Having explained that all life-forms are born from
puruṣh
and
prakṛiti
, Shree Krishna now explains in the next fourteen verses how
prakṛiti
binds the soul. Although it is divine, its identification with the body ties it to material nature. The material energy possess three
guṇas
—goodness, passion, and ignorance. Hence the body, mind, and intellect that are made from
prakṛiti
also possess these three modes.
Consider the example of three-color printing. If any one of the colors is released in excess by the machine on the paper, then the picture acquires a hue of that color. Similarly,
prakṛiti
has the ink of the three colors. Based upon one’s internal thoughts, the external circumstances, past
sanskārs
, and other factors, one or the other of these modes becomes dominant for that person. And the mode that predominates creates its corresponding shade upon that person’s personality. Hence, the soul is swayed by the influence of these dominating modes. Shree Krishna now describes the impact of these modes upon the living being.