(he) mahā-bāho–O mighty hero; iyam–this external nature, external potency; aparā–is inferior; tu–but; parām–superior; itaḥ–to this; viddhi–you should know; anyām–another; prakṛtim–nature, the marginal potency; me–of Mine; jīva-bhūtām–in the form of the individual souls; yayā–the conscious potency by which; idam jagat–this world; dhāryate–is adopted for enjoyment through fruitive actions. [5]

O mighty hero, Arjuna, this external, worldly nature is inferior. But know that superior to this nature is My marginal potency, comprised of the individual souls. Worldly existence is adopted by the souls for enjoyment through fruitive actions. (The divine world emanates from My internal potency and the mundane world from My external potency. The potency of the living beings is known as marginal as they are constitutionally situated midway between these planes. They may choose to reside either in the mundane plane or the divine.)