Summary:

Lesson 87 enumerates last glory sat (Existence), which from standpoint of world, becomes the material & intelligent-cause witnessed in-and-through all names and forms. Bhagavan is 6-fold limitless wealths. How to remove jealousy (superiority/inferiority traits).

Source: Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 10: Verse 39, 40, 41, 42.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 10 – Verse 39:

yaccāpi sarvabhūtānāṃ bījaṃ tadahamarjuna |
na tadasti vinā yatsyānmayā bhūtaṃ carācaram ||

Oh Arjuna! I am that which is the seed of all beings. There is no such being, moving or stationary, which can exist without Me.

• Krishna concludes enumeration of vibhūtis.
• aham sarva bhūtānāṁ bījaṁ asmi: I am the seed (referring to material-cause), out of which all bhūtās (5 elements) emerged (which make up the jagat).
  • EG:
    • Clay is material-cause of all earthen wares.
    • Gold of all ornaments.
    • Wood of all furniture.
  • Meaning material-cause can be known as the very existence of witnessed effects.
    • EG: When says “Ornament IS”, the very IS-ness (or) existence… doesn’t belong to ornament, but to gold.
      • Ornament is an object enjoying it’s nāma-rūpa because of gold.
  • Hence Krishna says: I am nimitta-kāraṇam & upādāna-kāraṇam, which lends existence to every effect (vibhūti).
    • EG: Rock IS. Made of granite.
      • Granite IS. Made of quartz & feldspar.
      • Quartz IS. Made of 1-part-silicone & 2-parts-oxygen.
      • Oxygen IS. Etc…
    • In other words, at ever level of manifestation, I am sat (existence).
      • And how does sat manifest from standpoint of jagat? As efficient & material-cause observed from sub-atomic particle to rock.
  • If we connect this to V20 (start of glories), Krishna said: I am cit (ātma: awareness in every existing being).
    • Combining: I am sat-cit (Existence-Awareness), obtaining in-and-through all names-forms.
    • Illustrated by…
• mayā vinā, yat carācāram bhūtam syāt, tat na asti: Nothing in jagat (moving or stationary) can exist without My blessing.
  • So if ever asked: Who is God? Answer: “Who” IS… is God.
• So Krishna started with cit (awareness) in V20, and ended with sat (existence) in V39.
  • And both sat-cit are nirguṇa vibhūti (glory and not manifestation). Others are saguṇa vibhūtis.
• NEXT VERSE: Bhagavān says cannot continue because list is endless…

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 10 – Verse 40:

nānto'sti mama divyānāṃ vibhūtīnāṃ parantapa|
eṣa tūddeśataḥ prokto vibhūtervistaro mayā ||

Oh Arjuna! There is no limit to My divine glories. However, this detail of glories has been, mentioned by Me (only) as an illustration.

 

• Arjuna is called Parantapa (one who is always victorious).
• Krishna says: Since there is no end to My brilliant glories (vibhūtis), I have to end the enumerations.
  • Purpose was to show wherever there is brilliance, it belongs to Bhagavān.
• NEXT VERSE: Method is given how Arjuna can extend the list further…

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 10 – Verse 41:

yadyadvibhūtimatsattvaṃ śrīmadūrjitameva vā |
tattadevāvagaccha tvaṃ mama tejoṃśasambhavam ||

Whatever being (is there which is) glorious, rich or powerful – may you recognise that to be born out of a person of My splendour.

 

• Whatever makes you throughout life, wonderstruck, inspired or moved – that is Bhagavān’s Śrī (beauty or attractiveness).
  • EG: Energy of Sun, lightening, children playing, human-animal relationship, thunderous waterfall, rainbow.
  • Although, one’s ability to RECOGNIZE glories depends on condition of antaḥkaraṇa (EG: raja-guṇa sattva-guṇa). EG:
    • Many men/woman with extraordinary skills, go unrecognized.
    • Many brilliant books are written, but never discovered, because author is unknown.
    • Many singers, much better then pop-singers, go unnoticed.
• Notably, śrīmad in verse means: endowed with any form of śrī (fame, skill, wealth, food, happiness, well being, etc).
  • Hence Śrīmad Bhagavat Gītā means: Divine song of Bhagavān’s Śrīmad.
  • And what is Śrīmad of Bhagavān? Answer is in word “bhaga”: 6-fold sovereignties (free from external dependence):
    • Śrī: absolute wealth.
    • Aiśvarya: absolute overlordship (highest authority).
    • Yaśas: absolute fame.
    • Vairāgya: absolute dispassion. Meaning no favorites.
    • Jñāna: infinite knowledge.
    • Vīrya: absolute power (of creation, sustenance, destruction).
• Therefore, jagat vibhūtis (V21-38) are only ‘parts’ of these 6-fold bhaga.
  • And why do we experience parts? Because even though Bhagavān is partless, owning to His māyā, the jagat APPEARS manifold.
    • EG: One partless space SEEMS divided into room space, bottle space, lung space, cup space.
      • So we can’t say there are two-space’s, because all space is attributeless (whether occupying universe of infinite manifestations OR single cup).
    • How to show that consciousness (ātman) is same in two people?
      • Imagine two jīvas (body-mind) see a bull standing infront of them. Then bull goes away. And cat comes.
        • Are both still seeing and hearing the bull?
          • Meaning the ātman (consciousness) of both jīvas, remains free of the PREVIOUS bull form, sound, smell.
            • Yes, one jīva may have a stronger memory of the bull, but that is activity of the brain/mind, which itself degrades as brain ages.
        • Are both seeing and hearing the cat?
        • Meaning what?
          • Consciousness (ātman) pervading both body-mind complexes remains free of PAST sight, sound, taste, feeling, smell.
          • Like the sun, consciousness illumines then NEXT NEW sight, sound, taste, feeling, smell.
      • Metaphor:
        • Space always remains free, or never contaminated by any form, sound, smell accommodated by space.
        • It is only because space remains attributeless, that ongoing objects with attributes (sight, sound, smell, etc) can be validated.
      • How do we use above explanation to prove that consciousness of jīva-1 & jīva-2 is SAME?
        • Because both jīvas are never stuck with attributes of previous moment.
          • EG 1: Once I stop looking at the clouds, and look at your face, I don’t see clouds superimposed over your face.
          • EG 2: If I say to 10 people the word “love”, and then word “you”… all 10 listeners clearly identify the distinct attributes of each word. Nobody hears “love love”, or “love yLoOVuE”. They all heard “love you”.
• From this knowledge, we can draw 2 notable points in CH10:
  1. Glories are listed for purpose of inquiring on saguṇa Īśvara, for benefit of:
     • ajñāni who is yet to cultivate subtle intellect, capable of discerning saguṇa/nirguṇa (ātma/anātma).
     • jñāni who sees no contradiction between saguṇa and nirguṇa.
  2. Not one glory can be claimed as “mine” or “another’s”.
     • Because even capacity to appreciate OR be jealous of other’s glory, is Īśvara’s
     • Accordingly, true bhakta (jñāni or ajñāni) is free of jealousy (apathetic, annoyed, irrational, stubborn, rigid, unwilling to embrace another).

