Prakrti as this material world

Expressions researched:
"apara-prakrti is this material world" |"apara-prakrti means this material world" |"material world is also prakrti" |"material world is called prakrti" |"prakrti means this material world" |"prakrti, in this material world" |"prakrti, material world" |"prakrti, this material world" |"this material world is apara-prakrti" |"this material world is apara-prakrti" |"this material world is prakrti" |"this material world, this prakrti"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

As this material world is prakṛti, similarly, there is another prakṛti. Kṛṣṇa gives information.

Lecture on BG 1.13-14 -- London, July 14, 1973:

Apareyam, these material elements, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ, earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence, bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā, these are separated energies, material energies of Kṛṣṇa. They are also prakṛti. As this material world is prakṛti, similarly, there is another prakṛti, Kṛṣṇa gives information. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām. But that is parā-prakṛti.

Prakṛti means this material world. We do not belong to this material world.

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Melbourne, June 27, 1974:

Here it is explained, puruṣa, the living entity, prakṛti-stha, being in this material world. Prakṛti means this material world. We do not belong to this material world. Just like a person in the prison house, he is a citizen, but when he goes into the prisonhouse, he has got different sense, different, I mean, punishment, different dress. They are also dressed differently. So similarly, we are all criminals. Criminals. What is that criminality? Because we have forgotten God. This is criminality.

Kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare

(Prema-vivarta).

You will find in this practical experience. Suppose a boy is very rich man's son. But still, he thinks "Why shall I live under the rules and regulations of my father? Let me go out. I shall enjoy life freely." Freely, what freedom? You are already rich man's son. You can enjoy the property of your very, very rich powerful father, and what independence you will enjoy? This is criminality. This is criminality. We are sons of God, part and parcels of God, and God means almighty. So we have got almighty father, and leaving His place, I have come to this material world to enjoy independently. That is criminality. And we are suffering. That is explained here: prakṛti-stha, "being placed in this material world," puruṣa, bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān, "he is enjoying, but enjoying the quality of the modes of material nature."

The aparā-prakṛti is this material world, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ.

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Calcutta, September 23, 1974:

So today is Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī's birthday, Rādhāṣṭamī. So we called you for meeting. This Rādhārāṇī, about some, Rādhārāṇī... Because this Rādhārāṇī is the source of spiritual inspiration. Source of spiritual inspiration. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām, jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho... Prakṛtiṁ parām (BG 7.5). The aparā-prakṛti is this material world, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4).

And there is another prakṛti, parā-prakṛti. That is also mentioned here: mad-bhāvam. Mad-bhāvam means the nature in which Kṛṣṇa is there. In this material nature, although Kṛṣṇa is there, but we do not understand. We cannot see Kṛṣṇa. That is material, forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa. But when you remember Kṛṣṇa even in this material world, then it becomes spiritual.

This prakṛti, this material world, is composed of these things: bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Nairobi, October 31, 1975:

This prakṛti, this material world, is composed of these things: bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). So wherefrom this came? That Kṛṣṇa explains, that "They are My energies." Because we have to know, so... To understand Kṛṣṇa means one must know what is this earth, what is this water, what is this fire, what is this air, what is this sky, what is this mind, what is this ego. These material things, they should know that wherefrom these things came. They only theorize that water is combination of some chemical, hydrogen, oxygen. But wherefrom the chemical came, hydrogen, oxygen? That they cannot answer. So therefore this is called acintya-śakti. Acintya-śakti. If you do not apply, if you refuse, acintya-śakti, in God, acintya-śakti, inconceivable energy, then there is no God. Acintya-śakti-sampannaḥ.

"It is mithyā. Grapes are sour." That philosophy will not do. You must know that this prakṛti, this material world, you are not enjoyer. The enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 13.20 -- Bombay, October 14, 1973:

If you want real love, real position, then you have to transfer your, these loving propensities in five different kinds of mellows to Kṛṣṇa. Then it will be permanent, and you'll be happy. Don't reject this as, because you could not capture the grapes, then the grapes and the jackals. The jackal... You know that story. The jackal went to steal some grapes in the orchard, and it was very high. He jumped over several times. He could not get it. Then he rejected, "Oh, this is sour. I don't want it."

