Why the jīva is portrayed - as Feminine in Vedic Thought?

At first, it may sound strange to hear that the jīva — the individual self — is described as feminine in relation to the Supreme. Why is God, the Puruṣa, portrayed as male, and we as feminine?
The answer is not about gender, but about the sacred relationship between the jīva and the Divine. In the Bhagavad Gita (7.14), Puruṣa — the Supreme Person — is described as the one who sustains and provides for all. All beings belong to Prakṛti, the Divine energy through which creation unfolds. Prakṛti is feminine in nature — receptive, creative, and nurturing — while Puruṣa is the conscious principle that awakens her.
Metaphorically, Puruṣa is seen as masculine because He gives the seed of creation to Prakṛti, who then manifests life in endless forms. For this reason, Prakṛti is described as feminine — for she receives, nurtures, and brings forth what the Divine initiates. This image is drawn from human experience:…



