We have thus nature divided into two, the subject and the object.  We have now in nature everything that is wanted for the manifestation of activity, for the production of forms and for the expression of consciousness.  We have mind, and we have force and matter.  Purusha has nothing more to do, for he has infused all powers into Prakriti and sits apart, contemplating their interplay, himself remaining unchanged.  The drama of existence is played out within Matter, and all that Spirit does is to look at it.  Purusha is the spectator before whom the drama is played.  He is not the actor, but only a spectator.  The actor is the subjective part of nature, the mind, which is the reflection of awareness in rhythmic matter.  That with which it works—­objective nature, is the reflection of the other qualities of Purusha—­life and immutability—­in the gunas, Rajas and Tamas.  Thus we have in nature everything that is wanted for the production of the universe.  The Putusha only looks on when the drama is played before him.  He is spectator, not actor.  This is the predominant note of the Bhagavad-Gita.  Nature does everything.  The gunas bring about the universe.  The man who says:  “I act,” is mistaken and confused; the gunas act, not he.  He is only the spectator and looks on.  Most of the Gita teaching is built upon this conception of the Samkhya, and unless that is clear in our minds we can never discriminate the meaning under the phrases of a particular philosophy.

Let us now turn to the Vedantic idea.  According to the Vedantic view the Self is one, omnipresent, all-permeating, the one reality.  Nothing exists except the Self—­that is the starting-point in Vedanta.  All permeating, all-controlling, all-inspiring, the Self is everywhere present.  As the ether permeates all matter, so does the One Self permeate, restrain, support, vivify all.  It is written in the Gita that as the air goes everywhere, so is the Self everywhere in the infinite diversity of objects.  As we try to follow the outline of Vedantic thought, as we try to grasp this idea of the one universal Self, who is existence, consciousness, bliss, Sat-Chit-Ananda, we find that we are carried into a loftier region of philosophy than that occupied by the Samkhya.  The Self is One.  The Self is everywhere conscious, the Self is everywhere existent, the Self is everywhere blissful.  There is no division between these qualities of the Self.  Everywhere, all-embracing, these qualities are found at every point, in every place.  There is no spot on which you can put your finger and say “The Self is not here.”  Where the Self is—­and He is everywhere—­there is existence, there is consciousness, and there is bliss.  The Self, being consciousness, imagines limitation, division.  From that imagination of limitation arises form, diversity, manyness.  From that thought of the Self, from that thought of limitation, all diversity of the many is born.  Matter is the limitation imposed upon the Self by His own will