Sutra 69 from Patanjali’s Yogasutras

प्रकाशक्रियास्थितिशीलं भूतेन्द्रियात्मकं भोगापवर्गार्थं दृश्यम्  ॥२.१८॥

पदविभाग:  प्रकाश-क्रिया-स्थिति-शीलम्, भूत-इन्द्रिय-आत्मकम्, भोग-अपवर्ग-अर्थम्, दृश्यम्। 

अन्वय: दृश्यम् प्रकाशक्रियास्थितिशीलं भूतेन्द्रियात्मकं भोगापवर्गार्थं (अस्ति)। 

प्रतिपदार्थ: प्रकाश = illumination / cognition / brightness (representing Sattva), क्रिया = action / activity / motion (representing Rajas), स्थिति = inertia / stability / steadiness (representing Tamas), शीलम् = having the nature of / characterized by, भूत = the elements (gross like earth/water, and subtle like sound/form), इन्द्रिय = the organs (sense organs of perception and organs of action, plus the mind), आत्मकम् = consisting of / composed of, भोग = experience / worldly enjoyment and suffering, अपवर्ग = liberation / final emancipation, अर्थम् = for the purpose of, दृश्यम् = the Seen / the knowable universe / Nature (Prakriti).

तात्पर्यम्: The Seen (Nature), which is characterized by illumination, activity, and inertia, and consists of the elements and the senses, exists for the dual purpose of providing experience and liberation to the Seer.

Further context on the 69th Sutra from Patanjali’s Yogasutras

The phrase prakāśa-kriyā-sthiti-śīlam directly defines the three Gunas (the fundamental threads of nature) that we came across in 2.15:

• Prakāśa (Illumination): This is Sattva guna. It is the quality of light, clarity, understanding, and peaceful awareness.
• Kriyā (Action): This is Rajas guna. It is the quality of motion, passion, energy, and turbulence.
• Sthiti (Inertia): This is Tamas guna. It is the quality of mass, stability, heaviness, and stagnation.

Everything in the “Seen” realm is a shifting combination or a tussle of these three forces. How do these three forces manifest? They fall into two categories of tools:

• The Bhutas (Elements): The objective world. This includes the five gross elements (Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Space) and their subtle energetic templates.
• The Indriyas (Senses): The subjective instruments. This includes the five organs of perception (eyes, ears, etc.), the five organs of action (hands, feet, vocal cords, etc.), and the mind itself.

So why does this universe exist? Why are we subjected to the Gunas and their endless friction? Patanjali states that Nature (Prakriti) is not evil, nor is it a meaningless trap. It serves a maternal purpose for the soul, offering two things:

• Bhoga (Experience): First, it provides the Seer with the ability to taste, touch, love, suffer, and experience the fruits of its karma. It lets the soul play in the sandbox of matter.
• Apavarga (Liberation): Eventually, after lifetimes of being burned by the fire of Bhoga, the soul grows exhausted. At that exact moment, Nature provides the highly refined, Sattvic mind to help the soul realize its own eternal nature and achieve absolute freedom.

Nature is like a grand university. The suffering of Bhoga is simply the strict curriculum designed to push the student toward graduation (Apavarga). Once the student graduates, the university has served its purpose.