Purusha and Prakriti are two modes of One Reality, the passive masculine element and the dynamic feminine energy supporting and completing each other.
Literally, Purusha means the Lord of the house, pur is a place. Prakriti means the power that does everything, kriti, the doer, the executing energy. Spiritually Purusha is the witnessing consciousness while Prakriti is the dynamic force in creation. Purusha sees ideatively what needs to be done, Prakriti conceives and executes it. Purusha is knowledge, Prakriti is power. Purusha is the knower, Prakriti is the deliverer of this knowledge in multiple forms and processes.
In other words they are two sides or aspects of one single reality. Purusha is the passive aspect can separate itself completely from creation and watch it impersonally as an artist watching its own works. Prakriti is the dynamic aspect which creates. Purusha is the mode when we are inwardly free from the works and withdrawn from activities. Prakriti is when we plunge into action, to build, to create, to manifest the dreams of the silent witness. Both are always together and needed for the completeness of creation.
One in essence but two in functioning, the distinction between Purusha and Prakriti has practical implications in sadhana. The seeker of inner freedom (liberation) must first learn to separate the witness consciousness from the active dynamic one. He has to do it during the activity itself. By detaching the Purusha from Prakriti one cuts the knot of ignorance. One becomes an observant witness to one’s entire field of action, not only physical actions but thoughts, feelings, impulses that push us to act. Since right now Nature or Prakriti operates in ignorance, the separation gives one a vantage point to disengage from the movements of lower nature, to look at them objectively, without judgment or attachment. As a result of this unattached witness state the movement of Prakriti begins to slow down in force and intensity as if she is unable to receive the sanction of the Lord or Master of the house. This is the Sakshi bhava (witness state). It is a very powerful method to drop off many things including habits. As the Purusha recovers its lordship it begins to sanction or refuse the sanction to the motions of Prakriti, becoming the anumanta. Finally it regains the complete mastery and control over Prakriti and becomes the Lord, Isha.
Once this is achieved the Purusha, released from its own inferior mode of functioning, lower nature, can now enter into higher, deeper, vaster states of consciousness and identify with the soul within, the immanent and the cosmic Divine, the Transcendent consciousness.
Note that this distinction is practical and not absolute as if there was something known as Purusha and something else that is Prakriti as the Illusionist and Sankhya philosophy tells us. Purusha releasing its knowledge and force outwards into creation takes on the aspect of Prakriti. Prakriti withdrawing its energy back into quiesence and rest becomes one with its lord, Purusha. You will see there are so many stories in different traditions trying to describe this subtle truth. But as always it got distorted in the human mind that started seeing into it the relation between a man and a woman which at best only clumsily and symbolically tries to express it.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
