratītirastīti bhrāntiḥ syāt।

[अनुभवः (anubhavaḥ) - experience; भ्रान्तः (bhrāntaḥ) - deluded; इति (iti) - thus; उक्ते (ukte) - said; भ्रान्तित्वे (bhrāntitve) - in delusion; प्रमाणं (pramāṇaṃ) - proof; तत् (tat) - that; प्रामाण्यं (prāmāṇyaṃ) - authenticity; च (ca) - and; कुतः (kutaḥ) - from where; सिद्ध्यात् (siddhyāt) - would be established; व्यवहारतः (vyavahārataḥ) - from wordly transactions; सर्वम् (sarvam) - everything; अङ्गीकुर्म (aṅgīkurma) - we accept; इति (iti) - thus; उक्ते (ukte) - said; व्यवहारः (vyavahāraḥ) - wodly transaction; व्यवहर्ता (vyavahartā) - and the trasactioner; च (ca) - and; कुतः (kutaḥ) - from where; सिद्धः (siddhaḥ) - established; प्रतीतितः (pratītitaḥ) - from perception; इति (iti) - thus; उक्ते (ukte) - said; सा (sā) - that; एव (eva) - only; कुतः (kutaḥ) - from where; स्वतः (svataḥ) - from oneself; इति (iti) - thus; उक्ते (ukte) - said; स्वस्य (svasya) - of oneself; भ्रान्तित्वे (bhrāntitve) - in delusion; प्रतीतिं (pratītim) - perception; विना (vinā) - without; एव (eva) - only; प्रतीतिः (pratītiḥ) - perception; अस्ति (asti) - exists; इति (iti) - thus; भ्रान्तिः (bhrāntiḥ) - delusion; स्यात् (syāt) - would be;]

If it is said that experience is deluded, how can the proof and authenticity of that delusion be established (without the observing witness)? If it is said that we accept everything based on worldly transactions, how are worldly transactions and the person who transacts established (without the observing witness)? If it is said from perception, how is that alone established? If it is said from oneself, how can a perception exist that perceives one's own delusion, if perception always leads to delusion (without the observing witness)?

स्वाभावोपि स्यात्। स्वयमस्तीति च भ्रमः स्यात्। निरालम्बनो भ्रमः नोपपद्यते इत्यस्यापि भ्रमत्वोपपत्तेः। तत्प्रमाणमपि अप्रमाणमेव। प्रमाणत्वभ्रम इति न किञ्चित् सिद्ध्यति। भ्रम इत्यस्यैव भ्रमत्वे अन्यस्य अभ्रमत्वमेव भवति।

svābhāvopi syāt. svayamastīti ca bhramaḥ syāt. nirālambano bhramaḥ nopapadyate ityasyāpi bhramatvopapatteḥ. tatpramāṇamapi apramāṇameva. pramāṇatvabhrama iti na kiñcit siddhyati. bhrama ityasyaiva bhramatve anyasya abhramatvameva bhavati.

[स्वाभावः (svābhāvaḥ) - innate nature; अपि (api) - also; स्यात् (syāt) - may be; स्वयम् (svayam) - self; अस्ति (asti) - exists; इति (iti) - thus; च (ca) - and; भ्रमः (bhramaḥ) - illusion; स्यात् (syāt) - may be; निरालम्बनः (nirālambanaḥ) - unsupported; भ्रमः (bhramaḥ) - illusion; न (na) - not; उपपद्यते (upapadyate) - arises; इत्यस्य (ityasya) - of this; अपि (api) - also; भ्रमत्वोपपत्तेः (bhramatvopapatteḥ) - of the arising of illusion; तत् (tat) - that; प्रमाणम् (pramāṇam) - proof; अपि (api) - also; अप्रमाणम् (apramāṇam) - not proof; एव (eva) - indeed; प्रमाणत्वभ्रमः (pramāṇatvabhramaḥ) - illusion of proof; इति (iti) - thus; न (na) - not; किञ्चित् (kiñcit) - anything; सिद्ध्यति (siddhyati) - establishes; भ्रमः (bhramaḥ) - illusion; इत्यस्य (ityasya) - of this; एव (eva) - indeed; भ्रमत्वे (bhramatve) - in illusion; अन्यस्य (anyasya) - of another; अभ्रमत्वम् (abhramatvam) - non-illusion; एव (eva) - indeed; भवति (bhavati) - becomes;]

