Prakriti (प्रकृति), derived from Pra (primary) and Kriti (creation/action),
represents the foundational, natural form, or primal substance of the
universe in Sanskrit literature. It is not merely "nature" in the modern
sense but encompasses all physical, psychological, and cosmic aspects of
reality.
Foundation of Creation (Sāṃkhya Philosophy): Prakriti is the "primal motive
force" or "material energy" from which the entire universe—including the
five elements (pancha bhutas), mind, and intellect—manifests. It acts as
the "creator" or "womb" of all forms.
The Three Gunas (Modes of Nature): Sanskrit texts emphasize that Prakriti
operates through three innate qualities (guṇas):
Sattva: Goodness, harmony, and light.
Rajas: Passion, activity, and movement.
Tamas: Inertia, darkness, and chaos.
Duality with Puruṣa (Consciousness): Prakriti is consistently contrasted
with Puruṣa (pure consciousness/soul). While Puruṣa is the passive
observer, Prakriti is the active, changing, and tangible component.
Divine Energy (Bhagavad Gita): In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna refers to
Prakriti as his "lower nature" (aparā-prakṛti), composed of eight elements,
and also mentions a "higher nature" (parā-prakṛti) that constitutes the
soul.
Ayurvedic Constitution (Svasthya): In Ayurvedic Sanskrit texts, Prakriti
signifies an individual’s unique genetic and psychological constitution,
determined by the balance of doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha) at conception.
Understanding one’s Prakriti is crucial for maintaining health and
determining personalized treatment.
Symbolism of Divine Feminine: In the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Prakriti is
identified as the supreme creative energy, often personified by five
goddesses (Saraswati, Lakshmi, Parvati, Gayatri, and Radha).
Avyakta: The unmanifest, primeval state before creation.
Kshetra: The "field" of action (the body/nature).
Maya: Prakriti is often synonymous with cosmic illusion (māyā) in Vedantic
texts.
2 ) Prakṛti (प्रकृति) refers to “cosmic nature” while Puruṣa
refers to the “cosmic man or being”, as defined in the Śivapurāṇa 1.16.
Accordingly, “[...] O foremost among sages, ordinary parents bestow hidden
treasures to the son who renders special service. Hence a devotee shall
worship the phallic emblem in the manner of mother and father (pitṛ-mātṛ)
for the acquisition of the hidden great bliss. Bharga is Puruṣa (Cosmic man
or Being) and Bhargā is Prakṛti (Cosmic Nature). Puruṣa is of hidden latent
conception and Prakṛti is of manifest inner conception. Since it is the
father who conceives first, the Puruṣa has the primordial conception. The
unification of Puruṣa and Prakṛti is the first birth. Its manifestation in
the Prakṛti is called the second birth. The creature, dead even as it is
born, takes up its birth from the Puruṣa”.
2) Prakṛti (प्रकृति) is another name for Śakti (prime cause, created from
the body of Īśvara), according to Śivapurāṇa 2.1.6, while explaining the
time of great dissolution (mahāpralaya):—“[...] this Śakti is called by
various names. Pradhāna, Prakṛti, Māyā, Guṇavatī, Parā. The mother of
Buddhi Tattva (The cosmic Intelligence), Vikṛtivarjitā (without
modification). That Śakti is Ambikā, Prakṛti and the goddess of all. She is
the prime cause and the mother of the three deities. [...]”.
3 Ganitashastra (Mathematics and Algebra)
1) Prakṛti (प्रकृति) represents the number 21 (twenty-one) in the
“word-numeral system” (bhūtasaṃkhyā), which was used in Sanskrit texts
dealing with astronomy, mathematics, metrics, as well as in the dates of
inscriptions and manuscripts in ancient Indian literature.—A system of
expressing numbers by means of words arranged as in the place-value
notation was developed and perfected in India in the early centuries of the
Christian era. In this system the numerals [e.g., 21—prakṛti] are expressed
by names of things, beings or concepts, which, naturally or in accordance
with the teaching of the Śāstras, connote numbers.
