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Prakrti meaning female (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"Prakrti means female" |"Prakrti means woman" |"female as the fair sex, enjoyable" |"female part is the prakrti" |"female, or prakrti" |"female, prakrti" |"female, prakrti" |"prakrti cannot..., a female cannot" |"prakrti is a woman or a female" |"prakrti means female" |"prakrti means females" |"prakrti means feminine gender" |"prakrti means stri-linga, woman" |"prakrti means the female" |"prakrti, or female" |"prakṛti, means woman" |"purusa and prakrti, male and female"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Prakṛti, real meaning of prakṛti is a woman or a female. Just like a husband controls the activities of his wife, similarly, the prakṛti is also subordinate, predominated. The Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the predominator, and this prakṛti, both the living entities and the material nature, they are different prakṛtis, or predominated, controlled by the Supreme.
Introduction to Gitopanisad (Earliest Recording of Srila Prabhupada in the Bhaktivedanta Archives):

Then what is this material nature? The nature is also explained. The nature, material nature, is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā as inferior, inferior prakṛti. Inferior prakṛti, and the living entities are explained as the superior prakṛti. Prakṛti means which is controlled, which is under... Prakṛti, real meaning of prakṛti is a woman or a female. Just like a husband controls the activities of his wife, similarly, the prakṛti is also subordinate, predominated. The Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the predominator, and this prakṛti, both the living entities and the material nature, they are different prakṛtis, or predominated, controlled by the Supreme. So according to Bhagavad-gītā, the living entities, although they are parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord, they are taken as prakṛti. It is clearly mentioned in the Seventh Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā yes, apareyam itas tu viddhi aparā (BG 7.5). This material nature is aparā iyam. Itas tu, and beyond this there is another prakṛti. And what is that prakṛti? Jīva-bhūta, these...So this prakṛti, the constitution of this prakṛti is constituted by three qualities: the mode of goodness, the mode of passion, and mode of ignorance.

Actually the living entities are described in the Bhagavad-gītā, prakṛti. Prakṛti means woman.
Lecture on BG 1.21-22 -- London, July 18, 1973:

Actually the living entities are described in the Bhagavad-gītā, prakṛti. Prakṛti means woman. And puruṣa means man. So the living entities are never described as puruṣa. Puruṣa is Kṛṣṇa. Puruṣa śāśvata. When Arjuna said, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ śāśvatam adyam... (BG 10.12). Puruṣaṁ śāśvatam. Kṛṣṇa is always puruṣa. God cannot be female. God is always male, puruṣa. And we are prakṛti. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtim parā (BG 7.5).

Material energy is also female, prakṛti.
Lecture on BG 1.21-22 -- London, July 18, 1973:

After describing the material energy, bhūmir āpo analo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4), earth, water, air, fire, this material.... This is also female, prakṛti. Female means.... In India we have got little experience. The female is always controlled. Female is never given the position of controller. Nowadays it is going on. Just like Indira Gandhi, she has given the position of controller. This is artificial. In the history of India, greater India, Mahābhārata, you will never find that a woman has been given a position of controller. No. It is not possible.

So nobody is actually male except Kṛṣṇa. We are also female. We are dressed like male, and somebody has dressed like female. But all of us, we are female, prakṛti, enjoyable. The enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa. That we do not know. Here the so-called woman is also puruṣa because she is also trying to enjoy. Anyone who is trying to enjoy, he is called to be puruṣa.
Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Miami, February 25, 1975:

So that jīva-bhūta, living entity, is also prakṛti, but superior prakṛti. In which way it is superior? Because the living entities are trying to exploit the dull material entity. So both of them are prakṛtis, but one is superior and one is inferior. Just like one may have more than one wife, one or two. The husband is one, and the wife may be two or more than two. So actually that is the position. The Supreme Lord is the husband or the puruṣa. Husband means puruṣa, and prakṛti means strī. Strī means woman. Male, female, these two things... The supreme male is Kṛṣṇa, and everyone, either this dull matter or the living entities, they are called female, prakṛti. Prakṛti means female. And puruṣa means male.

So nobody is actually male except Kṛṣṇa. We are also female. We are dressed like male, and somebody has dressed like female. But all of us, we are female, prakṛti, enjoyable. The enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa. That we do not know. Here the so-called woman is also puruṣa because she is also trying to enjoy. Anyone who is trying to enjoy, he is called to be puruṣa. And the subject matter or object which is enjoyed, that is called prakṛti. So in the material world we are trying to exploit one another either in the dress of male or in the dress of female, because this body is dress. So originally we are all female, but falsely we are trying to enjoy one another or this material world. Therefore they are sometimes called puruṣa.