Similarly, this Māyāvādī philosophy is like that. First of all he wants to become very big man, very big businessman, minister, this, that, to enjoy, simply enjoy, competition of enjoyment. But when he's baffled, when he did not enjoy, simply suffered—he comes to his knowledge that "I could not enjoy; I simply suffered"—then "It is mithyā. Grapes are sour." That philosophy will not do. You must know that this prakṛti, this material world, you are not enjoyer. The enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29).

This material world is aparā-prakṛti, but there is spiritual world also. That is called parā-prakṛti.

Lecture on BG 13.24 -- Bombay, October 23, 1973:

Brahman means to know not only the impersonal brahmajyoti, but also Paramātmā and Bhagavān. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. This is knowledge. So such person who has got sufficient knowledge what is this prakṛti, material world, what is the puruṣa, the living entity who is trying to enjoy this material world, and the paramātma-puruṣa, another puruṣa...

upadraṣṭānumantā ca

bhartā bhoktā maheśvaraḥ

paramātmeti cāpy ukto

dehe 'smin puruṣaḥ paraḥ

(BG 13.23)

Those who have no knowledge, they cannot understand, there are two puruṣas. One is apara, and one is para. Apara-puruṣa is the living entity, who is trying to enjoy this material world. But para-puruṣa is the anumantā, guiding principle or order-giving. There are two puruṣas, not one. One is inferior and other is superior. Superior puruṣa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa Himself. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). That is puruṣa-para. And apara. As there are aparā-prakṛti and parā-prakṛti. This material world is aparā-prakṛti, but there is spiritual world also. That is called parā-prakṛti.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

In the prakṛti, in this material world, there are three modes of material nature: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So there is chance... When you fall down, you can fall down anywhere.

Lecture on SB 1.7.16 -- Vrndavana, September 14, 1976:

The same example: the spark, when it is with the fire, it is illuminating and burning, but when the sparks fall down, they may fall down on the ground. There are three chances. One chance is the spark falls down on dry grass—then there is fire. As soon as the spark falls down on the dry grass there is fire for some time. And when the spark falls down on the ground, it is extinguished. And when the fire, spark, falls down on the water, then it is not only extinguished; it becomes no more inflammable. Very difficult to inflame. Similarly, when we fall down from the fire, spiritual world, we associate with three qualities. Puruṣaḥ prakṛti 'stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān (BG 13.22). This is the statement of Bhagavad-gītā. Prakṛti-jān guṇān. In the prakṛti, in this material world, there are three modes of material nature: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So there is chance... When you fall down, you can fall down anywhere. This example, the same example. A spark falls down from the original fire, so it can fall down on the dry grass, it can fall down on the water, it can fall down on the ground. There are three chances. Similarly, when the living entity, originally part and parcel of God, the same quality... Not the same quantity. Just like spark and fire, they are same quality but not same quantity. Fire is very big; therefore the big fire is acyuta. It is never degraded. But the small fire is degraded.

Prakṛteḥ param: "You are controller. Your position is beyond this material world," prakṛteḥ. Prakṛti means this material world.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- New York, April 10, 1973:

Kuntī was Kṛṣṇa's father's sister. But because (s)he was devotee, she knew that "Kṛṣṇa also, although He is playing the part of my nephew, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Therefore she said, namasye puruṣaṁ tvādyam īśvaraṁ prakṛteḥ param: (SB 1.8.18) "You are īśvara, You are the controller." What kind of controller? There are so many, food controller and house controller, these... You have got. No. Not that kind of controller. Prakṛteḥ param: "You are controller. Your position is beyond this material world," prakṛteḥ. Prakṛti means this material world. Prakṛteḥ param. That means these controllers within this material world, they are produced at a certain date and they will be finished at a certain date, these controllers. Just like your President Nixon. He is controller of your country, but his controlling power is given at a certain date and it will be finished at a certain date. So Kuntī says, "You are not that kind of controller, that Your controlling power begins at a certain date and finishes at a certain date." Therefore, prakṛteḥ param.