2) Prakṛti (प्रकृति) or “multiplier” refers to the “coefficient”, according
to the principles of Bījagaṇita (“algebra” or ‘science of calculation’),
according to Gaṇita-śāstra, ancient Indian mathematics and astronomy.—In
Hindu algebra there is no systemmatic use of any special term for the
coefficient. Ordinarily, the power of the unknown is mentioned when the
reference is to the coefficient of that power. [...] However, occasional
use of a technical term is also met with. Brahmagupta once calls the
coefficient saṃkhyā (number) and on several other occasions guṇaka, or
guṇakāra (multiplier). Pṛthūdakasvāmī (860) in his commentary on
Brahmagupta’s Brāhmasphuṭasiddhānta calls it aṅka (number) or prakṛti
(multiplier). These terms reappear in the works of Siddhāntaśekhara by
Śrīpati (1039) and the Bījagaṇita by Bhāskara II (1150). The former also
used rūpa for the same purpose
3) prakṛti (प्रकृति) or “origin” refers to the “coefficient (of the square
of the unknown)” in Vargaprakṛti (“square-nature”), according to the
principles of Bījagaṇita.—The indeterminate quadratic equation [Nx2 ± c =
y2], is called by the Hindus vargaprakṛti or kṛtiprakṛti, meaning the
“square-nature”. [...] According to Kṛṣṇa (1580) in his commentary on the
Bījagaṇita of Bhāskara II: “That in which the varga (square) is the prakṛti
(nature) is called the vargaprakṛti; for the square of yāvat, etc., is the
prakṛti (origin) of this (branch of) mathematics. because this (branch of)
mathematics has originated from the number which is the prakṛti of the
square of yāvat, etc., so it is called the vargaprakṛti. In this case the
number which is the multiplier of the square yāvat, etc., is denoted by the
term prakṛti. (In other words) it is the coefficient of the square of the
unknown”.
4 Prakṛti (प्रकृति).—f.
1) The natural condition or state of anything, nature, natural form (opp.
vikṛti which is a change or effect); तं तं नियममास्थाय प्रकृत्या नियताः
स्वया (taṃ taṃ niyamamāsthāya prakṛtyā niyatāḥ svayā) Bhagavadgītā (Bombay)
7.2.
2) प्रकृत्या यद्वक्रम् (prakṛtyā yadvakram) Ś1.9;
उष्णत्वमग्न्यातपसंप्रयोगात् शैत्यं हि यत् सा प्रकृतिर्जलस्य
(uṣṇatvamagnyātapasaṃprayogāt śaityaṃ hi yat sā prakṛtirjalasya) R.5.54;
3) मरणं प्रकृतिः शरीरिणां विकृति- र्जीवितमुच्यते बुधैः (maraṇaṃ prakṛtiḥ
śarīriṇāṃ vikṛti- rjīvitamucyate budhaiḥ) R.8.87;
4) Uttararāmacarita 7.19; अपेहि रे अत्रभवान् प्रकृतिमापन्नः (apehi re
atrabhavān prakṛtimāpannaḥ) Ś.2. 'has resumed his wonted nature';
5) प्रकृतिम् आपद् (prakṛtim āpad) or प्रतिपद् (pratipad) or प्रकृतौ स्था
(prakṛtau sthā) 'to come to one's senses', 'regain one's consciousness.'
