Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 7: Knowledge and Realization
Bhagavad Gita 7.4
भूमिरापोऽनलो वायुः खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च ।
अहङ्कार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा ॥
bhūmirāpo'nalo vāyuḥ khaṃ mano buddhireva ca | ahaṅkāra itīyaṃ me bhinnā prakṛtiraṣṭadhā ||
Earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, understanding, and ego: this is my nature, divided into eight.
Modern context
Krishna lists eight components of nature: the five elements, then mind, understanding and ego. What is surprising is that mind, intellect and the sense of 'I' are placed alongside earth and water. They are all called nature, all part of the material world. Our thoughts and our sense of self are more like weather than like who we are. They arise, change and pass. This prepares for the next verse, which points to something that is not on this list.