If a caravan of motor vehicles, manufactured by different companies, with different horse-powers, at different periods of history, is put on the road, the performance of each vehicle will be unique. We cannot conclude therefrom that the petrol in each vehicle is of different typical potencies. The same electrical energy illumines different electric bulbs, manifesting different intensities of incandescence at different points. The electricity is one; the petrol is one; and yet the performance of the cars and the light manifested in the bulbs are different from equipment to equipment because of the very quality of the equipments. This analogy can explain the wonderful idea expressed in this stanza.

PRAKRITI ALONE PERFORMS ALL ACTIONS — Matter is the equipment that orders the types of action that should manifest. If the mind is bad, the life expressed through it will also be bad. All actions are according to the types of desires entertained by the intellect. Thus, in the presence of Spirit, the “equipments” (Prakriti) function, and the Self (Atman), functioning in the “Field,” called the “Knower-of-the-Field” (Purusha), acts in the world outside. When the “Knower-of-the-Field” leaves the “Field,” there is no more any activity in the “Field,” nor is there any activity for the Self Itself.

THE SELF IS ACTIONLESS (NOT ACTING) — The Self is all-pervading, perfect and, as such, there is no desire in It. And where desires have ended, actions are impossible. In the Infinite, there is no action, and the very many reasons as to why there is no action in the Self, will be described presently (XIII-32).

He who is capable of recognising how his own vehicles function and realising that the Self in him is ever actionless, is alone the right perceiver, who is recognising and experiencing the “IMPERISHABLE AMIDST THE PERISHABLE.” “HE SEES WHO SEES.” The manifestations of individuals are different from person to person because of the differences in the composition and make-up of the various equipments (upadhis), and, when they are destroyed, all differences merge to express the one Infinite experience, the Supreme Lord.

WHILE EXPLAINING THE SELF, AS THE SOURCE-OF-ALL-BEINGS, THE LORD INDICATES THE STATE OF A MAN WHO CAN DECLARE THAT HE HAS HAD FULL EXPERIENCE OF THE INFINITE ONE:

And yah, he who; pasyati, sees, realizes; karmani, actions, those performed through speech, mind and body; as kriyamanani, being done, being accomplished; sarvasah, in various ways; prakrtya, by Nature-Nature is God’s Maya consisting of the three qualities, as is said in the Upanisadic text, ‘However, know Maya as Nature’ (Sv. 4.10); by that Nature; eva, itself-not by the other [Not by the Pradhana of the Sankhyas, known otherwise as prakrti.] which transforms itself in the form of cause and effects such as Mahat etc.; tatha, and also; atmanam, the Self, the Knower of the field; as akartaram, the non-agent, devoid of all adjuncts; sah, he; pasyati, sees-he is the one who has realized the supreme Reality. This is the idea. What is implied is that there is no valid proof about differences in the Non-agent who is devoid of qualities and is unconditioned like space. The Lord elaborates again in other words that very true knowledge: