Shvetashvatara Upanishad 5.12
intermediate
स्थूलानि सूक्ष्माणि बहूनि चैव रूपाणि देही स्वगुणैर्वृणोति। क्रियागुणैरात्मगुणैश्च तेषां संयोगहेतुरपरोऽपि दृष्टः॥
sthūlāni sūkṣmāṇi bahūni caiva rūpāṇi dehī svaguṇairvṛṇoti | kriyāguṇairātmaguṇaiśca teṣāṃ saṃyogaheturaparo\'pi dṛṣṭaḥ ||
"The embodied soul assumes gross and subtle forms, many indeed, by its own qualities. The cause of the union of these (body and soul) through action-qualities and self-qualities is seen as another."
What This Means:
The soul takes many forms - gross and subtle - according to its qualities. The cause of soul-body union is the Lord, distinct from both.
Going Deeper:
While the jiva accumulates bodies through its gunas and karma, the Lord is the unseen cause who ordains the connection.
How To Apply This:
See beyond your immediate body to the one who connects soul and body. That Lord is the ultimate cause.
#gross subtle bodies#gunas#Lord as cause#union