Prakṛti, means woman and puruṣa means man. So this material world is going on—one party is trying to enjoy, and the other party is being enjoyed.
Lecture on BG 13.1-3 -- Durban, October 13, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa's another name is Keśava. So he is addressing Kṛṣṇa, "My dear Keśava, I want to know these subject matters—prakṛti, puruṣa." Prakṛti means nature, material nature, and puruṣa means the enjoyer, just like the living entities. We are trying to enjoy this material nature. Another prakṛti-puruṣa... Puruṣa means, real puruṣa means, the supreme enjoyer, God, Kṛṣṇa. And prakṛti means which is enjoyed. Another meaning—prakṛti, means woman and puruṣa means man. So this material world is going on—one party is trying to enjoy, and the other party is being enjoyed.

Just like in our present condition we accept the female as the fair sex, enjoyable. And we, male, we think we are enjoyer. By nature the females, they are by nature apt to dress attractively, and the puruṣa is attracted. So this prakṛti and puruṣa. Actually none of us are puruṣa.
Lecture on BG 13.20 -- Bombay, October 14, 1973:

Material nature, prakṛti, is enjoyable. Prakṛti means enjoyable. And puruṣa. Puruṣa means enjoyer. Just like in our present condition we accept the female as the fair sex, enjoyable. And we, male, we think we are enjoyer. By nature the females, they are by nature apt to dress attractively, and the puruṣa is attracted. So this prakṛti and puruṣa. Actually none of us are puruṣa. This conception of puruṣa, enjoyer, that is there in so-called woman and so-called man. The man also wants to enjoy. Not only man, every living entity, cats, dogs, trees, aquatics, everyone, because this material world means all the living entities, beginning from Lord Brahmā, down to the smallest ant, they are seeking after enjoyment. Puruṣa. That is puruṣa spirit. One who is seeking for enjoyment is called puruṣa. But actual puruṣa is Kṛṣṇa.

We are all prakṛtis. And because, being prakṛti, we are trying to become puruṣa, that is called māyā, or illusion. Just like if a woman dresses like a man and wants to act as man, as that is illusion, similarly, we are differently dressed in the material ingredient, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). Everyone's body is made of these five elements and mind, intelligence, they are also subtle material elements, and with this combination we have got this body, and I am the spirit soul. I am trying to enjoy. This is material world. We have forgotten that we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Our business is not to enjoy but to help Kṛṣṇa to enjoy. That is our business, part and parcel.

So enjoyed means prakṛti, or female, and enjoyer means the puruṣa, or the male. So actually, we all living entities, we are prakṛti, we are not puruṣa.
Lecture on BG 13.22-24 -- Melbourne, June 25, 1974:

Puruṣa. Puruṣa means the enjoyer. Puruṣa. And prakṛti means enjoyed. For enjoyment two things are required. One enjoyer and the other enjoyed. When we eat something, the eater is the enjoyer and the foodstuff is enjoyed. So here in this material world the living entity, although by nature it is to be enjoyed, but out of ignorance the enjoyed is claiming to be enjoyer. Just like from practical example the man and woman, the man is supposed to be the enjoyer and the woman is supposed to be the enjoyed. So enjoyed means prakṛti, or female, and enjoyer means the puruṣa, or the male. So actually, we all living entities, we are prakṛti, we are not puruṣa.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

There are two kinds of prakṛtis. We have studied in Bhagavad-gītā: aparā-prakṛti, parā-prakṛti. So parā-prakṛti, or nature, transcendental nature, that is called daivī-prakṛti. Just like we are trying to be under the guidance of Rādhārāṇī, daivī-prakṛti. Prakṛti means woman, and daivī, transcendental woman.
Lecture on SB 1.2.16 -- Los Angeles, August 19, 1972:

In the Bhagavad-gītā, the description of mahat, mahātmā, is given there:

mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha
daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ
bhajanty ananya manaso
jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam
(BG 9.13)

This is the mahātmā. They are under the daivī-prakṛti. Daivī-prakṛti. There are two kinds of prakṛtis. We have studied in Bhagavad-gītā: aparā-prakṛti, parā-prakṛti. So parā-prakṛti, or nature, transcendental nature, that is called daivī-prakṛti. Just like we are trying to be under the guidance of Rādhārāṇī, daivī-prakṛti. Prakṛti means woman, and daivī, transcendental woman. And those who are materialists, they are under the mahā-māyā, material energy, Goddess Kālī, Durgā. They are the symbolic representation of material energy. So those who are materialists, they take shelter of the material energy, and those who are transcendentalists, they take shelter of the transcendental nature. So those who are mahātmā, they take shelter of the transcendental prakṛti. So we have to render service to such person who is under the protection of the transcendental nature.