In that case, the innate nature may also be (termed delusional). "I exist" can also be termed delusional. Then one cannot differentiate between an unsupported delusion from that of supported delusion. Indeed, any proof becomes non-proof. Terming proof as illusion does not establish anything. It leads to infinite regress.

सुखदुःखादिविषयं ज्ञानमात्मस्वरूपमेवेति तस्य भ्रमत्वे छद्मना विनैव शून्यवादो भवति। न हि वृत्तिज्ञानविषयमज्ञानादिकं तेषामपि। भ्रमस्य च अविद्याकार्यत्वाङ्गीकारात्। आत्मस्वरूपस्यापि अविद्याकार्यत्वं स्यात्।

sukhaduḥkhādiviṣayaṃ jñānamātmasvarūpameveti tasya bhramatve chadmanā vinaiva śūnyavādo bhavati. na hi vṛttijñānaviṣayamajñānādikaṃ teṣāmapi. bhramasya ca avidyākāryatvāṅgīkārāt. ātmasvarūpasyāpi avidyākāryatvaṃ syāt.

[सुखदुःखादिविषयं (sukhaduḥkhādiviṣayaṃ) - subject of happiness and sorrow; ज्ञानम् (jñānam) - knowledge; आत्मस्वरूपम् (ātmasvarūpam) - true nature of the ātman; एव (eva) - only; इति (iti) - thus; तस्य (tasya) - its; भ्रमत्वे (bhramatve) - in illusion; छद्मना (chadmanā) - by deception; विना (vinā) - without; एव (eva) - indeed; शून्यवादः (śūnyavādaḥ) - nihilism; भवति (bhavati) - becomes; न (na) - not; हि (hi) - indeed; वृत्तिज्ञानविषयम् (vṛttijñānaviṣayam) - subject of conceptual knowledge; अज्ञानादिकम् (ajñānādikam) - ignorance and the like; तेषाम् (teṣām) - of them; अपि (api) - also; भ्रमस्य (bhramasya) - of illusion; च (ca) - and; अविद्याकार्यत्वाङ्गीकारात् (avidyākāryatvāṅgīkārāt) - due to acceptance of being a product of ignorance; आत्मस्वरूपस्य (ātmasvarūpasya) - of the true nature of the self; अपि (api) - also; अविद्याकार्यत्वं (avidyākāryatvaṃ) - being a product of ignorance; स्यात् (syāt) - would be;]

The knowledge concerning the experiences of happiness and sorrow is essentially the true nature of the ātman. However, terming that knowledge as delusional leads to 'śūnyavādaḥ', i.e. "nothing exists", i.e. nihilism, by deception. Indeed, from such a hypothesis, not even subjective knowledge can be differentiated from ignorance. If you accept illusion as a product of ignorance, then even the true nature of the ātman must be considered as a product of ignorance.

दुर्घटत्वं भूषणमित्युक्ते दुर्घटत्वं सुघटत्वं च उभयं भूषणमस्माकमित्युत्तरम्। न हि प्रमाणसिद्धस्य दुर्घटत्वे सुघटत्वे वा वापवादो दृष्टः। दुर्घटत्वं भूषणमिति वदद्भिः आत्मनोऽपि अविद्यात्वमङ्गीकृत्य तदयुक्तमित्युक्ते तत्रापि भूषणत्वं किमिति नाङ्गीक्रियते। अतिसुकरत्वात्। न च आत्मनोऽपि अविद्यात्वं वदतां तेषामुत्तरम्। अतोऽनन्तदोषदुष्टत्वात् हि इति प्रसिद्ध्यैव भगवता निराकृताः ॥२२॥