2) Natural disposition, temper, temperament, nature, constitution; प्रकृतिः
खलु सा महीयसः सहते नान्यसमुन्नतिं यया (prakṛtiḥ khalu sā mahīyasaḥ sahate
nānyasamunnatiṃ yayā) Kirātārjunīya 2.21;
कथं गत एव आत्मनः प्रकृतिम् (kathaṃ gata eva ātmanaḥ prakṛtim) Ś.7. 'natural
character';
अपश्यत् पाण्डवश्रेष्ठो हर्षेण प्रकृतिं गतः (apaśyat pāṇḍavaśreṣṭho harṣeṇa
prakṛtiṃ gataḥ) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 39.66 (com. prakṛtiṃ svāsthyam); so
प्रकृतिकृपण, प्रकृतिसिद्ध (prakṛtikṛpaṇa, prakṛtisiddha); see below.
3) Make, form, figure; महानुभावप्रकृतिः (mahānubhāvaprakṛtiḥ) Mālatīmādhava
(Bombay) 1.
4) Extraction, descent; गोपालप्रकृतिरार्यकोऽस्मि (gopālaprakṛtirāryako'smi)
Mṛcchakaṭika 7.
5) Origin, source, original or material cause, the material of which
anything is made; नार्थानां प्रकृतिं वेत्सि (nārthānāṃ prakṛtiṃ vetsi)
Mahābhārata (Bombay) 4.49.1; प्रकृतिश्चोपादानकारणं च ब्रह्माभ्युपगन्तव्यम्
(prakṛtiścopādānakāraṇaṃ ca brahmābhyupagantavyam) Ś. B. (see the full
discussion on Br. Sūt.1.4.23); यामाहुः सर्वभूतप्रकृतिरिति (yāmāhuḥ
sarvabhūtaprakṛtiriti) Ś.1.1; Bhāgavata 4.28.24.
6) (In Sāṅ. phil.) Nature (as distinguished from puruṣa,) the original
source of the material world, consisting of the three essential qualities
सत्त्व, रजस् (sattva, rajas) and तमस् (tamas). It is also mentioned as one
of the four contentments; प्रकृत्युपादानकालभागाख्याः
(prakṛtyupādānakālabhāgākhyāḥ) Sāṃkhyakārikā 5.
5 Prakṛti in the Sāṃkhya philosophy
Chapter 3a - Puruṣa, Prakṛti and Guṇa in the Sāṃkhya philosophy
Prakṛti is considered as one of the most important topics discussed in the
ancient Indian texts viz., the Vedas, the Upaniṣads, the Purāṇas, the
Mahābhārata, the Gitā, Sāṃkhya, Yoga, Vedānta etc. In Sāṃkhya philosophy,
the doctrine of Prakṛti plays the key role in creating the universe. The
seed of Sāṃkhya is found in the Vedic literature. The Ṛgveda is the
earliest work which possesses its germs. The term Prakṛti is not clearly
mentioned in the Ṛgveda but the terms like tama[1] and aja[2] [3] are used
in the sense of unmanifested Prakṛti. Sāyaṇa, the famous commentator of
Veda, states Prakṛti as triguṇātmikā.[4] Hence, Prakṛti can be said to be
in a seed form in the Vedic literature.
Besides, the concept of Prakṛti is found in the Upaniṣads where the term
avidyā, māyā, pradhāna etc., are used to enlighten Prakṛti. Though the
Upaniṣads regard non-dual Brahman as the ultimate reality, these treatises
consider Prakṛti as the power of God, with the help of which God create the
universe.
The Śvetāsvataropaniṣad, which belongs to Kṛṣṇa Yajur Veda discusses about
the concept of Prakṛti in detail. Prakṛti is also identified with māyā
which is the power of God.[5] Māyā manifests itself as this world. This
māyā or Prakṛti is hidden by its own guṇas[6] i.e., sattva, rajas and
tamas. It is said that this world is nothing but a play of the three guṇas,
a permutation and combination of these three guṇas. The Upaniṣads consider
Prakṛti as unborn and is constituted of three colours of red, white and
black. It produces many objects like itself for the enjoyment of the unborn
self.[7] The three colours red, white and black can be related to the three
guṇas of Prakṛti, viz., rajas, sattva and tamas respectively. Hence, the
concept of uncaused Prakṛti, the cause of the world is consisted of three
guṇas, which acts for the enjoyment of Puruṣa. Moreover, it is said in this
Upaniṣad that Prakṛti is not an independent entity; it is ruled over by the
Lord.