Puruṣa means enjoyer. God is not female. Sometimes they worship a female as God, like Durgā, Kālī, and so many others. But God is puruṣa. Everyone is prakṛti. Prakṛti means female. Everyone knows it. There are two things, prakṛti and puruṣa. The puruṣa is the enjoyer, and prakṛti is the enjoyed. Or, in other words, puruṣa is the predominator and prakṛti is predominated. So we are prakṛti.
Lecture on SB 1.7.23 -- Vrndavana, September 20, 1976:

So we have to follow. People are searching after God. They do not know God. They are asking this question, "Can you show me God?" So, so many questions are there about God, but here is God, pointed out by Arjuna, a mahājana. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Why should you not accept? That is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. "Why you are searching God. Here is God, as Arjuna says." Tvam ādyaḥ puruṣaḥ: "You are the original person." Tvam ādyaḥ puruṣaḥ. Puruṣa means enjoyer. God is not female. Sometimes they worship a female as God, like Durgā, Kālī, and so many others. But God is puruṣa. Everyone is prakṛti. Prakṛti means female. Everyone knows it. There are two things, prakṛti and puruṣa. The puruṣa is the enjoyer, and prakṛti is the enjoyed. Or, in other words, puruṣa is the predominator and prakṛti is predominated. So we are prakṛti. The Māyāvāda philosophy is that prakṛti wants to become puruṣa. And that is not possible. Suppose a woman, if she dresses like a man, does it mean that she has become a man? No. Or a man dresses like a woman, does it mean that he has become woman? Simply by outward dress? No. Puruṣa, the only puruṣa is Kṛṣṇa. That is very nicely explained in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta: ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa, āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). Only Kṛṣṇa is puruṣa. He's the enjoyer. All others, they are servants. This is the position. Never try to become the puruṣa or the master. That is very dangerous. Always remain prakṛti. Prakṛti means to be controlled or controlled, and puruṣa means the controller.

This outward body is dress. Somebody is dressed like a female, somebody is dressed like a male, but none of them are male. Both of them are originally female, prakṛti. Prakṛti means feminine gender.
Lecture on SB 2.3.21 -- Los Angeles, June 18, 1972:

In the, in the material world, or spiritual world, the same thing is there. The woman is there, the money is there, and the puruṣa is there, enjoyer is there. But here the puruṣa is imitation. Imitation. Because one who is playing the part of puruṣa, enjoyer, he's not actually puruṣa, but he's prakṛti. Falsely, he (is) representing himself as puruṣa, as enjoyer. Therefore we have got trouble. Artificially... Just like a woman, if he's artificially trying to be man, as it is botheration, it is not possible. If a woman is dressed like a man, does it mean that he's man, she is man, or she can enjoy like man? No. False dress. Similarly, here, in this material world, we are falsely dressed with this material body and imitating Kṛṣṇa, enjoyer. Exactly like the woman dressed in male's dress wants to enjoy. That is not possible. Similarly, here, the living entity, either dressed in male dress or female dress... This outward body is dress. Somebody is dressed like a female, somebody is dressed like a male, but none of them are male. Both of them are originally female, prakṛti. Prakṛti means feminine gender. Prakṛti. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, aparā, apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām: "This material energy, earth, water, fire, air, these are...they are also My energy," Kṛṣṇa says. "But they are inferior energy. But there is another energy, jīva-bhūtaḥ, the living entities, and that is superior energy."

