Among all kinds of killers, time is the ultimate because time kills everything. Time is the representative of Kṛṣṇa because in due course of time there will be a great fire and everything will be annihilated.
Among the living entities who are creators, Brahmā, who has four heads, is the chief. Therefore he is a representative of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 34
मृत्युः सर्वहरश्चाहमुद्भवश्च भविष्यताम् ।
कीर्तिः श्रीर्वाक्च नारीणां स्मृतिर्मेधा धृतिः क्षमा ।। 34 ।।
mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham
udbhavaś ca bhaviṣyatām
kīrtiḥ śrīr vāk ca nārīṇāṁ
smṛtir medhā dhṛtiḥ kṣamā
mṛtyuḥ – death; sarva-haraḥ – all-devouring; ca – also; aham – I am; udbhavaḥ – generation; ca – also; bhaviṣyatām – of future manifestations; kīrtiḥ – fame; śrīḥ – opulence or beauty; vāk – fine speech; ca – also; nārīṇām – of women; smṛtiḥ – memory; medhā – intelligence; dhṛtiḥ – firmness; kṣamā – patience.
TRANSLATION
I am all-devouring death, and I am the generating principle of all that is yet to be. Among women I am fame, fortune, fine speech, memory, intelligence, steadfastness and patience.
PURPORT
As soon as a man is born, he dies at every moment. Thus death is devouring every living entity at every moment, but the last stroke is called death itself. That death is Kṛṣṇa. As for future development, all living entities undergo six basic changes. They are born, they grow, they remain for some time, they reproduce, they dwindle, and finally they vanish. Of these changes, the first is deliverance from the womb, and that is Kṛṣṇa. The first generation is the beginning of all future activities.
The seven opulences listed – fame, fortune, fine speech, memory, intelligence, steadfastness and patience – are considered feminine. If a person possesses all of them or some of them he becomes glorious. If a man is famous as a righteous man, that makes him glorious. Sanskrit is a perfect language and is therefore very glorious. If after studying one can remember a subject matter, he is gifted with a good memory, or smṛti. And the ability not only to read many books on different subject matters but to understand them and apply them when necessary is intelligence (medhā), another opulence. The ability to overcome unsteadiness is called firmness or steadfastness (dhṛti). And when one is fully qualified yet is humble and gentle, and when one is able to keep his balance both in sorrow and in the ecstasy of joy, he has the opulence called patience (kṣamā).
TEXT 35
बृहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम् ।
मासानां मार्गशीर्षोऽहमृतूनां कुसुमाकरः ।। 35 ।।
bṛhat-sāma tathā sāmnāṁ
gāyatrī chandasām aham
māsānāṁ mārga-śīrṣo ’ham
ṛtūnāṁ kusumākaraḥ
bṛhat-sāma – the Bṛhat-sāma; tathā – also; sāmnām – of the Sāma Veda songs; gāyatrī – the Gāyatrī hymns; chandasām – of all poetry; aham – I am; māsānām – of months; mārga-śīrṣaḥ – the month of November-December; aham – I am; ṛtūnām – of all seasons; kusuma-ākaraḥ – spring.
TRANSLATION
Of the hymns in the Sāma Veda I am the Bṛhat-sāma, and of poetry I am the Gāyatrī. Of months I am Mārgaśīrṣa [November-December], and of seasons I am flower-bearing spring.
PURPORT
It has already been explained by the Lord that amongst all the Vedas, He is the Sāma Veda. The Sāma Veda is rich with beautiful songs played by the various demigods. One of these songs is the Bṛhat-sāma, which has an exquisite melody and is sung at midnight.
In Sanskrit, there are definite rules that regulate poetry; rhyme and meter are not written whimsically, as in much modern poetry. Amongst the regulated poetry, the Gāyatrī mantra, which is chanted by the duly qualified brāhmaṇas, is the most prominent. The Gāyatrī mantra is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Because the Gāyatrī mantra is especially meant for God realization, it represents the Supreme Lord. This mantra is meant for spiritually advanced people, and when one attains success in chanting it, he can enter into the transcendental position of the Lord. One must first acquire the qualities of the perfectly situated person, the qualities of goodness according to the laws of material nature, in order to chant the Gāyatrī mantra. The Gāyatrī mantra is very important in Vedic civilization and is considered to be the sound incarnation of Brahman. Brahmā is its initiator, and it is passed down from him in disciplic succession.