The Kaṭha Upaniṣad also bears the idea of unmanifest Prakṛti. The term
avyakta which is a synonym of Prakṛti is mentioned in this Upaniṣad.
Avyakta is the cause of mahat etc., subordinate to Puruṣa.[8] The evolutes
of Prakṛti are also indicated in the verse, beyond the sense is the mind;
beyond the mind is the intellect, higher than the intellect is mahat,
higher than the mahat is the unmanifest.[9]
Like Vedas, Upaniṣads and Purāṇas, the Mahābhārata also contains a lot of
references about Prakṛti. According to this epic, the root cause of the
universe is Prakṛti which represents as a female productive power.[10] This
Epic speaks of sattva, rajas and tamas as the three guṇas of Prakṛti[11]
and all objects of this world are spoken of as the product of the three
guṇas.[12] In the Śāntiparvan of the Mahābhārata, Prakṛti is described as
avyakta or unmanifest, root cause of the whole universe.[13] Prakṛti is the
cause of everything. At the time of dissolution, Prakṛti absorbs the world
in her bossom.[14] But she doesn’t of her own accord, perform this
wonderful function. Prakṛti is completely under the power exerted by one
spiritual principle, who is her master. This is the Lord who makes Prakṛti
play with his own creative powers and energy. Mahābhārata accepts Prakṛti
as a dependent entity on God.
References of Prakṛti are also foundinthe Bhagabadgītā. Here Prakṛti is
called Mahad-Brahma,[15] who creates the universe with the help of God
only. Prakṛti is mainly treated in Sāṃkhya system, according to which the
creation of the universe is explained by means of two realities viz.,
Prakṛti, (matter) and Puruṣa (spirit). Dr. Anima Sengupta opines that in
the Gītā, the word Prakṛti is used in the sense of the inferior principle
of the world. Therefore, it is synonymous with Avyakta.[16]
[1]:tama āsit tamasā guḷmagre apaketam/ Ṛgveda , 10.129.3
[2]:tamidgarbhaṃ prathamaṃ ajasya nābhāvadhyekamaritaṃ yasmin viśvāni
bhūvanāni tasthu/ Ibid.,
[4]:sattvarajastamo guṇātmikā mūlaprakṛtirevābhimateti/ Sāyanabhāsya on
Ibid. 10.129.2
[5]:māyāṃ tu prakrtiṃ vidyāṅmāyinaṃ ca maheśvaraṃ. tasyāvayavabhūtaisu
vyāptaṃ sarvamidaṃ jagat/ SU., 4.10
[6]:svaguṇairniguḍhām, Ibid., 1.3
[7]:ajāmekāṃ lohitaśuklakṛṣṇāṃ, Ibid., 4.5
[9]:indriyebhyaḥ paraṃ mano manasaḥ sattvamuttvamam/
sattvādadhi mahānātmā mahato’ vyaktamuttamam//Ibid., 2.3.7
[10]:sāṃkhyaṃ prakurūte caiva prakṛtiṃ ca pracakṣate/ Mahābhārata ,
12.294.41(a)
[12]:guṇasvabhāvastvavyakto guṇānevabhivartate / Ibid., 12.303.2(b)
[14]:prakṛtiḥ kurūte devī bhavaḥ pralayameva ca/
divasānte guṇānetānbhyetyaiko’vatiṣṭati// Ibid.,12.292.27;
[15]:mama yonirmahadbrahma tasmin garbhaṃ dadhāmyaha / Śrimad-bhagavadgītā
, 14. 3.
