Gita 7.5
अपरेयमितस्त्वन्यां प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम्।
जीवभूतां महाबाहो ययेदं धार्यते जगत्।।
apareyam itas tv anyāṁ prakṛtiṁ viddhi me parām jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat
"This is My lower nature. But know My higher nature, O mighty-armed—the living beings by which this entire world is sustained."
What This Means:
Beyond the material eight elements is Krishna's 'higher' nature—the living souls (jiva). While matter is inert, souls are conscious. Together, matter and souls make up everything that exists.
Going Deeper:
The souls (jivas) are what give life to matter. A body without a soul is just chemicals. The 'higher' nature is what animates, experiences, and gives meaning to the material world.
How To Apply This:
You are the consciousness that experiences, not the matter that is experienced. This distinction is liberating—you are not your body, thoughts, or possessions. You are the awareness behind them.
Key Sanskrit Terms:
Aparā= Lower (nature)Parā= Higher (nature)Jīva-bhūta= Living entities, souls