The month of November-December is considered the best of all months because in India grains are collected from the fields at this time and the people become very happy. Of course spring is a season universally liked because it is neither too hot nor too cold and the flowers and trees blossom and flourish. In spring there are also many ceremonies commemorating Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes; therefore this is considered to be the most joyful of all seasons, and it is the representative of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 36
घूतं छलयतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम् ।
जयोऽस्मि व्यवसायोऽस्मि सत्त्वं सत्त्ववतामहम् ।। 36 ।।
dyūtaṁ chalayatām asmi
tejas tejasvinām aham
jayo ’smi vyavasāyo ’smi
sattvaṁ sattvavatām aham
dyūtam – gambling; chalayatām – of all cheats; asmi – I am; tejaḥ – the splendor; tejasvinām – of everything splendid; aham – I am; jayaḥ – victory; asmi – I am; vyavasāyaḥ – enterprise or adventure; asmi – I am; sattvam – the strength; sattva-vatām – of the strong; aham – I am.
TRANSLATION
I am also the gambling of cheats, and of the splendid I am the splendor. I am victory, I am adventure, and I am the strength of the strong.
PURPORT
There are many kinds of cheaters all over the universe. Of all cheating processes, gambling stands supreme and therefore represents Kṛṣṇa. As the Supreme, Kṛṣṇa can be more deceitful than any mere man. If Kṛṣṇa chooses to deceive a person, no one can surpass Him in His deceit. His greatness is not simply one-sided – it is all-sided.
Among the victorious, He is victory. He is the splendor of the splendid. Among the enterprising and industrious, He is the most enterprising, the most industrious. Among adventurers He is the most adventurous, and among the strong He is the strongest. When Kṛṣṇa was present on earth, no one could surpass Him in strength. Even in His childhood He lifted Govardhana Hill. No one can surpass Him in cheating, no one can surpass Him in splendor, no one can surpass Him in victory, no one can surpass Him in enterprise, and no one can surpass Him in strength.
TEXT 37
वृष्णीनां वासुदेवोऽस्मि पाण्डवानां धनंजयः ।
मुनीनामप्यहं व्यासः कवीनामुशना कविः ।। 37 ।।
vṛṣṇīnāṁ vāsudevo ’smi
pāṇḍavānāṁ dhanañ-jayaḥ
munīnām apy ahaṁ vyāsaḥ
kavīnām uśanā kaviḥ
vṛṣṇīnām – of the descendants of Vṛṣṇi; vāsudevaḥ – Kṛṣṇa in Dvārakā; asmi – I am; pāṇḍavānām – of the Pāṇḍavas; dhanam-jayaḥ – Arjuna; munīnām – of the sages; api – also; aham – I am; vyāsaḥ – Vyāsa, the compiler of all Vedic literature; kavīnām – of all great thinkers; uśanā – Uśanā; kaviḥ – the thinker.
TRANSLATION
Of the descendants o
f Vṛṣṇi I am Vāsudeva, and of the Pāṇḍavas I am Arjuna. Of the sages I am Vyāsa, and among great thinkers I am Uśanā.
PURPORT
Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Baladeva is Kṛṣṇa’s immediate expansion. Both Lord Kṛṣṇa and Baladeva appeared as sons of Vasudeva, so both of Them may be called Vāsudeva. From another point of view, because Kṛṣṇa never leaves Vṛndāvana, all the forms of Kṛṣṇa that appear elsewhere are His expansions. Vāsudeva is Kṛṣṇa’s immediate expansion, so Vāsudeva is not different from Kṛṣṇa. It is to be understood that the Vāsudeva referred to in this verse of Bhagavad-gītā is Baladeva, or Balarāma, because He is the original source of all incarnations and thus He is the sole source of Vāsudeva. The immediate expansions of the Lord are called svāṁśa (personal expansions), and there are also expansions called vibhinnāṁśa (separated expansions).