durghaṭatvaṃ bhūṣaṇamityukte durghaṭatvaṃ sughaṭatvaṃ ca ubhayaṃ bhūṣaṇamasmākamityuttaram। na hi pramāṇasiddhasya durghaṭatve sughaṭatve vā vāpavādo dṛṣṭaḥ। durghaṭatvaṃ bhūṣaṇamiti vadadbhiḥ ātmano'pi avidyātvamaṅgīkṛtya tadayuktamityukte tatra'pi bhūṣaṇatvaṃ kimiti nāṅgīkriyate। atisukaratvāt। na ca ātmano'pi avidyātvaṃ vadatāṃ teṣāmuttaram। ato'nantadoṣaduṣṭatvāt hi iti prasiddhyaiva bhagavatā nirākṛtāḥ ॥22॥

[दुर्घटत्वं (durghaṭatvaṃ) - the state of being difficult to occur; भूषणम् (bhūṣaṇam) - ornament; इति (iti) - thus; उक्ते (ukte) - said; दुर्घटत्वं (durghaṭatvaṃ) - difficulty; सुघटत्वं (sughaṭatvaṃ) - ease; च (ca) - and; उभयं (ubhayaṃ) - both; भूषणम् (bhūṣaṇam) - ornament; अस्माकम् (asmākam) - our; इति (iti) - thus; उत्तरम् (uttaram) - reply; न (na) - not; हि (hi) - indeed; प्रमाणसिद्धस्य (pramāṇasiddhasya) - of the proven; दुर्घटत्वे (durghaṭatve) - in difficulty; सुघटत्वे (sughaṭatve) - in ease; वा (vā) - or; वापवादः (vāpavādaḥ) - objection; दृष्टः (dṛṣṭaḥ) - seen; दुर्घटत्वं (durghaṭatvaṃ) - difficulty; भूषणम् (bhūṣaṇam) - ornament; इति (iti) - thus; वदद्भिः (vadadbhiḥ) - by those saying; आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - of oneself; अपि (api) - also; अविद्यात्वम् (avidyātvam) - ignorance; अङ्गीकृत्य (aṅgīkṛtya) - accepting; तत् (tat) - that; अयुक्तम् (ayuktam) - improper; इति (iti) - thus; उक्ते (ukte) - said; तत्र (tatra) - there; अपि (api) - also; भूषणत्वं (bhūṣaṇatvaṃ) - ornamentation; किम् (kim) - why; इति (iti) - thus; न (na) - not; अङ्गीक्रियते (aṅgīkriyate) - accepted; अतिसुकरत्वात् (atisukaratvāt) - due to ease; न (na) - not; च (ca) - and; आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - of oneself; अपि (api) - also; अविद्यात्वं (avidyātvaṃ) - ignorance; वदताम् (vadatām) - of those saying; तेषाम् (teṣām) - their; उत्तरम् (uttaram) - reply; अतः (ataḥ) - therefore; अनन्तदोषदुष्टत्वात् (anantadoṣaduṣṭatvāt) - due to infinite faults; हि (hi) - indeed; इति (iti) - thus; प्रसिद्ध्या (prasiddhyā) - by fame; एव (eva) - only; भगवता (bhagavatā) - by the Lord; निराकृताः (nirākṛtāḥ) - dismissed; २२ (22) - 22;]

When it is claimed that "difficult to achieve attribute" is an ornament, then it is implied that both difficult and ease serve as ornaments. There are no instances of valid proofs contradicting such a hypothesis. Similarly, even while accepting ignorance (avidyā) as an attribute of 'ātman', i.e. individual being, it is not considered as an ornament. It is not desirable to have ignorance (avidyā) as an attribute, just as 'ease' is not mentioned as an ornament. It does not resolve the claimed assertion, "The individual being is of the nature of ignorance (avidyā)". Therefore, due to infinite faults, the word 'hi', i.e. indeed, is used famously by the lord to dismiss such arguments.