प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव विद्ध्यनादी उभावपि | विकारांश्च गुणांश्चैव विद्धि प्रकृतिसम्भवान्
prakṛtiṃ puruṣaṃ caiva viddhyanādi ubhāvapi . vikārāṃśca guṇāṃścaiva viddhi prakṛtisambhavān
须知“原质”（Prakṛti，普拉克里蒂）和“神我”（Puruṣa，普鲁沙）两者皆是无始的；须知一切变异（Vikāra，维卡拉）和“德性”（Guṇa，古纳）皆由“原质”所生。
Know both Nature and also the individual soul [Prakrti is sometimes translated as matter, and purusa as spirit.-Tr.] to be verily without beginning; know the modifications as also the alities as born of Nature.
登上建筑顶层需要循序渐进。同样，达到“我”（Atman，阿特曼）之知识的顶峰也需要逐步进行。这就是主奎师那（Krishna）为何一步步引导阿周那（Arjuna）达到知识顶峰的原因。他首先教导阿周那“场”的本质，然后是知识、“无知”或非智慧，最终是“应被知晓的”。就像聪明的母亲将食物分成小份，一点点喂给孩子一样，主奎师那也一点点地喂养他的灵性孩子阿周那以灵性食物。主奎师那说：“哦，阿周那，我将以另一种形式，通过描述‘神我’（Puruṣa，普鲁沙）和‘原质’（Prakṛti，普拉克里蒂）来传授你同样的教诲。”此前，主根据《奥义书》（Upanishads）的哲学阐述了“场”和“我”的知识。现在，他根据数论派（Sankhya）哲学解释同样的知识，但不接受其“神我”与“原质”二元论的区分。变异（Vikāra，维卡拉）指从大原理（Mahat-Tattva，摩诃特塔特瓦）或理智到物质身体的二十四个数论派原理。内在的“我”是永恒不变的。所有变化都发生在“原质”中。根本原质（Mulaprakriti，穆拉普拉克里蒂，即原始的、未显现的“原质”）被变异为大原理、我执、心智、大元素及其他次要变异。正如凉爽与冰、白天与黑夜不可分离一样，物质与“神我”也密不可分。三种“德性”（Guṇa，古纳），即悦性（Sattva，萨特瓦）、变性（Rajas，拉贾斯）和惰性（Tamas，塔玛斯），都由“原质”（物质）所生。所有行为都源于心智、生命力、感官和物质身体。根据数论派哲学，“原质”和“神我”不仅永恒无始，而且彼此独立、自生。而根据吠檀多（Vedanta）哲学，“原质”或幻力（Maya，玛亚）源于“梵”，因此既非自生也非独立。自在主（Īśvara，伊什瓦拉）完全掌控幻力，幻力是祂的因果体，是祂的幻化力量。物质和“神我”是自在主的两种本性。须知这两者都是无始的。无始即是阿那迪（Anadi）。既然自在主是永恒的，祂的两种本性也应是永恒的（这符合数论派的观点）。自在主拥有这两种本性（高级和低级），通过它们，祂引发宇宙的创造、维护和毁灭。因此，祂拥有主宰权并统治宇宙。这两种本性无始，因此它们是生死轮回（Saṃsāra，桑萨拉）的原因。第七章第4节中提到的由八重划分组成的低级本性（Apara Prakriti，阿帕拉普拉克里蒂），是第十三章第19节中的“原质”。第七章第5节中提到的高级本性（Para Prakriti，帕拉普拉克里蒂），是第十三章第19节中的“神我”。这里的“神我”指个体灵魂（Jiva，吉瓦）。即使是婴儿也会微笑，体验兴奋、悲伤、恐惧、愤怒、快乐和痛苦。是谁教导他们的呢？今生的善恶行为的印象不可能是这些的原因。唯有前世的印象才是所有这些的原因。这些印象必须有一个载体。由此，我们可以清楚地推断出个体灵魂在前世的存在，并且个体灵魂是无始的。如果你不接受个体灵魂是无始的，那么“已行之业不结果报”（Kritanasa，克里塔那萨）和“未行之业却受果报”（Akritabhyagama，阿克里塔布亚伽玛）这两个缺陷就会出现。前世所做的善恶行为的果报——苦乐——将未经体验而消逝，这是“已行之业不结果报”的缺陷。同样，一个人将不得不享受苦乐，而这些苦乐是前世未曾做过的善恶行为的果报，这是“未行之业却受果报”的缺陷。为了避免这两个缺陷，我们必须接受个体灵魂是无始的。经典也明确宣称灵魂是无始的。
Steps are necessary to reach the top floor of a building. Even so? steps are necessary to reach the summit of the knowledge of the Self. That is the reason why Lord Krishna took Arjuna to the summit of knowledge step by step. He first taught Arjuna the nature of the field? then knowledge? ignorance or nonwisdom? and ultimately the knowable. When a child is to be fed,the intelligent mother divides the food into small portions and feeds the child little by little. Even so Lord Krishna fed His spiritual child Arjuna with the spiritual food little by little.Lord Krishna says O Arjuna I will give you the same teaching in another form by the description of the Spirit and Nature.Till now the Lord expounded the knowledge of the field and the Self in accordance with the philosophy of the Upanishads. Now He explains the same knowledge in accordance with the Sankhya philosophy? but without accepting its dual nature in the form of discrimination between the Spirit and Nature.Vikaras Modifications