Meaning
Supreme God Krishna spoke
Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence, and ego—this is the eight-fold division of My Nature (empirical universe consisting of gross and subtle elements). This is my lower Nature which is not Beyond (Parā) but is empirically accessible (Aparā). O, Mighty-armed! Know my other Jivabhutā Prakriti (the higher Nature which is the vital energy behind the individualization of the One Supreme Soul into multiple individualized souls—jiva) by which this {living and inanimate} universe is sustained. (7:4, 5)
Sanskrit
श्रीभगवान् उवाच
अपरेयमितस्त्वन्यां प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम् ।
जीवभूतां महाबाहो ययेदं धार्यते जगत् ॥
Word-by-word
अ-परा इयम् इतः तु अन्याम् प्रकृतिम् विद्धि मे पराम्।
जीव-भूताम्, महा-बाहो— यया इदम् धार्यते जगत्।