Understanding Prakriti: The Material World in Vishishtadvaita Vedanta
What is Prakriti in Vishishtadvaita Vedanta ?
Imagine everything around you - the trees, the mountains, your body, the water you drink, and even the air you breathe. All of this together is called Prakriti. In simple words, Prakriti means nature or the material world. It is everything we can see, touch, and feel.
In the Vishishtadvaita Vedanta philosophy, which is a special way of understanding God and the universe taught by the great saint Ramanuja, Prakriti has a very important place. Here, it is also called 'acit', which means something that does not have consciousness or awareness. Unlike human beings who can think, feel, and make decisions, Prakriti cannot think on its own. A stone cannot decide to move, and a river cannot choose where to flow - they simply exist and follow natural laws.
Prakriti as a Real and Permanent Reality
One beautiful teaching of Vishishtadvaita is that Prakriti is not an illusion or something temporary. It is a real and permanent part of God's creation. Just like your body is a real part of you, Prakriti is a real part of the universe that God created.
Think of it like this: when an artist makes a beautiful painting, the canvas and colors are real. They are not fake or imaginary. Similarly, the world we live in is real and created by God with a purpose. The Bhagavad Gita describes the nature of Prakriti: "Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect, and ego - these eight constitute My divided material nature" (Bhagavad Gita 7.4). This verse tells us that Prakriti has many different parts, all coming from God.
God Controls Everything
Here is where Vishishtadvaita teaches something very special. Even though Prakriti exists and is real, it does not work on its own. It is always under the complete control of Ishvara, which means God or the Supreme Lord. Prakriti is like a tool in the hands of a skilled craftsman. The tool itself cannot create anything, but in the hands of the craftsman, wonderful things can be made.
Imagine a puppet show. The puppets can move, dance, and tell stories, but only because someone is controlling the strings. Without the puppeteer, the puppets would just lie still. Similarly, Prakriti moves and changes only because God controls it. The Bhagavad Gita beautifully explains this: "Under My supervision, Prakriti produces all moving and non-moving beings" (Bhagavad Gita 9.10).
Why is This Teaching Important?
Understanding the relationship between Prakriti and God helps us see the world in a special way. It teaches us three important lessons:
First, we should respect nature because it is God's creation. When we see a beautiful flower or a mighty ocean, we are actually seeing God's handiwork. Taking care of nature means taking care of what God has given us.
Second, we understand that everything happens according to God's plan. Just like a movie director controls everything in a film, God guides how Prakriti works. This gives us faith that there is a higher purpose to everything.
Third, we learn that while Prakriti is real, it is not independent of God. Nothing in this universe exists separately from God. As the Vishnu Purana teaches, God is the inner controller of all - both the conscious souls (cit) and the unconscious matter (acit).
The Three Gunas of Prakriti
Prakriti has three qualities or gunas that work together like three colors mixing to create different shades. These are sattva (goodness and purity), rajas (passion and activity), and tamas (darkness and inertia). When you feel calm and peaceful, that's sattva. When you feel energetic and want to do things, that's rajas. When you feel lazy and sleepy, that's tamas.
These three gunas are always mixing in different amounts, creating all the variety we see in the world. Some days are bright and sunny (more sattva), some are stormy and active (more rajas), and some are dark and gloomy (more tamas). But remember, God controls how these gunas work together.
Prakriti and Our Bodies
An interesting teaching is that our physical bodies are also part of Prakriti. Your hands, eyes, and brain are all made from the material nature. But you - the real you - is different. You are the atman or soul, which is conscious and aware. Your body is like a house where you live. The house is made of bricks and wood (Prakriti), but you are the person living inside.
This helps us understand that we should take care of our bodies because they are gifts from God, but we should not think that we are only our bodies. We are much more than that - we are eternal souls connected to God.
Final Thoughts
Vishishtadvaita Vedanta gives us a balanced and beautiful understanding of the world. Prakriti is real, not an illusion. It is permanent and important. But it is always under God's loving control. Just like a beautiful garden needs both the soil (Prakriti) and the gardener (God) to flourish, our universe needs both matter and God's guidance to exist and function perfectly. When we understand this, we can appreciate both the material world around us and the divine presence that guides it all.