Shlokas on prakriti
अङ्गसङ्गात् तथा जीवो भजते प्राकृतान् गुणान्।
अहंकाराभिभूतः सन् भिन्नस्तेभ्योऽपि सोऽव्ययः॥
Through association with the body, the soul partakes of the qualities of
nature (prakṛti). Overwhelmed by ego, he thinks he is them, though he, the
immutable one, is separate from them. A philosophical verse explaining the
soul's entanglement. The pure soul (jīva), by identifying with the physical
body, becomes subject to the modes of nature. Deluded by the ego
(ahaṃkāra), it forgets its true, separate, and unchanging identity.
कार्यकारणकर्तृत्वे हेतुः प्रकृतिरुच्यते।
पुरुषः सुखदुःखानां भोक्तृत्वे हेतुरुच्यते॥
Nature (Prakriti) is the doer of actions and causes; the soul (Purusha) is
the experiencer of pleasure and pain. It differentiates cosmic roles in
Sankhya philosophy.
ऐश्वर्यमिन्दुमौलेरैकात्म्यप्रकृति काञ्चिमध्यगतम् ।
ऐन्दवकिशोरशेखरमैदम्पर्यं चकास्ति निगमानाम् ॥ ७॥
The Goddess of Kanchi is the very nature (prakriti) in oneness with the
lord crowned with the moon (Shiva), embodying perfect unity of the divine
masculine and feminine. She dwells in the heart of Kanchipuram, radiating
like the youthful moon. Her beauty and presence shine as the crown-jewel of
the scriptures (nigamas), representing the highest spiritual truth. In her,
cosmic sovereignty and tender charm unite, making her the axis of both
creation and liberation, revered equally by yogis, scholars, and devotees.
KR PRAKRITI IS [POWERFUL AND ALMIGHTY; AFTER ALL, CAN WE DESTROY IT?
FOOD FOR THOUGHT. *K RAJARAM IRS 26226*
On Tue, 24 Feb 2026 at 19:23, Markendeya Yeddanapudi <
[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
> --
> *Mar*Here is your strengthened and refined version, now integrating
> ecological and scientific perspectives while preserving your philosophical
> voice.
> ------------------------------
> *Nature: The Fountain of Hope and Solutions*
>
> *By YM Sarma (Revised with Ecological Perspective)*
>
> Imagine entering a dense forest. The air is cool, filtered through leaves.
> The scent of soil and vegetation surrounds you. Gradually, your mind
> quiets. You feel not like a visitor, but like a participant in a larger
> living system.
>
> Modern ecology confirms what this experience suggests: we are not separate
> from nature—we are embedded within it. The concept of ecosystems, first
> formalized by Arthur Tansley, describes living organisms and their physical
> environment as one interconnected system. In such systems, no organism
> exists in isolation. Energy flows, nutrients cycle, and life sustains life
> through complex interdependence.
>
> Your breath, for example, is part of the global carbon cycle. The oxygen
> you inhale is largely produced by photosynthetic organisms—forests,
> grasses, and even microscopic phytoplankton in the oceans. Through
> photosynthesis, described scientifically since the work of Jan Ingenhousz,
> plants convert sunlight into chemical energy and release oxygen. Your
> exhaled carbon dioxide becomes their nourishment. This is not metaphor—it
> is biochemical partnership.
>
> When you walk in a forest, you are immersed in a communication network.
> Trees release volatile organic compounds into the air—chemical signals that
> can warn neighboring plants of pests. Underground, fungal networks connect
> roots in what scientists informally call the “wood wide web.” Research
> popularized by forest ecologist Suzanne Simard shows that trees exchange
> nutrients and signals through mycorrhizal fungi. Cooperation, not merely
> competition, shapes survival.
>
> Your emotional sense of calm in nature also has scientific grounding. The
> hypothesis of biophilia, proposed by Edward O. Wilson, suggests that humans
> possess an innate tendency to connect with life and natural processes.