from the MahatTattva or intellect down to the physical body the twentyfour principles of the Sankhyas. The Self within is changeless. All changes take place in Nature. Mulaprakriti (the Primordial Nature? the Unmanifested) becomes modified into Mahat? egoism? mind? the great elements and other minor modifications.Just as coolness and ice? the day and the night? are inseparable? so also matter and Spirit are inseparable. The three alities Sattva? Rajas and Tamas are born of Nature (matter). All actions proceed from the mind? the lifeforce? the senses and the physical body.According to the Sankhya philosophy? Prakriti and Purusha are not only eternal and beginningless but also independent of each other and selfcreated. According to Vedanta philosophy? Prakriti or Maya originates from Brahman and is? therefore? neither selfcreated nor independent. Isvara has Maya under His perfect control. Maya is His causal body. Maya is His illusory power.Matter and Spirit are the Natures of Isvara. Know that these two are beginningless. That which has no beginning is Anadi. As Isvara is eternal? His two Natures also should be eternal. (This is according to the Sankhyas.)Isvara possesses these two Natures (superior and inferior) by which He causes the creation? preservation and destruction of the universe. Therefore He has the Lordship and rules over the universe. The two Natures have no beginning. Therefore they are the cause of Samsara.The inferior Nature (Apara Prakriti) which consists of the eightfold division of Nature referred to in chapter VII? verse 4? is the Prakriti of chapter XIII? verse 19. The superior Nature (Para Prakriti) referred to in chapter VII? verse 5? is the Purusha of chapter XIII? verse 19. Purusha here means Jiva (the individual soul).Even a child smiles and experiences exhilaration? grief? fear? anger? pleasure and pain. Who taught it The impressions of the virtuous and vicious actions of this birth cannot be the cause of these. The impressions of the previous birth alone are the cause of all these. They (the impressions) must have a support. From this we can clearly infer the existence of the individual soul in the previous birth and that the individual soul is beginningless. If you do not accept that the individual soul is beginningless? the two defects of Kritanasa (nonfruition of actions performed) and Akritabhyagama (causeless effect) will creep in. Pleasure and pain which are the fruits of virtuous and vicious actions done previously will pass away without being experienced. This is the defect of Kritanasa. So also? one will have to enjoy pleasure and pain? the fruits of good and bad actions which were not done by him previously. This is the defect of Akritabhyagama. In order to get rid of these two defects we will have to accept that the individual soul is beginningless. The scriptures,also emphatically declare that the soul is beginningless.