So the superior energy is dressed in two ways, as male and female. Because without male and female, there is no enjoyment. Therefore they have been dressed falsely by the material nature as enjoyer. Here, either a woman or a man, everyone is trying to enjoy. Nobody is trying to become enjoyed. Everyone is trying to enjoy. But he cannot. He or she... Everyone is she, but someone, some of them, are dressed like he. Because everyone is prakṛti. But this mentality, that "I shall enjoy," that is false, I mean to say, propensity of the living entity. That is called māyā. He cannot enjoy, but he is posing himself as enjoyer. That is the disease. He's po... up to the end, he's trying to become God. The so-called tapasvī, jñānī, yogi, they are trying to come to the liberated position, but thinking that "I shall become God." The same disease. Up to the end, the same disease. God means "enjoyer." So this disease can be cured only by surrender. That is the only medicine.

Puruṣa means the enjoyer, the male part. Male and female-two parts required, negative and positive. So the male part is Bhagavān, and the female part is the prakṛti, and combination of puruṣa and prakṛti is the varieties of creation. This is Sāṅkhya philosophy. So you should not be misled that prakṛti itself has given so varieties of manifestation, cosmic manifestation. That is not possible.
Lecture on SB 3.26.17 -- Bombay, December 26, 1974:

So God is always puruṣa. Puruṣa means the enjoyer, the male part. Male and female-two parts required, negative and positive. So the male part is Bhagavān, and the female part is the prakṛti, and combination of puruṣa and prakṛti is the varieties of creation. This is Sāṅkhya philosophy. So you should not be misled that prakṛti itself has given so varieties of manifestation, cosmic manifestation. That is not possible. You have to accept the puruṣa theory by your practical experience, that without puruṣa, no prakṛti can give birth anything. Similarly, these varieties of manifestation in the world, in the material world, it is due to the combination of prakṛti and puruṣa.

So the atheistic philosopher, they think that this combination of prakṛti and puruṣa is without any aim, without any idea, just like a man and woman meets and they may have sex. There was no idea, but they have sex. They give this example. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, Sixteenth Chapter. There is no aim, and that puruṣa becomes subdued by the prakṛti, and the manifestation comes. But this Kapiladeva, you will find, and we Vaiṣṇava philosophers, we do not admit this, that "without any aim." There is aim. Why Kṛṣṇa says that this material world, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19)? Bhūtvā bhūtvā. There is aim. The manifestation of prakṛti, cosmic manifestation, is there to give the living entities another chance for liberation. One chance is given. Just like we have got. Śrī Prakṛti is now manifested, and we are living entities. We are here, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ (BG 14.4), in many varieties. So what is the aim? The aim is God realization.

Yoṣit means enjoyable, female, or prakṛti. The nature has made in such a way that the male form, or female form, that attracts, that is called yosit.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

So mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes. And just the opposite number is, mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam. Yoṣit. Yoṣit means enjoyable, female, or prakṛti. The nature has made in such a way that the male form, or female form, that attracts, that is called yosit. There are so many things for our attraction, not that simply woman is attractive. No. Woman is a form. Rūpa, rasa, śabda, gandha, sparśa, this is called the tāṇ-mātra, enjoying... We have got senses, so there must be object of enjoyment of the senses. The eyes, they have got also the object of sense gratification. The eyes want to see very beautiful forms. Eyes, rūpa. Rūpa means form. And the tongue, it wants to enjoy very good taste, tasty food. So that is also enjoyment. Not that simply woman is for enjoyment.

Although they were queen. They were also coming from royal family, very good family. Kṛṣṇa had to conquer such queen by fighting. They're not ordinary wife. But still, they say that "In this way I have become maidservant." So everyone is maidservant. We are also maidservant, prakṛti. Prakṛti means female.
Lecture on SB 6.1.43 -- Los Angeles, July 24, 1975:

The gopīs are maidservants. The Lakṣmīs are maidservant. You will find this description in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Kṛṣṇa book, that all the queens of Kṛṣṇa they were discussing with Draupadī, female talk. Draupadī was asking, "How you were married?" So they were narrating the incidence, how (s)he was married to Kṛṣṇa. But the conclusion is there: every queen was speaking, "In this way, I have been maidservant of Kṛṣṇa." Nobody says that "I have become queen," although they were queen. They were also coming from royal family, very good family. Kṛṣṇa had to conquer such queen by fighting. They're not ordinary wife. But still, they say that "In this way I have become maidservant." So everyone is maidservant. We are also maidservant, prakṛti. Prakṛti means female. Jīva-bhūtāḥ, yayedaṁ dhāryate, itas tu prakṛti viddhi me parāḥ. Kṛṣṇa says First of all the material energy, prakṛti... The material energy is also prakṛti, maidservant. And the spiritual energy, also maidservant. And we are, we jīvas, we are also maidservant. Here we are dressed as man, but our original position is maidservant of Kṛṣṇa, prakṛti. Here, of course, even woman, she is also thinking as man. Man means enjoyer, and prakṛti means enjoyed. So anyone who is thinking, "I am enjoyer," outwardly he may be in the female form or male form—he is puruṣa. Therefore this conditioned soul is puruṣa. Puruṣaḥ prakṛti-sthe api.

