Chapter 10: The Opulence of the Absolute
Bg 10.8
TEXT 8
aham sarvasya prabhavo
mattah sarvam pravartate
iti matva bhajante mam
budha bhava-samanvitah
mattah sarvam pravartate
iti matva bhajante mam
budha bhava-samanvitah
SYNONYMS
aham—I; sarvasya—of all; prabhavaù—source of generation; mattaù—from Me; sarvam—everything; pravartate—emanates; iti—thus; matvä—knowing; bhajante—becomes devoted; mäm—unto Me; budhäù—learned; bhäva-samanvitäù—with great attention.
TRANSLATION
I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.
PURPORT
A learned scholar who has studied the Vedas perfectly and has information from authorities like Lord Caitanya and who knows how to apply these teachings can understand that Kåñëa is the origin of everything in both the material and spiritual worlds, and because he knows this perfectly he becomes firmly fixed in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord. He can never be deviated by any amount of nonsensical commentaries or by fools. All Vedic literature agrees that Kåñëa is the source of Brahmä, Çiva and all other demigods. In the Atharva-veda it is said, "yo brahmäëaà vidadhäti: pürvaà yo vai vedäàç ca gäpayati sma kåñëaù." "It was Kåñëa who in the beginning instructed Brahmä in Vedic knowledge and who disseminated Vedic knowledge in the past." Then again it is said, "atha puruño ha vai näräyaëo 'kämayata prajäù såjeya ity upakramya." "Then the Supreme Personality Näräyaëa desired to create living entities." Again it is said:
näräyaëäd brahmä jäyate, näräyaëäd prajäpatiù prajäyate, näräyaëäd indro jäyate, näräyaëäd añöau vasavo jäyante, näräyaëäd ekädaça rudrä jäyante, näräyaëäd dvädaçädityäù.
"From Näräyaëa, Brahmä is born, and from Näräyaëa, the patriarchs are also born. From Näräyaëa, Indra is born, from Näräyaëa the eight Vasus are born, from Näräyaëa the eleven Rudras are born, from Näräyaëa the twelve Ädityas are born."
It is said in the same Vedas: brahmaëyo devaké-putraù: "The son of Devaké, Kåñëa, is the Supreme Personality." Then it is said:
eko vai näräyaëa äsén na brahmä na éçäno näpo nägni samau neme
dyäv-äpåthivé na nakñaträëi na süryaù sa ekäké na ramate tasya
dhyänäntaù sthasya yatra chändogaiù kriyamäëäñöakädi-saàjïakä
stuti-stomaù stomam ucyate.
dyäv-äpåthivé na nakñaträëi na süryaù sa ekäké na ramate tasya
dhyänäntaù sthasya yatra chändogaiù kriyamäëäñöakädi-saàjïakä
stuti-stomaù stomam ucyate.
"In the beginning of the creation there was only the Supreme Personality Näräyaëa. There was no Brahmä, no Çiva, no fire, no moon, no stars in the sky, no sun. There was only Kåñëa, who creates all and enjoys all."
In the many Puräëas it is said that Lord Çiva was born from the highest, the Supreme Lord Kåñëa, and the Vedas say that it is the Supreme Lord, the creator of Brahmä and Çiva, who is to be worshiped. In the Mokña-dharma Kåñëa also says, prajäpatià ca rudraà cäpy aham eva såjämi vai tau hi mäà na vijänéto mama mäyä-vimohitau. "The patriarchs, Çiva and others are created by Me, though they do not know that they are created by Me because they are deluded by My illusory energy." In Varäha Puräëa it is also said, näräyaëaù paro devas tasmäj jätaç caturmukhaù tasmäd rudro 'bhavad devaù sa ca sarvajïatäà gataù. "Näräyaëa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and from Him Brahmä was born, from whom Çiva was born."
Lord Kåñëa is the source of all generations, and He is called the most efficient cause of everything. He says that because "everything is born of Me, I am the original source of all. Everything is under Me; no one is above Me." There is no supreme controller other than Kåñëa. One who understands Kåñëa in such a way from a bona fide spiritual master and from Vedic literature, who engages all his energy in Kåñëa consciousness, becomes a truly learned man. In comparison to him, all others, who do not know Kåñëa properly, are but fools. Only a fool would consider Kåñëa to be an ordinary man. A Kåñëa conscious person should not be bewildered by fools; he should avoid all unauthorized commentaries and interpretations on Bhagavad-gétä and proceed in Kåñëa consciousness with determination and firmness.
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Copyright (c) 1972 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada