From 7.4 onward, Kṛṣṇa has been revealing Īśvara-svarūpam. He introduced aparā prakṛti [lower material nature] and parā prakṛti [higher conscious nature], showed that the universe arises from Bhagavān, and trained Arjuna to recognize divine glory in the essential qualities of the world. In 7.12, the teaching comes directly into our inner world.

Thoughts, emotions, moods, reactions, memories, desires, and judgments also belong to aparā prakṛti. The mind is subtle matter. It changes continuously, and whatever changes belongs to aparā prakṛti.

A thought comes, stays briefly, changes, and is replaced by another. Happiness comes and goes. Anxiety appears and subsides. Clarity, agitation, enthusiasm, dullness, anger, and quietness all fluctuate. Throughout these changes, there is consciousness because of which each state is known: “I know that I am happy,” “I know that the mind is confused,” “I know that anger is present.” The changing mental states belong to aparā prakṛti; the consciousness because of which they are known is parā prakṛti.

Kṛṣṇa now classifies the mental states according to the three guṇas. Sāttvika bhāvāḥ are associated with clarity, knowledge, harmony, nobility, compassion, discrimination, and quietness. Rājasika bhāvāḥ express activity, drive, restlessness, agitation, ambition, and constant movement. Tāmasika bhāvāḥ express dullness, delusion, inertia, carelessness, confusion, and lack of clarity. The detailed analysis of the guṇas belongs later, especially to Chapter 14; here the central point is that all these changing states belong to aparā prakṛti.

Kṛṣṇa says, matta eva iti tān viddhi — “Know them all to arise from Me.” The existence of the mind and its general capacity to produce thoughts depend upon Bhagavān.

But this must not be misunderstood as removing individual responsibility. Bhagavān is the sāmānya-kāraṇam [general cause], while the individual buddhi and free will operate as the viśeṣa-kāraṇam [specific directing cause].

Bricks and cement make a house possible, but they do not decide the particular plan of the house. The owner’s plan determines whether it will be large or small, square or rectangular. Similarly, petrol gives a car the power to move, but petrol does not decide whether the driver goes to a temple, a hospital, or off the road. The general capacity comes from one source; the particular direction comes through another factor.

Therefore an angry, jealous, or destructive thought cannot simply be excused by saying, “Bhagavān caused it.” We may not control the first appearance of every thought, but buddhi has a role in what follows. Do I repeatedly entertain it? Do I convert it into speech and action? Do I examine and redirect it?

Kṛṣṇa then says, na tv ahaṃ teṣu te mayi — “I am not dependent upon them; they depend upon Me.” Sāttvika, rājasika, and tāmasika states depend upon Bhagavān for their existence, but Bhagavān is not modified by them. Thoughts change; the reality upon which they depend does not acquire their limitations.

Thus 7.12 completes the 7.4–7.12 revelation of Īśvara-svarūpam. Even the inner world of thoughts belongs to Bhagavān’s aparā prakṛti. All changing states depend upon Bhagavān, while Bhagavān remains independent of them; at the same time, the individual remains responsible for using buddhi and free will to direct the mind.