So anyone who has come within this material world, everyone is thinking, "I am puruṣa. I am enjoyer." That is sinful. That is... Just like if a woman artificially dresses herself as a man, that is not very good business. That is not appreciated. So our position is that we are actually maidservant of Kṛṣṇa, but here, in the material world, we are trying to become puruṣa, or enjoyer. This is our disease. That is sinful. That is sinful. Suppose if a woman dresses like man... Of course, nowadays it is very fashionable to have coat, pant, like the... So that is not very, liked very much. It is artificial. So anything artificial we do, that is sinful. This is the description of sin. What is sin? You, if you act naturally, that is good; but if you act artificially, that is sinful. This is the distinction between sinful activities and pious activities.

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.
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.

kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare
pāsate māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare

Just like a male and female. That movement is very strong now in America. The female wants to become male, or equal rights. This is māyā. How woman can become in equal with man? Of course, we are not going to study the social welfare activities or something like that, but puruṣa and prakṛti, they are different. Purusa means enjoyer, and prakṛti means enjoyed. So here the prakṛti, this material nature—earth, water, air, fire, sky, mind, intelligence, and ego, egotism—these are eight material things.

Jīva-bhūta, the living entities, they have been described as prakṛti, and prakṛti means females. And Kṛṣṇa has been described as puruṣa. So puruṣa is the enjoyer, and prakṛti is the enjoyed. Don't think that "enjoyed" means simply sex. No. "Enjoyed" means subordinate, to carry out the order of the puruṣa.
Lecture on SB 6.1.62 -- Vrndavana, August 29, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa has explained. There is material energy and spiritual energy. So jīva-bhūta. Jīva-bhūta, the living entities, they have been described as prakṛti, and prakṛti means females. And Kṛṣṇa has been described as puruṣa. So puruṣa is the enjoyer, and prakṛti is the enjoyed. Don't think that "enjoyed" means simply sex. No. "Enjoyed" means subordinate, to carry out the order of the puruṣa. This is the position of Kṛṣṇa and ourself. We are part and parcel, just like the hands and legs are my part and parcel of the body. So the duty of the hands and legs are that carry out my order. I say my legs, "Carry me there." He will... It will do immediately. My hand—"Just take it." I'll take it. The hand will take it. So this is prakṛti and puruṣa. The puruṣa orders, and the prakṛti performs the duty. This is the real..., not that as soon as we say prakṛti and puruṣa, immediately there is question of sex. No. Means... Prakṛti means obedient, obedient to the puruṣa. This is natural way. In the Western countries they are artificially trying to become equal, but that is not possible by nature. And there is no such question, inferiority or superiority. There is no such question. Such like the begin, in the beginning, yato vā imani bhūtāni jayante. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Wherefrom this puruṣa and prakṛti relationship begun? Janmādy asya yataḥ. It has begun from the Absolute Truth. Therefore Absolute Truth is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, the same puruṣa and prakṛti. But Rādhārāṇī is the servitor, serving. Rādhārāṇī is so expert that She always attracts Kṛṣṇa by Her service. This is Rādhārāṇī's position. Kṛṣṇa is called Madana-Mohana. Here in Vṛndāvana there is Madana-Mohana, and Rādhārāṇī is called Madana-Mohana-Mohinī. Kṛṣṇa is so attractive that we are attracted by Cupid, and Kṛṣṇa attracts Cupid. Therefore His name is Madana-Mohana. And Rādhārāṇī is so great that She attracts Kṛṣṇa. Therefore She is the greatest. In the Vṛndāvana, therefore, people are accustomed to chant Rādhārāṇī's name more than Kṛṣṇa's name—"Jaya Rādhe." Yes. If you want Kṛṣṇa's favor, you just try to please Rādhārāṇī. So this is the way.

