Thus in the form of a sutra Krishna has described his secondary power that makes up material nature and its divisions. This is the explanation of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Separated means that it acts as if independent of God once God sets it in motion, much like a tape recording acts independently of the person whose words it has recorded, while being wholly dependent upon him at the same time. The world as we experience it, however, is not merely matter. Thus Krishna next describes his jiva sakti, which is of the nature of consciousness.
Material nature is inferior to consciousness.
It is that which is experienced, as opposed to that which experiences. Matter is insentient, while consciousness is life itself. The jiva sakti consisting of individual souls, is God's intermediate power. It is similar in nature to God and dissimilar to matter. It is at the same time dissimilar to God in that it is prone to being deluded by the influence of material nature.