Sāṃkhya Kārikā verse 3
mūla-prakṛtiḥ avikṛtiḥ maha-ādādyāḥ prakṛti-vikṛtayaḥ sapta | ṣoḍaśakaḥ tu vikāraḥ na prakṛtiḥ na vikṛtiḥ puruṣaḥ ||
mūla - rootprakṛti - the original producer of the material world; nature or process of matter; nature, character, constitution, temper, dispositionavikṛti - unchanged; being in its natural condition; not developedmahā - greatādya - first, being at the beginningvikṛti - changed in nature; changed condition; any production; formation, growth, developmentsapta - sevenṣoḍaśaka - consisting of sixteen, aggregate of sixteentu - moreover; butvikāra - change of form or nature, alteration or deviation from any natural state, change of bodily or mental condition (esp. for the worse); disease; sickness; hurt; perturbation; emotion; agitationna - no; not; nor, neitherpuruṣa - animating principle, self, consciousness, spirit; a person, man, a human being; peopleCommentaries and Reflections
Commentary by Paul Harvey:
“Primordial Nature is uncreated
and yet creates.
Awareness is neither.”
“What I would call a simplified representation, yet one which tries to respect the Saṃskṛta.
Also Sāṃkhya is more focused on exploring the individual in relation to cosmology, hence the use of the terms such as Prakṛti and Puruṣa.
Whilst in contrast to the Yoga Sūtra focuses more on exploring the individual in relation to psychology, hence the use of terms such as Citta and Cit.
Both approaches share a common expression of the interwoven duality of Matter and Spirit.
Thats why they are often associated when looking at the Ṣat Darśana as three pairs.
Mūla (root) Prakṛti is the term used in this particular Śloka to describe Primordial Nature.”