कार्यकारणकर्तृत्वे हेतुः प्रकृतिरुच्यते । पुरुषः सुखदुःखानां भोक्तृत्वे हेतुरुच्यते ॥
kāryakāraṇakartṛtve hetuḥ prakṛtirucyate | puruṣaḥ sukhaduḥkhānāṃ bhoktṛtve heturucyate ||
Translation
In the production of cause and effect, Prakriti is said to be the agent. In the experience of pleasure and pain, Purusha is said to be the experiencer.
Interpretation
The division of roles: karya-karana-kartritva hetu prakriti — prakriti is the cause of all causality (all the arising of effects from causes in the material world — it is the agent of cosmic creation). Purusha sukha-duhkhanam bhoktritva hetu — the Purusha is the experiencer (bhoktritva) of pleasure and pain. Prakriti generates the events; Purusha experiences them. The mistake that binds: identifying the Purusha (the Self) with the kartr (doer) — claiming that the Self is the cause. The liberation: recognizing that the Self is only the experiencer-witness, not the author of events.