Shloka 4 and 5:

बुद्धिर्ज्ञानमसंमोहः क्षमा सत्यं दमः शमः।
सुखं दुःखं भवोऽभावो भयं चाभयमेव च।।10.4।।

Intelligence, knowledge, non-delusion, endurance, truthfulness, sense control, mind control, pleasure, pain, being, non-being, fear and fearlessness.

अहिंसा समता तुष्टिस्तपो दानं यशोऽयशः।
भवन्ति भावा भूतानां मत्त एव पृथग्विधाः।।10.5।।

Non-violence, equanimity, contentment, penance, charity, renown, ill-fame–from Me alone these manifold states accrue to all beings.

Swamiji said we have entered chapter # 10 with the first three shlokas. Sri Krishna is introducing subject of Ishwara swarupam or nature of god. This is topic from Ch. # 7 onwards. First six chapters were about Jiva Swarupam. From Ch. # 7 onwards it is Ishwara swarupam that continues till Ch. # 10. In first three shlokas Sri Krishna talked about glory of Ishwara Swarupam. In shlokas 4 and 5 he has entered into topic of nature of God. God is defined as cause of the universe or jagat karanam.

And this jagat karanam status of the Lord itself is explained in the scriptures in three different ways, depending upon the intellectual level of the student. Jagat karanam explanation level No.1; jagat karanam explanation level No.2; jagat karanam explanation level No.3; This explanation will depend upon the intellectual caliber of the listener.

Level # 1:

Nimitha Karana Ishwara

God is creator of universe. He is omniscient, omnipotent creator who creates the creation. Here we imagine a creator like a jewel smith or a mason, an intelligent creator, as a person. Scriptures give many examples to support this; thus the four heads of god indicate a lot of knowledge and omniscience.  This is an initial introduction to creator.

Level 2:

Parinami upadana karana Ishwara

If god is creator what raw material did he use? A carpenter needs wood; a mason needs cement etc. Here scriptures say god alone was there in the beginning. There was no “ outside material” for him to use. As Creator, God finds raw materials in himself. So Lord himself evolves into universe. It is just like a seed evolves into a tree or as gold manifests itself as a chain. Now we say God himself evolves into universe or Lord manifests himself as Samsara. This is second level for the slightly advanced intellect. After being in madhyama budhi for some time he then evolves to level three.

Level Three:

Vivartha upadana karana ishwara

Since Lord is infinite and beyond time and space, there is no question of the Lord becoming the Universe. Because the language of becoming indicates transformation and transformation indicates limitation by time, since God is desha kala atithah, there is no possibility of Lord transforming into the universe; then what happens; Lord remaining changeless; the Lord appears as the universe: without really undergoing transformation, retaining his absolute nature, the Lord appears as this world, Just as we, at the time of dreaming, continue to remain as the waker on the bed, but in the dream, our mind gets transformed into the dream-time, the dream-space, the dream-object, the dream-transaction; the dream-nightmares, the dream-festivals; all are the waker himself who transforms without really undergoing any change.

So, I, the waker seemingly transform into dream and when I wake up the dream world gets resolved.

Just as I continue to remain as waker, and seemingly become pluralistic, transact, enjoy or suffer the dream, and when I wake up what happens, the whole dream world is resolved. And again I can project another dream world and again I can resolve. Even if hundreds of dreams I project and resolve, I continue to remain an undisturbed, untransformed and undestroyed individual,

So also God appears as world or Vivarta Upadana karanam Ishwara. Now in this chapter Sri Krishna is talking of a Level 2 Sadhaka. “I” evolve into universe; the internal universe of thoughts and external universe of objects both arise out of Me, says Sri Krishna. I alone become everything.

Shloka # 6:

महर्षयः सप्त पूर्वे चत्वारो मनवस्तथा।
मद्भावा मानसा जाता येषां लोक इमाः प्रजाः।।10.6।।

The seven great seers, the first four, and also the Manus were mind-born, endowed with My powers. These beings are their progeny.

Creation of external world is being discussed.

First seven rishis, Sapta Rishis, came, and they belonged to the Grihastha paramapara. Four other Rishis, Sanakadi Rishis, came after that though they followed the Sanyasi paramapara. As per scriptures seven rishis were:

Atri, Bhrgu, Kutsa, Vasishta, Gautama, Kashyapa and Angirasa.

Brahmaji came from Vishnu. Brahmaji, created, by his sankalpa, the manas putra. How to create by sankalpa? It is just as we create a dream world by our sankalpa or visualization.

The first four Rishi were:  Sanaka; Sananta, Sanatkumar; and Sanat Sujatha.