Amongst the sons of Pāṇḍu, Arjuna is famous as Dhanañjaya. He is the best of men and therefore represents Kṛṣṇa. Among the munis, or learned men conversant in Vedic knowledge, Vyāsa is the greatest because he explained Vedic knowledge in many different ways for the understanding of the common mass of people in this Age of Kali. And Vyāsa is also known as an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa; therefore Vyāsa also represents Kṛṣṇa. Kavis are those who are capable of thinking thoroughly on any subject matter. Among the kavis, Uśanā, Śukrācārya, was the spiritual master of the demons; he was an extremely intelligent and far-seeing politician. Thus Śukrācārya is another representative of the opulence of Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 38
दण्डो दमयतामस्मि नीतिरस्मि जिगीषताम् ।
मौनं चैवास्मि गुह्यानां ज्ञानं ज्ञानवतामहम् ।। 38 ।।
daṇḍo damayatām asmi
nītir asmi jigīṣatām
maunaṁ caivāsmi guhyānāṁ
jñānaṁ jñānavatām aham
daṇḍaḥ – punishment; damayatām – of all means of suppression; asmi – I am; nītiḥ – morality; asmi – I am; jigīṣatām – of those who seek victory; maunam – silence; ca – and; eva – also; asmi – I am; guhyānām – of secrets; jñānam – knowledge; jñāna-vatām – of the wise; aham – I am.
TRANSLATION
Among all means of suppressing lawlessness I am punishment, and of those who seek victory I am morality. Of secret things I am silence, and of the wise I am the wisdom.
PURPORT
There are many suppressing agents, of which the most important are those that cut down miscreants. When miscreants are punished, the agency of chastisement represents Kṛṣṇa. Among those who are trying to be victorious in some field of activity, the most victorious element is morality. Among the confidential activities of hearing, thinking and meditating, silence is most important because by silence one can make progress very quickly. The wise man is he who can discriminate between matter and spirit, between God’s superior and inferior natures. Such knowledge is Kṛṣṇa Himself.
TEXT 39
यच्चापि सर्वभूतानां बीजं तदहमर्जुन ।
न तदस्ति विना यत्स्यान्मया भूतं चराचरम् ।। 39 ।।
yac cāpi sarva-bhūtānāṁ
bījaṁ tad aham arjuna
na tad asti vinā yat syān
mayā bhūtaṁ carācaram
yat – whatever; ca – also; api – may be; sarva-bhūtānām – of all creations; bījam – seed; tat – that; aham – I am; arjuna – O Arjuna; na – not; tat – that; asti – there is; vinā – without; yat – which; syāt – exists; mayā – Me; bhūtam – created being; cara-acaram – moving and nonmoving.
TRANSLATION
Furthermore, O Arjuna, I am the generating seed of all existences. There is no being – moving or nonmoving – that can exist without Me.
PURPORT
Everything has a cause, and that cause or seed of manifestation is Kṛṣṇa. Without Kṛṣṇa’s energy, nothing can exist; therefore He is called omnipotent. Without His potency, neither the movable nor the immovable can exist. Whatever existence is not founded on the energy of Kṛṣṇa is called māyā, “that which is not.”
TEXT 40
नान्तोऽस्ति मम दिव्यानां विभूतीनां परन्तप ।
एष तूद्दे शतः प्रोक्तो विभूतेर्विस्तरो मया ।। 40 ।।
nānto ’sti mama divyānāṁ
vibhūtīnāṁ paran-tapa
eṣa tūddeśataḥ prokto
vibhūter vistaro mayā
na – nor; antaḥ – a limit; asti – there is; mama – My; divyānām – of the divine; vibhūtīnām – opulences; param-tapa – O conqueror of the enemies; eṣaḥ – all this; tu – but; uddeśataḥ – as examples; proktaḥ – spoken; vibhūteḥ – of opulences; vistaraḥ – the expanse; mayā – by Me.
