bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā
bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh
kham mano buddhir eva ca
ahaṅkara itiyam me
bhinna prakrtir astadha
kham mano buddhir eva ca
ahaṅkara itiyam me
bhinna prakrtir astadha
"Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego-all together these eight comprise My separated energies." (Bg. 7.4) The separated energy acts as if it were independent, but here it is said that although such energies are certainly factual, they are not independent but merely separated.
The separated energy can be understood from a practical example. I compose books by speaking into a dictaphone, and when the dictaphone is replayed, it appears that I am speaking personally, but actually I am not. I spoke personally, but then the dictaphone tape, which is separate from me, acts exactly like me. Similarly, the material energy originally emanates from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but it acts separately, although the energy is supplied by the Lord. This is also explained in Bhagavad-gita. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram: "This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kunti, and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings." (Bg. 9.10) Under the guidance or superintendence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the material energy works as if independent, although it is not actually independent.
In this verse from the Visnu Purana the total energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is classified in three divisions-namely, the spiritual or internal potency of the Lord, the marginal potency or ksetrajna (the living entity), and the material potency, which is separated from the Supreme Personality of Godhead and appears to act independently. When Srila Vyasadeva, by meditation and self-realization, saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he also saw the separated energy of the Lord standing behind Him (apasyat purusam purnam mayam ca tad-apasrayam). Vyasadeva also realized that it is this separated energy of the Lord, the material energy, that covers the knowledge of the living entities (yaya sammohito jiva atmanam tri-gunatmakam). The separated, material energy bewilders the living entities (jivas), and thus they work very hard under its influence, not knowing that they are not fulfilling their mission in life. Unfortunately, most of them think that they are the body and should therefore enjoy the material senses irresponsibly, since when death comes everything will be finished. This atheistic philosophy also flourished in India, where it was sometimes propagated by Carvaka Muni, who said:
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