Bhagavad Gita Chapter 13 Verse 21
भगवद् गीता अध्याय 13 श्लोक 21

कार्यकारणकर्तृत्वे हेतुः प्रकृतिरुच्यते।
पुरुषः सुखदुःखानां भोक्तृत्वे हेतुरुच्यते।।13.21।।



हिंदी अनुवाद - स्वामी तेजोमयानंद
।।13.21।। कार्य और कारण के उत्पन्न करने में हेतु प्रकृति कही जाती है और पुरुष सुखदुख के भोक्तृत्व में हेतु कहा जाता है।।


Kumara Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary
The word karya meaning effect refers to the physical body. The  word  karana
means the instrument of  action  denoting  the  senses  of  perception,  the
organs of action and the mind. In the activation of both  karya  and  karana
to function the atma or immortal soul alone  is  the  cause.  This  confirms
that all manifest activity by which the jiva or embodied  being  experiences
existence is dependent upon prakriti or the  material  substratum  pervading
physical existence which is predicated by the  impulses  of  the  atma.  The
atma merely performs its natural function as monitor  and  director  of  the
jiva in all respects. Affirmation of this is given in  the  following  Vedic
aphorism found in the Vedanta Sutra  II:III.XXXX  beginning  krita  prayatna
apekesah meaning the Supreme Lord induces the atma to act according  to  the
effects experienced by the jiva so that there is  no  contradiction  in  the
prohibitions and injunctions of the Vedic scriptures. The  function  of  the
atma is to witness the karma or reactions to ones actions  and  govern  the
jiva effects of karma as they evolve and grow. The atma  being  embodied  is
the sole cause for a jiva to experience joy and grief through the medium  of
matter. Thus the difference in function in regard to both the atma  and  the
physical body has been briefly elaborated seperately and in conjunction.





The process by which the inherently pure and spiritual atma  which  is  most
blessed comes to experience pleasures and pain  derived  from  contact  with
products of matter is through the  three  gunas  being  modes  of  goodness,
passion and  ignorance  which  are  effects  of  prakriti  and  figuratively
symbolise all derivatives of matter as all matter is within  the  purvey  of
the three gunas. Here in this verse the word  purusa  is  referring  to  His
expansion as the atma  within the heart of all living entities which by  its
own intrinsic nature is liberated and  blissful  but  by  the  influence  of
karma and  prakriti  is  entangled  in  the  material  existence  undergoing
experiences of enjoyment and suffering  based  on  this  relationship  which
manifest according to the dicitates and constraints of   the  adventitiously
and contrary circumstances of past actions from which  arise  effects  known
as karma. The  word  bhoktrtve  meaning  the  experience  of  happiness  and
distress confirms this.