> Studies in environmental psychology show that time spent in natural
> environments reduces cortisol levels, lowers blood pressure, improves
> immune function, and enhances cognitive restoration. The Japanese practice
> of forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku) has measurable physiological benefits.
>
> Thus, when you feel strengthened in nature, it is not illusion. It
> reflects evolutionary biology. For hundreds of thousands of years, human
> physiology developed within forests, grasslands, rivers, and coasts—not in
> sealed technological environments. Our nervous systems are calibrated to
> natural rhythms: daylight cycles, seasonal variation, fresh air, microbial
> exposure.
>
> However, modern technological society has altered our relationship with
> ecosystems. Since the Industrial Revolution, atmospheric carbon dioxide
> concentrations have risen sharply due to fossil fuel combustion. Climate
> science—supported by institutions such as the Intergovernmental Panel on
> Climate Change—demonstrates that large-scale technological activity is
> destabilizing planetary systems.
>
> Yet science itself does not demand separation from nature. On the
> contrary, ecology reveals our embeddedness. Systems theory, resilience
> science, and Earth system science increasingly describe the planet as a
> dynamic, self-regulating system—sometimes compared metaphorically to the
> Gaia hypothesis proposed by James Lovelock. While not mystical in
> scientific framing, this perspective emphasizes feedback loops that
> maintain planetary balance—until stressed beyond limits.
>
> Technology, therefore, is not inherently opposed to nature. It is an
> expression of human ingenuity—another natural phenomenon. Renewable energy
> systems, conservation biology, ecological restoration, and sustainable
> agriculture demonstrate how science can work with natural processes rather
> than against them.
>
> The real danger is not science, but alienation—the illusion that humans
> stand outside ecological systems. When we treat nature merely as an
> external object to exploit, we disrupt nutrient cycles, biodiversity
> networks, and climate stability. Biodiversity loss, habitat fragmentation,
> and pollution are not punishments from nature—they are predictable systemic
> consequences.
>
> When we live as participants rather than detached observers, solutions
> emerge. Regenerative agriculture restores soil microbiomes. Rewilding
> reestablishes trophic cascades. Urban green spaces improve mental and
> physical health. In ecological terms, resilience increases when diversity
> and cooperation increase.
>
> The essential fact remains: we are biological organisms within a
> biosphere. When we align our technologies and economies with ecological
> principles—interdependence, balance, cycling, and adaptation—we flourish.
> When we attempt to dominate or detach from those principles, instability
> follows.
>
> Nature requires freedom—not from science, but from exploitation and
> imbalance. Human freedom, in turn, depends on ecological integrity.
>
> Nature remains a fountain of hope and solutions—not because it is mystical
> alone, but because it is the very system that sustains life, including our
> own.
> ------------------------------
> My Reflections on Your Core Idea
>
> Your original insight—that humans suffer when they psychologically and
> practically separate themselves from nature—is strongly supported by:
>
> -
>
> Ecology (interdependence of systems)
> -
>
> Evolutionary biology (adaptation to natural environments)
> -
>
> Environmental psychology (restorative effects of nature)
> -
>
> Climate science (consequences of ecological imbalance)
>
> Where I would refine your philosophy further:
>
> -
>
> Science is not the enemy of belonging; reductionism without reverence
> is the risk.
> -
>
> Technology is not unnatural; unsustainable technology is the issue.
> -
>
> Emotional unity and scientific understanding can strengthen each other.
>
> Your essay, when supported by ecological science, becomes not just
> spiritual reflection—but ecological philosophy.
>
> If you would like, I can next:
>
> -
>
> Turn this into a publishable journal-style article
> -
>
> Convert it into a keynote speech
> -
>
> Add references in academic citation format
> -
>
> Or sharpen it into a concise ecological manifesto
>
> Tell me your intended audience.
>
> --
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> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/society4servingseniors/CACDCHCJmC2WX1zoPbCwDvMNig2hbFX58qDX_-Y7-EmYYO72oRg%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>
> .
>
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