Bhagavad Gita · 10.8 · Yoga through Appreciating the Infinite Opulences of God·8 of 42
अहं सर्वस्य प्रभवो मत्तः सर्वं प्रवर्तते।इति मत्वा भजन्ते मां बुधा भावसमन्विताः ॥
ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ
pravartate iti matvā bhajante māṁ budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ
Sanskrit recitation
The source behind everything · 10.1–10.11 · Teaching
Translation
I am the source of all; from me everything evolves; Understanding this, the wise, endowed with meditation, worship me.
Meaning
Waves originate in water, depend on water and dissolve in water. The only support for the waves is water. Even so the only support for the whole world is the Lord. Realising this, feeling the omnipresence of the Lord, the wise worship Him with devotion and affection in all places. The Supreme is the same in all countries and at all times. He is the material and the efficient cause.As Mulaprakriti or Avyaktam the Lord is the source of all forms. The Lord is the primum mobile. He gazes at His Sakti (creative power) and the whole world evolves and the forms move. The worldly man who has neither sharp nor subtle intellect beholds the changing forms only through the fleshly eyes. He has no idea of the Indwelling Presence, the substratum, the allpervading intelligence or the blissful consciousness. He is allured by the passing forms. He fixes his hopes and joy on these transitory forms. He lives and exerts for them. He rejoices when he gets a wife and children. If these forms pass away he is drowned in sorrow. But the wise ones constantly dwell in the Supreme, the source and the life of all, and enjoy the eternal bliss of the immortal, inner Self, their own nondual Atman, albeit all these forms around them change and pass away. They are steadfast in Yoga. They are endowed with unshakable Yoga. They are enthroned in Yoga
After Swami Sivananda
The source behind everything· 10.1–10.11→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 10.1The Blessed Lord said, Again, O mighty-armed Arjuna, listen to my supreme word which I will declare to you, who are beloved, for your welfare.
- 10.2Neither the hosts of the gods nor the great sages know My origin; for I am the source of all the gods and the great sages in every way.
- 10.3He who knows Me as unborn and beginningless, as the great Lord of the worlds, he among mortals is undeluded and is liberated from all sins.
- 10.4Intellect, wisdom, non-delusion, forgiveness, truth, self-restraint, calmness, happiness, pain, existence or birth, non-existence or death, fear, and also fearlessness.
- 10.5Non-injury, equanimity, contentment, austerity, beneficence, fame, and ill-fame—these different qualities of beings arise from Me alone.
- 10.6The seven great sages, the ancient four, and the Manus, possessing powers like Mine (due to their minds being fixed on Me), were born from My mind; from them, these creatures have been born in this world.
- 10.7He who truly knows these manifold manifestations of My Being and this Yoga-power of Mine, becomes established in unshakable Yoga; there is no doubt about it.
10.8I am the source of all; from me everything evolves; Understanding this, the wise, endowed with meditation, worship me.
- 10.9With their minds and lives wholly absorbed in Me, they enlighten each other and ever speak of Me, being satisfied and delighted.
- 10.10To those who are ever steadfast, worshipping me with love, I give the yoga of discrimination, by which they come to me.
- 10.11Out of mere compassion for them, I, dwelling within their selves, destroy the darkness born of ignorance with the luminous lamp of knowledge.
Word-by-word→
- iti
- thus
- aham
- I
- mām
- me
- matvā
- having known
- sarvam
- everything
- bhajante
- worship
- mattaḥ
- from me
- sarvasya
- of all creation
- budhāḥ
- the wise
- pravartate
- proceeds
- prabhavaḥ
- the origin of
- bhāva-samanvitāḥ
- endowed with great faith and devotion
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