Prakṛti means female, enjoyed. So jīva is described in the Bhagavad-gītā as prakṛti. The first prakṛti is the material elements.
Lecture on SB 7.9.13-14 -- Montreal, August 22, 1968:

Icchā-dveṣa-samutthena. The real basic principle of our materialistic life is dveṣa. Dveṣa means when we become envious of Kṛṣṇa, that "Why Kṛṣṇa shall be the supreme enjoyer?" In this world, in practical experience, we have seen that many people say that "Kṛṣṇa enjoyed rasa-līlā. Why we shall not?" So this is, imitation rasa-līlā is going on in this material world, but they cannot be satisfied because it is imitation. Just like if a female takes the part of a male and wants to imitate the enjoyment, it is simply false. Similarly, we are constitutionally female, enjoyed, prakṛti. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parā jīva-bhūtaṁ mahā-bāho (BG 7.5). Prakṛti means female, enjoyed. So jīva is described in the Bhagavad-gītā as prakṛti. The first prakṛti is the material elements, eight.

bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ
khaṁ buddhir mano eva ca
aparā...
prakṛti me bhinnā aṣṭadhā
(BG 7.4)

These are separated energy. But apareyam, they are inferior. Apareyam itas tv anyā parā. Besides this material nature, this dull matter, there is another nature: prakṛti, parā prakṛti, the jīva. So the real life is to be enjoyed by the Lord. Enjoyed. That means real life is to become eternal servitor. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). That is his constitutional position. But by imitation he wants to become the master. And when, iccha, when he develops that desire and envies the Lord, that "Why Kṛṣṇa shall be enjoyer? I shall be enjoyer also," this is icchā-dveṣa-samutthena sarge yānti parantapa (BG 7.27). Sarge means in this creation.

In the Bhagavad-gītā Arjuna recognized Kṛṣṇa as puruṣa. Puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam. So He's the puruṣa. God is puruṣa, male. God is not female. The śakti, that is female, prakṛti.
Lecture on SB 7.9.33 -- Mayapur, March 11, 1976:

I have several times explained, from Kṛṣṇa, then expansion, Balarāma, then catur-vyūha, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, like that. Then Nārāyaṇa, then dvitīya catur-vyūha. From dvitīya catur-vyūha, Vaikuṇṭha, Saṅkarṣaṇa, then Puruṣa, Puruṣa-avatāra. These Puruṣas are three. In the Bhagavad-gītā Arjuna recognized Kṛṣṇa as puruṣa. Puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam. So He's the puruṣa. God is puruṣa, male. God is not female. Female... The śakti, that is female, prakṛti.

In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is mentioned, prakṛtir me aṣṭadhā, bhinnā prakṛtir me aṣṭadhā. This material nature is separated energy, divided into eight elements: earth, water, air, and fire, then ether, mind, intelligence and ego. These are all prakṛti, material. Bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā. Bhinnā. Bhinnā means separated. There is not direct connection, but another prakṛti, that is... Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parā (BG 7.5). This is inferior energy, material elements, and there is superior element, prakṛti. That is also prakṛti. We are prakṛti. Prakṛti means under the control of the puruṣa. That is natural. We cannot conceive equal rights of puruṣa and prakṛti. That is not Vedic conception. Vedic conception is puruṣa, the superior, Supreme, and prakṛti means subordinate. Puruṣa is predominator, and prakṛti is predominated. So we living entities, we are prakṛti. Falsely if we try to become puruṣa, that is māyā. We should remain prakṛti, subservient, predominated. That is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Prakṛti means female. So they are also energy, energy. Just like here, try to understand, the karmīs, unless they have got a wife, they cannot work, they are not very enthusiastic. Therefore, according to the karmīs, when the boy is developed, immediately the parents get him wife for him. Otherwise he will be dull, he cannot work. Energy, śakti. If one has got good wife, then he gets energy to work.
Lecture on SB 7th Canto -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

