Ardhanarishvara - The Union of Puruṣa and Prakṛti

Question

You explained that in scriptures the “man” (puruṣa) is considered the primary or directing principle. But in our tradition, we also have the concept of Ardhanarishvara — don’t we? The image of Ardhanarishvara itself shows that both are one — the union of man and woman, of puruṣa and prakṛti.

So, who are we really?
We are the union of puruṣa and prakṛti.
Both are equally important — puruṣa is not higher, and prakṛti is not lower. Each is essential. Neither can do anything alone.

For example, prakṛti (nature) by itself is inert. What can inert matter do by itself? If I have a pen in my hand but don’t use it, will it write by itself? Of course not. So the one who holds the pen and moves it — that is the puruṣa, the conscious principle — is equally necessary.

But at the same time, if I want to write and I don’t have a pen — if I don’t use prakṛti — then I can’t write either. So both are equally important, interdependent. This is exactly what the concept of Ardhanarishvara represents — the perfect balance and unity of puruṣa and prakṛti.

Answer

Yes — and what you’re pointing out is right. The way we currently think — that the masculine is superior — is the result of impressions (saṁskāras) carried across many births.

We’ve been talking repeatedly about these saṁskāras — that they must be lifted and dissolved. Why? Because they’ve become deeply ingrained over many lifetimes. Suppose I’ve taken ten births; for ten births I’ve thought of “man” as masculine gender — as a male being — and not as puruṣa, the soul. That habit has become so deeply rooted that it doesn’t go away easily.

Now, if I’ve formed that pattern over ten births, I might think it would take fifty births to correct it. But no — because the fire of knowledge (gyānāgni) can burn away all stored impressions.

So we don’t need fifty births to undo those old impressions — if we awaken the fire of knowledge within, these deep-rooted patterns will dissolve quickly