As per Brahmaji’s desire these four Rishis were expected to get married and beget more children. But they followed Brahmacharyam. Brahmaji was angry with them, which resulted in the Rudras. So, he created seven more Rishis; he also created the 14 Manus; each Manu presides over a manvantara. 71 manvantaras equal one Yuga. So far six manus have gone. We are in the seventh manvatara period presided by Vivasthaha. We are in 28th Chatur Yuga. That is why we are called manushya.

How was it created? It was born out of sankalpa of Brahmaji; each of them (manu’s) has same nature as of Brahmaji. We are also “ Aham Brahmasmi mat bhava”. Matbhava means nature; another meaning is devotion to Me. Out of 14 manus later human beings were born.

Shloka # 7:

एतां विभूतिं योगं च मम यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः।
सोऽविकम्पेन योगेन युज्यते नात्र संशयः।।10.7।।

Whoso knows this vast power and Yoga of Mine truly, will be endowed with the steady state of integration; there is no doubt about this.

In previous shloka it said Lord has potential (Shakti) to manifest as universe. This power of manifestation is called Maya Shakti or Yoga Shakti. Potential power is Maya. Potential power is dormant as such it is invisible. Butter in milk is not visible but we have to churn it out. This is Ishwara Yoga. Once potential manifests or becomes visible it is called Vibhuti (potential is hidden kinetic energy activated). So, seed becomes tree. Visible version of power is called Vibhuti; unmanifest is called Yoga.

My lecture is in my mind, invisible. Now when I am talking, potential becomes word, manifests itself as Vibhuti for many.  Thus, Shakaracahrya’s Bhashyam we read is Vibhuti. Universe we see is Vibhuti. At time of Pralaya everything is in potential form hence known as Yoga Nidra.

Thus, I have both potential and visible energy. Suppose a devotee knows this glory, for him god is not in Vaikunta rather for him god is everywhere.  “ God is nowhere”, said the atheist.  Someone changed it to. “God is now here”. This is virat Ishwara darshanam; aneka rupa Darshanam. One who knows this goes to next level of Ishwara darshanam. Next level is, God appears to have this form.

So yogaha means arupa Ishvara Gyanam; he will go to nirguna Ishvara Gyanam; which is the third level; And not only he will get arupa Ishvara Gyanam; avikampena; and it will be a strong conviction for him; formless God is the real God; and that real formless God assumes either one form or many forms; depending upon the devotee’s prayer; in whichever form, he wants to have darshanam; Bhagavan assumes that form; but really speaking; the Lord is arupa; And that arupa Ishvara is called avikampa; avikampa means what; unshaken knowledge; which means conviction.

He has all three rupams in him (arupa rupa, aneka rupa and eka rupa).

In Shivananadalahari, Shankara says I can meditate upon you as the Lord whose body consists of the moving and non-moving creation. I enjoy all the three; I can talk to you as a person; I can admire you as the nature or creation; and I can close my eyes and enjoy you as aham brahma asmi.  All the three he will come to know, and suppose we have a doubt; what is the guarantee; we want always the guarantee. Sri Krishna says I am giving you guarantee that you will come to Me ultimately.

Shloka # 8:

अहं सर्वस्य प्रभवो मत्तः सर्वं प्रवर्तते।
इति मत्वा भजन्ते मां बुधा भावसमन्विताः।।10.8।।

“I am the source of all things; all things proceed from Me”, so holding with deep loyalty to truth, the wise adore Me.

With previous shloka Ishwara Swarupa topic is over. From Shloka # 8 onwards, aneka rupa ishwara bhakti is discussed. Intermediary stage means what; at the lowest level Lord has only one Ishta Devata swarupa; at the highest level is where God who does not have any form and between these two is intermediate stage of aneka rupa Ishwara or Vishva rupa ishwara.

Vishwarupa bhakti enjoys a lot of virtues. Many values come to him. Raga and Dvesha will weaken in him. Likes dislikes weaken in him. Once I know whole creation is God’s, how can I dislike anything in creation? So, everything is welcome. All our stress is due to mental resistance. I like some experiences, others I don’t. Even imagined experiences can create stress. For virat bhakti everything is welcome. He sees every experience as originating from God. God is everything, pleasure, pain, success, failure, health, sickness etc. So, everything proceeds from Me; so everything is Ishwara prasada. Thus, he becomes a Karma Yogi accepting everything with an Ishwara Prasada Bhava. Thus a Vishwarupa bhakta worships Me. Virat Ishwara bhaktas are informed Bhaktas who know that Lord is both the intelligent and the material cause of the creation. Their mind is soaked in devotion without stress. I hope for best but am prepared for the worst. This is the best medicine for stress.

Take away:

Visible version of power (Shakti) is called Vibhuti; unmanifest (Shakti) is called Yoga.

I hope for best but am prepared for the worst. This is the best medicine for stress.

With Best Wishes,

Ram Ramaswamy