कार्यकारणकर्तृत्वे हेतुः प्रकृतिरुच्यते | पुरुषः सुखदुःखानां भोक्तृत्वे हेतुरुच्यते || २१ ||
kārya-kāraṇa-kartṛtve hetuḥ prakṛtir ucyate puruṣaḥ sukha-duḥkhānāṁ bhoktṛtve hetur ucyate
kārya—of the effect; kāraṇa—and cause; kartṛtve—in being the doer; hetuḥ—the cause; prakṛtiḥ—nature; ucyate—is said to be; puruṣaḥ—the conscious being; sukha—of happiness; duḥkhānām—and distress; bhoktṛtve—in experiencing; hetuḥ—the cause; ucyate—is said to be.
“Prakriti is said to be the cause in the matter of doing (of cause and effect); Purusha is said to be the cause in the matter of experiencing pleasure and pain.”
A precise division of responsibility: Prakriti is the cause of all action — all the doing in the universe flows from the three gunas of Prakriti. Purusha (consciousness) is the cause of experience — pleasure and pain are experienced by the Purusha who associates with Prakriti. The implication is crucial: the Purusha does not truly do anything; it only seems to experience what Prakriti does. This is the root of the teaching on liberation — reclaiming the truth of the non-doing Purusha.
Notice that the body-mind acts (Prakriti) and consciousness witnesses (Purusha). When you are lost in action and reaction, you are identified with Prakriti. When you step back and observe — 'There is anger happening; I am aware of anger' — you are touching Purusha. This simple shift, available at any moment, is the beginning of freedom.