Everything is prakṛti. The jīvas, they have been described as prakṛti. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām. In the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says that these material elements—earth, water, air, fire, mind, intelligence, ego—they are bhinnā me prakṛti aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). Prakrti. He is puruṣa. Prakṛti means female. So they are also energy, energy. Just like here, try to understand, the karmīs, unless they have got a wife, they cannot work, they are not very enthusiastic. Therefore, according to the karmīs, when the boy is developed, immediately the parents get him wife for him. Otherwise he will be dull, he cannot work. Energy, śakti. If one has got good wife, then he gets energy to work. Therefore, prakṛti, she is called prakṛti, energy. Similarly, this is a fact. Kṛṣṇa has got also energy, the original puruṣa—Rādhārāṇī, energy, prakṛti. Kṛṣṇa is engladdened in the presence of Rādhārāṇī. That is nature. Similarly, a man, he becomes energized if he has got a good wife or good mother. This is the history of the whole world. Any great man in this world, you will find that behind him he has got a good wife or good mother. Prakṛti, energy. That energizes. In our country how we have seen many persons. Just like Sad Guru Das Bannerjee, (indistinct), they had very good mothers, and they became very great men. Similarly, we saw one Englishman, Lord Wellington, he had a very intelligent wife and he became great man. So this prakṛti is energy. By the energy of one woman, one becomes very great. That is the material arrangement. Not only material, in the spiritual world also the same thing. Just like Kṛṣṇa is energized in the presence of Rādhārāṇī, in the presence of Rādhārāṇī. Kṛṣṇa is called Madana-mohana and Rādhārāṇī is called Madana-mohana-mohinī. So the law is the same. But here in this material world, everything is perverted. Perverted. Therefore, we do not get the real energy. There is frustration, there is confusion. So we have to come to the real platform.

The prakṛti cannot, a female cannot artificially become a male. That is not possible. And because we are trying artificially to become the supreme male, therefore, that is māyā. That is māyā. Māyā means which is not fact. Mā-yā, it is false. So falsely we are trying to be puruṣa, enjoyer.
Lecture on SB 7th Canto -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

The Supreme is puruṣa and I am prakṛti. There must be difference between puruṣa and prakṛti. The prakṛti cannot..., a female cannot artificially become a male. That is not possible. And because we are trying artificially to become the supreme male, therefore, that is māyā. That is māyā. Māyā means which is not fact. Mā-yā, it is false. So falsely we are trying to be puruṣa, enjoyer. This whole world is struggling to become puruṣa, enjoyer, everyone. Nation-wide, society-wide, they are trying to be puruṣa.

Festival Lectures

Prakṛti means strī-liṅga, woman. Jīva-bhūta, the living entities, are not mentioned in this connection as puruṣa. Not puruṣa. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they think themselves as puruṣa. The karmīs also, they think they are puruṣa. Puruṣa means enjoyer, and prakṛti means enjoyed.
Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day -- Bhagavad-gita 7.5 Lecture -- Vrndavana, August 11, 1974:

So Kṛṣṇa has explained this material world, bhūmir āpaḥ analo vāyuḥ. Now, this is also nature, prakṛti. There is another nature, prakṛti. Prakṛti means strī-liṅga, woman. Jīva-bhūta, the living entities, are not mentioned in this connection as puruṣa. Not puruṣa. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they think themselves as puruṣa. The karmīs also, they think they are puruṣa. Puruṣa means enjoyer, and prakṛti means enjoyed. But Kṛṣṇa does not say that the living entity is puruṣa. He says prakṛti. Prakṛti is always subordinate to the puruṣa. That is the natural way.

In the Manu-saṁhitā it is said that prakṛti, or strī, never deserve to be independent. Na strī svātantryam arhati. So as soon as the living entity is accepted as prakṛti, then it is to be understood that she is under the control of the supreme puruṣa, Puruṣottama. Kṛṣṇa is Puruṣottama. And Kṛṣṇa has been accepted as the puruṣa by Arjuna. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ śāśvatam (BG 10.12). It is not that Kṛṣṇa has become puruṣa now, and before that He was impersonal. No. Kṛṣṇa is puruṣaṁ śāśvatam, eternally He is puruṣa, eternally He is enjoyer. He's never enjoyed. You cannot enjoy Kṛṣṇa, or God, for your sense gratification. That is not possible. He can use you for His sense gratification. That is bhakti-mārga. The bhaktas, they never claim to be puruṣa. They are always subordinate. Mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). This is bhakti-yoga. So this material energy is inferior, and the spiritual energy, although prakṛti, still, it is superior energy. That is explained. Why superior? Because the spiritual energy, prakṛti, can control over the material energy. There is some tint of puruṣa activities, but actually, living entity is not puruṣa. He's prakṛti.