This material world is aparā-prakṛti, and prakṛti, nature or energy, this is inferior energy, the matter, dull matter.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Delhi, November 8, 1973:

Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37). That is God. Although He is everywhere present by His energy, it does not mean that He is lost, He has lost His personality. No. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate (Īśo Invocation). He is so perfect and complete. Just like you take the example of the sun. For millions and millions of years, unlimited temperature, light and heat is coming out, but still, it is the same. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate. Similarly, God is so perfect, so complete, that unlimited number of suns and energies... We are also energy. We sons of God, we are also energy. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā:

apareyam itas tv anyāṁ

prakṛtiṁ viddhi me parām

jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho

yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat

(BG 7.5)

Prakṛtiṁ parām. This material world is aparā-prakṛti, and prakṛti, nature or energy, this is inferior energy, the matter, dull matter. But apareyam. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4), earth, water, air, fire, they are inferior energy of the Lord. But there is another, superior nature. That is described. Apareyam. These energies, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ, earth, water, air, they are inferior. There is another superior. What is that? Jīva-bhūtām, these living entities, mahā-bāho, yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat, who are controlling now.

Aparā-prakṛti means this material world, and daivī-prakṛti is the spiritual world.

Lecture on SB 3.25.18 -- Bombay, November 18, 1974:

You cannot manufacture mahātmā. This is the qualification of mahātmā: vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), who knows that Kṛṣṇa is everything. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). He is mahātmā. And his business is mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīm... (BG 9.13). He is under the daivī-prakṛti. There are two kinds of prakṛtis: parā-prakṛti and aparā-prakṛti. Aparā-prakṛti means this material world, and daivī-prakṛti is the spiritual world. So immediately, as soon as he understands this philosophy of life, that "I am uselessly serving this material world or the society, friendship, country and so on, so on, without serving Kṛṣṇa," that is called jñāna, knowledge. And as soon as one comes to this knowledge, that knowledge is, that position is called brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20) stage. Brahman realization.

Prakṛti means this material world, and paraḥ means transcendental. So prakṛteḥ paraḥ. You cannot serve Kṛṣṇa unless you also become prakṛteḥ paraḥ, not within this material world.

Lecture on SB 3.26.3 -- Bombay, December 15, 1974:

It is not difficult at all. You can become immediately nirguṇa as soon as you engage in the service of the Lord. And so long you keep yourself in that position, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you remain nirguṇa. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Saguṇa means māyā. Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante: "One who surrenders to Me," māyām etāṁ taranti, "no māyā touching, no in contamination of māyā." Māyām etāṁ taranti. There is nirguṇa. Nirguṇa means be engaged in the devotional, loving devotional service of Kṛṣṇa. That is... Then you are svarūpa-darśana, ātma-darśanam. That is your ātma-darśanam, nirguṇa. Prakṛteḥ paraḥ. As Kṛṣṇa is prakṛteḥ paraḥ... Prakṛteḥ... Prakṛti means this material world, and paraḥ means transcendental. So prakṛteḥ paraḥ. You cannot serve Kṛṣṇa unless you also become prakṛteḥ paraḥ, not within this material world.

This material world, this prakṛti, is guṇamayī; there are three modes of material nature. So we are controlled by these tri-guṇamayī, and we have to become guṇātītam.

Lecture on SB 3.26.10 -- Bombay, December 22, 1974:

So Kapiladeva is giving knowledge, beginning how the creation, the material creation, is begun. He is beginning from that point of view. Pradhānaṁ prakṛtiṁ sad-asat and yat tat tri-guṇātmakam. This material world is tri-guṇamayī, tri-guṇātmakam, or tri-guṇamayī, the same thing. As Kṛṣṇa said, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī, guṇamayī (BG 7.14). Guṇa. This material world, this prakṛti, is guṇamayī; there are three modes of material nature. So we are controlled by these tri-guṇamayī, and we have to become guṇātītam. As Kṛṣṇa advises to Arjuna, traiguṇya-viṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna: "You just try to become above the three guṇas." That is human life. Human life is not meant for remaining within the category of these three guṇas and struggle for existence. That is not human life. That is animal life.

Lord is puruṣa, a personality. He is not impersonal. His energies are prakṛtis. So prakṛti-puruṣa is there. That is the spiritual world. That is also parā-prakṛti, and this material world is aparā-prakṛti. But the puruṣa is always there.