• How to remove traces of jealousy which generate sense of inadequacy (because another has more/better)?
  • Can human be jealous of eagle’s capacity/vibhūti to fly? No. Why? Because bird is unlike human.
    • Hence jealously is not possible with dissimilar. If there is dissimilarity, we appreciate the vibhūti.
      • Jealously only possible between similar.
  • Can human be jealous of Īśvara? Meaning, everyone intricately knows human and īśvara are not same (in capacity).
  • And what is the truth of every person with brilliant skills? Same Īśvara which you confirmed, saying “No human can be jealous of”.
  • Therefore, mind going through jealousy means:
    • I am seeing only aparā-parkṛti.
    • I am mistaking mithyā appearances to be satyam.
    • I don’t know parā-prakṛti.
    • In this way, jealously (manifests as superiority-inferiority/relationship-conflicts), is immediate way to identify ratio between parokṣa / aparokṣa-jñānam.
  • How to extinguish jealousy?
    • How do we fall in love with someone? By initially forcing ourselves to spend time with them.
      • In same way, force your mind to see my/their glory is Īśvara’s. Eventually auto-pilot.
  • Most common jealousy is seeing another’s popularity/success.
    • How to treat?
      • Gorilla sitting quietly in zoo. Everyone looking!
      • Thus, popularity is meaningless.
      • Swami Dayananda says: Most popular often lack profound knowledge.
        • Because most mind’s can’t grasp depth, thus attracted to simpler ideas.
• And how do you know if Gītā is working successfully on your antaḥ karaṇa?
  • Vision becomes objective. “I see empirical value, and no need to attach personal value”.
    • EG: Gold is rare, rust-proof VS. Gold is money & status!
    • This makes ahaṃ kāra good as non-existent.
• NEXT VERSE: Expands our apprehension of Īśvara…

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 10 – Verse 42:

athavā bahunaitena kiṃ jñātena tavārjuna |
viṣṭabhyāhamidaṃ kṛtsnamekāṃśena sthito jagat ||

Or, What use do you have by knowing all these? Oh Arjuna! I remain supporting this entire Universe with a portion (of Me).

• Up to V41, Krishna was saying: I am in every vibhūti.
  • EG: I am in the Sun, gāyatrī-meter, Himālaya mountains, Gaṇgā, japa, speech, etc.
• In V42, Krishna refines our vision by saying: Actually, all these vibhūtis are in Me.
  • EG:
    • Instead of saying: The water is in the waves, froth, bubbles and drops.
    • More refined knowledge is: Waves, froth, bubbles are all in the one same water.
• Therefore, ahaṃ idaṃ kṛtsnaṃ jagat viṣṭabhya asthitaḥ: I remain, supporting the jagat of infinite vibhūtis.
  • EG: Space remains space, even while supporting all objects accommodated by the space.
  • Meaning, it is partial knowledge to only say: Space is within this room. In reality, all rooms are in Space.
    • Similarly, Īśvara is not in jīvās… but jīvās are in Īśvara.
    • And truth of Īśvara is Awareness (ātman).
• Lastly Krishna says: jagat (known or unknown) is only occupying one infinitesimal part (ekāṃśena) of Me.
  • That is to say, 14-lokas are like a mere bubble in the vast Ocean.

Keywords: aishvarya, aisvarya, ajnani, antah karana, antahkarana, apara-prakriti, apara-prakrti, aparoksa-jnana, aparoksha-jnanam, atma, bhagavan, bhutanam, bhutas, bijam, ekamsena, ekamshena, ganga, gayatri, himalaya, jnana, jnani, nimitta-karana, nirguna, para-prakriti, paroksa-jnanam, paroksha-jnana, saguna, shri, shrimad, shrimad bhagavad gita, sri, srimad, upadana-karana, vairagya, vibhuti, virya, yasas, yashas

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Credit for help in Bhagavad Gita teaching given to Swami Dayananda (Arsha Vidya), Paramarthananda & Chinmaya Mission

Recorded 17 March, 2020