Text 17
yathā yathā vikriyate
guṇākto vikaroti vā
tathā tathopadraṣṭātmā
tad-vṛttīr anukāryate
yathā yathā — just as; vikriyate — is agitated; guṇa-aktaḥ — associated with the modes of nature; vikaroti — as it does; vā — or; tathā tathā — similarly; upadraṣṭā — observer; ātmā — the soul; tat — of the intelligence; vṛttīḥ — occupations; anukāryate — imitates.
Formerly it was explained that the Queen is one’s intelligence. While one is awake or asleep, that intelligence creates different situations. Being influenced by contaminated intelligence, the living entity envisions something and simply imitates the actions and reactions of his intelligence.
The queen of Purañjana is described herein as intelligence itself. Intelligence acts both in the dream state and in the waking state, but it is contaminated by the three modes of material nature. Since the intelligence is contaminated, the living entity is also contaminated. In the conditioned state, the living entity acts according to his contaminated intelligence. Although he simply remains an observer, he nonetheless acts, being forced by a contaminated intelligence, which in reality is a passive agent.