Lecture on SB 3.26.25 -- Bombay, January 2, 1975:

So from spiritual existence, how material existence come into being, that is being explained in the Sāṅkhya philosophy of Kapiladeva. So saṅkarṣaṇa-rūpaṁ puruṣam. Everywhere the puruṣa, person, puruṣa, or the enjoyer. Puruṣaṁ śāśvataṁ puruṣam. Lord is puruṣa, a personality. He is not impersonal. His energies are prakṛtis. So prakṛti-puruṣa is there. That is the spiritual world. That is also parā-prakṛti, and this material world is aparā-prakṛti. But the puruṣa is always there. Puruṣa is always puruṣa. And we are marginal prakṛti. We are also prakṛti. So ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa. So only one puruṣa, īśvara, enjoyer, controller, is Kṛṣṇa. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). All others, even incarnations, even demigods, even we are—we are all servant of Kṛṣṇa. And what to speak of ourself, even the expansion of Kṛṣṇa, viṣṇu-tattva, They are also serving Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is so exalted. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). Even the incarnation Viṣṇu, Lord Śiva, demigods, and others—nobody is greater than Kṛṣṇa. Asamordhva, asama, nobody is equal to Him; nobody is greater than Him. Everyone is lower than Him.

This material world is called prakṛti, and the living entities who are struggling in this material world to enjoy it, they are called puruṣa. Of course, puruṣa is Kṛṣṇa only. Puruṣa means enjoyer. Nobody is enjoyer; therefore nobody is puruṣa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.55 -- London, August 13, 1975:

Puruṣa. Puruṣa means enjoyer, and prakṛti means enjoyed, or, in simple word, puruṣa means male, and prakṛti means female. So this material world is called prakṛti, and the living entities who are struggling in this material world to enjoy it, they are called puruṣa. Of course, puruṣa is Kṛṣṇa only. Puruṣa means enjoyer. Nobody is enjoyer; therefore nobody is puruṣa. And in the Bhagavad-gītā, the living entities have been described also as prakṛti-apareyam itas tv bhinnāṁ me prakṛti..., apareyam itas tv bhinnāṁ me prakṛtiṁ parā-superior prakṛti, not puruṣa. But because we are conditioned, we are under illusion. Although we are prakṛti, we are thinking that we are puruṣa. But actually we are not puruṣa. We are also prakṛti. So this living entity, on the false understanding of becoming a puruṣa, they have come to this material world to enjoy the material nature.

Puruṣa means the one who keeps the feeling of becoming enjoyer. That is puruṣa. So this material world is prakṛti and puruṣa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.64-65 -- Vrndavana, September 1, 1975:

The prakṛti... We are prakṛti, nature, spiritual nature, parā prakṛti. The material nature is aparā prakṛti, and we living entities, we are trying to enjoy this prakṛti. Therefore sometimes the living entity, either man or woman, he is described as puruṣa. Puruṣa means the one who keeps the feeling of becoming enjoyer. That is puruṣa. So this material world is prakṛti and puruṣa. It is said in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam in the instruction of Ṛṣabhadeva, puṁsaṁ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etat. The whole basic principle of materialistic civilization is the attachment between man and woman. Puṁsaṁ striyā mithunī-bhāva. Mithunī-bhāvam is sex. And tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ. On account of this sex relationship, the man or woman is bound up. Hṛdaya-granthi. Granthi means knot, and hṛdaya means heart. So the man is thinking of the woman, and the woman is thinking of man. Hṛdaya granthim āhuḥ. Then we require material possession. Ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). This is our material, conditional life.

General Lectures

We are prakṛti, jīva, and the material world is also prakṛti. So one prakṛti cannot enjoy prakṛti. The best thing is, best adjustment is that all the prakṛtis should be engaged in the service of the Lord.

Speech at Gaudiya Math Center -- Visakhapatnam, February 19, 1972:

Similarly, prakṛti, we are prakṛti, we cannot control over the other prakṛti. It may be I am superior prakṛti but the other is inferior prakṛti. But that does not mean one prakṛti can enjoy the other prakṛti. Therefore, this enjoying spirit should be given up. This enjoying spirit is māyā. Māyā means illusion. The same example, one woman cannot enjoy other woman. The all women is enjoyable by the man, that is the nature. Similarly, we are prakṛti, jīva, and the material world is also prakṛti. So one prakṛti cannot enjoy prakṛti. The best thing is, best adjustment is that all the prakṛtis should be engaged in the service of the Lord. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.