General Lectures

So prakṛti means the female, the object of enjoyment, and puruṣa means the enjoyer. So here, although we are dressed in different way, male or female, everyone is trying to enjoy. Therefore even a woman is just like woman, his feature is woman's body. Actually, she is trying to enjoy; therefore, she is puruṣa.
Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

The subtle body and the gross body—coat and shirt. But we are different from this coat and shirt. That is the beginning of the instruction. It is going on, and again Arjuna is asking that prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva kṣetraṁ kṣetra-jñam eva ca etad veditum icchāmi. He's student. "My Lord Kṛṣṇa, I want to understand what is this material nature and puruṣam." Purusaṁ means enjoyer, and prakṛti means enjoyed. Just like we have got little conception, male and female. So prakṛti means the female, the object of enjoyment, and puruṣa means the enjoyer. So here, although we are dressed in different way, male or female, everyone is trying to enjoy. Therefore even a woman is just like woman, his feature is woman's body. Actually, she is trying to enjoy; therefore, she is puruṣa. Puruṣa means enjoyer. So here in this material world, either male or female, it doesn't matter—everyone is trying to enjoy; therefore he is called puruṣa, or the living entity is called puruṣa.

Prakṛti means energy, just like prakṛti means woman, naturally a woman is under the control of the man. That is our Vedic system, and natural system also. However, the woman may claim equal rights, they are under the control of the man. That is natural. So similarly prakṛti means which is under the control of the Supreme Lord. That is prakṛti.
Lecture Engagement at Birla House -- Bombay, December 17, 1975:

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is little difficult for ordinary persons who are interested with the material gross and subtle elements. For them it is little difficult. But Kṛṣṇa says apareyam, "This is inferior, these energies." They are energies, prakṛtir me aṣṭadhā. Prakṛti means energy, just like prakṛti means woman, naturally a woman is under the control of the man. That is our Vedic system, and natural system also. However, the woman may claim equal rights, they are under the control of the man. That is natural. So similarly prakṛti means which is under the control of the Supreme Lord. That is prakṛti.

Philosophy Discussions

Every living entity is by nature a female, prakṛti. I was discussing this morning, parā prakṛti, living entity, but it is prakṛti. Prakṛti means female and puruṣa means male.
Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Śyāmasundara: For instance, he says that all male personalities, in their shadow personality, there is a bit of the female, and in all females there is a bit of the male propensity. So often we cover these up and become repressed and we do not understand our actions.

Prabhupāda: That is our philosophy, because every living entity is by nature a female, prakṛti. I was discussing this morning, parā prakṛti, living entity, but it is prakṛti. Prakṛti means female and puruṣa means male. So here in this material world, although we are prakṛti, we are (indistinct) ourselves as puruṣa. This male-female dress, that is immaterial. Our consciousness is now male consciousness. A female, the so-called female, here, she also wants to enjoy a male, and the male also, he also wants to enjoy the female. Both of them have the same propensity of enjoying. So this enjoying propensity is for male. Therefore jīvātmā is sometimes described as puruṣa. But actually the jīvātmā, the living entities, they are puruṣa, he's prakṛti. Prakṛti means predominated, and puruṣa means predominator. So we are all predominated. And the (indistinct) predominator is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore originally, by constitution, we are all females.

Śyāmasundara: But in the male, so-called male species, there's a different temperament. There's dominance, there's aggressiveness...

Prabhupāda: No, no. There is no difference in temperament. The real (indistinct), the center (indistinct). Just like in your country it is the women is very (indistinct) that why they shall not be treated exactly like men. And the same thing is coming in our country also.

Śyāmasundara: And the men also want to have long hair and...

Prabhupāda: Actually, the real position is that every living entity is female, originally. But falsely he is imitating to become a male, enjoy. This is called māyā. Actually he is female, but he is trying to imitate the supreme male, Kṛṣṇa. That is called māyā. This is not fact. So our proposition is, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that you come to the original state, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You are not predominator, you are predominated. Predominated means female.

Śyāmasundara: So for instance in nature, he sees male and female characteristics. For instance a mountain, we see a mountain and we give it a male, a male characteristic because it is strong, it is dominant, it is (indistinct), like this. And the sea, which is passive and calm and deep, we give a female aspect. He sees all these in nature.

Prabhupāda: These are all mental concoction. It has to be more scientifical. You can think of something in your own idea. That's all. That is not the real identity of it.

Page Title:Prakrti meaning female (Lectures)
Compiler:Labangalatika, MadhuGopaldas
Created:20 of Aug, 2009
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=23, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:23