Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya 426

Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya

Chapter-13 Prakṛti-Puruṣa-vivek Yogaḥ

kārya kāraṇa kartṛtve hetuḥ prakṛtir ucyate | puruṣaḥ sukha-duḥkhānāṃ bhoktṛtve hetur ucyate || 21 || 21. Prakrti (Material Nature) is said to be the causal agent of the body (kārya) and sense organs (kāraṇa). The Puruṣa (Self) is said to be the cause of the experience of pleasure and pain. Commentary The 'Kārya' means the body, the 'Kāraṇas' are the instruments, that is, the 5 senses of perception and the 5 organs of action plus the mind — in the course of their functioning, Prakrti, which is subservient to the ātman, is alone considered to be the operative factor. In other words, the physical functions, which are the means of experience, have their foundation in Material Nature, which has developed into the form of the physical body controlled by the Self. The agency of the Self really means that it is responsible for the will (effort) to support the body and is thus considered responsible for the experience of pleasure and pain.