Sampoorna Mahabharata • సంపూర్ణ శ్రీమహాభారతము • Episode 704

Episode 704: BG Chap 7

Aparā means that which is not parā (supreme). It is lower, inferior, impure, leads to dangers and binds the being into repeated rebirths.

Apart from eight-fold aparā-prakrti is Parā-prakrti which is pure & superior. It is the cause for obtaining life (prana). It has the characteristic of the Kshetrajna. It is the Self’s-consciousness. That which enters the universe and upholds it, & which is the Self for the Lord is Parā-prakrti.  

etadyonīni bhūtāni sarvāṇītyupadhāraya
ahaṁ kṛtsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ pralayastathāǁ6ǁ

Know that parā & aparā prakrtis are the cause for all beings. I am the cause for the existence of the universe & its dissolution.

Aparā and Parā prakrtis are the Kshetra (body)-Kshetrajna (inner dweller) and the origin of all beings. As Bhagavan’s prakrti is the cause for all beings, He is the source of all creation and dissolution. The omniscient Ishvara is the cause of the universe through the 2 prakrtis.

Even a small child will say that mud is the primary cause of the emergence of a mud pot. In means, that the cause (karana) is visible in the outcome (karya). If so, why is Paramatma who is the cause not visible in the universe which is the outcome? Some say, ‘as Paramatma is not visible, He does not exist’.

In Ganesha Gita, Ganesha replies-
ahamēkō nŗṇāmnāthō jātaḥpancavidaḥ purā
ajnānānām najānanti jagatkāraṇa kāraṇam
I, Paramatma transformed as the 5 elements & became the lord for humans. Due to ignorance, they cannot know Me, who am the cause even for Prakriti, which is the cause for the universe.

Our ignorance causes us to not see Paramatma, who is the cause for all causes. If we can destroy ignorance, He will be visible.

mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcidastidhanañjaya
mayi sarvamidaṁprotaṁ sūtre maṇigaṇāivaǁ7ǁ

Dhananjaya! There is nothing apart from Me & more supreme than Me. The entire creation rests in Me just like the beads strung to the thread.

There is no cause beyond Him. As He is the cause for the entire creation, in Him all living beings & the universe, are strung together like the beads in the thread.

Bhagavadpada in Atmabodha says-
sarvagam sacchidānandam jnānachakṣurnirīkṣatē
ajnāna cakṣurnēkkṣēta bhāsvantam bhānumandhavat

He who has the ‘eye of knowledge’ (Jnananetra) perceives the all-pervasive Paramatma who exists as Sacchidananda. Just as the blind cannot perceive the brightly illumining Sun, the ignorant cannot see Him. This is a very important verse for spiritual aspirants.

rasohamapsu kaunteya prabhāsmiśaśisūryayoḥ
praṇavassarvavedeṣu śabdaḥkhe pauruṣaṁnṛṣuǁ8ǁ

I am the taste in water, radiance in the Sun and Moon, the Om in the Vedic mantras, the sound in the space and ability in the humans.

Here, the Lord is revealing His Vibhutis (greatness) on a small scale.

Rasa is the essence of water. Rasa means wetness and taste. Water exists in Paramatma who is the form of rasa. He is the light in the Sun and Moon. He is Om in the Vedas. It implies that all the Vedas rest in Him who exists as Om. He is sound, which is the essence of space. It means space rests in Him who exists as sound.

Purusha means bonded soul. Pourusha (parākrama, valour) is Purusha’s characteristic. Some learned elders say humanity is pourusha. All purushas (embodied souls) exist In Him who is pourusha.

Bhagavan said He exists in all living beings just like the thread exists holding the beads. To make this clearer, He is giving a few examples.

As the inner existence, He pervades all objects up, down, & sidewards. An inseparable connection exists between water and taste. Water without taste cannot exist. Likewise light is Sun & Sun is light. We cannot imagine a Sun without light. The same meaning should be adopted in every example.

Thus it is evident that Om is the essence of the Vedas. He exists in the form of valour, courage, enthusiasm, & humanity in humans. From this, it is evident that pourusha necessarily exists in all. Ghosts exist where cowardliness, unnecessary worries, and lamentation exist. God does not exist there. Hence one must pursue spiritual efforts with enthusiasm.

puṇyogandhaḥ pṛithivyāṁca tejaścāsmi vibhāvasau
jīvanaṁsarvabhūteṣu tapaścāsmitapasviṣuǁ9ǁ  

I am the sweet smell in earth & the brilliance in fire. In all beings, I am the life-force that is the basis for existence. I am the penance (tapas) in Maharishis who pursue penance.

Punyagandha (sweet smell) in earth is Paramatma. The earth rests In Him who is the sweet fragrance. The sweetness (punya) which inherently exists in earth’s fragrance can also be added as the sub-characteristic of water and the above examples. For example, rasa can be punya-rasa. Adharma & avidya of the beings is the cause for impurity to arise in earth & other elements.

He is the brilliance in fire & the life in all beings. He is the penance in the ascetics. It means ascetics exist in Him who is the form of penance.