The Hidden Treasure Of The Sweet Absolute

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Bhagavad-gita Catur-Sloki Commentary

 

Verse 10.8

 

aham sarvasya prabhavo, mattah sarvam pravartate

iti matva bhajante mam, budha bhava-samanvitah

 

aham prabhavah - I am the Supreme Absolute Truth, svayam Bhagavan or the original Supreme Lord, the cause; sarvasya - of all causes, including Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan, i.e., the all-comprehensive aspect of the Absolute, the all-permeating aspect of the Absolute, and the personal aspect of the Absolute, which is endowed with all the qualities that attract everyone to serve Him. sarvam - All attempts in the universe of matter and spirit, and the Vedas and allied scriptures with their functions; pravartate - begin; mattah - Realizing; iti - this mystery; budhah - persons blessed with fine theistic intellect; bhava-samanvitah - endowed with their internal devotional nature of servitude, friendship, parenthood, or consorthood; bhajante - devote themselves; mam - unto Me.

 

I am Krsna, the Sweet Absolute. I am the root cause of the all-comprehensive aspect of the Absolute, the all-permeating aspect of the Absolute, and also the personal aspect of the Absolute - the Master of all potencies, who commands the respect of everyone - Lord Narayana of Vaikuntha. The universe of mundane and divine flow, every attempt and movement, the Vedas and allied scriptures which guide everyone's worship - all are initiated by Me alone. Realizing this hidden treasure, the virtuous souls who are blessed with fine theistic intellect surpass the standards of duty and nonduty, and embrace the paramount path of love divine, raga-marga, and adore Me forever.

 

Commentary

 

Verses 8 - 11 are the four principal verses of the Srimad Bhagavad-gita. The ontological substance of the book is contained within these four essential verses, beginning aham sarvasya prabhavo - "Everything emanates from Me."

 

In the Srimad Bhagavatam (1.2.11), the three main conceptions, of the Absolute are given as Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan. Brahman is the all-comprehensive aspect of the Absolute. Paramatma is the all-permeating aspect of the Absolute, and Bhagavan is the personal conception of the Absolute. The general definition of the word Bhagavan is given

 

aisvaryasya samagrasya, viryasya yasasah sriyah

jnana-vairagyayos' caiva, sannam bhaga itingana

 

Bhagavan, the Supreme Lord, is thus defined as "He who is inseparatly replete with the six inconceivable qualities of wealth, power, fame, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation." (Visnu Purana 6.5.47)

 

The characteristic of Bhagavan, as Lord Narayana, is that all kinds of potencies are personally controlled by Him. However, Srila Jiva Goswami has given a special and particularly fine interpretation: Bhagavan means bhajaniya guna-visista . His nature is such that whoever comes into contact with Him cannot resist serving Him. No one can resist feeling moved to worship and adore His charming personality. As Lord Krsna, He attracts the love of everyone. Therefore, by the word sarvasya , Lord Krsna indicates, "I am svayam Bhagavan, the Supreme Lord Himself. I am the origin of not only Brahman, the all-comprehensive aspect, and Paramatma, the all-permeating aspect. I am also the origin of the Master of all potencies, who commands the respect of everyone - Lord Narayana of Vaikuntha."