TRANSLATION
O mighty conqueror of enemies, there is no end to My divine manifestations. What I have spoken to you is but a mere indication of My infinite opulences.
PURPORT
As stated in the Vedic literature, although the opulences and energies of the Supreme are understood in various ways, there is no limit to such opulences; therefore not all the opulences and energies can be explained. Simply a few examples are being described to Arjuna to pacify his inquisitiveness.
TEXT 41
यद्यद्विभूतिमत्सत्त्वं श्रीमदूर्जितमेव वा ।
तत्तदेवावगच्छ त्वं मम तेजोंऽशसंभवम् ।। 41 ।।
yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁ
śrīmad ūrjitam eva vā
tat tad evāvagaccha tvaṁ
mama tejo-’ṁśa-sambhavam
yat yat – whatever; vibhūti – opulences; mat – having; sattvam – existence; śrī-mat – beautiful; ūrjitam – glorious; eva – certainly; vā – or; tat tat – all those; eva – certainly; avagaccha – must know; tvam – you; mama – My; tejaḥ – of the splendor; aṁśa – a part; sambhavam – born of.
TRANSLATION
Know that all opulent, beautiful and glorious creations spring from but a spark of My splendor.
PURPORT
Any glorious or beautiful existence should be understood to be but a fragmental manifestation of Kṛṣṇa’s opulence, whether it be in the spiritual or material world. Anything extraordinarily opulent should be considered to represent Kṛṣṇa’s opulence.
TEXT 42
अथवा बहुनैतेन किं ज्ञातेन तवार्जुन ।
विष्टभ्याहमिदं कृत्स्नमेकांशेन स्थितो जगत् ।। 42 ।।
atha vā bahunaitena
kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna
viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam
ekāṁśena sthito jagat
atha vā – or; bahunā – many; etena – by this kind; kim – what; jñātena – by knowing; tava – your; arjuna – O Arjuna; viṣṭabhya – pervading; aham – I; idam – this; kṛtsnam – entire; eka – by one; aṁśena – part; sthitaḥ – am situated; jagat – universe.
TRANSLATION
But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.
PURPORT
The Supreme Lord is represented throughout the entire material universes by His entering into all things as the Supersoul. The Lord here tells Arjuna that there is no point in understanding how things exist in their separate opulence and grandeur. He should know that all things are existing due to K�
��ṣṇa’s entering them as Supersoul. From Brahmā, the most gigantic entity, on down to the smallest ant, all are existing because the Lord has entered each and all and is sustaining them.
There is a Mission that regularly propounds that worship of any demigod will lead one to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or the supreme goal. But worship of demigods is thoroughly discouraged herein because even the greatest demigods like Brahmā and Śiva represent only part of the opulence of the Supreme Lord. He is the origin of everyone born, and no one is greater than Him. He is asamaurdhva, which means that no one is superior to Him and that no one is equal to Him. In the Padma Purāṇa it is said that one who considers the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa in the same category with demigods – be they even Brahmā or Śiva – becomes at once an atheist. If, however, one thoroughly studies the different descriptions of the opulences and expansions of Kṛṣṇa’s energy, then one can understand without any doubt the position of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and can fix his mind in the worship of Kṛṣṇa without deviation. The Lord is all-pervading by the expansion of His partial representation, the Supersoul, who enters into everything that is. Pure devotees, therefore, concentrate their minds in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in full devotional service; therefore they are always situated in the transcendental position. Devotional service and worship of Kṛṣṇa are very clearly indicated in this chapter in verses 8 through 11. That is the way of pure devotional service. How one can attain the highest devotional perfection of association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead has been thoroughly explained in this chapter. Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa, a great ācārya in disciplic succession from Kṛṣṇa, concludes his commentary on this chapter by saying,
yac-chakti-leśāt sūryādyā
bhavanty aty-ugra-tejasaḥ
yad-aṁśena dhṛtaṁ viśvaṁ
Bhagavad-Gita As It Is Page 65
