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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 7.4
भूमिरापोऽनलो वायु: खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च ।
अहङ्कार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा ॥ ४ ॥
bhūmir āpo ’nalo vāyuḥ
khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca
ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me
bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā
Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego – all together these eight constitute My separated material energies.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego are Kṛṣṇa’s eight separated material energies.
Prabhupāda explains that Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of the material world, and His three Viṣṇu expansions direct its activities.
Recognize material nature as Kṛṣṇa’s energy, rather than seeing yourself as its controller and enjoyer.
Material energy called ‘prakriti’ is described
Description of material energy
It is the ‘separated’ energy – It is the inferior energy
Principally consists of eight elements (memorise them) – Gross (5), Subtle (3)
These eight elements expand into 24 elements
5 gross, 3 subtle, 5 sense objects, 10 senses and the unmanifested modes
It is the energy of the Lord in His different purusa incarnations (Ref. Satvata tantra)
Knowledge of 3 Vishnus — Anyone who knows these 3 Vishnus can be liberated from material entanglement
‘Maha-Vishnu’– Creates mahat-tattva to begin material manifestation
‘Garbhodakasayi Vishnu’ – Enters into each universe to make diversities within it
‘Kshirodakasayi Vishnu’ – Enters into each atom of the universe as Supersoul
Preaching Application: Recognize the factual enjoyer — material nature, being the energy of the Lord in His different Purusa incarnations, is meant for the enjoyment of the Supreme Energetic and not the living entity
Result of ignorance of science of God – One assumes this world for his own enjoyment
Different levels of understandings of material energy
Material science – It comprises only 10 items (5 gross elements and 5 sense objects) and nothing more
Philosophers – They deal with the mental activities
They are also not perfect in knowledge – because they do not know the ultimate source, Krishna
Atheistic Sankhya Philosophy
What do they discuss – 8 energies expanded into 24 elements of the material world; The subject matter for discussion is only the manifestation of the external energy of Krishna, without considering the connection with Krishna
What knowledge do they lack – Krishna as the cause of all causes
Basic Principle of Material Existence — ‘False ego’
It includes ten sense organs for material activities
Intelligence — Refers to the total material creation, called maha-tattva
Krishna is the source of both matter and spirit
Can be seen in the world when we view all existence as a combination of Krishna’s material and spiritual energies. He is also the active essence of everything
Although Krishna is not under His energies, the three modes, all else in material existence is manifested by combination of goodness, passion and ignorance
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Material nature
Krishna describes His separated material energies.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 7.4 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to nature & guṇas?
Observe which mode shaped your last decision.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.