Purusha and Prakriti

If you look at the story of Ardhanarishvara as a symbolism of creation, then these two dimensions – Shiva and Parvati or Shiva and Shakti – are known as Purusha and Prakriti. The word “Purush” is today commonly understood as “man,” but that is not what it means. Praktriti means “nature” or “creation.” Purush is that which is the source of creation. The source of creation was there, creation happened, and it fit perfectly well into the source of creation. What is referred to as the Purusha is the cause, the main induction which sets things going. When the existence was primordial, when it was not in a state of creation, what caused it to snap up and suddenly become creation is referred to as Purusha. Whether a human being is born, or an ant is born, or a cosmos is born, it is happening the same way. In terms of human understanding, it is referred to as male or masculine.

The whole human population happened because of a single act of a man, because of copulation, isn’t it? That is not a great act. It could happen in any way. It could happen irresponsibly, negligently, forcefully, in anger, in hatred – it need not necessarily happen beautifully. Whichever way you do it, population will come. But what happened in the womb cannot happen whichever way. It has to happen in a very orderly and beautiful way, otherwise it will not work. If it goes wrong or happens violently, life will not happen.

So when we look at this basic process that set creation going, that process is just like one act. That is known as Purusha, but what takes this on and slowly evolves into life is called Prakriti or nature. That is why nature is represented as feminine.