puruṣa – spirit
darśana – seeing/witnessing
artha – purpose
kaivalya – separateness
pradhāna – primordial nature
paṅgu – lame
andha – blind
saṃyoga – union
kṛta – made
sarga – creation
They need each other.
- What is the purpose, what drives this conjunction of Spirit (Purusa) and Nature (Prakrti)?
- This a relationship in which mutual needs are met.
- The cooperation of Spirit and Nature is like the cooperation of a lame man and a blind man. The blind man (Nature) carries the lame man (Spirit) and they help each other.
- Nature needs Spirit in order to be enjoyed. Spirit can witness and enjoy Nature (see verse 17: for something to be enjoyed and appreciated there needs to be an enjoyer).
- In its union with Nature, Spirit is ignorant of its distinction from Nature. It experiences the effects of the three gunas (pleasure, pain and delusion) as if they originate from itself.
- Through the union of Spirit and Nature, discerning knowledge eventually arises and leads to liberation.
- When the lame and the blind reach their destination they separate.
- Similarly, when Spirit and Nature reach their shared destination they too separate.
- The destination of the collaborative journey of Spirit and Nature is discerning knowledge – Spirit recognizing that it is distinct from Nature.
- Creation is an outcome of this journey that arises from the union of Spirit and Nature.
