Prakriti and the Free Soul YS IV - 32

Yoga Sutra - IV- 32 - TATAH KRTARTHANAM PARINAMA KRAMA SAMAPTIR GUNANAM - Then the gunas terminate their sequence of transformations because they have fulfilled their purpose.

Swami Satchidananda tells us that This is a beautiful Sutra to understand. The three gunas (sattva, rajas and tamas) constantly intermingle; and , thus Prakriti functions. Why should they do this; or, in other words, why does nature function? The nature functions to give experience to the reflected Purusha. (In other words, the mind. The scriptures sometimes say Purusha itself, but the meaning is the Purusha reflected upon the mind-stuff.)

An analogy is given of a mother with a lot of children that went out to play and got dirty. One by one she cleans them up. Then says " you are clean. Go, and don't come t0 me again. My job is over with you. But I still have a lot of work to do with other children." Mother Prakriti is just like that. She stops functioning with a clean child (A jivanmukti).

That is what is meant in this Sutra. Prakriti-- the qualities and their continuous transformations--stop their action on the free soul because they have fulfilled their purpose. They have given enough experience to the Purusha.

See related posts:

• Samprajnata (Distinguished) Samadhi-YS I -17


• Avoidable Pain - YS - II - 16, YS II - 17


• The Seer or Purusha YS II - 20


• The Four Stages of the Gunas YS II - 19


• The Seen - Nature of the Gunas YS II - 18